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flyeatnread's review
informative
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Not all of the stereotypes have tested well over time, but it was a fun read
cebolla's review
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
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.
jklbookdragon's review
4.0
A lovely cozy mystery. Given that I own it, I've probably read it before some time in the deep dark past, so I can't feel too proud of myself for figuring out whodunnit (and how, but not why).
eososray's review
4.0
Despite the overtly chauvinistic attitudes to woman portrayed in this book, I thought it had one of the better mysteries of the series.
polyhy_14's review
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
arimonts's review
this is one of the worst of the series. truly anti-woman, in a way that feels out of character for rabbi small, weird antisemitism arch...i just didn't like it
ncrabb's review against another edition
4.0
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.
skateanddonate's review
5.0
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.
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