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Harry Kemelman
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Wednesday the Rabbi Got Wet (The Rabbi Small Mysteries) Kindle Edition

by Harry Kemelman (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 926 ratings
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A pharmaceutical mishap draws the rabbi into a murder investigation in this New York Times bestseller: “An endearing character . . . a devious plot” (San Diego Union-Tribune).

New Age thinking has come to Barnard’s Crossing, Massachusetts. The recently elected president of Rabbi David Small’s synagogue is intent on using temple money to build a meditation retreat. The congregation is practicing yoga, buying crystals, and reciting chants. When a troubled young man returns to the town after spending time in a controversial Hasidic cult, the rabbi expects him to be another New Ager. But things take a grisly turn away from new-fangled mantras of peace and love when something terribly old fashioned happens: murder.
 
An elderly patient dies after being given the wrong medication by the local pharmacist, who coincidentally is also the Hasidic man’s father. When the dead man’s family suggests the mix-up was intentional, both the druggist and his son become suspects and it’s up to Rabbi Small to investigate by drawing on some Old Testament wisdom in a village of New Age fads.
 
Previous page
  1. Book 6 of 12
    The Rabbi Small Mysteries
  2. Print length
    311 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    Open Road Media Mystery & Thriller
  6. Publication date
    August 4, 2015
  7. File size
    1935 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Rabbi Small's congregation dies a mysterious death during the worst hurricane Barnard's Crossing has seen in years. When the suspect turns out to be a troubled but likable young man, Rabbi Small comes to his aid -- drenching himself in a decidedly non-kosher mystery involving prescription drugs, real estate shenanigans, and possibly, pre-meditated murder . . .

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00ZJZH568
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Open Road Media Mystery & Thriller (August 4, 2015)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 4, 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1935 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 311 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 926 ratings

About the author

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Harry Kemelman

Harry Kemelman

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
926 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Theresa
5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable Book
Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2020
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I like the writing style and the fact that it not only is a "who done it," but you learn some things about the Jewish laws and traditions. Although I am not Jewish, I found it interesting. I have read all of the books in this series, so that tells you something.
One person found this helpful
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Heinrick Ludwig von Mencken
4.0 out of 5 stars Getting wet in a good cause
Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2018
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This is of a series focusing on the rabbai of a small new england town. The author has stated that he doesn't think mysteries can hold your interst, so most of the book is about the characters. As usual, the author has some very interesting and engaging ones

The focus is on the problems of fathers and sons. Sons who have been wild and regret it, and iron fathers who want to bend a little, somehow. Of course after having been wild as a youg un, is now going religious. Which annoys his father, who put religion away as useless as his relations went up the flue in Poland.

And as religious as the son is, he does get his rocks off, which annoys his puritanical antoi religious father.

There is also the issue of an excess of religiosity in the congregation, which annoys the rabi. It misses the point of religion.

There is a doctor who is new in town, a shady real estate promoter, and what to do with a congregant who may have committed suicide. he is rivk... but a suicide...

