Lieberman's Folly

I need a good mystery to balance out the imagination in my other stories, and frankly, the unmitigated disaster that is normal life. The mysteries I read provide a conflict, problem-solving, solution, and resolution in a neat little package, and Lieberman's Folly is no exception. I have a dim memory of reading Kaminsky back in the 90s and enjoying it, but somehow losing track of the series (back in the days when the library didn't have the stellar interlibrary loan system they have now). Pandemic means time to find/rediscover new reads, and I look forward to working my way through the next nine books in this one.<br /><br />The story starts off with some quick, bloody background from 1970 when member of a crime organization cut ties and came to America to parlay his gains into a fortune. Unfortunately, two of his long-term prostitutes have their eyes on his money.<br /><br />Flash forward to the 1980s Chicago where Detective Abe Lieberman is meeting with his partner, Bill Hanrahan and their informant, Estralda, who is looking for a little protection. It'll mean some time outside normal working hours, but Bill agrees to keep an eye on her while Abe attends Shabbat and works on some family issues. Trouble is, Bill's been hitting the bottle especially hard, so Abe isn't entirely sure how dependable he is.<br /><b><br />"Detective William Hanrahan had grunted, smiled, and shook his head no. This morning Hanrahan glowed with confidence, his cheeks pink, his usually unkempt dark hair cut short and brushed back... His short-sleeved blue shirt was soaked through with sweat, but his tie was neatly pressed. Hanrahan was working extra hard today to convince himself, his partner, and the world that he didn't need a drink."<br /></b><br />Like all P.I. stories, the city plays an important role in the story. Chicago is in flux, with immigrant shift in the neighborhoods that Lieberman and Hanrahan grew up in, and reflections of both on the changes. Religion and economics of the working and poverty classes are also mentioned and are particularly relevant to characters nicknamed 'the Rabbi' and 'the Father' by each other and their peers because of their ethnic heritage (neither are particularly devout).<br /><br />There's some interesting humor the story, particularly in Abe's deadpan reactions:<b><br />"'Tell me why I didn't know you two were staking out this building. Tell me who gave you an OK to give protection to a known prostitute... I don't known what's going on and my men fucked up.'<br />'It's a great load to bear,' Lieberman said seriously.<br />'What's that? Hassidic humor?' Hughes said, straightening his tie. 'Don't play games with me, Abe. You know who lives in this goddamn building?'<br />'One less person than an hour ago,' said Lieberman looking back into the room."<br /></b><br />It takes some getting used to, because it's not laugh-out-loud funny, just a kind of mordant approach to life. Still, I found it really worked, and it makes Lieberman a particularly unique character. I enjoyed the language and found a lot of the phrasing was stellar.<br /><br />At only 216 pages, it goes quickly. It means Kaminsky is rather fast with plots and back-stories/side-stories. However, he still managed to surprise me, once emotionally and once with a twist, so extra applause. I can't wait to continue on to the next book, although there's a few books in the way (darn you, Koli!)<br /><br />Three and a half stars, rounding down to probably differentiate it from subsequent books.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book, considering it's the first in the series. At first, it seemed a little slow, but as I got to know the characters, I liked it more. I like Lieberman a lot. He's funny, dependable, and seems to care about people, sometimes even the criminals. I've read a few books by Stuart Kaminsky, and this seems to be a trademark so far.<br /><br />It was also fun for me personally, as I was brought up Jewish, but lost interest about the time I got a driver's license at 16. But even though I'm not at all a practicing Jew now, it was nice to remember some of the things from my earlier days.<br /><br />I look forward to reading some more of this series.

This is the first book in the Abe Lieberman mystery series. He’s a Jewish cop in Chicago; his partner is an Irish cop and a recovering alcoholic. Bill Hanrahan is divorced; Abe Lieberman is dealing with a grown daughter who is about to be divorced. That’s part of the magic of this series—the way the author weaves the personal lives of these cops into the broader plot.<br /><br />In this first book, Lieberman promises to help a high-class Mexican prostitute get a particularly bothersome client off her back if she will provide evidence in another case he’s working. But the girl gets murdered, and Lieberman and Hanrahan are drawn deeper into Chicago’s mobbed-up dark side.<br /><br />I’ve told you the easy part; what’s harder to describe is the author’s ability to somehow employ the ages of Jewish wisdom in Lieberman’s solutions. There’s something about this series that has just the slightest hint of the Rabbi Small series. Lieberman's judaism informs his life and conduct on and off the job. <br />

PROTAGONIST: Abe Lieberman, cop<br />SETTING: Chicago<br />SERIES: #1<br />RATING: 3.75<br />WHY: Abe “Rabbi” Lieberman is a 60-something Chicago cop with a wry sense of humor. He is essentially a family man, with his loving wife, Bess, and their grandchildren and daughter who are living with them while she tries to figure out her marriage. Abe’s partner is Bill “Father Murphy” Hanrahan who is struggling with loneliness after getting separated from his wife and a more than passing love affair with the bottle. They are investigating the murder of a Mexican prostitute named Estralda Valdez, who they had promised to protect. The mystery is pretty straightforward. It’s the little touches that make the book enjoyable, such as Abe’s visits to his brother’s deli and his interactions with other people.

Disclaimer: I love Abe Lieberman stories better than any other of Stuart Kaminsky's wonderful series-- and I love Kaminsky's work. <br />That said, this was a solid entry in this series-- although there are others that I rated five stars. <br />So what kept this from the top most rating? A few wrinkles in the plot, such as Abe's partner, a seasoned veteran detective, making so many errors that wind up with disastrous results, and too few of the typically hysterical scenes involving the "Alter Cockers." But I'm rather picking nits here-- it's just that the bar Kaminsky has set with these characters is so high already!<br />This is a brief 200 page novel that will provide some smiles, laughs, and, oh yes, a great plot twist at the end just for good measure. I always get a charge whenever I find a Lieberman book that I've not yet read. Enjoy.

The prolific Stuart M. Kaminsky has written several mystery series. I’ve read and enjoyed the first volumes of the Porfiry Rostnikov and the Toby Peters series. I’ve added another debut volume of the Abe Lieberman series which also added to my enjoyment. Enjoying them is the one constant since each has a very different tone and style. Lieberman, an elder statesman Chicago cop in the 1990s, is probably the most traditional. Peters is a goofy romp in the Golden Age of Hollywood. Rostnikov is anything but goofy, balancing police work within the politics of the Soviet system. Lieberman has some gentle humor as he deals with family and synagogue in the little free time he has from very deadly Chicago crime. What this series has going for it in spades are the characters. Even the smallest side character seems to get a backstory giving the entire tale depth. After a surprise who-done-it ending, there’s a cherry on top in the little epilogue, which is meant to cause nothing short of a smile. Kaminsky is no fluke. I will gladly go to more volumes and series with his byline.<br />

Abe Lieberman is such an interesting character; a dedicated, resourceful Chicago cop who happens to be Jewish. His sardonic sense of humor is a real treat. This book works as a mystery, a police procedural, and as a character study. And what memorable, quirky characters there are in this book. I really enjoyed Abe's family, although I felt sorry for his daughter's situation. Stuart Kaminsky has an excellent way with dialogue as well. Such a truly satisfying book, and I will be spending more time with Abe, his family, and his fellow detective and friend Bill Hanrahan in subsequent books.

Terrific read. Aged well. Love the slightly older Chicago.

Tendo praticamente acabado a série do Inspector Rostnikov, passei à série seguinte do autor.<br />Aqui, um detective Judeu, Abe Lieberman, conhecido por rabino, faz dupla com um detective Católico de origem Irlandesa, Hanrahan, conhecido por padre.<br />A trama passa-se nos anos 90, na América e é ao estilo de um hard-boiled clássico.

This book I believe is proof positive that the big bang theory is at least plausible! Three stars, three different orbits, come together in the same place at the same time. Causing such a catastrophic event that disrupted everyone and everything in its path. Crazy I know, but this author wrote it so perfectly that it is believable.