December 8, 2008
Stone, who died in 2007, successfully grafts a classic hard-boiled detective plot line onto the complexities and dangers of life in modern Israel in his final novel. When Prof. Jacob Kaye suspects his attractive wife, Deborah, of infidelity, he hires Levin, a former Israeli security service officer turned PI, to shadow her around the streets of Jerusalem. Levin quickly confirms his client's fears. When Deborah's art professor lover is gunned down on the road to Jaffa, an apparent victim of a random Palestinian sniper attack, Levin wonders whether Kaye was behind the murder. While the gumshoe's growing attraction to the woman in the case is stock material, Stone (A Town Called Jericho
) uses it to challenge his lead character's retreat from life and generally passive attitude. The book also nicely captures the inherently tenuous nature of life in the Holy City, where a door-to-door insurance salesman offers a small extra charge for terrorism coverage.
February 1, 2009
Levin, a retired Israeli security services officer, is a loner. His marriage ended amicably. His children are grown andhave movedabroad. Living in Jerusalem and acutely aware of the religious fervor and political conflicts in the area, he leads a self-contained life. When an acquaintance asks him to follow his wife, Deborah, and find out whether she is having an affair, he accepts the offer despite the fact that he considers the task unsavory. It is a chance to use his investigative skills and explore Jerusalems rich history as he visits its colorful neighborhoods, andit provides a stark contrast to the terrorist attacks and suicide bombings that dominate the daily news. As he follows Deborah, he finds himself assessing her as a potential lover. When the man that she was meeting is murdered, Levin wonders whether it was really a snipers bullet that killed him. When Deborah approaches him with a strange request, his carefully constructed ethical foundation is threatened. This beautifully written character study will appeal to both mystery buffs and those who enjoy literary fiction.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)