This was an incredibly fascinating book that delved deep into a murder in Palestine and the complex web of politics surrounding the families who reside there.

A highly ethical teacher had the noble intention of teaching his students how to understand Israelis, Christians, and their fellow Muslims. However, it was an extremely challenging task in a culture where hatred seemed to fester.

When one of his best graduates was unjustly accused of being a collaborator, the teacher took it upon himself to prove the man's innocence. He was engaged in a difficult uphill battle as the accused was a Christian and was disliked simply because of his religion.

Matt Rees did not sugarcoat or glamorize life in Palestine. In this region, terrorists held sway over money, arms, and the police. Despite a strong sense of community among the citizens, they were powerless against the might of the Martyrs Brigade.

Our hero, Omar Yussef, enjoyed some degree of protection as he was a member of a strong tribe. Nevertheless, in the end, he was unable to save his outstanding student.

This book is truly powerful, realistic, and even-handed. It is highly recommended for those who wish to gain a deeper understanding of the complex issues and human drama in Palestine.

Hard going, this.

It’s a carefully plotted and well executed example of a technically excellent thriller. It is saturated with cultural detail, which enriches the reading experience. However, it’s unrelenting and gruelling reading.

The action takes place near Jerusalem, in a Palestinian neighbourhood that is being torn apart by the continual fighting between Muslim militia and the Israeli army. Mafia-style gangs terrorise local businesses, and corruption is rife in the police and legal systems. Justice, in this setting, is at best arbitrary.

There is a solid story and a grimly authentic atmosphere. But there is little in the way of moral resolution. It’s not unlike reading about The Troubles in Ireland, and it is every bit as depressing.

6/10

There are many more of my reviews of crime / thriller / mysteries over at http://www.murdermayhemandmore.net

I’ve lived a life filled with numerous changes. I came to understand that change is generally a good thing. However, here in Palestine, change always seems to be for the worse.

Even when attempting to change a situation of hatred, they only manage to create still more hatred. Love is not seen as an option. It is regarded as the choice of an idiot who desires to end up with nothing, robbed, abused, and humiliated. The consequence is that, in the end, everyone becomes convinced that the only way to alter the bad relations between Christians and Muslims, or between Israelis and Palestinians for that matter, is to wipe out the other side. To kill them all. Just like they’ll kill me, now.

Life is like terrorism, so don’t bother me with your indignation. Life is one big infiltration of our supposedly secure defenses. Some people place bombs on buses and blow them up; those are the terrorists. But what about those people whose words have the power to blow you up? Life is like a condemned cell. If your friend George Saba finds himself locked up on death row today, it’s only because he never had the wisdom to realize that he lived his entire life there. That’s the only way to protect yourself, Abu Ramiz—to understand that you’re always under a sentence of death and to strive for a temporary remission.

Integrity and knowledge were worthless in this world. But they were precious to him. If he had a soul,

All the while, this breath slowly chills until death. Every exhalation is an expulsion of some part of our finite store of life, and also a sigh of relief that the grave is closer by one tedious, depressing pulse.

He had strapped a belt of explosives to his torso, but the detonation was happening inside him.

This is a book that can be read very quickly thanks to its writing style.

It is an extremely good book, and rather than being a mystery, it is the development and process of the main character with all the circumstances happening around him.

It doesn't have a higher score because the "villain" is somewhat predictable, and because it was a book that didn't leave me with anything significant.

Simply put, it was pleasant to read, but it doesn't go beyond that.

Overall, it's a decent read that offers an engaging story about the main character's journey, but it lacks the depth and surprise factor to truly stand out.

However, for those who enjoy a quick and easy read with an interesting character arc, this book may be a good choice.

It's important to note that everyone's reading preferences are different, and what one person may find lacking, another may enjoy.

So, while this book may not have been a five-star read for me, it could potentially be a favorite for someone else.

The plot and the idea itself are interesting.

However, it lacks depth and historical context.

Most importantly, it lacks intrigue.

The characters are rather basic, either showing sadism or heroism.

There is no in-depth exploration that makes you feel a sense of closeness to anyone.

It seems that the story could have been developed further to add more layers and complexity.

With a better understanding of the historical background and a more detailed portrayal of the characters, the story might have been able to engage the readers on a deeper level.

