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The Rabbi Small Mysteries #1-3
A Weekend With The Rabbi: Friday the Rabbi Slept Late / Saturday the Rabbi Went Hungry / Sunday the Rabbi Stayed Home
Mystery Guild Lost Classics Omnibus Book Club Edition. 3 books in one. Friday The Rabbi Slept Late, Saturday The Rabbi Went Hungry, and Sunday The Rabbi Stayed Home. Meet an unorthodox sleuth, in three of his best and most baffling cases !
551 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1969
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 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 21, 2019
Friday the Rabbi Slept Late - 4 stars, very good, certainly deserving of an Edgar.
Saturday - 4 stars, even better! If Friday hadn't won an Edgar, Saturday would have.
So therefore I was really looking forward to the third one.
Sunday, alas, was the weakest of the 3 and I'll generously give it 2 stars. The big problem with the third story is the massive cast (I listed 36 then gave up) and multiple plot lines, and a murder that doesn't occur until 4/5ths of the way through. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing (in the tradition of 'whose-gonna-get-it-cozy'), but the investigation feels just lazy and the solution takes up about a line or 2 and then...the end. The third novel doesn't flow well at all with all these people. Besides, I've never been much of a fan of half-page chapters with lots of empty space. I'd really rather just read than flip pages.
I MIGHT read "Monday", but getting through "Sunday" was sort of a chore.
Saturday - 4 stars, even better! If Friday hadn't won an Edgar, Saturday would have.
So therefore I was really looking forward to the third one.
Sunday, alas, was the weakest of the 3 and I'll generously give it 2 stars. The big problem with the third story is the massive cast (I listed 36 then gave up) and multiple plot lines, and a murder that doesn't occur until 4/5ths of the way through. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing (in the tradition of 'whose-gonna-get-it-cozy'), but the investigation feels just lazy and the solution takes up about a line or 2 and then...the end. The third novel doesn't flow well at all with all these people. Besides, I've never been much of a fan of half-page chapters with lots of empty space. I'd really rather just read than flip pages.
I MIGHT read "Monday", but getting through "Sunday" was sort of a chore.
September 23, 2021
Friday the Rabbi Slept Late
Harry Kemelman Nelson Doubleday 1964 167 pages
When the body of a dead woman is found in the Rabbi's car, he, naturally enough, is one of the suspects. This book includes the usual congregational politics, local small town New England descriptions, and David Small once again helps Police Chief Hugh Lanigan solve the case. Additionally there are discussions of Talmudic law and the differences between Judaisim and Christianity. The author seems convinced Christians believe in magic (page 151).
19. Saturday the Rabbi Went Hungry
1966 190 pages
This book in the Rabbi Small series is set during Yom Kippur. A scientist is found dead of carbon monoxide in his garage. Accident or suicide? Or murder? As usual the Rabbi has trouble with the Board and spends time with Police Chief Lanigan. Miriam gives birth to their first child.
20. Sunday the Rabbi Stayed Home
1969 191 pages
Once again Rabbi Small is caught up in controversy with his Board over renewal of his contract. Also some of the congregation wants to split off and form their own new Temple organization. Additionally drugs have come to Barnard's Crossing and some of the Rabbi's young people get caught up in a related murder. Author Kemelman brings in the usual 60's philosophizing about social justice issues.
Harry Kemelman Nelson Doubleday 1964 167 pages
When the body of a dead woman is found in the Rabbi's car, he, naturally enough, is one of the suspects. This book includes the usual congregational politics, local small town New England descriptions, and David Small once again helps Police Chief Hugh Lanigan solve the case. Additionally there are discussions of Talmudic law and the differences between Judaisim and Christianity. The author seems convinced Christians believe in magic (page 151).
19. Saturday the Rabbi Went Hungry
1966 190 pages
This book in the Rabbi Small series is set during Yom Kippur. A scientist is found dead of carbon monoxide in his garage. Accident or suicide? Or murder? As usual the Rabbi has trouble with the Board and spends time with Police Chief Lanigan. Miriam gives birth to their first child.
20. Sunday the Rabbi Stayed Home
1969 191 pages
Once again Rabbi Small is caught up in controversy with his Board over renewal of his contract. Also some of the congregation wants to split off and form their own new Temple organization. Additionally drugs have come to Barnard's Crossing and some of the Rabbi's young people get caught up in a related murder. Author Kemelman brings in the usual 60's philosophizing about social justice issues.
September 22, 2017
wanted to like this more than I did
Read
July 14, 2019I enjoyed the stories. Cant wait to read the next one.
February 23, 2023
A bit dated. Friday with the Rabbi was ok, Saturday got a little boring, and I skipped Sunday.
October 30, 2025
Charmant, nett, cute.
August 29, 2017
Rabbi Small 01 Friday the Rabbi Slept Late ***
Rabbi Small 02 Saturday the Rabbi Went Hungry ***
Rabbi Small 03 Sunday the Rabbi Stayed Home ***
My Rating System:
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.
Rabbi Small 02 Saturday the Rabbi Went Hungry ***
Rabbi Small 03 Sunday the Rabbi Stayed Home ***
My Rating System:
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.
October 20, 2014
Interesting complilation of three short novels. About David Small, a rabbi in a small community outside Boston in the 1960s. He is an amateur detective, using Talmudic law as his premise for giving the chief of police tips. The most interesting part is how he weaves in the members of the synagogue, whether ones on his "side" or not on his "side". Murder in all three novellas. Interesting to see the PC and gender thoughts in that period, a period I grew up. Doesn't matter whether you are Jew or Gentile, women were fetching things for their man. Very entertaining, especially to a person who saw the ins and outs and bickering within a religious group.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews