The Fifth Servant by Kenneth Wishnia

Life in central Europe during the 16th century was daunting, especially for the Jews of Prague. Forced by papal decree to live within a walled ghetto, Jews were relatively safe from Christian persecution—but not for long. On the eve of Passover in 1592, a young Christian girl is found murdered in a Jewish shop, causing panic for Christians and Jews alike. The Jews are accused of stealing the girl’s blood, a crime that threatens to remove what little security and freedom they have. Recently arrived from Poland, the rabbi’s new sexton, Benyamin Ben-Akiva, is given three days by the Jewish authorities to find the real killer, or the entire Jewish population could face annihilation. Verdict: This fast-paced historical from Edgar nominee Wishnia (23 Shades of Black) combines scholarly historical details that bring the 16th century alive with believable characters and a compelling mystery. Highly recommended for mystery lovers and fans of historical fiction."        LIBRARY JOURNAL  (Starred Review)

Appearance Schedule

Wed., July 21, featured author,
Season of Mystery
Bennington, VT (time to be posted soon)

Wed. Aug. 4 at 7:30 .pm.
"Meet the Author"
Temple Isaiah
1404 Stony Brook Rd
Stony Brook, NY 11790
(631) 751-8518

A Variety of Blog Q & A's