The Wall by David Pereda

The Wall by David Pereda
Publisher: Drake Valley Press
Genre: Contemporary, Thriller
Rated: 5 stars
Review by Rose

THOMAS BERTRAM is an American living in San Salvador with his fiancée CECILIA. They own a popular neighborhood restaurant and plan to wed soon. Thomas’s dream is to obtain a resident visa for Cecilia and return to the United States.

DOMINGO JIMENEZ and his wife BLANCA own a small repair shop across the street. Domingo’s dream is to move to America as well so that his seven-year-old daughter NANCY can grow up speaking English and having a good education and a better life than he and Blanca had.

When armed gang members invade their neighborhood to demand “protection” money and threaten them with death if they don’t pay, Thomas and Domingo’s dreams for the future take on a new perspective. They decide to flee the country with their families through Guatemala and Mexico to seek asylum in the United States.

But their journey is more challenging than expected, and they face a myriad of difficulties and must overcome multiple obstacles that put not only their dreams but also their lives at risk.

This is a brilliantly written tale of two families, with mention of many more, who are trying to escape the danger of their homelands to travel to a land they think may offer them better hope for the future.

The characters are richly drawn and my heart ached for what they went through. Although the paths the two families took were different, the emotions and desires were the same. They yearned for a better life, a safer life. There were many side characters too… some better, some worse. I was especially touched by the volunteers who helped in Brownsville.

The settings were vibrantly described – I could place myself in their shoes and could feel their fear and despair. It was hard to put this fast-paced book down. I could so see this on the big screen. There were definite scenes that would leave you with your heart in your throat, and there was one scene in particular that had me in tears.

This book touched me on so many different levels and dealt with so many issues. It’s obvious that Mr. Pereda did his research, but the book doesn’t come across as preachy or political. And, while it has its moments of heartbreak, it is, at the end, a story of hope.

Thanks, Mr. Pereda. You earned a solid 5 stars for a wonderful thriller! I will definitely be looking for more from this author.