What do you think?
Rate this book
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 4, 2017
Here’s my book review of A Scribe Dies in Brooklyn, a Rabbi Ben mystery by Marvin J. Wolf.
If you’ve followed these reviews, you know I talked about Abandoned in Hell, a Vietnam war memoir coauthored by Marvin Wolf. That review has had more hits than any of mine so far, both in text on the Splash Magazines website and in the GetPublished! Radio podcasts. I believe that’s because Marv is a masterful storyteller who has a knack for finding compelling subjects. (I call him by his first name because, I proudly confess, he’s a colleague and a friend.)
You may come to think of Rabbi Ben, the protagonist of Marv’s mystery series, the same way. Here is the kind of righteous, empowered avenger you’d want as a friend if you ever found yourself the target of unscrupulous thugs in a dark alley in the boroughs of New York.
Rabbi Ben Maimon made his literary debut in For Whom the Shofar Blows (originally titled The Tattooed Rabbi). Ben’s mission in this second thriller is to track down a missing ancient manuscript, the Aleppo Codex, the oldest known Hebrew copy of the Tanakh, which contains all twenty-four books of the Hebrew Bible. If you think a quest for some crusty, old parchment would be a scholarly snore, you’ve been living in a cave and never heard of Dan Brown or never seen Tom Hanks’ portrayals of the obsessive Dr. Robert Langdon. And, like Langdon, Ben has a talent for finding obscure facts, beautiful women who offer their passionate assistance and support, and more physical threats than your average street-wise operative could handle.
As to the physical threats, you’d think a man of God would rarely if ever need to resort to violence. But, as in ancient times, these days not only books but also places of worship are being destroyed by zealots who want to rewrite history. And, as the global underground economy grows ever larger, there are thieves and cutthroats who don’t hesitate to kill for religious artifacts because one side or the other is willing to pay for them with suitcases full of cash.
So, as is the deceptively mild-mannered Mr. Wolf, Rabbi Ben is accomplished in the martial arts. If your heart beats faster when a good thriller is peppered with against-the-odds altercations, some bloody, you will not be disappointed.
Another close colleague of mine, the sci-fi cult author Thomas Page, recently reminded me that Ian Fleming believed readers lust after pointless detail. That’s why fans of his James Bond thrillers know a Walther PPK from a Smith & Wesson .45 and why if you drive an Aston Martin you will thank your mechanic for tuning up the turbocharger when you need to make a fast getaway.
Readers of A Scribe Dies in Brooklyn whose scavenger minds likewise lust for detail will learn so much here about Jewish arcana that you might feel as though you’ve successfully completed a college-level course in religious studies.
And you won’t want to wait for the next Rabbi Ben mystery.
If you’ve followed these reviews, you know I talked about Abandoned in Hell, a Vietnam war memoir coauthored by Marvin Wolf. That review has had more hits than any of mine so far, both in text on the Splash Magazines website and in the GetPublished! Radio podcasts. I believe that’s because Marv is a masterful storyteller who has a knack for finding compelling subjects. (I call him by his first name because, I proudly confess, he’s a colleague and a friend.)
You may come to think of Rabbi Ben, the protagonist of Marv’s mystery series, the same way. Here is the kind of righteous, empowered avenger you’d want as a friend if you ever found yourself the target of unscrupulous thugs in a dark alley in the boroughs of New York.
Rabbi Ben Maimon made his literary debut in For Whom the Shofar Blows (originally titled The Tattooed Rabbi). Ben’s mission in this second thriller is to track down a missing ancient manuscript, the Aleppo Codex, the oldest known Hebrew copy of the Tanakh, which contains all twenty-four books of the Hebrew Bible. If you think a quest for some crusty, old parchment would be a scholarly snore, you’ve been living in a cave and never heard of Dan Brown or never seen Tom Hanks’ portrayals of the obsessive Dr. Robert Langdon. And, like Langdon, Ben has a talent for finding obscure facts, beautiful women who offer their passionate assistance and support, and more physical threats than your average street-wise operative could handle.
As to the physical threats, you’d think a man of God would rarely if ever need to resort to violence. But, as in ancient times, these days not only books but also places of worship are being destroyed by zealots who want to rewrite history. And, as the global underground economy grows ever larger, there are thieves and cutthroats who don’t hesitate to kill for religious artifacts because one side or the other is willing to pay for them with suitcases full of cash.
