The Day the Rabbi Resigned

by Harry Kemelman

Hardcover, 1992

Status

Available

Call number

F KEM

Collection

Publication

Ballantine Books (1992), Edition: 1st, Hardcover, 273 pages

Description

Fiction. Literature. Mystery. HTML:Rabbi Small has left the synagogue, but he's not done with sleuthing, in this "engaging" mystery from the New York Times�bestselling author (New York Newsday). After three decades of dealing with temple politics and getting involved with more than a handful of murder investigations, Rabbi David Small is ready to retire from his synagogue in the cozy Boston suburb of Barnard's Crossing. For years, his secret desire has been to permanently take up teaching, but when he finally leaves the synagogue to pursue that dream, life at a university proves more dangerous than he thought. Late at night, a notoriously ambitious college professor dies in a car wreck. The academic had been drinking heavily, but evidence suggests that the crash might not have been an accident. The local police are stumped and enlist the only detective they know whose astute eye and quick mind come from a higher power: Rabbi Small..… (more)

Barcode

2839

Language

User reviews

LibraryThing member bakersfieldbarbara
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.
LibraryThing member BonnieJune54
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
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not that likable. I liked the college politics.
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LibraryThing member janerawoof
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
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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 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.
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LibraryThing member Matke
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
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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.
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ISBN

0449906817 / 9780449906811
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