Lila’s Hamsa: A Novel of Love and Deception

For her first novel, Kurtis presents a cautionary tale rife with intrigue and deceit. Lila, a pre-K teacher, finds herself pursued by a well-regarded professor, Alton Ostro, who, despite some strange behavior, is generally docile and generous with money. They wed and have a daughter, Chloe, but Lila feels endangered when Alton erupts after her suggestion that he see a psychiatrist. A fiery car crash provides Lila the opportunity to fake her own death, and after assuming a new identity, she and Chloe seek refuge in a Jewish neighborhood outside of Pittsburgh, where she thinks Alton will never find her. Lila’s budding interest in Judiasm deepens as she embeds herself farther into the community. Her ruse works until she meets Mort, the widowed father of a student. As Lila wrestles with her dishonesty, Alton seems to flourish in his. He, too, has started a new life under a new name, fathering another child and becoming a successful craftsman. Kurtis’s prose is descriptive and well-structured; however, her far-fetched scenarios and the characters’ implausible behavior result in a plot that just does not ring true. One of Kurtis’s own characters provides the most accurate summary: “This is really a soap opera.” (BookLife)