So, as is the deceptively mild-mannered Mr. Wolf, Rabbi Ben is accomplished in the martial arts. If your heart beats faster when a good thriller is peppered with against-the-odds altercations, some bloody, you will not be disappointed.
Another close colleague of mine, the sci-fi cult author Thomas Page, recently reminded me that Ian Fleming believed readers lust after pointless detail. That’s why fans of his James Bond thrillers know a Walther PPK from a Smith & Wesson .45 and why if you drive an Aston Martin you will thank your mechanic for tuning up the turbocharger when you need to make a fast getaway.
Readers of A Scribe Dies in Brooklyn whose scavenger minds likewise lust for detail will learn so much here about Jewish arcana that you might feel as though you’ve successfully completed a college-level course in religious studies.
And you won’t want to wait for the next Rabbi Ben mystery.
May 5, 2017
Disclaimer: A read and review were requested by the author's representative for which I am not being compensated in any way. All opinions are fully my own.
~ Judi E. Easley for Blue Cat Review
First response: Awesome quality writing! I sat down to read a sample and didn't stop until I had read the whole book about four hours later! Full review on my blog soon.
My Review:
I was approached for a "read and review" by a rep for the author of this book and agreed to do it. Technology being what it is, the copy did not come through to me after multiple tries. So, I went to Amazon and took a look at the sample posted there. After reading for a bit, I purchased the book. At the end of the book and about 4 hours, I also purchased book #1 in the series. Now, I have to hope that Mr. Wolf is already writing book #3 and is a fast writer. I absolutely loved this book and its characters! I wish for Rabbi Ben a long life!
Rabbi Ben is a man of many hats. He's hoping to find some family, he's a Catholic priest going over the fence, he's doing what needs to be done in a crisis, he's a very learned Jewish rabbi, and he's a modest man trying to help someone out without sharing all his talents with the world. He's also a man distracted by a lovely young woman who's trying very hard to keep him distracted.
A wonderful character! Mr. Wolf has created a most complex main character here in Rabbi Ben. This is a man who could handle any situation with which he's faced with panache and be quite modest about it all. The secondary characters weren't quite so complex as Rabbi Ben, but they stood up to him quite well. No one was flat, not even the thugs. The plot was amazing and the story moved along pretty well. The book is a little over 400 pages and I read it comfortably in about four hours. That included my husband bringing me a sandwich and chips in there somewhere, cause it was too hot to cook.
I'm not sure what exactly the parameters are for cozy, but I'm tempted to classify Rabbi Ben as a cozy character because of the sheer humanity of the man. But if you like mysteries with very nice people and a sense of humor and lots of religion (Jewish), this is a book I would recommend for you. In fact, I would recommend you start with book 1, For Whom the Shofar Blows. Then read the second one and hope and pray that Mr. Wolf has book 3 done when you're ready! That's what I'm doing!
For Whom the Shofar Blows #1
~ Judi E. Easley for Blue Cat Review
First response: Awesome quality writing! I sat down to read a sample and didn't stop until I had read the whole book about four hours later! Full review on my blog soon.
My Review:
I was approached for a "read and review" by a rep for the author of this book and agreed to do it. Technology being what it is, the copy did not come through to me after multiple tries. So, I went to Amazon and took a look at the sample posted there. After reading for a bit, I purchased the book. At the end of the book and about 4 hours, I also purchased book #1 in the series. Now, I have to hope that Mr. Wolf is already writing book #3 and is a fast writer. I absolutely loved this book and its characters! I wish for Rabbi Ben a long life!
Rabbi Ben is a man of many hats. He's hoping to find some family, he's a Catholic priest going over the fence, he's doing what needs to be done in a crisis, he's a very learned Jewish rabbi, and he's a modest man trying to help someone out without sharing all his talents with the world. He's also a man distracted by a lovely young woman who's trying very hard to keep him distracted.
A wonderful character! Mr. Wolf has created a most complex main character here in Rabbi Ben. This is a man who could handle any situation with which he's faced with panache and be quite modest about it all. The secondary characters weren't quite so complex as Rabbi Ben, but they stood up to him quite well. No one was flat, not even the thugs. The plot was amazing and the story moved along pretty well. The book is a little over 400 pages and I read it comfortably in about four hours. That included my husband bringing me a sandwich and chips in there somewhere, cause it was too hot to cook.
