February 2008 Debut of the Month.

Winner of the CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger Award 2008.

There are plenty of good detective stories but when one comes along with the ability to widen your knowledge and make you think as well as entertaining you with a gripping plot and an interesting character, then it stands above the pack. This is one such, introducing school teacher turned detective, one Omar Yussef, in the midst of the Israeli/Palestine conflict. It is very clever and I urge you to read it.

Comparison: Peter Temple, Jason Goodwin, Colin Cotterill.

Synopsis

For decades, Omar Yussef has taught history to the children of Bethlehem. When a favourite former pupil, George Saba, is arrested for collaborating with the Israelis in the killing of a Palestinian guerrilla, Yussef is convinced that he has been framed. With George facing imminent execution Yussef sets out to prove his innocence.

As Yussef falls foul of his headmaster and the local police chief, time begins to run out for this teacher-turned-detective. His classroom is bombed and members of his family are murdered. But with no one else willing to stand up for the truth, it is up to Omar to act, even as bloodshed and heartbreak surround him.

Reviews

'A beautifully written work, full of humanity, Omar Yussef is a splendid creation' - Colin Dexter, author of the Inspector Morse series

'A dazzling debut novel... Mr Rees takes the reader on a gripping journery into the depths of Palestinian Society.' - Economist

'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.' - Jessica Mann, Literary Review

'This book stands out from the pack... A dark and lonely tale.' - Glasgow Herald

About the Author

Matt Rees was born and raised in South Wales. He has covered the Middle East as a journalist for a decade, including six years as Time magazine's Jerusalem bureau chief. He is author of the non-fiction work Cain's Field: Faith, Fratricide, and Fear in the Middle East. The Bethlehem Murders is his first novel. His second Omar Yussef novel, The Saladin Murders, is published by Atlantic books in 2008. More books by this author Author 'Like for Like' recommendation