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Michael Ohayon #6
Murder in Jerusalem
Modern Israel is a place filled with contradictions: the beautiful landscape often rife with human conflict; the tranquil and the peaceful in constant struggle with terrible destruction; and amazing human love and kindness set against a backdrop of civil strife. Through the eyes of a writer like Batya Gur and her finest creation, Chief Superintendent Michael Ohayon, these complexities are treated with an intimate familiarity and rare depth of understanding.
When a woman's body is discovered in the wardrobe warehouses of Israel Television, the brooding Ohayon embarks on a tangled and bloody trail of detection through the corridors and studios of Israel's official television station and, especially, through the relations, fears, loves, and courage of the people who make the station what it is. It is a journey that brings into question the very ideals upon which Ohayon -- and indeed the entire nation -- was raised, ideals that may have led to terrible crimes.
Chief Superintendent Ohayon has spent his career surrounded by perplexing and horrific cases, but perhaps nothing disturbs him more deeply than what this mysterious woman's murder reveals. For the media, often at the center of the Israeli consciousness -- a place where political tensions; hostility; corruption; and the ethnic, social, and religious divisions that shake the nation come together -- may indeed be at the root of an unspeakable evil.
Murder in Jerusalem is the crowning achievement of a magnificent career, this final installment in the Michael Ohayon series a wonderful parting gift from the incomparable Batya Gur -- one last fascinating visit to an always tumultuous land, in the company of a writer and a detective so many devoted readers have loved so well.
When a woman's body is discovered in the wardrobe warehouses of Israel Television, the brooding Ohayon embarks on a tangled and bloody trail of detection through the corridors and studios of Israel's official television station and, especially, through the relations, fears, loves, and courage of the people who make the station what it is. It is a journey that brings into question the very ideals upon which Ohayon -- and indeed the entire nation -- was raised, ideals that may have led to terrible crimes.
Chief Superintendent Ohayon has spent his career surrounded by perplexing and horrific cases, but perhaps nothing disturbs him more deeply than what this mysterious woman's murder reveals. For the media, often at the center of the Israeli consciousness -- a place where political tensions; hostility; corruption; and the ethnic, social, and religious divisions that shake the nation come together -- may indeed be at the root of an unspeakable evil.
Murder in Jerusalem is the crowning achievement of a magnificent career, this final installment in the Michael Ohayon series a wonderful parting gift from the incomparable Batya Gur -- one last fascinating visit to an always tumultuous land, in the company of a writer and a detective so many devoted readers have loved so well.
388 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2004
52 people are currently reading
293 people want to read
About the author
Batya Gur
17 books43 followersBatya Gur (Hebrew: בתיה גור) was born in Tel Aviv in 1947 to parents who survived the Holocaust. She earned a master's degree in Hebrew literature from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Between 1971 and 1975 Batya lived in Greensboro, NC, where she taught Hebrew and Jewish studies to elementary students at the North Carolina Hebrew Academy at Greensboro (now called B'nai Shalom Day School). Before writing her first detective novel at the age of 39, she taught literature at the Hebrew University Secondary School. Gur was also a literary critic for Haaretz newspaper.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
November 26, 2015
Warning: Yeshivish ahead.
I really wanted to like this book. But I gave up after about 120 pages (and wanted to give up after about 50). I did not like a single character. In fact, I found them varying levels of distasteful, disgusting, and just plain boring. I realize they are secular Israelis, not haredim or datiyim, but they are still supposed to be bayshanim! But no, they're all adulterous bed-hopping narcissists.
Ugh. Pass.
I really wanted to like this book. But I gave up after about 120 pages (and wanted to give up after about 50). I did not like a single character. In fact, I found them varying levels of distasteful, disgusting, and just plain boring. I realize they are secular Israelis, not haredim or datiyim, but they are still supposed to be bayshanim! But no, they're all adulterous bed-hopping narcissists.
Ugh. Pass.
October 11, 2015
Gur’s final mystery novel, featuring Police Detective Michael Ohayon, takes us inside the busy national Israeli Broadcasting network facility in Jerusalem, where a series of puzzling murders unfolds. We meet a panoply of well-sketched out characters, get to know their personalities, and watch them at work. One of them is a murderer and it takes Ohayon and his finely delineated team of detectives several hundred pages to identify who it is.