I'm not sure what exactly the parameters are for cozy, but I'm tempted to classify Rabbi Ben as a cozy character because of the sheer humanity of the man. But if you like mysteries with very nice people and a sense of humor and lots of religion (Jewish), this is a book I would recommend for you. In fact, I would recommend you start with book 1, For Whom the Shofar Blows. Then read the second one and hope and pray that Mr. Wolf has book 3 done when you're ready! That's what I'm doing!
For Whom the Shofar Blows #1
March 4, 2017
I really need half stars. Rate this 3.5. Rabbi Ben is a modern day Jewish Sherlock Holmes able to put together disparate clues into a comprehensive whole. A fast paced complex plot that teaches us a lot about the Jewish religion along the way, especially as it relates to Syrian Jews. Middle Eastern history, even in bits and pieces is so relevant today. I enjoyed the Rabbi's character and sense of humor and his ability to solve the various plots and find romance too. I do so long for a good mystery that doesn't involve a last minute rescue. At least this time, it wasn't because of the stupidity of the central character.
April 2, 2019
I love this book...most entertainment I've had in months. Just started the first book in the series.
Rabbi Ben is my new hero.
Rabbi Ben is my new hero.
March 25, 2017
I received this book via a goodreads giveaway. To be honest, the book sounded like I would really enjoy it but since it was about a Rabbi, I honestly did not know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised with this Rabbi Ben mystery!
Let me describe Rabbi Ben; not the best looking dude in the Temple, but his attitude, knowledge and comedic relief draw women; whether or not he wants them. He always seems to be at the wrong place at the wrong time; but it turns out he is actually in the right place at the right time. Rather than being a Rabbi who has his own congregation, Rabbi Ben is a Rabbi who helps a variety of congregations; in this book, he is actually helping a museum who believes that a very old Torah or Codes may be located within the New York City area.
Ben did not receive this assignment via a telephone call, email or even a letter; but rather, he was lured into a secret meeting with the President of Israel where he learned about the missing thirst of the Aleppo Codex, the world’s oldest complete Hebrew Bible. Historically, the Aleppo Codex is rivaled only by the Dead Sea Scrolls.
As Rabbi Ben begins his investigation he realizes that the house he must visit is under observation; although he does not, at that point, know by whom. Therefore, he devises a plan to get into the house without being seen. This plan becomes rather intense, as he dresses like a Priest to get into a school yard, hop a fence, land in a yard with a big dog and finally arrive at the house in question where he faces a scantily clad female who is sunbathing. Oh, my, poor Rabbi Ben must now explain who he is, why he arrived in costume and by jumping back fences while trying to convince the young woman to cover up. Things just get better and worse for Ben from there….
You do not need be Jewish to enjoy this book, you simply need to be a lover of mystery and intrigue and willing to follow the twisted path led by Rabbi Ben. I promise, you won’t regret it!
Let me describe Rabbi Ben; not the best looking dude in the Temple, but his attitude, knowledge and comedic relief draw women; whether or not he wants them. He always seems to be at the wrong place at the wrong time; but it turns out he is actually in the right place at the right time. Rather than being a Rabbi who has his own congregation, Rabbi Ben is a Rabbi who helps a variety of congregations; in this book, he is actually helping a museum who believes that a very old Torah or Codes may be located within the New York City area.
Ben did not receive this assignment via a telephone call, email or even a letter; but rather, he was lured into a secret meeting with the President of Israel where he learned about the missing thirst of the Aleppo Codex, the world’s oldest complete Hebrew Bible. Historically, the Aleppo Codex is rivaled only by the Dead Sea Scrolls.
As Rabbi Ben begins his investigation he realizes that the house he must visit is under observation; although he does not, at that point, know by whom. Therefore, he devises a plan to get into the house without being seen. This plan becomes rather intense, as he dresses like a Priest to get into a school yard, hop a fence, land in a yard with a big dog and finally arrive at the house in question where he faces a scantily clad female who is sunbathing. Oh, my, poor Rabbi Ben must now explain who he is, why he arrived in costume and by jumping back fences while trying to convince the young woman to cover up. Things just get better and worse for Ben from there….
You do not need be Jewish to enjoy this book, you simply need to be a lover of mystery and intrigue and willing to follow the twisted path led by Rabbi Ben. I promise, you won’t regret it!
