Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #40854 in Books
• Published on: 2008-02-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

Review
"'Meet the next big sleuth in crime fiction... A genuine gripper.' Independent: The Bethlehem Murders launches a major new crime franchise. It is now available in mass market paperback. 'Intricate and clever... What makes this book so outstanding is its evocation of daily life in hideous circumstances, and the survival of human decency in an utterly indecent situation.' Literary Review 'This book stands out from the pack... A dark and lonely tale.' Glasgow Herald 'Here is a startlingly original detective novel that sets strife within strife, crime within crime. If you read only one crime novel this year, make it this one.' John Lawton"

Crime Writers Association website, June 4, 2008
The Bethlehem Murders has been nominated for the Crime Writers Association's John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger. Judges' comments: `The intensity and integrity of the novel gave it credibility and placed the crime into its social and political context. The scenes of destruction and terror in Bethlehem are well explored and the characterisation excellent. An excellent debut novel.'

Mystery Scene, Winter 2007
Although written in the form of a mystery, [it] is much more than
that. The book is a cry from the heart. We walk with Omar Yussef in his
shoes, and in so doing we go deep into his disturbing, dark everyday
experience, which is so different from our own.

Customer Reviews

Gripping, insightful, original. Highly recommended.
I've read quite a lot of crime fiction set in countries other than the US and the UK but this has to be the pick of the bunch so far. What I loved about it was that it pulled off the classic challenge that I think all crime writers face: To both suck you in entirely by its pure story-telling and yet to sort of quietly educate you and let you into an entirely new world. To be honest, I've always found the Middle East a bit confusing and I haven't paid an enormous amount of attention but after reading The Bethlehem Murders the place is more real to me than anywhere else I see on the news or read about in the newspapers. I can see the people and the places in my mind's eye. But back to the story...I won't give anything away, of course, but to have a slightly bumbling, older history teacher as your detective is a brilliant idea. He's so likeable, in his grumpiness, and so human. You really find yourself willing him along as he looks for the truth. I can't wait to read what he gets up to in the second book in the series. When is that coming out, by the way?
I could go on but I'd just say that if you want a fast, exciting read that also tells you more about this fascinating, crucial part of the world than you'll ever pick up from the papers, this is for you.

Great find!
This is the first in Matt Rees' Omar Yussef novels, and he's a great find.

With so many other authors treading the line of American detectives, FBI agents and the like, Rees introduces us to Yussef, a school teacher, caught up in the madness that is present day Bethlehem.

Forced to investigate a strange murder, Yussef discovers there's disturbing things going on amidst his fellow Palestinians as they target a traditional Christian family for daring to stand up for truth. Yussef, himself a Muslim, finds that hate and money are powerful bedfellows, no matter what place you are born, or what you believe.

Well paced, original thriller, give it a go.

absorbing, paced and a damn good read
The ageing, history teacher of ill health seems a little slow/cerebal or possibly odd as the central character. However you are very quickly drawn into the world of his family, work, local palestinian politics and the murder investigation. Even working out the who did what and what would be the outcome (unusual for me) did not spoil a damn good read. The sence of place and a window on its culture was really interesting. I will be ordering the next Omar Yussef novel.