Interesting mystery, almost incidental to story.

The Rabbi takes a leave of absence to spend 3 months in Jerusalem. The book was publshed in 1972, so was written in the period between the 6-day war (1967) and the Yom Kippur War (1973). This was around the time I first visited Israel, so I experienced a certain nostalgia in the listening. Among other things, the story dramatizes the tension between the sabras and non-religious Jews and the strictly observant Hasidim and other religious sects, a tension that has only become more exacerbated with time, especially in Jerusalem and environs. In this story, it is dramatized mostly by conflicts between parents and children. The mystery itself concerns the murder of an auto trader, apparently by a terrorist bomb. As usual, the Rabbi eventually solves the crime for the police, seemingly by logic, although I found it hard to believe he could have discerned all that he told just by a careful examination of some of the evidence. Despite my disappointment, I don't regret the time spent listening. The narration by George Guidall is excellent, as usual.

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Terrorists and Murder in Israel

A fascinating insight into Israel in the late 1960’s. Rabbi Small takes a three month visit to Jerusalem to contemplate what he wants to do with the rest of his life. While there we get to see the ups and downs of the county. We meet Arabs and Jews. We meet terrorists and bomb makers and murderers. We meet policemen and security agents. Civil servants and doctors. And normal people just living their lives. The story and the narrator made me feel like I was there. And of course the rabbi solves the murder and proves the innocence of the wrongly accused young suspect.

disappointing

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

less trivia and some mystery or detective content

Would you ever listen to anything by Harry Kemelman again?

no thanks

What about George Guidall’s performance did you like?

good reader, boring book

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

no thanks

Any additional comments?

very misleading, the book was described as a mystery but it is so full of irrelevant interpersonal conversations and trivial details that have nothing to do with a crime or mystery, it is a waist of time

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