Adiva Geffen Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of World War II Brave Women Fiction Books

About Adiva Geffen

An Israeli author and playwright, Adiva Geffen is well known for her in-depth and engaging literary novels on a range of different subjects. Whether it’s charting a period in history, or crafting a tightly woven mystery novel, there’s a whole wide range of attributes to Geffen’s skills as a writer. Knowing her subjects inside out, she’s also an extremely confident writer, really getting to the heart of her subject matter. Letting her stories essentially speak for themselves, she captures the reader from the outset, and holds them there for the duration.

Prolific as she is talented, she’s a key part of the literary community within Israel, whilst also reaching the wider world. Setting herself apart in a league of her own, her writing is entirely unique to her, as she effortlessly takes full command of the form. Her voice is entirely singular to her, publishing extensive novels and books over the course of her career, from adult to children’s titles. This approach has shown her being truly versatile as a creative, bringing a number of different subjects to life upon the page.

Many of her characters have also gone on to become iconic in their own right, coming alive in a way that’s quite unlike anything else. Creating fully formed three-dimensional personalities, she leaves a strong impression on the audience, as the reader feels like they really get to know them. Her use of suspense is also something to be admired, as she keeps the reader held constantly on the edges of their seats. With so much more to come, she has a lot more planned in the pipeline, as her writing career continues on growing upwards and onwards.

Early and Personal Life

Born in Haifa, Israel, in 1946, Adiva Geffen would grow-up with a clear love of both reading and writing from an early age. This passion of hers would continue to develop throughout the years, as she would come to find her own unique voice and approach to writing. Drawing heavily from her own experiences in life, she would put everything back into her craft, using it to help inspire her material and work.

Prior to becoming a full-time writer she would work as a special-Ed teacher, serving in the field of education for some time. Following this she would then go on to work for the Habima National Theater, operating as their spokesperson for over a decade. Currently living in Tel Aviv, she lives with her partner Aharon Meidan, as she continues to write regularly to this very day.

Writing Career

Over the course of Adiva Geffen’s entire career as writer, she’s produced twenty-one books and counting, being a highly prolific author. Many of her books are mystery novels, from ‘Murder at First Reading,’ to ‘Missing,’ as she’s proven herself to have a gift for suspense. Along with this she’s also written countless children’s stories too, including ‘The New House of the Zebra Gayla,’ and ‘The Girl Who Wanted to be a Princess.’

She’s also extremely well regarded for her historical novels too, many of which are in English as well, reaching readers from all over. Known as a playwright too, she’s published several plays, such as ‘Citron in the Falls’ and ‘Shameless Heirs’ to name just a few. Contributing to the series of others as well, such as the ‘World War II Brave Women Fiction’ series, she’s continues to make a name for herself.

The Girl Behind the Secrets

Originally published on the Kindle back in 2017, this would first come out on the 24th of July, and would be another crime thriller from the author. A stand-alone title, it features a self-contained narrative with its easy to follow mystery that makes for a more than compelling read. Great for not only fans of the author, but fans of the genre as well, it’s a must for anyone looking for a thriller filled with twists and turns.

Sammy and Dikla are horrified to find the body of the young runaway, Daria, after securing her safety previously. With it being classed as an open-and-shut suicide by the local police, it seems there’s something darker lurking just underneath the surface. Investigating the case, the two of them find themselves heading down a rabbit hole of con-artists and cultists, with lies and deceit at every turn. Will they be able to uncover the truth behind it all, can they bring the killer to justice, and just what exactly happened to the girl behind the secrets?

This is a solid mystery with some darker tones to it, making for an engaging thriller that ensures the reader keeps turning the page. There’s a lot to appreciate here, as it really makes the most of its setting and characters, bringing their world to life. With plenty of surprises along the way, it ensures that the audience is kept guessing, as they’re held on the edge of their seat.

My Daughter’s Keeper

The third in the ongoing ‘World War II Brave Women Fiction’ series, Geffen would contribute this book to the series that features other writers. Initially released in 2022, it would come out on the 2nd of February, featuring a historical story set during the holocaust. Based on a true-story, it uses the real-life account of what actually happened from the perspective of a Jewish woman who survived the ordeal.

Taking place in Poland 1938, this sees army officer Johann, coming from a Christian background, falling in love with a Jewish medical student named Rachel. Getting married, they both move to the countryside and have a baby, but their happiness is short-lived following the arrival of the German occupation. With Johann disappearing suddenly, Rachel is left alone with her daughter Ilona, as they’re then taken to a Warsaw ghetto amidst the rising anti-Semitic sentiments. Attempting to smuggle her daughter out of the ghetto, Rachel tries to get Ilona to her Christian sister-in-law, Irena, but this may prove to be more than difficult.

It’s a hard hitting story about strength and courage in trying times, as the women in the story must face their ordeal head-on. Really capturing the true gravity of the situation, Geffen provides an intimate portrait of the period in vivid detail. The characters themselves are all extremely well drawn, feeling wholly real and genuine, as the reader is brought into the story directly through their plight.

2 Responses to “Adiva Geffen”

1. Marilyn Wood: 10 months ago

   Please clear up this confusion: After reading and liking “My Daughter’s Keeper,” I ordered (on eBay) two other books by Adiva Geffen: “Surviving the Forest” and “Surviving the War.”
   Aside from the problem of the missing beginning pages of “Surviving the Forest” (it starts on page 39–I am resolving this with eBay) it turns out that (with the exception of some words and short passages here and there, including the Epilogue) they are the same book! It looks as if one version was turned into the other with a few short edits here and there.
   I think that the purchaser should be aware of the strong similarity between the two books. If the author is not aware of this; I think she should be, since I’m not willing to order any further books by her because of this issue. Thank you.

   Reply
   • Graeme: 9 months ago

     Yes it appears they are basically the same book just published under different titles.

     Reply