As it stands now, it feels somewhat shallow and fails to fully capture the potential that the interesting plot and idea initially promised.

Perhaps with some revisions and improvements, it could become a more engaging and thought-provoking piece of work.

A year or so ago, I happened to come across the Palestinian Quartet on a list of the ten best international mystery series. This genre has always held a great appeal to the armchair traveler within me. Matt Rees, who was born in Wales, lived in Jerusalem for twenty years and served as the bureau chief for TIME.

Amateur sleuth Omar Yussef, after teaching for many years at the local Catholic school, now teaches history at a United Nations refugee camp school for girls. The book provides an enlightening look into the tensions between the Christian and Muslim communities in Bethlehem, as well as the tensions between peace-loving Muslims and their terrorist brethren. When one of Omar Yussef's former Catholic students is accused of setting up a young Muslim terrorist for assassination by the Israelis, Omar Yussef embarks on a journey to prove the young man's innocence in a community bent on revenge.

However, the book left me puzzled or disappointed in at least three ways. Firstly, the first few chapters are so overly emotional and intense that I had great difficulty picturing myself in either an urban or rural setting. Secondly, Omar Yussef, who is in his mid-50s, suffers from more physical complaints than most men I know who are twenty or even thirty years older. It is unclear to me whether this is due to his living in the Middle East, the fact that he is a recovering alcoholic, or simply a bias on the part of the author, as I have been unable to determine a date of birth for Matt Rees. Finally, the female characters, including Omar Yussef's wife of many years, are rather pale and insubstantial, offering little to the narrative other than an occasional cup of tea. Nevertheless, I still plan to read the second book to see if Rees has managed to resolve these issues.

The descriptions of Bethlehem were very vivid. And since I have been there twice, it was as if I was right there.

The narrowness of the subject matter you understand from the beginning. And it doesn't give you the false impression to believe that it will be a happy ending. The protagonist was an artist and naïve and set off fires where he shouldn't have. Of course, I think here the expression from the old Greek movie "the teacher was a Levantine" fits, because he didn't put it down with anything! They threatened him, his job, his family, but nothing. Very artistic, but he had an instinct for uncovering the mystery. He just fell into the trap of trusting the wrong people. Too idealistic and romantic for reality. At least from the beginning it is clear who the bad guy in the story is and Abu Ghaliant. The truth is that the daily life of the people there is tragic and it is common to have bombs exploding everywhere.

Overall, the story seems to be a complex exploration of human nature, the harsh reality of a particular place, and the consequences of one's actions and choices. It makes the reader think about the difficulties and challenges that people face in such situations and how easily one can get caught up in something that may lead to unexpected outcomes.

Okay,

but it is not compelling. The decision seems to make the situation between them rather questionable. It leaves one wondering what exactly led to this state of affairs. There might be underlying factors at play that are not immediately evident. Perhaps there was a miscommunication or a difference in perspectives. Without further clarification, it is difficult to fully understand the implications of this decision. It could potentially have a significant impact on their relationship or the outcome of the situation. However, as it stands, the details are lacking, and the situation remains somewhat ambiguous.

DNF.

There are many interesting things that can be explored through this investigation of Omar Yussef. It is not only about the oppressed lives of the Palestinian people, but also we can see what the views and thoughts of Westerners are regarding the Israeli occupation from the perspective of the author, who is a media observer from the UK.

Through the author's own writing, we can get a couple of his thoughts about who a Muslim is, what they themselves mean by 'good muslim' and 'bad muslim'. It is also a bit shocking when the author briefly describes who Hamas is. I don't want to share what the author explains about Hamas, but it is actually quite shocking.

Another interesting thing is that the way Omar Yussef investigates is not sophisticated. It is the most 'humble' way of investigation that I have read so far. It really shows that Omar Yussef is facing a midlife crisis. He likes to accuse people, stick his neck here and there, and many other things. It is really interesting.

Because of this, I am interested in following the next story under another title.

The Collaborator of Bethlehem

(First of Omar Yussef Mysteries)

Matt Rees

Genre: Mystery/Crime

Omar Yussef is a captivating and highly relatable character, much like Alexander McCall Smith's Precious Ramotswe. He is a schoolteacher at the United Nations School for Girls in Bethlehem. Despite being a Muslim, he doesn't conform to the expected norms. He has a deep love for his students and endeavors to teach them not only history but also humanity.