December 8, 2023
First of all I find it questionable that three reviews here are from people the author's reps reached out to to write a review, and one describes himself as a friend and colleague Additionally, the author writes a five-star review of his own book, For Whom the Shofar Blows? Really?
That being said...
This dumb book can suck my balls. At the opening, we're introduced to a character and a lot of military jargon, and then we don't see that person until the end. This asshole author, who is very proud to show off his knowledge and personal history with things military, Jewish, linguistic, historical, technology, blahblahblah, has the nuts to start and finish his novel with a minor character after his main characters are basically dropped from the narrative in the last chapter and only seen literally through someone's camera phone. Just...ugh.
So, I didn't hate it, it wasn't offensive or anything, and I finished it more quickly than I normally would because with the short chapters, it does become compelling. But I would never recommend it to anyone.
The story is overly complex and this author is no Dickens or Eco. There are a few elements to the story that could have been their own novels. So! Many! Characters! So many going back in time, interrelated, introduced, and then dropped off (I'm sure to be brought back up in a later novel but no way am I reading more of this!). Not only do the main characters get intricately detailed inter-relationships through marriage, birth, distant cousins once removed, he was married to my great uncle's nephew's sister's best friend who heard that Ferris dropped dead in a Baskin Robbins...You get my point? Not only does he do this elongated genealogy with main characters, but he does it with the minor ones too, like the ones pulling off the heist, and that Kizzy lady and her cousins/brothers/whateverwhocares?! It's a good thing he has characters repeating a lot of this information over, and over, and over, for different people they need to explain this stuff to, or what little I did retain would have been lost after the first time. Seriously, it got to the point where I thought Rabbi Ben would say something like "Okay, lemme go over this again..."
I have to take the author's word for it that historical and cultural elements are correct, as I'm not Jewish. But also, not being Jewish and up on my mid-east history, I don't know that any of this isn't written with some sort of slant pro or con of any sect of the region or belief system of Judaism. Are there prejudices conveyed either subtly or overtly through some characters' words or deeds? Based on their geography or movement in history or beliefs? I simply don't know.
The book is all plot points and dialogue, but almost no examination, no emotion, no analysis of anything said or done by the omniscient narrator. It's all skeleton with no connective tissue or muscle. All hands, no heart.
Early in the book Ben comes on to, or thinks of coming on to, two different women, and he's immediately turned from a smart, caring, adventurous rabbi into a fumbling, clunky high schooler incapable of subtlety or sophistication. And this seemed to be the author's inability to relate to women shining through. As if this was his only way to convey his character's feelings. It comes out of left field, seems out of character, and leaves one with an uncomfortable residue about this guy. He's a good guy, so it's a mystery why the author had him say and think in such a graphic, clumsy manner.
And now the thing that REALLY bugged me throughout. The definitions. On almost every page, it seemed, someone uses a Hebrew or Yiddish or some other term, and then immediately explains that term. "blah blah blah beit Midrash, synagogue, blah blah blah" He does this incessantly, throwing in a term, a comma, the definition, a comma, and then more dialogue. But keep in mind, this isn't the narrator doing this, this is characters speaking to one another, and no one talks like that! And it's inconsistent what some would know or not know, or it simply doesn't make sense that they don't know a term.
For instance, he has a senior rabbi use the term farhud with rabbi Ben. Ben asks what that is. And I thought "Oh hell no, do you mean to tell me that after all the linguistic and historical and religious and cultural info Ben has spouted off about up to this point, and he doesn't know this term for an historical event in 1941 in which 180 Jews in Baghdad were killed and over 1000 injured and led to a mass migration out of Iraq? THAT he's unfamiliar with?! But he knows shit from over a millennia ago?
Or this one. Wasabi. The author felt the need to explain to the reader what wasabi is. Myriam and Ben are eating sushi and he writes “Ben worked his chopsticks to grab a small slice of fish the color of raw beef, which he dipped in a tiny bowl with a mixture of soy and wasabi, Japanese horseradish mustard.” Really dude? Then turns out Myriam has never eaten sushi. I'm sorry, but she's in her twenties, outgoing and adventurous, has lived in NY and CA, and has never eaten sushi. I was as incredulous as Rabbi Ben. But then his piss-poor writing and prejudices against fly-over states come to play when she says the following as a reason she's never eaten sushi: “I grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan! By the time I moved to New York, I was married.” First of all, Ann Arbor is basically San Francisco light, a liberal, sophisticated university town with a crap-ton of places to get sushi. And what does being married have to do with it? UGH! Just so dumb and lazy in his writing!
And then the book just...ends. And not with our main characters! He just kinda left them literally by the side of the road. I mean we surmise what happened to them and that everything turned out alright, but wow, this guy is leaps and bounds above Stephen King in terms of an inability to end a novel. I actually flipped back and forth to see if I somehow missed some pages. It was baffling.
Yes, things that bugged me were coming so often that I actually started hate-notating, since I was reading this on my e-reader and could take notes for later discussion with my book group.
That being said...
This dumb book can suck my balls. At the opening, we're introduced to a character and a lot of military jargon, and then we don't see that person until the end. This asshole author, who is very proud to show off his knowledge and personal history with things military, Jewish, linguistic, historical, technology, blahblahblah, has the nuts to start and finish his novel with a minor character after his main characters are basically dropped from the narrative in the last chapter and only seen literally through someone's camera phone. Just...ugh.
So, I didn't hate it, it wasn't offensive or anything, and I finished it more quickly than I normally would because with the short chapters, it does become compelling. But I would never recommend it to anyone.
The story is overly complex and this author is no Dickens or Eco. There are a few elements to the story that could have been their own novels. So! Many! Characters! So many going back in time, interrelated, introduced, and then dropped off (I'm sure to be brought back up in a later novel but no way am I reading more of this!). Not only do the main characters get intricately detailed inter-relationships through marriage, birth, distant cousins once removed, he was married to my great uncle's nephew's sister's best friend who heard that Ferris dropped dead in a Baskin Robbins...You get my point? Not only does he do this elongated genealogy with main characters, but he does it with the minor ones too, like the ones pulling off the heist, and that Kizzy lady and her cousins/brothers/whateverwhocares?! It's a good thing he has characters repeating a lot of this information over, and over, and over, for different people they need to explain this stuff to, or what little I did retain would have been lost after the first time. Seriously, it got to the point where I thought Rabbi Ben would say something like "Okay, lemme go over this again..."
I have to take the author's word for it that historical and cultural elements are correct, as I'm not Jewish. But also, not being Jewish and up on my mid-east history, I don't know that any of this isn't written with some sort of slant pro or con of any sect of the region or belief system of Judaism. Are there prejudices conveyed either subtly or overtly through some characters' words or deeds? Based on their geography or movement in history or beliefs? I simply don't know.
The book is all plot points and dialogue, but almost no examination, no emotion, no analysis of anything said or done by the omniscient narrator. It's all skeleton with no connective tissue or muscle. All hands, no heart.
Early in the book Ben comes on to, or thinks of coming on to, two different women, and he's immediately turned from a smart, caring, adventurous rabbi into a fumbling, clunky high schooler incapable of subtlety or sophistication. And this seemed to be the author's inability to relate to women shining through. As if this was his only way to convey his character's feelings. It comes out of left field, seems out of character, and leaves one with an uncomfortable residue about this guy. He's a good guy, so it's a mystery why the author had him say and think in such a graphic, clumsy manner.
And now the thing that REALLY bugged me throughout. The definitions. On almost every page, it seemed, someone uses a Hebrew or Yiddish or some other term, and then immediately explains that term. "blah blah blah beit Midrash, synagogue, blah blah blah" He does this incessantly, throwing in a term, a comma, the definition, a comma, and then more dialogue. But keep in mind, this isn't the narrator doing this, this is characters speaking to one another, and no one talks like that! And it's inconsistent what some would know or not know, or it simply doesn't make sense that they don't know a term.
For instance, he has a senior rabbi use the term farhud with rabbi Ben. Ben asks what that is. And I thought "Oh hell no, do you mean to tell me that after all the linguistic and historical and religious and cultural info Ben has spouted off about up to this point, and he doesn't know this term for an historical event in 1941 in which 180 Jews in Baghdad were killed and over 1000 injured and led to a mass migration out of Iraq? THAT he's unfamiliar with?! But he knows shit from over a millennia ago?
Or this one. Wasabi. The author felt the need to explain to the reader what wasabi is. Myriam and Ben are eating sushi and he writes “Ben worked his chopsticks to grab a small slice of fish the color of raw beef, which he dipped in a tiny bowl with a mixture of soy and wasabi, Japanese horseradish mustard.” Really dude? Then turns out Myriam has never eaten sushi. I'm sorry, but she's in her twenties, outgoing and adventurous, has lived in NY and CA, and has never eaten sushi. I was as incredulous as Rabbi Ben. But then his piss-poor writing and prejudices against fly-over states come to play when she says the following as a reason she's never eaten sushi: “I grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan! By the time I moved to New York, I was married.” First of all, Ann Arbor is basically San Francisco light, a liberal, sophisticated university town with a crap-ton of places to get sushi. And what does being married have to do with it? UGH! Just so dumb and lazy in his writing!
And then the book just...ends. And not with our main characters! He just kinda left them literally by the side of the road. I mean we surmise what happened to them and that everything turned out alright, but wow, this guy is leaps and bounds above Stephen King in terms of an inability to end a novel. I actually flipped back and forth to see if I somehow missed some pages. It was baffling.
Yes, things that bugged me were coming so often that I actually started hate-notating, since I was reading this on my e-reader and could take notes for later discussion with my book group.
September 28, 2025
Rabbi Ben is hired by the Jewish Museum in Manhattan to find some pages of the Torah suspected to have come from the famous Aleppo Codex. The pages had been stolen a few days before from the home of Shemuel Benkamal, who recently had died at age 97. Ben's investigation takes him to that home, where he assists Miryam, Benkamal's grandniece, in searching through the old man's belongings. The things they find tell a strange and surprising story.
Ben and Miryam are not the only ones interested in the Benkamal estate. Some dangerous people apparently are also interested in the missing pages. The investigation involves Ben with the police and leads to unwanted publicity.
This is an exciting thriller with lots of action. Ben is an appealing character, to the reader as well as to Miryam.
Ben and Miryam are not the only ones interested in the Benkamal estate. Some dangerous people apparently are also interested in the missing pages. The investigation involves Ben with the police and leads to unwanted publicity.
This is an exciting thriller with lots of action. Ben is an appealing character, to the reader as well as to Miryam.
June 13, 2017
At a point in the story, the main character, Rabbi Ben is referred to as Rabbi Jason for the Jason Bourne character. While this is true on a lot of levels I found Rabbi Ben to be a better developed person. The interweave of the personal and professional lives of Rabbi Ben were skillfully portrayed. This is a romping adventure that easily carries the reader along. Another enjoyable aspect is the world history incorporated in the story. I found it to be a great asset in understanding the characters and the plot.
I did not read the first book in this series but at no time felt like this could not have been a standalone - although now I do want to go back and read the first one and can't wait for the next one.
I did not read the first book in this series but at no time felt like this could not have been a standalone - although now I do want to go back and read the first one and can't wait for the next one.
Read
May 26, 2021MWSA Review
A Scribe Dies in Brooklyn by Marvin J. Wolf is the second in a series whose lead character is Rabbi Ben, aptly described in the text as “not your bubbe’s rebbe,” a Jewish paladin, and a rabbi knight errant. This well-written mystery contains a lot of history, which does not affect the flow of the story.
The book begins with a clue, set in 2007, that relates to the title of the book. A hint in Chapter One gives some insight into Rabbi Ben’s personal life. Chapter Two begins the complex story of Ben’s hunt for missing invaluable papers. The last page relates clearly to the prologue and the intriguing world of geopolitics.
Review by Nancy Kauffman (May 2021)
A Scribe Dies in Brooklyn by Marvin J. Wolf is the second in a series whose lead character is Rabbi Ben, aptly described in the text as “not your bubbe’s rebbe,” a Jewish paladin, and a rabbi knight errant. This well-written mystery contains a lot of history, which does not affect the flow of the story.
The book begins with a clue, set in 2007, that relates to the title of the book. A hint in Chapter One gives some insight into Rabbi Ben’s personal life. Chapter Two begins the complex story of Ben’s hunt for missing invaluable papers. The last page relates clearly to the prologue and the intriguing world of geopolitics.
Review by Nancy Kauffman (May 2021)
October 18, 2017
I received this book from the author's representative to read for review without compensation. I had no idea what to expect but I like a good thriller and a good mystery. I have to say the introduction and first 4 chapters were to me rushed and disconnected. I literally continued reading because I wanted to see how certain things were going to fit together. Ask me now 14 chapter later if I even remember what those things were. This book has captured me and I can't stop reading! This book, I'm telling you is worth the read. It left me wanting more. I am so happy that I was given the opportunity to read this book, a book that I probably would never have chosen on my own. It is an easy read but a definite attention keeper. I suggest you put it on your to read shelf now and read it soon.
August 5, 2020
This book was great. Its gets a bit convoluted at times and you’ll roll your eyes and say now what., but i couldnt put the book down, read until 3:00 in the morning and only stopped when my kindle died. Its a real page turner along with some chuckles, some learning about Judaism and some history. The fact that every woman who meets Rabbi Ben falls for him is a bit of a stretch but also an enjoyable interlude with the mystery. You can give up trying to guess who “ dunnit” as something new comes on the next page.
October 12, 2017
A real page turner! Rabbi Ben is hired to find an old historical Torah whose pages have possibly been found. Along the way he meets interesting women, gets assaulted and eventually finds that the pages concerned do not come from the suspect Torah but that they come from an even more rare historically important document. I love books where I get to learn about something, in this case another religion. I hope to find the rest of the books in this series.
August 9, 2020
Excellent read this book rocks!
Like Indiana Jones, National Treasure, Jason Bourne, Dirk Pitt? Well now you have Rabbi Ben a humble ,insightful, intelligent, no nonsense guy. The story is well written, keeps your attention and makes you laugh. I will be reading more of these adventures.
Like Indiana Jones, National Treasure, Jason Bourne, Dirk Pitt? Well now you have Rabbi Ben a humble ,insightful, intelligent, no nonsense guy. The story is well written, keeps your attention and makes you laugh. I will be reading more of these adventures.
December 29, 2019
Thoroughly enjoyable
I like Rabbi Ben, he's an interesting guy, one learns all kinds of tidbits of information he's constantly sharing. He always has attractive women trying to seduce him, an orthodox Jew/Rabbi, humorous.
I like Rabbi Ben, he's an interesting guy, one learns all kinds of tidbits of information he's constantly sharing. He always has attractive women trying to seduce him, an orthodox Jew/Rabbi, humorous.
January 8, 2020
A Rabbi I want to know
Enjoyed a well written, informative, fast paced story. As a retired pastor, I appreciated the insight the book provided into Judaism and the learnened Rabbi/detective. I look forward to more.
Enjoyed a well written, informative, fast paced story. As a retired pastor, I appreciated the insight the book provided into Judaism and the learnened Rabbi/detective. I look forward to more.
October 27, 2020
Being Jewish isn’t necessary to enjoy this book
I really like Rabbi Ben and the cast of characters in A Scribe Dies in Brooklyn. There is plenty of action and a few love interests. The story itself is engrossing.
I really like Rabbi Ben and the cast of characters in A Scribe Dies in Brooklyn. There is plenty of action and a few love interests. The story itself is engrossing.
July 28, 2017
It helps in Lear Jewish history
In most fiction written with some actual events involved, it results in an extremely interesting story. This was one of those.
In most fiction written with some actual events involved, it results in an extremely interesting story. This was one of those.
April 1, 2019
I loved the mystery and all the explanations of the jewish/Hebrew superstitions. Also the religious aspect of this book.
May 7, 2019
Poignant
I really enjoyed the bantering between the two main characters. Sometimes funny, other times romantic. The plot evolves easily with surprising results.
I really enjoyed the bantering between the two main characters. Sometimes funny, other times romantic. The plot evolves easily with surprising results.
Read
July 28, 2020A Rabbi Detective
The author brings to life a rabbi with great knowledge of Jewish history, who used that knowledge to solves murders both current and from long ago.
The author brings to life a rabbi with great knowledge of Jewish history, who used that knowledge to solves murders both current and from long ago.
January 4, 2022
Good but too long. And the interactions between Ben and the various ladies is bizarre.
November 6, 2022
This mystery started out great and was very enjoyable. However, the last 3 or 4 chapters were really totally unenjoyable and it ended very half-ass. UGH.
April 27, 2017
Loved this book
I really liked the first book in the series, but this one was even better! Please, please write another one.
I really liked the first book in the series, but this one was even better! Please, please write another one.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews