Overview

""...a political, poetic, and unputdownable page-turner of a novel."" -Ali Viterbi, playwright, author of In Every Generation ""...offers a cast of complex characters and raises a number of provocative theological questions."" -Michael Kinnamon, author of Summer of Love and Evil and The Nominee ""...a compelling, entertaining, and uplifting novel that will leave you inspired. Don't miss it!""-Richard Agler, author of The Tragedy Test and A God That We Can Believe In Did Chaim Lerner, acclaimed Israeli author and Holocaust survivor, kill himself in 1983, thirty-eight years after surviving Auschwitz? If so, was it traumatic memories finally catching up to him? Or despair over Holocaust denialism? Or ordinary, difficult health issues-an aching hip, a damaged knee? Or simply a deadly episode of depression? Or was it murder? In 2005, Judah Loeb, Lerner's former student and now a struggling American journalist and single father, travels to Jerusalem to investigate Lerner's death. He drags along his fifteen-year-old daughter, Hannah, and they team up with Charlie, Judah's former Hebrew University roommate, now a Jerusalem homicide detective. Their investigation takes them through the darker corners of the Israeli psyche, where they uncover secrets that threaten to destroy Lerner's reputation and alter Jewish history. While probing the mysteries of Israel's past, they encounter personal betrayal, heartbreak, and the fragile possibilities of forgiveness and redemption.

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Reviews

""Here There Is No Why is a political, poetic, and unputdownable page-turner of a novel. Graubart's dialogue sparkles with wit, his compelling characters surprise with their complex arcs, and the story continuously keeps you on your toes. But Here There Is No Why stands out from other literary mysteries in that it not only takes you on a narrative journey but a spiritual one as well. Graubart asks complicated, provocative, and frighteningly urgent questions about God, war, and our own complicity. Here There Is No Why creates a searing portrait of a survivor, an artist, and a country on the brink of change.""-Ali Viterbi, playwright, author of In Every Generation ""Here There Is No Why, like Philip Graubart's other novels, gives readers an exciting plot filled with twists and turns. But Graubart's books transcend a 'detective' label. Here There Is No Why offers a cast of complex characters and raises a number of provocative theological questions. Well-written and intellectually challenging. I commend it highly.""-Michael Kinnamon, author of Summer of Love and Evil and The Nominee ""Come for the murder mystery. Stay for the blackmail, forgiveness, betrayal, love, and wise insight into some of life's deepest questions. Or come for all of that, and stay for the murder mystery! Either way, Philip Graubart has given us a compelling, entertaining, and uplifting novel that will leave you inspired. Don't miss it!""-Richard Agler, author of The Tragedy Test and A God That We Can Believe In ""From the first tantalizing text to the climactic, shattering last scene, Philip Graubart's Here There Is No Why is a wild and wondrous joyride filled with dizzying plot twists and fast-paced action.""-Laura Blumenfeld, New York Times bestselling author of Revenge ""In this captivating novel, Philip Graubart expertly weaves together history, mystery, and the profound themes of forgiveness and redemption. His dynamic writing style and the intricate plot twists evoke the brilliance of Agatha Christie. The story of Chaim Lerner's death will keep you questioning whether it was suicide or murder-and if murder, who did it? A truly compelling read from start to finish.""-Todd Hugie, author of House Down Dirt Lane ""Graubart's writing is lyrical and precise, capturing the complexities of his characters. Here There Is No Why raises important questions about the nature of memory, the weight of history, and the possibility of finding peace in the aftermath of unimaginable trauma. It is a must-read for those who love a good historical mystery. Five stars"".-Carol Thompson, Readers' Favorite ""I rate the book five out of five stars for the way it tackles complex themes with grace and intelligence. The book is perfect for anyone who is open-minded to new ideas and other people's points of view and beliefs. I recommend the book to readers who enjoy mystery books.""-Onlinebookclub.org ""In this novel, Graubart, a rabbi, grapples with primal and provocative questions about suicide and trauma. . . . A gripping novel of revelations and redemption with a searching and sympathetic character at its core.""-Kirkus Review ""A masterpiece.""-Brandon Currence, author of The Maine Consecration and Looking for the Seams

Author Information

Philip Graubart is the author of the award-winning novels Planet of the Jews and Silwan, along with several other books. He's published essays, short stories, and op-eds in numerous publications, including Forward, Tikkun, Moment, The Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel, and The Jerusalem Report. He is a rabbi and writer living in San Diego. He's served pulpits in Massachusetts and California and also served in leadership positions at the Shalom Hartman Institute, the National Yiddish Book Center, and the San Diego Jewish Academy, where he now teaches. He's published eight books, including five novels.

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