The Day the Rabbi Resigned

I read all the Rabbi Small mysteries as they were printed and enjoyed them. When I came across this one again, I was delighted to have a chance to renew my acquaintance with the Rabbi.

I didn't realize how didactic these books are. There's lots of fascinating information about Jewish customs included, but it's often presented in almost lecture form. That said, there's still an enjoyable mystery to solve told in a "fair" fashion (that is, all the clues are available to the reader), the setting is true to life--I grew up in a neighboring town--the characters are believable. Worth a read.

Rabbi David Small has been the rabbi at the Barnard’s Crossing synagogue for 25 years. In fact, he was came just as the building was finished. But Small has been feeling a bit stale lately. After all these years and at age 53, should he leave his post? And should he move into a different line of work altogether, maybe teaching?

Meanwhile, handsome English professor Victor Joyce is killed when his car ends up wrapped around a tree. Initially, everyone thinks that the fate of the womanizing professor from Windemere Christian College is due to drunk driving. However, Hugh Lanigan, Barnard’s Crossing’s police chief and a good friend of the Smalls’, comes to think that Joyce’s death was murder. Once again, the rabbi is drawn into show more investigating crime. And good for us readers! Author Harry Kemelman has penned another excellent cozy mystery for us to thoroughly enjoy. Highly recommended. show less

In Rabbi Small mysteries the murders tend to happen quite late in the book, sometimes not till the second half. I particularly enjoyed this one because I managed to avoid reading any blurbs, introductions etc. and was able to try guessing both killer and victim. The characters were interesting if not that likable. I liked the college politics.

Another of the delightful Rabbi Small mysteries. Years ago I read the mysteries with titles including names of the seven days of the week, such as Friday the rabbi slept late and the six others. Now I'm finishing up the others in the series. As in the aforementioned, the rabbi works together with Hugh Lanigan, Bernard's Crossing police chief and the force. They do the legwork but the rabbi uses his deductive reasoning to pull things together and to arrive at the solution. In this mystery, a man crashes his car into a tree on a dark road at night. Was he merely a drunk driver who lost control, or was he murdered?

A very easy read, consisting mostly of dialogue. I liked so much the explanations of different facets of Judaism. I didn't show more enjoy this one as much as the others, but I read them years ago. Half the book was taken up with introduction of characters before the accident even happened. show less

I love these books but haven't found any more to read. I'll keep looking, as I find them quick reads and very entertaining. I also get some insight into Jewish cultures and traditions in an amusing way.

One of my favorites of the series.

drunk driving becomes murder