Jeannée Sacken

(Full Review)

As a wildlife advocate, I had high hopes for this novel about a cinematographer filming a female anti-poaching team in Zimbabwe. I couldn’t wait to dive in. From the dramatic opening chapters to the heart-pounding climax, ALL of my expectations were met—and more.

Sacken’s passion for Zimbabwe and her knowledge as a photojournalist of its wildlife bring this thrilling novel to life. From the nighttime sounds of elephants munching mopane leaves right outside a tent, to the too close for comfort sight and sound of a bull elephant in musth, I was transported to the sensual landscape of Zimbabwe from the comfort of my La-Z-Boy recliner.

Beyond the setting and the subject of protecting wildlife, The Women Who Stand Between also checked boxes with its cast of characters, each well-defined and fascinating in her or his own right. As in Sacken’s previous novels, her protagonist is a strong, determined woman, facing a challenge that involves daring and danger. Julia Wilde, a cinematographer who has been unfairly blacklisted, struggles to reclaim her career while filming the Mambas, a female anti-poaching team in Zimbabwe. The Mambas, equally bold and resolute, each have individual stories that grab your heart. The male characters are also strong, as well as charming, handsome, and mysterious enough to keep the reader—and Julia—on guard as to their true intentions.

If this is not enough to entice you, there is a very satisfying love story and a page-turning suspenseful storyline as well.

I highly recommend this 5 star novel!

~ Debra Thomas, author of, Luz and Josie and Vic

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(Full Review)

In The Women Who Stand Between, the reader rides on the shoulder of an American camera woman in Zimbabwe. After being unfairly blamed for the accidental death of fellow film makers and subsequently blacklisted by her colleagues, Julia Wilde takes a teaching position at a college where she finds a new sort of contentment. But when the time comes to fight for her tenure, she knows the best and most expedient way to prove her worth is to produce her own documentary about what she knows best, wildlife. In particular, she chooses to focus the film on the Black Mambas, an all-female anti-poaching unit. To put together her team of film makers, she must confront her past: the events that led to her blacklisting, her failed marriage, and her self-doubt. What she discovers on this journey is inspiring—especially what she learns from the African women who transform their lives by saving endangered species as members of the Black Mambas.

I’m, admittedly, a big fan of Jeannée Sacken’s Annie Hawkins Green series, so I was eager to get my hands on her newest—The Women Who Stand Between. Sacken’s novels all contain exciting plots, rich characters, and outstanding writing—the things that make books memorable and a joy to read. But the thing that sets her stories apart is her cinematic writing. Like a movie, she has the ability to transport readers to a different land and immerse them in its culture. The danger that dogs the heels of the documentary makers is omnipresent, palpable, and comes from all sides—humans, animals, the terrain, and the weather. The visual and sensual descriptions make the landscape, the people, and most importantly, the wildlife come alive in the reader’s imagination. It will not be surprising to learn that Jeannée Sacken has traveled to Africa many times to photograph elephants and lions, among many other of its denizens. Take a look at her website, and you’ll know what I mean! And the Black Mambas are not fictional. Check them out. They are awesome. Without hesitation: five stars.

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