In the beginning, he meets with one of his favorite students, George Saba, a Palestinian Christian who has just returned from Chile. Their dinner is interrupted when George runs off to prevent some Martyrs Brigade men from using the roof of his house to shoot at Israelis across the valley. Omar goes home and then to school the next day. There, he discovers that the husband of one of his former students has been shot and killed by the Israelis. When he goes to comfort her, a collaborator is suspected. Soon, George is imprisoned for collaborating.

Omar decides that, despite the obvious danger of going up against the deadly Brigade, he must pursue what the widow told him and what he himself discovers at the murder scene. We nervously watch as Omar navigates a precarious path between the Bethlehem Police and the Brigade to unearth the real culprit. The sense of danger is palpable and ever-present, and Omar stands out as an educator, a historian, and a compassionate individual who refuses to categorize people as "us" and "them." The mystery itself may not have a huge reveal, but the question of whether Omar will survive the investigation creates genuine tension. The world would be a better place with more Omars, and I eagerly anticipate reading the next installment in the series.

As implausible as it may seem, Omar Yussef is a man caught in the midst of a truly awful situation, yet one you still want to encounter.

Spend some time with him, drink some sa'ada coffee, and talk to him about his beloved Bethlehem. Omar offers a unique perspective on murder, power games, and fanaticism, while simultaneously presenting a human and humane view of life in his hometown.

Bethlehem is a world rife with conflict, both within and from outside his own society, and the tension caused by the changing viewpoints between generations. Where once he happily mingled with all the people in the town, now there is a very different atmosphere, and he is horrified by what he witnesses happening around him.

Yussef is an opinionated and "difficult" teacher in a refugee camp. He speaks his mind, encourages his pupils to think and be challenged, and truly loves and cares for them, even if he can be a bit grumpy at times. So when an ex-student and friend, George Saba, is accused of collaborating with the Israelis - a crime punishable by death - and no one else seems willing to help, Yussef transitions from teaching to detecting.

Of course, this isn't going to be the relief that the UN-appointed head of his school had hoped for - he's been盼着 Yussef would retire for years - but he really should have been more cautious about cultural sensitivity when he starts putting words into Yussef's mouth.

Mind you, Yussef is far from perfect. He is prone to grumpiness, can be acerbic, hates anointed authority, used to have a drinking problem, and is a Muslim in a society composed of the devout and the not-so-devout of many religions. But he also lives in a highly complicated Palestinian society, divided by factions, religions, clans, power bases, and the good and the bad. So his complex nature sometimes seems almost tame in comparison. And this complication is one of the great strengths of THE BETHLEHEM MURDERS.

Incorporated alongside a complex and multifaceted character, there is a complex society and a series of deaths that are stark, appalling, and desperately sad. Yussef is also a character that the author has allowed to make mistakes, and he forces Yussef to confront those mistakes.

The interesting balancing act in THE BETHLEHEM MURDERS is surely that the book tells a story of Palestinian society with such a realistic feel, truly giving the reader insights into the nature of daily life in Yussef's world. At the same time, it provides a real plot that progresses through the story of Yussef, George Saba and his family, and all the other families dragged into what seems like daily violence. And beneath it all, there is a message that fanaticism comes in many different forms, and sometimes it is not directed outwards.

The dystopia of the Israeli apartheid reality in Palestine and the deadlock of the armed resistance under the guise of a police story.

What significance does it have if in the end the culprit of this cycle of bloodshed is punished? Nothing is going to change in the occupied territories.

The situation in Palestine is a complex and tragic one. The Israeli apartheid policies have been causing great suffering to the Palestinian people for decades. The armed resistance, on the other hand, has not been able to bring about a real solution to the problem.

It is essential that the international community takes a more active role in promoting peace and justice in Palestine. Sanctions and pressure should be exerted on Israel to force it to end its apartheid policies and respect the rights of the Palestinian people.

Only through a comprehensive and just peace process can the cycle of bloodshed be broken and a better future be built for both Israelis and Palestinians.