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The Rabbi Small Mysteries #7
Thursday the Rabbi Walked Out
If the murder victim had not been a notorious anti-Semite, Rabbi Small might never have become involved. When several members of his congregation became suspects, Rabbi Small was forced to match wits with the killer.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1978
About the author
Harry Kemelman
65 books149 followersHarry Kemelman was an American mystery writer and a professor of English. He was the creator of one of the most famous religious sleuths, Rabbi David Small.
His writing career began with short stories for Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine featuring New England college professor Nicky Welt, the first of which, "The Nine Mile Walk", is considered a classic.
The Rabbi Small series began in 1964 with the publication of Friday the Rabbi Slept Late, which became a huge bestseller, a difficult achievement for a religious mystery, and won Kemelman a 1965 Edgar Award for Best First Novel. The Rabbi Small books are not only mysteries, but also considerations of Conservative Judaism.
His writing career began with short stories for Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine featuring New England college professor Nicky Welt, the first of which, "The Nine Mile Walk", is considered a classic.
The Rabbi Small series began in 1964 with the publication of Friday the Rabbi Slept Late, which became a huge bestseller, a difficult achievement for a religious mystery, and won Kemelman a 1965 Edgar Award for Best First Novel. The Rabbi Small books are not only mysteries, but also considerations of Conservative Judaism.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
August 9, 2023
There's a mystery in here somewhere, but but Kemelman is more concerned about discussing feminism and Judaism in the early 1970's. Quite a time capsule.
February 4, 2016
This was my least favorite book of the series. It just didn't seem to have the "zing" of the previous ones that I've read. Usually the reader is treated to the thoughts of the major characters. With short chapters, this is feasible and desirable. The thoughts of the characters in this volume seemed to be edited for brevity and not the usual chattiness that I became used to. The women characters were either included as a foil for a male character or extremely typecast, as the whining mother-in-law. Also, in this volume the author seems to be making fun of the women's lib movement, which irritated me. One character even says that he had "his girl" make copies for everyone. I'm sorry to say this is a book I'm not recommending.
August 12, 2025
This one was maybe a little sillier than some of the others, but. I love this series about a rabbi who fights with the synagogue board, talks about Judaism, and oh yes, solves a murder or two.
April 21, 2014
Another neat little murder mystery, which serves as an excuse for lessons in Judaism. The mystery is slight, and some of the characterizations are downright odd, but I like Rabbi Small and his implacable resistance to the whims of the temple board of directors.
He refuses to participate in a Bar Mitzvah ceremony for a rich man who never had a party when he was a child.
The rabbi is also unmoved when some members of the congregation want to integrate women into their rituals, to allow women to make up a minyan, for instance. (This was published in the late 1970's.) The women aren’t impressed with the rabbi’s explanation that this wouldn’t be a mitzvah; that they get no “points” for performing a task they weren’t commanded to do; neither are they satisfied with the reason women aren’t required to perform public prayer: they have more important things to do (housework).
Oh, and there is a mystery: a cranky, opinionated old man is murdered (one of his opinions was anti-semitic) and the rabbi gets involved on behalf of a young Jewish man suspected of the murder.
He refuses to participate in a Bar Mitzvah ceremony for a rich man who never had a party when he was a child.
“Mr. Segal was Bar Mitzvah when he was thirteen whether he knows it or not. There’s no special rite or ritual required. It’s automatic. It’s not like baptism. It isn’t integration into the religion or the tribe….
“If you want to throw a party in the vestry for this Ben Segal, I can’t stop you, although I might question the propriety and the good taste of having a party to celebrate the signing up of a new member just because he’s rich. But what happens before the Ark and the Scrolls of the Law is within my jurisdiction, and I cannot permit it.”
The rabbi is also unmoved when some members of the congregation want to integrate women into their rituals, to allow women to make up a minyan, for instance. (This was published in the late 1970's.) The women aren’t impressed with the rabbi’s explanation that this wouldn’t be a mitzvah; that they get no “points” for performing a task they weren’t commanded to do; neither are they satisfied with the reason women aren’t required to perform public prayer: they have more important things to do (housework).