So this is a very good story with good characters doing bad things for good reason. A very good read all in al
6 people found this helpful
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Jane L
5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful!
Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2020
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This book, like others in this series, is a delightful "period" piece that gets into a gentler, quieter time, before cell phones and even answering machines, and before forensic science ruled the day. But fortunately, murder is still murder, and using intellect, Talmudic law and knowledge of human nature, crimes can be solved even by a small town rabbi. Its a window on a world that pulls you in, even if it feels unfamiliar, and makes you want to stay.
3 people found this helpful
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EEE
3.0 out of 5 stars About to Run Out of Days of the Week, Still Solving Mysteries
Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2021
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Very enjoyable entry in the series, with a much knottier problem to unravel than most of them, both in terms of the actual mystery, as week as the puzzle of rabbinic law that is an inevitable part of the storytelling.
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Charles W. Riendeau
5.0 out of 5 stars Rabbi Small and Chief Lanigan Reason Together
Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2022
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During hurricane Betsy, a prescription is filled and then storm-delayed before getting to the sick person. When it arrives, it kills him. He is allergic to penicillin. How this incorrect medicine got to the patient and who was responsible is the mystery that Rabbi and the police chief must solve. Well woven into that mystery is the religious topic of whether retreats to maximize prayer for the zealous is or is not part of the Jewish tradition. Suspects for the deadly error...murder? Include the pharmacist's son. The pharmacy's !ease is central to the selling of the larger property and the purchase of the retreat property. The brilliance of Kemelman's writing is revealed in the clever way he manages the interweaving. And I am always pleasantly surprised by the positive humanity with which he imbues his characters. Amidst very human foibles he creates a community that live their daily lives in the thoughtful way their traditions demand. That, of course, makes these stories very Jewish. So, if the people live with deep concern about each other, the tradition itself becomes a protagonist.
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Joyce Carol
4.0 out of 5 stars Nice read
Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2017
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I enjoy the "Rabbi" books. A mystery without too much violence. Yet still entertaining. Good insight in the life of the Rabbi and the politics of the temple membership.
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Charles Siegfried
5.0 out of 5 stars Good Company!
Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2021
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Relaxed murder mystery with lots about characters and their stories. Plot is interesting and the short chapters help breeze through the text. I enjoy this series and have learned facts I didn't know about Judaism.
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Steve Schwartz, Greenville
4.0 out of 5 stars Diaspora in the New World
Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2017
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I rarely remember the whodunnits' whodunnit. That's the case here, but it doesn't matter. I find much more interest in characters or themes. In the case of Kellerman's Rabbi Small mysteries, it's the themes -- mainly about the assimilation of American Jews and the fate of the religion amid secular pressures. Here, it's the same. A new temple president finds "spirituality" more important than tradition. Rabbi David Small finds himself on the other side, not that he has anything against spirituality, but that the New Age version has nothing specific to do with Judaism and thus a temple congregation has as an entity no collective interest at stake, nor should resources be allocated. A troubled young man, who has joined an ultra-orthodox Hassidic sect (and becomes a suspect in the murder), is another aspect of the same theme. But it's the theme, rather than the mystery or the character interactions, that drives this book.
3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Lee
4.0 out of 5 stars Good Read
Reviewed in Canada on September 23, 2023
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Good logic, interesting story. Lots of possible suspects. Rabbi small is solid as usual and his logic is impeccable as usual.I
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Marianne
5.0 out of 5 stars Vintage series
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 14, 2021
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I remember enjoying this series as a teen and happily on re reading found I enjoyed it still. Tightly written with a deliberate Rabbi at the helm, no language, no sex, just a good mystery. Some might find too much judaism, but I was quite interested.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Nach wie vor eine lesenswerte Krimi-Reihe!
Reviewed in Germany on March 28, 2013
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Seit drei Generationen sind die "Rabbi Small"-Krimis von Kemelman in unserer Familie äußerst beliebt. Intelligente Kriminalfälle in verbindung mit einigem HIntergrundwissen über das Judentum - die Krimis ersetzen kein Judaistik-Studium, aber sie geben einen sehr guten ersten EInblick in jüdisches Denken und jüdische Tradition!
Auch in der Kindle-Edition ist es ein Vergenügen diese zu lesen - nur schade, dass noch nicht alle Bände für den Kindle verfügbar sind. Vielleicht hat der Verlag "Mitleid" mit treuen Fans und bald sind auch die noch fehlenden Titel "online".
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Lin Thompson
3.0 out of 5 stars One of better in the series
Reviewed in Canada on January 13, 2021
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Best to read in order. Enjoyed this one. The plot was better than most. The characters are well crafted. And I learn a lot in a much easier way than reading an educational book. The author does a good job of explaining Judaism. I do not always agree with his way of explaining other faiths which he often does too simplistically and without as much understanding but I enjoy the books and will keep reading.
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Jessica Sheringham
4.0 out of 5 stars Good Rabbi Small story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 13, 2019
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Book arrived on time. One of the better stories in this series
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