The television staffers are always in a rush to get their broadcast on the air while the police are working 24/7, without breaks, to catch the murderer. Perhaps it’s typical of life in Israel that there’s a fair amount of intense interaction. Ohayon, the main character, who is trying to quit smoking, is himself a nervous wreck. The characters come from different backgrounds and have different agendas. In some respects, they are a microcosm of the Jewish Israeli populace.
One character points out that it’s a bit like Agatha Christie’s Ten Little Indians, with one television staffer after another falling by the wayside. To me, Gur’s mysteries are more reminiscent of P.D. James’s remarkable oeuvre. Although the identity of the perpetrator turns out to be not all that surprising, by the conclusion you feel that you’ve experienced an absorbing, entertaining, and thought-provoking visit to a hub of Israeli society.
The television staffers are always in a rush to get their broadcast on the air while the police are working 24/7, without breaks, to catch the murderer. Perhaps it’s typical of life in Israel that there’s a fair amount of intense interaction. Ohayon, the main character, who is trying to quit smoking, is himself a nervous wreck. The characters come from different backgrounds and have different agendas. In some respects, they are a microcosm of the Jewish Israeli populace.
One character points out that it’s a bit like Agatha Christie’s Ten Little Indians, with one television staffer after another falling by the wayside. To me, Gur’s mysteries are more reminiscent of P.D. James’s remarkable oeuvre. Although the identity of the perpetrator turns out to be not all that surprising, by the conclusion you feel that you’ve experienced an absorbing, entertaining, and thought-provoking visit to a hub of Israeli society.
July 27, 2012
This is the last novel in Batya Gur's Michael Ohayon mystery series and I am sorry it's over (the author passed away a few years ago). These mysteries are great reading because of excellent writing and an intriguing protagonist-detective (former medieval history scholar Ohayon applies the analytic and empathetic skills gained in the halls of academe as well as on-the-job experience to solve cases). They are also fascinating because they expose different aspects of Israeli society to which, I'd guess, most people outside Israel are entirely ignorant. Or maybe I should just speak for myself--I'm entirely ignorant.
Each previous novel began with a murder that took place in a different milieu--university, kibbutz, symphony, etc. This one takes place in the state TV station. Perhaps as a result, it's more explicitly entwined with politics and than the other books.
An excellent, involving story with lots of well-drawn characters and some thorny ethical questions thrown in the mix toward the end. Wholeheartedly recommended.
Each previous novel began with a murder that took place in a different milieu--university, kibbutz, symphony, etc. This one takes place in the state TV station. Perhaps as a result, it's more explicitly entwined with politics and than the other books.
An excellent, involving story with lots of well-drawn characters and some thorny ethical questions thrown in the mix toward the end. Wholeheartedly recommended.
October 7, 2014
יותר מדי דמויות. פחות מדי מתח והפתעה.
February 27, 2016
This book, the last of Batya Gur's Ohayon novels, is labeled a Mystery, but it's actually a Police Procedural. If you know the series, then you know that these are set in modern Israel, and that at least half the reason to read them is for the illustration of, and commentary upon, life in Israel. I'm really quite sad that I've now read them all. Smoking, cancer.
Smoking and cancer are actually thematic in this novel. Ohayon has quit smoking, very recently, and his health is questionable. Other characters have cancer. And, perhaps a weakness of the book, the victims rather pile up in this one.
The action centers in the offices of Israel Television, where a senior staffer is killed in the props storage warehouse during a late-night filming session on the roof. Most of the characters involved work in the other half of the place, in the news department. Gur tries to convey the madhouse that is a TV news department, especially one made up of theatrically argumentative Jews (including the producer whose mother calls on her cell during meetings to misbehave in the most basic ways) who refuse to answer direct questions or stick to the subject. She does it so accurately that it's often painful to read. (One has to pay attention to realize that everybody is actually working very hard, underneath all the yelling and kvetching and posing.)
If you read mysteries to visit other cultures, as I do, I strongly recommend giving the Ohayon novels a try. I have an especial affection for the first two (A Saturday Morning Murder, a psychoanalytic case; Literary Murder, a critical case), which made a very good impression on me. Gur was a jewel.