Oh, and there is a mystery: a cranky, opinionated old man is murdered (one of his opinions was anti-semitic) and the rabbi gets involved on behalf of a young Jewish man suspected of the murder.
April 24, 2018
I enjoy the Rabbi Small books very much. I was not too surprised by the identity of the murderer (although I wavered from time to time as there were so many suspects who had cause to murder the victim). What I hadn't figured out was the actual reason for the murder and how the culprit managed to provide himself with a bogus alibi. I didn't learn as much about Judaism in this book as is in the previous books although there was an interesting discussion of anti-Semitism.
November 8, 2025
One of my guilty pleasures. Old times, little communities, a murder, a rabbi.
May 4, 2018
I think the rabbi is finally starting to get on my nerves.
January 8, 2021
I don't think these books have aged particularly well and won't continue on with the series. I've given it two books but I find that they are short on mystery and long on Judiac teaching. It seemed like I was well past the halfway point before there was even a mystery for Rabbi Small to start figuring out.
August 6, 2022
These novels are better when read by yourself. Having it as audio book simply did not seem to do the book justice. Something was just missing. The plot and characters are good in either format but the audio dimension seems to move everything farther away, not closer to the "listener/reader".
April 5, 2023
Okay entry in the series, but I keep thinking that Rabbi Small is not a good fit for this congregation and vice versa.
September 24, 2025
I've read several other of these charmingly dated, almost cozy mysteries surrounding a synagogue, rabbi, parishioners and surrounding townspeople. This one was typical, a pleasant 3 star read.
March 11, 2020
This is the last in the seven days of the Rabbi series (although there are five more Rabbi Small books). While it is an interesting detective story which keeps you guessing to the very end, it is probably my least favorite of the Rabbi Small series to date.
As I mentioned in my earlier reviews, I am an atheist who is culturally Jewish. Reading these books I “know” all of the characters - the devout, the “twice a year Jews”, and the board presidents who battle for control with the Rabbi. Whether you were dragged to temple by your parents when you were young or if you are someone who goes to services every week, you will enjoy the “cultural comfort” of these books.
The best part of the Rabbi books are where Rabbi Small brings argument and interpretation from the Talmud (books which contain 517 chapters on Jewish law) to help the local Catholic chief of police solve a murder. Unfortunately Thursday The Rabbi Walked Out has very little interaction between the police chief and the Rabbi and hardly any mention of the Talmud.
Each of the Rabbi books reflects the times that it was written in. This seventh book touches on “Women’s Lib” but then focuses quite a bit on antisemitism. Reading this book in 2020, forty-two years after it was published, Rabbi Small, Judaism, and the author all come across rather chauvinistically. However, trying to look at this book with 1978 eyes, one can credit Harry Kemelman with at least acknowledging some feminist issues along with the reality of the antisemitism of the time.
If you have read all of the Rabbi books up until now you might as well read this one as well, “couldn’t hurt”. If you are new to the series, do yourself a favor and go back and start your reading with the first book in the series.
As I mentioned in my earlier reviews, I am an atheist who is culturally Jewish. Reading these books I “know” all of the characters - the devout, the “twice a year Jews”, and the board presidents who battle for control with the Rabbi. Whether you were dragged to temple by your parents when you were young or if you are someone who goes to services every week, you will enjoy the “cultural comfort” of these books.
The best part of the Rabbi books are where Rabbi Small brings argument and interpretation from the Talmud (books which contain 517 chapters on Jewish law) to help the local Catholic chief of police solve a murder. Unfortunately Thursday The Rabbi Walked Out has very little interaction between the police chief and the Rabbi and hardly any mention of the Talmud.
Each of the Rabbi books reflects the times that it was written in. This seventh book touches on “Women’s Lib” but then focuses quite a bit on antisemitism. Reading this book in 2020, forty-two years after it was published, Rabbi Small, Judaism, and the author all come across rather chauvinistically. However, trying to look at this book with 1978 eyes, one can credit Harry Kemelman with at least acknowledging some feminist issues along with the reality of the antisemitism of the time.
If you have read all of the Rabbi books up until now you might as well read this one as well, “couldn’t hurt”. If you are new to the series, do yourself a favor and go back and start your reading with the first book in the series.
June 29, 2022
Another entry in the series where the mystery wasn't much of one. Figured this one out pretty quickly (well as quickly as you can when the murder doesn't happen until halfway through the book).
Really the only thing stopping the cops from figuring it out was their own ingrained misogyny. Not sure if Kemelman was trying to make a statement supporting gender equality, but I don't think so. All of the women's lib supporters in this novel were antagonists to Rabbi Small, who himself was adamant not to change that women weren't counted towards a minyan for some fairly condescending reasons, and if you assume that Kemelman's interpretation of Judiasm is reflected through Rabbi Small, then it's likely that he felt the same way.
So, caveat emptor. Recommended for fans of Rabbi Small, since most of the things that are great about the series are still here, but I wouldn't blame you if you skipped this one since it's more than a little problematic.
Really the only thing stopping the cops from figuring it out was their own ingrained misogyny. Not sure if Kemelman was trying to make a statement supporting gender equality, but I don't think so. All of the women's lib supporters in this novel were antagonists to Rabbi Small, who himself was adamant not to change that women weren't counted towards a minyan for some fairly condescending reasons, and if you assume that Kemelman's interpretation of Judiasm is reflected through Rabbi Small, then it's likely that he felt the same way.
So, caveat emptor. Recommended for fans of Rabbi Small, since most of the things that are great about the series are still here, but I wouldn't blame you if you skipped this one since it's more than a little problematic.
September 9, 2019
I thought I had read every book in this series, but the list on Fantastic Fiction indicates otherwise. That’s outstanding news, since I love the opportunity to visit Barnard’s Crossing and learn of life and decency from the always-excellent Rabbi Small. Ah, and of course, if you hang with him long enough, he’ll likely solve a murder and show you how he did it—always a bonus.
As we time travel to Barnard’s Crossing, disco music is all over the AM and perhaps to a slightly lesser degree the FM band. The Equal Rights Amendment is a hot topic at dinner tables throughout the community. Rabbi David Small is in danger of not having his contract renewed for several reasons. The board president insists that you need gimmicks to bring people into your congregation. One such plan is the proposed bar mitzvah of Ben Segal, a wealthy businessman who never had the ceremony as a boy. The board president of the synagogue is sure that people will flock to the group once they know the highly successful Segal is part of them. Rabbi Small has no problem with people affiliating with the group, but no way will he do that bar mitzvah. His contention is if you're 13 or older and Jewish, your bar mitzvah is automatic regardless of whether you had a ceremony. Naturally, the board president is angry, and he quickly spreads the infection of anger to other board members.
Worse still, many of the women are sure they should be able to be part of the minyan—the group who participates in the morning prayer services. While Rabbi Small admits that getting 10 men together in the morning isn’t always easy, he’s sure he will lose the orthodox members of his congregation if he opens the service up to women. Now that contract renewal is increasingly in doubt. A local anti-Semite has been murdered, and Chief Lanigan considers several members of Rabbi Small’s synagogue to be suspects.
Rabbi Small Solves the murder, using his Talmudic wisdom and his knowledge of human nature as a keen observer of people to figure out the real killer.
These are not edge-of-the-seat heart-palpitation-inducing mysteries. They are wonderful glimpses into one 70s-era synagogue, be it ever so fictional. I’m fascinated by what I learn about those ‘70s snapshots of Judaism, as it existed in that fictional community in that block of time. Rabbi Small’s perspective on things may be quintessentially 1970s and rather traditional, but his observations of human nature and his ability to tie those observations to his scriptural understanding is ageless. It is that observation of human nature that enables these stories to hold up as well as they do.
As we time travel to Barnard’s Crossing, disco music is all over the AM and perhaps to a slightly lesser degree the FM band. The Equal Rights Amendment is a hot topic at dinner tables throughout the community. Rabbi David Small is in danger of not having his contract renewed for several reasons. The board president insists that you need gimmicks to bring people into your congregation. One such plan is the proposed bar mitzvah of Ben Segal, a wealthy businessman who never had the ceremony as a boy. The board president of the synagogue is sure that people will flock to the group once they know the highly successful Segal is part of them. Rabbi Small has no problem with people affiliating with the group, but no way will he do that bar mitzvah. His contention is if you're 13 or older and Jewish, your bar mitzvah is automatic regardless of whether you had a ceremony. Naturally, the board president is angry, and he quickly spreads the infection of anger to other board members.
Worse still, many of the women are sure they should be able to be part of the minyan—the group who participates in the morning prayer services. While Rabbi Small admits that getting 10 men together in the morning isn’t always easy, he’s sure he will lose the orthodox members of his congregation if he opens the service up to women. Now that contract renewal is increasingly in doubt. A local anti-Semite has been murdered, and Chief Lanigan considers several members of Rabbi Small’s synagogue to be suspects.
Rabbi Small Solves the murder, using his Talmudic wisdom and his knowledge of human nature as a keen observer of people to figure out the real killer.
These are not edge-of-the-seat heart-palpitation-inducing mysteries. They are wonderful glimpses into one 70s-era synagogue, be it ever so fictional. I’m fascinated by what I learn about those ‘70s snapshots of Judaism, as it existed in that fictional community in that block of time. Rabbi Small’s perspective on things may be quintessentially 1970s and rather traditional, but his observations of human nature and his ability to tie those observations to his scriptural understanding is ageless. It is that observation of human nature that enables these stories to hold up as well as they do.
February 20, 2024
I love books with Jewish characters (especially when written by Jews) and I enjoy indulging in pulp from time to time. Thursday the Rabbit Walked Out (the 7th of 7 books in this series, of which I've read them all) combines both. Although I don't love Rabbi Small (the crime solving, small town rabbi), nor do I have much in common with any of the other characters, these books always capture my attention.
A year from now I probably won't be able to tell any of the books apart, so I don't know where I'd rank this one in the series. As a stand-alone book it does just fine though. There's a murder, the police have trouble finding out who did it, and along comes David Small to solve the case, usually nonchalantly in the last few pages. Kimelman uses these books to teach about Judaism perhaps as much as he does to write about crime solving, and that's absolutely ok with me.
I think these books are for a very unique audience, but if you like Jewish pulp then I'd recommend checking them out. I think each one cost me like $2 or $3 used.
A year from now I probably won't be able to tell any of the books apart, so I don't know where I'd rank this one in the series. As a stand-alone book it does just fine though. There's a murder, the police have trouble finding out who did it, and along comes David Small to solve the case, usually nonchalantly in the last few pages. Kimelman uses these books to teach about Judaism perhaps as much as he does to write about crime solving, and that's absolutely ok with me.
I think these books are for a very unique audience, but if you like Jewish pulp then I'd recommend checking them out. I think each one cost me like $2 or $3 used.
August 14, 2021
#7 in the Rabbi Small mystery series. David Small is the rabbi at the synagogue in Barnard’s Crossing, Massachusetts. He is conservative, a scholar rather than out going cheer leader type of person, so is not what his congregation expects a rabbi to be. So he finds himself working the police chief to solve a murder while also dealing with congregation leaders who would rather have someone else as rabbi or are at odds with him over their personal goals and what is good for the congregation.
As usual, for a variety of reasons, the new board president and others in Small's congregation would like to see him gone and are actively working to make that happen. Then when several members of his congregation become suspects in the murder of a notorious and vehement anti-Semite, Small finds himself helping to solve the murder.
As usual, for a variety of reasons, the new board president and others in Small's congregation would like to see him gone and are actively working to make that happen. Then when several members of his congregation become suspects in the murder of a notorious and vehement anti-Semite, Small finds himself helping to solve the murder.
May 22, 2018
This series is always satisfying. In this installment, the dead body doesn't show up until 41% of the way through the book. That's a bit late, but the first half was good nonetheless. with interesting conversations about anti-Semitism, the essential meaning of Bar Mitzvah, the push towards gender equality in religion and Judaism as a religion centered around the home.
One fun moment in the book was when the rabbi's wife showed ingenuity and nerve by doing some undercover detective work on the phone, impressing the police chief. The silliest moment in the book was when an 18 year old reacted to being sent to his room by saying "Oh, stink!" Who says that?!
One fun moment in the book was when the rabbi's wife showed ingenuity and nerve by doing some undercover detective work on the phone, impressing the police chief. The silliest moment in the book was when an 18 year old reacted to being sent to his room by saying "Oh, stink!" Who says that?!
August 23, 2019
This is a tale of tedious politics at a Massachusetts synagogue and the unsatisfactory love life of an Anti-Semite, all occurring in that least tolerable of decades, the 70s. In order to demonstrate the right-thinkingness of our author, the racism and anti-semitism is expressed in the broad terms of an after-school special. The sexism is also pretty broad, but our hero, Rabbi Small, seems to approve of that. Which means our Rabbi also has to contend with awful angry Women’s Libbers.
Fortunately, our Anti-Semite gets killed around page 100, and we ease into the rhythm of a mildly ok cozy’ with a decent solution. It’s not worth a full dose of 1978 to get there.
Fortunately, our Anti-Semite gets killed around page 100, and we ease into the rhythm of a mildly ok cozy’ with a decent solution. It’s not worth a full dose of 1978 to get there.
May 30, 2020
As I continue reading the Rabbi books I am noticing a subtle shift from little mystery/lot of philosophy to more mystery/less philosophy. Although the mystery was easy solvable, it took up more of the "Thursday" book than those before it. And although the books are heavy on Jewish beliefs, customs, history, it is worth reading if you care about what makes us different. The emphasis on equality often blots out what makes each of us different and unique. There's a softness and a coziness to the Rabbi books that I enjoy.
June 4, 2024
The whodunit is pretty solid and kept me guessing all along. But I do have to say that the theme of the rabbi's continual fight with the temple's board of directors is starting to get a little old. Every book there is a contingent of the board, or the congregation as whole, that is pushing for the rabbi's firing, or forcing him to resign, or threatening to not renew his contract. I'd just like to see some variety in the rabbi/congregation relationship front. Aside from that, I really liked this one.
September 30, 2024
The Rabbi Small Mysteries are clever, with puzzles inside puzzles. There are always at least 2 story lines, sometimes 3.
However, they are creatures of a different era and generation, and they aren't aging well. The descriptions of women and women's issues are not kind. They are too stereotypical -- women are girls to be condescended to, taken care of, or slept with. (No real spice, BTW.). And, the author, along with Rabbi Small, are both interested in explaining a particular approach to Judaism, especially the Conservative Judaism of the Post-WW II era.
However, they are creatures of a different era and generation, and they aren't aging well. The descriptions of women and women's issues are not kind. They are too stereotypical -- women are girls to be condescended to, taken care of, or slept with. (No real spice, BTW.). And, the author, along with Rabbi Small, are both interested in explaining a particular approach to Judaism, especially the Conservative Judaism of the Post-WW II era.
May 15, 2025
I doubt if I would give this book 5 stars if I read it, but as an audio book, it is 5 stars thanks to George Guidall as the narrator. It takes some skill to hold my attention reading about a board meeting that hews to Roberts Rules of Order. Guildall succeeds in spades.
In this mystery, the board meetings for the Barnards Crossing Synagogue are an important plot point.
My husband and I figured out who murdered a wealthy raging antisemite with many enemies well before it was revealed, but we still both enjoyed the story to the end.
In this mystery, the board meetings for the Barnards Crossing Synagogue are an important plot point.
My husband and I figured out who murdered a wealthy raging antisemite with many enemies well before it was revealed, but we still both enjoyed the story to the end.
February 26, 2023
An easy meandering tale, introducing us to various characters throughout Barnes Crossing. The tale is equally as meandering with, as with Friday, a lot of emphasis on Rabbi Small’s continuing contract.
I love how the 2 elements (the crime and the contract) revolve around each other and equally resolve themselves around each other.
I listened to the audiobook version of this title, admirably read by George Guidall.
I love how the 2 elements (the crime and the contract) revolve around each other and equally resolve themselves around each other.
I listened to the audiobook version of this title, admirably read by George Guidall.
November 3, 2023
As always, Harry Kemelman wrote a semi good book. And the ending was quite a surprise. Although a bit of his ideas seem a bit outdated (this book was written in the 70”s) I really can’t judge beings that I’m a Christian.He does seem a bit smug in his beliefs, though, which, I think is why he basically has such trouble with the temple board of directors and the people at the college where he is temporarily teaching.
March 1, 2024
missteps
From being intelligent and professional in the first rabbi books, the rabbi’s policeman friend Lanagan has devolved into a bigoted, lazy and rather stupid character. Loose ends or not well- researched elements include the fact that without a will, despite the story’s contention, Landon’s natural son Billy would have stood a good chance of inheriting murder victim Landon’s estate.
From being intelligent and professional in the first rabbi books, the rabbi’s policeman friend Lanagan has devolved into a bigoted, lazy and rather stupid character. Loose ends or not well- researched elements include the fact that without a will, despite the story’s contention, Landon’s natural son Billy would have stood a good chance of inheriting murder victim Landon’s estate.
July 12, 2025
Free Audible Version: The people in Barnard's Crossing are always scheming to get rid of Rabbi Small, and he continues not to care much either way. I like him for that. He won't bend for anyone. Even though they are quite dated and reflect the attitudes of the times, I still like listening for the discussions of Judaism and the cozy mystery that accompanies them. George Guidall is such a great choice for narrator!
December 27, 2025
Loved these books at as teen - the rabbi on a small Yankee town on Boston’s North Shore, solving mysteries as he navigated his way past the temple’s lukewarm support of his non-flashy efforts.
Coming back after decades, i was looking forward to compassion but found it was nuanced and conditional. They narrative paid more attention to C-Suite types, often with younger wives or girlfriends — and in one case, a handsy narcissist, antisemite and oh yes — murder victim.
Coming back after decades, i was looking forward to compassion but found it was nuanced and conditional. They narrative paid more attention to C-Suite types, often with younger wives or girlfriends — and in one case, a handsy narcissist, antisemite and oh yes — murder victim.
October 20, 2018
I think "Monday" is still my favourite Rabbi Small read, though this still made for a fairly enjoyable, small town, slower paced whodunnit.
For others that like to know things like this before listening to the audiobook: One of the characters delights in using crass and offensive language concerning woman - one woman described him as ' a dirty old man'.
For others that like to know things like this before listening to the audiobook: One of the characters delights in using crass and offensive language concerning woman - one woman described him as ' a dirty old man'.
April 5, 2019
Love the way Rabbi Small solves these. This was my least favorite of series. The anti Semitism bothered me. And the chief seems to be adopting the Rabbi’s negativity. Loved the characters but it didn’t hook me till halfway through when the crime solving started and even then the deductive skills were barely used.
July 20, 2020
Another crisis for Rabbi Small from his Congregation
And another murder in Barnard Crossing, the small New England town where Rabbi Small has his congregation. The murder victim is a stingy anti-Semitic millionaire that no one likes, but who could have killed him -- a Jew or a Gentile? Might it possibly be his own long-lost son?
And another murder in Barnard Crossing, the small New England town where Rabbi Small has his congregation. The murder victim is a stingy anti-Semitic millionaire that no one likes, but who could have killed him -- a Jew or a Gentile? Might it possibly be his own long-lost son?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews