Series: The Rabbi Small Mysteries
by Author Harry Kemelman
Wednesday the Rabbi Got Wet (1976)
I think I read the first set of these when they came out but haven't seen them around for a long time. There is a temptation to read these as a short course on Conservative Judaism but the mysteries are very good. This one involves the complex interactions among several families and members of th...
One Fine Day the Rabbi Bought a Cross (1988)
David Small and his wife are gearing up for the summer. First another member of the synagouge feels that he never really had his BarMitvah, so he decides that he will pay for the Rabbi and his wife to go to Israel to perform the honors, only David refuses. He feels that this is silly. But then he...
Friday the Rabbi Slept Late (2002)
First, even those who don't think much of mysteries may well like this book. Indeed, this entire series is a pleasant read. Rabbi David Small finds himself in a nasty situation as this book opens. He's a bit of a scholarly type, and he doesn't necessarily do what other rabbis do in terms of ea...
Saturday the Rabbi Went Hungry (2002)
A man is found dead drunk in his garage--make that just plain dead. Was it an accident, suicide, or murder? Who would want a harmless mathematician dead, and that on Yom Kippour, the Day of Atonement? Did the corpse have a skeleton in his closet, or was his shiksa wife just hoping to cash in?Much...
Sunday the Rabbi Stayed Home (2002)
If you've ever been part of a congregation where a split seems likely, this book will resonate. Kemelman does a nice job of drawing a picture of the time that stands up even in retrospect. The stresses between generations. The increase in illegal drugs, particularly marijuana. The civil rights mo...
Monday the Rabbi Took Off (2007)
Rabbi (or the detective as a hobby) David Small makes a private exodus to Israel to search himself and soothe his soul. He wants to just enjoy the local scene, go to the synagogue (or not) as he feels. But surprise surprise, there's an international incident and the rabbi gets involved in solving...
The Day the Rabbi Resigned (1993)
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 w...
Tuesday the Rabbi Saw Red (1974)
rare foray into fiction for me, but I got the referral from a trusted source and enjoyed this murder mystery very much. Set in a small liberal arts college in the late 60's/early 70's. The Rabbi fills in at last minute to pick up a course in Jewish Studies and runs headlong into the culture sho...