An Accidental Murder: An Avram Cohen Mystery

A great Avram Cohen story by Robert Rosenberg, like all the author's books, a real eye-opened about Israel: what CNN and the New York Times don't report because they don't know Israel the way he does. This time Cohen looks into what seems to be the accidental death of his protege, and finds clues leading to the Russian mafia -- and corruption. A must-read for anyone who loves a good mystery/thriller as well as anyone interested in Israel the way it really is.

Those readers who are searching for another of those cliche ridden thrillers about brave Israeli Mossad agents pursuing bloody Arab terrorists or conniving Iranian arm smugglers should not read this book or any other of his mysteries about Avram Cohen, an Israeli detective whose complex personality and the moral dilemmas he faces in his work reflect the Real Reality of contemporary Israel. It is an Israel that is a colorful social and political mosaic,and has a dark side that is unfamiliar even to those Americans and Europeans who observe the politics of the Jewish state on a daily basis: the decadent lifestyle of Tel-Aviv; religious fanatics and political extermists; Russian gangsters and serial killers;a society that is moving beyond the idealism and unity of the early Zionist era into a projecting the kind of political and social polarization that led to the assassination of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin. Rosenberg, a former correspondent for The Jerusalem Post and Time magazine,who operates an Israeli based webzine is able to provide us with the flavor and the vibes of this New Israel. He is also a very talented writer that has created in Avram Cohen an original character that is becoming more interesting and more intriguing in each new mystery that is added to the series. I don't want to ruin the reader's pleasure by revealing the the plot in "An Accidental Murder." What Rosenberg does in his new novel is to tie the past with the present, focus on the way history, including the Holocaust, still effects the Israeli psyche. In any case, if like intelligent and literary mysteries, if you enjoy reading John Le Carre, if The Third Man is one of your favorite films, and if you are interested in the politics of Israel and the Middle East, you should get to know Avram Cohen.

Former Israeli CID chief Avram Cohen is an expert on survival. He persevered against Hitler and his concentration camps. He survived the war that established the Jewish State. However, Avram has doubts that he will endure his forced retirement in spite of his wealth and his relationship with Ayhura Myerson, a judge posed to be placed on the country's Supreme Court. To pass time and learn how to operate a computer, Avram writes his memoirs, which is published. Avram enjoys his privacy and prefers not to reveal his inner self. He quickly realizes that marketing a best seller is not for him. However, he inadvertently draws attention to himself when a woman is found dead in his bathroom and a bomb is detected under his bed. Initially, law enforcement officials think that either a fanatical fundamentalist group or someone one from his previous life wants to eliminates the pragmatic Avram. His nonchalance about the affair changes when his assistant, a person he considered a son, is killed. Avram, who does not mind going outside the law, conducts his own search into his friend's murder. Avram Cohen, who has tasted all the evil man can inflict on his fellow men, is one of the most complex figures in a police procedural. The mystery is well written and brilliantly executed. However, it is the anti-hero, who makes this a unique, but winning novel. Through Avram's eyes, the reader sees the political, secular, and religiousperspectives that make up the modern state of Israel. They also see a man who knows that the past often has a way of creeping into the present. It will be fascinating to see the protagonist's character become clearer in future books. Robert Rosenberg is creating a fantastic series starring a richly complex character. Let's hope he continues to do so fo a long time to come. Harriet Klausner