Pam Jenoff

Pam Jenoff [born 1972] is primarily known for her novels set during WW2 and involving Jewish protagonists. In two of her novels, Jordan Weiss is primarily defined by her professional and personal partnerships with Israeli operatives and the Holocaust-related history she uncovers during her missions. 

While Jordan herself is an American U.S. State Department intelligence officer, her connection to Jewish themes includes: 

• Partnership with Israeli Agents: In A Hidden Affair, Jordan teams up with an Israeli operative named Aaron (also referred to as Ari Bruck). He is a nationalistic character who views certain European interactions through the lens of the Holocaust and is seeking a woman named Nicole connected to Jordan’s past.
• Wartime Mystery: Her investigations often intertwine with Jewish history; for example, she and Aaron track down extremely rare wine that disappeared during World War II.
• Author Parallelism: Jordan’s background as a U.S. State Department official in Europe mirrors Pam Jenoff’s real-life career, where she worked at the U.S. Consulate in Krakow, Poland, focusing on Holocaust restitution and maintaining relations with the surviving Jewish community. 

Unlike Jenoff’s other protagonists (such as Astrid in The Orphan’s Tale or Emma in The Kommandant’s Girl), who are explicitly Jewish and navigating the Holocaust directly, Jordan Weiss serves as a modern vehicle through which Jenoff explores the lingering shadows of Jewish history in contemporary Europe. [Google/AI]

Jenoff, Pam, [Jordan Weiss], Almost Home [hc, Atria Books, 2009]) 978-1416590699 [pb, Atria/Emily Bestler Books, 2010] 978-1416590705

Jenoff, Pam, (A Hidden Affair [hc, Atria Books, 2010] 978-1416590712 [pb, Atria/Emily Bestler Books, 2011] 978-1416590729