Smoking and cancer are actually thematic in this novel. Ohayon has quit smoking, very recently, and his health is questionable. Other characters have cancer. And, perhaps a weakness of the book, the victims rather pile up in this one.
The action centers in the offices of Israel Television, where a senior staffer is killed in the props storage warehouse during a late-night filming session on the roof. Most of the characters involved work in the other half of the place, in the news department. Gur tries to convey the madhouse that is a TV news department, especially one made up of theatrically argumentative Jews (including the producer whose mother calls on her cell during meetings to misbehave in the most basic ways) who refuse to answer direct questions or stick to the subject. She does it so accurately that it's often painful to read. (One has to pay attention to realize that everybody is actually working very hard, underneath all the yelling and kvetching and posing.)
If you read mysteries to visit other cultures, as I do, I strongly recommend giving the Ohayon novels a try. I have an especial affection for the first two (A Saturday Morning Murder, a psychoanalytic case; Literary Murder, a critical case), which made a very good impression on me. Gur was a jewel.
July 24, 2007
For an excellent glimpse into modern Israeli society as well as a pretty good murder mystery on its own merits, this is a great choice. Unfortunately, the author died not long after publishing this novel.
October 6, 2021
כמקודם, המבוא שלה משעמם להחריד ולא ממש
נותן תיאבון להמשיך לקרוא את הספר. אפשר
למות עד שעניין מניע את עצמו. והפעם זה באמת
גרוע.
הדיאלוגים, האינטריגות והמסתורין תחת כל המיתות
לאורך הספר לא היו בכלל מעניינים. אפילו שילוב
הפוליטיקה ונושא הדת לא עורר מאומה.
נותן תיאבון להמשיך לקרוא את הספר. אפשר
למות עד שעניין מניע את עצמו. והפעם זה באמת
גרוע.
הדיאלוגים, האינטריגות והמסתורין תחת כל המיתות
לאורך הספר לא היו בכלל מעניינים. אפילו שילוב
הפוליטיקה ונושא הדת לא עורר מאומה.
September 21, 2025
4.5 Grand finish to a an amazing series. This book is a kick to the stomach. Gur is not afraid to address delicate subject and show how complex this country is.
I will miss these charcters and her writing .
I will miss these charcters and her writing .
April 17, 2025
לסקירה מפורטת בעברית ואנגלית, קישור לבלוג שלי -
https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/רצח-...
https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/רצח-...
January 16, 2024
In the sixth and final installment of her Michael Ohayon series, Batya Gur invites us into the captivatingly complex world of "Murder in Jerusalem." The victim, Tirzah Levi, a seemingly flawless actress, is found lifeless within the bustling halls of Israel Television, shattering the illusion of glitz and glamour. Chief Superintendent Ohayon, a man burdened by experience and grappling with personal demons, takes the helm of this intricate investigation.
A Tangled Web of Suspects: Gur masterfully crafts a diverse tapestry of suspects, each harboring their own secrets and motives. Eli Shalev, Tirzah's co-star, simmers with a volatile mix of envy and resentment. Naomi Ben-David, her confidante, hides a simmering jealousy beneath a veneer of friendship. Aviad Cohen, the media mogul, casts a long shadow of power and potential abuse. Then there's Yossi Harari, a firebrand activist, whose fervent opposition to the media machine bleeds into dangerous zealotry. Each suspect paints a different shade of grey, blurring the lines between ambition, desperation, and even political ideology.
Unveiling the City's Underbelly: The investigation becomes a compelling journey through the labyrinthine depths of Jerusalem, a city pulsating with political tension, social complexities, and the ever-present weight of history. Gur expertly weaves the murder into the city's fabric, exposing the underbelly of media manipulation, the corrosive nature of ambition, and the hidden cracks in societal facades. As Ohayon delves deeper, the seemingly idyllic facades of success crumble, revealing layers of deceit, blackmail, and long-held grudges.
Beyond the Thrilling Pursuit: While the pursuit of the killer keeps the pages turning, the book offers more than just a compelling whodunit. Gur delves into the psychological complexities of her characters, their struggles with fame, self-image, and the burdens of a society steeped in conflict. Ohayon himself grapples with the ethical dilemmas of his job, his own internal demons mirroring the darkness he confronts in the investigation. "Murder in Jerusalem" becomes a poignant exploration of the human condition, forcing us to confront uncomfortable truths about ourselves and the world we inhabit.
A Masterful Blend of Intrigue and Insight: Gur's prose is sharp and evocative, painting vivid pictures of Jerusalem's sights and sounds. Her characters, despite their flaws, are strangely captivating, drawing us into their tangled web of desires and contradictions. The plot unfolds with a meticulous pace, each layer meticulously woven to build suspense and keep the reader guessing until the very end.
The Final Verdict: "Murder in Jerusalem" is a triumph of storytelling. It's a captivating mystery that keeps you enthralled, a compelling portrait of a city with secrets to tell, and a nuanced exploration of the human psyche. It's a book that lingers long after the final page, leaving you pondering the motivations that drive us to violence, the masks we wear in the face of society, and the darkness that can lurk even in the most idyllic settings. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy intricate mysteries, complex characters, and a glimpse into the soul of a city fraught with history and conflict.
However, if you're looking for a fast-paced, action-packed thriller, this might not be the book for you. The story unfolds at a deliberate pace, delving deep into the characters' motivations and the social context surrounding the murder.
So, if you're ready to embark on a complex and thought-provoking journey through the labyrinthine streets of Jerusalem, then step into the pages of "Murder in Jerusalem" and prepare to be captivated.
April 28, 2024
This was a little slow to take off, but a dazzling commentary on Israeli society today, as well a great murder mystery unravelled with enormous patience by the police, despite all the professional and other obstacles thrown in their way. Through the deranged tension and edginess of a television station’s newsroom, the murders are not news at all – the kidnapping of a government minister takes priority, a movie that has overshot the station’s budget, and in which the first victim was to have starred, is soon to be scrapped, and then the story unfurls, petal after slow petal, unveiling the corruption at both civil and religious levels.
Gur also manages a shrewd look at labour unions and strikes, at the rivalry between government and private television channels, at the – literally – deadly antagonisms in television journalism, at the Jewish underground as well as at ultra-religious Jews or Zionism, Our admiration is focussed on Israeli women, at how enterprising they are as professionals and otherwise. But there is also the sting at the end, of having looked too long at the abyss, when the abyss looks back at you.
For someone who has seen only the worst of Israel lately on the news, this book is an eye-opener.
Gur also manages a shrewd look at labour unions and strikes, at the rivalry between government and private television channels, at the – literally – deadly antagonisms in television journalism, at the Jewish underground as well as at ultra-religious Jews or Zionism, Our admiration is focussed on Israeli women, at how enterprising they are as professionals and otherwise. But there is also the sting at the end, of having looked too long at the abyss, when the abyss looks back at you.
For someone who has seen only the worst of Israel lately on the news, this book is an eye-opener.
August 12, 2025
Das Buch stand lange in meinem Regal, vielleicht ein bisschen aus Nostalgie. Ich habe die anderen Michael Ochanjon Bücher vor Jahren gelesen und geliebt.
Batya Gur ist eine fabelhafte Schriftstellerin. Aber dieses Buch las sich wie das Chaos, dass wahrscheinlich in einem Fernsehsender herrscht. Total chaotisch, lange Sätze, die nicht zu Ende kamen, Absätze mit vielen verschiedenen Themen, Gedanken laut werden. Der Krimi zog sich dadurch auch etwas in die Länge um am Ende irgendwie unspektakulär und fast erwartet endete.
Ich bin trotzdem froh, das Buch endlich gelesen zu haben, die Seiten sind dahingeflogen. Und es ist das letzte in der Michael Ochajon-Reihe.
Außerdem hat Batya Gur einen sehr kritischen Blick auf das moderne Israel mit seinen inneren Kämpfen und auch den nach außen. Das kann, wenn man mag zum Denken anregen.
Batya Gur ist eine fabelhafte Schriftstellerin. Aber dieses Buch las sich wie das Chaos, dass wahrscheinlich in einem Fernsehsender herrscht. Total chaotisch, lange Sätze, die nicht zu Ende kamen, Absätze mit vielen verschiedenen Themen, Gedanken laut werden. Der Krimi zog sich dadurch auch etwas in die Länge um am Ende irgendwie unspektakulär und fast erwartet endete.
Ich bin trotzdem froh, das Buch endlich gelesen zu haben, die Seiten sind dahingeflogen. Und es ist das letzte in der Michael Ochajon-Reihe.
Außerdem hat Batya Gur einen sehr kritischen Blick auf das moderne Israel mit seinen inneren Kämpfen und auch den nach außen. Das kann, wenn man mag zum Denken anregen.
October 5, 2019
This was an interesting mystery. As others have said, the characters aren't very sympathetic. The writing style annoyed me in the beginning, but towards the end I felt like it's just more realistic than others. The comments abot how people looked felt unneccessary sometimes, and sometimes outright sexist. I don't think it's because of an exceptionally sexist author - this, too, felt kind of ... realistic.
It took towards the end for me to really connect with any of the characters. Maybe the other books are different? Probably the first book is a better introduction to the main character.
The ending felt profoung, actually, which was somewhat surprising.
It took towards the end for me to really connect with any of the characters. Maybe the other books are different? Probably the first book is a better introduction to the main character.
The ending felt profoung, actually, which was somewhat surprising.
September 14, 2019
Too many characters, scant character development. The second half of the book is better than the first. The author has written for television and thus there is much dialogue making it hard for me to keep track of who was speaking. I have been reading books by Israeli authors to learn about Israel, and this book helped that project to some extent. Gur is not one for evoking a setting though. The discussion near the end between Michael Ohayon and his son about Israel’s existence and history made an impression.
January 3, 2024
The last half of the book is good. One issue is that this reads like something that merged a television script with a general mystery plot, so the book is slowed down by sections where a lot of different people speak about things not related to the main plot. The other issue is there are a couple of b and c plots unrelated to the case that are slogs to read through, take up a lot of space and don’t ultimately get resolved. It was a fine vacation read but not something I’m keeping around to look at again.
November 4, 2017
The first half of this book is just boring. The second half gets much better. Overall, this story is not very interesting as a crime fiction (it is very predictable while pretending to be very complicated), but it is interesting when it comes to the social and historical approach to modern Israel.
May 19, 2023
Resulta interesante esta novela mucho más que por la trama de misterio que rodea el caso policial que nos relata, por la descripción de la psicología de los personajes y especialmente por que describe la situación social se una parte de la población israelí. Lo que, para mi, un absoluto desconocedor de ella, me ha sorprendido.
January 27, 2020
An interesting book that reveals the many cross currents in Israel today, even among the Jewish people. While not my favorite mystery per se, Ms. Gur highlights the myriad racial, religious, secular, and generational factors that motivate the post-pioneer people in this modern state of Israel.
July 30, 2022
There are so many characters!
In the police department and in the television studios.
The book seemed more geared to a dramatization than to be read.
But the story is interesting, even if I do not know enough about the history of Israel to have understood it all. Maybe I learned a bit.
In the police department and in the television studios.
The book seemed more geared to a dramatization than to be read.
But the story is interesting, even if I do not know enough about the history of Israel to have understood it all. Maybe I learned a bit.
July 16, 2024
Beaucoup de personnages qui rendent la lecture un peu compliquée mais en arrière fond, la description de la société israélienne par Gour, ses déchirures, ses paradoxes, rendent ce livre aussi passionnant qu'actuel, presque 30 ans après sa sortie.
July 19, 2018
Infused with many aspects of life in Israel. Incredibly detailed, almost too much sometimes.
March 28, 2019
Interesting mystery taking place in Israel and a murder within their national television station. Not a lot of police procedures but well constructed back story and pretty believable characters.
July 21, 2020
Gave up after the first 20-odd pages. Too many characters to keep track of and the translation to English felt weary
November 8, 2021
My least favorite. I had enjoyed all he detail of life in Israel in her other books, but this time it was burdensome. I am still sorry it was her last.
December 27, 2016
This was the first book I read in the Michael Ohayon series and I will not go back to read the rest. I found the book hard to plow through and often hard to follow the story. The timeline shifted at different times, and the story moved forward without much guidance. It was interesting to see the story from different perspectives, but in the end I was not sure why, as the side stories did not really have anything to do with the murders and the mystery. Ultimately though, I don't enjoy murder mysteries where the reader does not have all the fact until the end of the story; where the reader cannot really come to her own conclusions, because the motive is held secret until the very end. This is one of those mysteries; the detective learns something but it is hidden from everyone until the end. Also, while this story is supposedly about examining some of the horrors of the Israeli wars, even that is only glossed over at the end. There are also so many side stories about Israeli politics, corruption and innerworkings, that it is hard to follow the thread, and a reader does not come away knowing or understanding more (if not already immersed in that world). All in all, not an enjoyable experience. Will not be reading more from Batya Gur.
June 29, 2012
This is the final israeli mystery by Batya Gur who died in 2005 at the age of 58. Gur was a literary critic and former literature teacher in Jerusalem. She wrote 6 fascinating mysteries which delve deeply into the personalities of the characters and are complex and well crafted. She indicates in the foreword that the impetus of this book was a screenplay of a miniseries about Israeli television that she wrote in collaboration with the director. The plot takes place in an Israeli news station where the frenetic pace and the charismatic characters keep step with the simultaneous drama in multiple political realms. At the same time, the station is infighting about the nature of the news and employees have their own pet projects. There is one murder, then two, three and four as Gur's favorite detective Michael Ohayon wends his way through his mercurial team to come up with the answers to the mystery. The team puts together the backstory, but Ohayon sees the connections. I'm going to miss Batya Gur.
September 7, 2007
This was the final book by Batya Gur, featuring Israeli policeman Michael Ohayon. My first reaction at finishing the book was renewed regret that Gur's life was cut short by cancer in 2005.
A series of mysterious deaths claim the lives of several employees of Israel Television, and Ohayon's Special Investigation team is called in. As usual, Gur gives her readers an inside view of a professional subculture and, for those (like myself) who are not Israeli, an insider's view of that culture as well. Her excellent creation of these "worlds" for her readers is the strongest asset of this series, for me, though the mystery itself is also well done. And I love Ohayon -- a bit melancholy in the tradition of Martha Grimes's Richard Jury, but in a series that is more serious and thought-provoking than Grimes's somewhat comedic books.
A series of mysterious deaths claim the lives of several employees of Israel Television, and Ohayon's Special Investigation team is called in. As usual, Gur gives her readers an inside view of a professional subculture and, for those (like myself) who are not Israeli, an insider's view of that culture as well. Her excellent creation of these "worlds" for her readers is the strongest asset of this series, for me, though the mystery itself is also well done. And I love Ohayon -- a bit melancholy in the tradition of Martha Grimes's Richard Jury, but in a series that is more serious and thought-provoking than Grimes's somewhat comedic books.
February 13, 2010
This is the first Gur novel I have read. I think the way she captures the subtle complexity of Jerusalem life, politics and religion is brilliantly done. I have read that this is the best of her Ohayon series - I can believe it. While I don't really know or like the main character, he is not fleshed out in this novel - I assume that is done elsewhere, it is the character of Jerusalem itself which is so expertly drawn through the varied 3 dimensional portraits of the Ashkenazi, the ultra-orthodox, the non-religious Soviet Block immigrants, the eastern Jews, the army buddies and labor party rivals. I look forward to reading her other works.
September 28, 2011
This is the only book of Batya Gur's I've read, and I had an ulterior motive: I'm traveling to Israel for the first time in a month and thought I could learn something from this book. But it was really unsatisfying...little real character development and most of it boring descriptions of the people who work at the television station that is the focus of the murders. The ending is great because you find out the motives for the murders, but I think the author could have built it up more throughout the book. That said, there may have been Israeli literary references I'm unfamiliar with that may have added to my understanding and appreciation. However, I'll take David Grossman any day!
April 6, 2010
I had a hard time getting into the book, although I was glad I made the effort. I think part of my problem getting started was due the character Hefetz, who drove me nuts. Each time he spoke (which was thankfully less and less as the novel progressed) was wince-inducing. His character would go on and on asking rhetorical questions and then answering them several times.
This was my first novel by Gur, and perhaps reading others would negate this, but I felt like the subplot with Michael Ohayon was lacking.
This was my first novel by Gur, and perhaps reading others would negate this, but I felt like the subplot with Michael Ohayon was lacking.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews