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The Charlie Singer and Katie Walker Mystery #3
The Zero Commandment
It is 1941. The country is on the edge of war. In New York, three men are murdered. The detective Charlie Singer is drawn into the case after rescuing a young woman being attacked in Central Park. With Katie Walker, his partner, Charlie deals with a famous gossip columnist, an organization devoted to fighting Hitler, and a violent group of haters. As Charlie uncovers the lies and secrets, he discovers a blossoming relationship with Katie who is undergoing a major life change.
184 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 10, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
June 30, 2019
In New York City three men have been murdered, all Jews. Charlie Singer is called in to investigate when he saves a woman, Hannah Levinsky, from being beaten in a park.
An interesting mystery
An interesting mystery
April 3, 2018
“Not everyone would stick up for a Jewish woman in trouble.”
New York author Lawrence J. Epstein is a former professor of English at Suffolk County Community College on Long Island where he taught courses writing and journalism as well as on Jewish thought and the Holocaust. He has served as an adviser on the Middle East to two members of the United States Congress. His many publications include Jewish-related books as The Haunted Smile: The Story of Jewish Comedians in America, At the Edge of a Dream: The Story of Jewish Immigrants on New York’s Lower East Side, 1880-1920, and A Treasury of Jewish Anecdotes. He has also written a variety of other books including Mixed Nuts, about American comedy teams, as well as over a hundred articles on Jewish subjects for such places as The Jerusalem Post.
Lawrence writes in a near conversational style, gradually introducing his characters and the environment in which they find themselves, and then introduces the flags that will point the way toward the evil to come. For instance, during a severe dust storm in 1935 Oklahoma Jack Bell steps out of the dust storm into his home – ‘His wife was lying on the floor, her face and the front of her dress covered in dried blood. She’d been lying there for a while. He went over to her, holding her, lifting her head, desperate to breathe life back into her. But Jack had seen death up close since he was a boy. He knew there was no breathing life back. He knew his wife and his unborn child were gone… He listened and thought he heard the swirling wind and the rabbits with crushed heads and the baby in the tiny coffin crying with him.’
This being Volume 3 of The Charlie Singer and Katie Walker Series the main characters are well known to Lawrence’s readers. We first encounter them in New York City in 1941 I entered Central Park through The Merchant’s Gate at Columbus Circle. In the daytime, especially on weekends, children screamed and ran through the Gate on their way to the Heckscher playground. Now it was getting to dusk, the dark side of twilight, and there were few people wandering around. I stopped when I heard the sound. There was a cry off to my left. I first thought it was a wounded animal, but then it happened again and I realized it was someone in trouble. I started walking quickly. I wasn’t sure where I was going. A memory of a sound isn’t a useful compass. The sound haunted me, so I began to run. There it was again. It was the sound of pain and fear. Then I saw them. Two men wearing silver shirts and blue ties. The shirts had the scarlet letter L over the heart. The men also had blue corduroy trousers. One of the men was kicking a young woman. He was the bigger one, with blond hair so short he almost looked as though he had shaved his head. His eyes had a hunger for blood. I moved toward them. The blond man was screaming at the small woman on the ground. She was trying to protect herself by bringing her arms and legs as close as she could to her body and putting her hands over her face. “Say it again,” the man yelled. “Tell us you’re a dirty Jew.” He kicked her in the ribs. I was close enough now. “Stop it,” I yelled to them. “Leave her alone.”
The synopsis outlines the plot of this new volume well – ‘It is 1941. The country is on the edge of war. In New York, three men are murdered. The detective Charlie Singer is drawn into the case after rescuing a young woman being attacked in Central Park. With Katie Walker, his partner, Charlie deals with a famous gossip columnist, an organization devoted to fighting Hitler, and a violent group of haters. As Charlie uncovers the lies and secrets, he discovers a blossoming relationship with Katie who is undergoing a major life change.’
Powerful tale spinning – beautifully written and rich in suspense and a full taste of American history all related by wholly three-dimensional characters. Reading Book 3 encourages the reader to back track and read the entire series. This is an exciting author.
New York author Lawrence J. Epstein is a former professor of English at Suffolk County Community College on Long Island where he taught courses writing and journalism as well as on Jewish thought and the Holocaust. He has served as an adviser on the Middle East to two members of the United States Congress. His many publications include Jewish-related books as The Haunted Smile: The Story of Jewish Comedians in America, At the Edge of a Dream: The Story of Jewish Immigrants on New York’s Lower East Side, 1880-1920, and A Treasury of Jewish Anecdotes. He has also written a variety of other books including Mixed Nuts, about American comedy teams, as well as over a hundred articles on Jewish subjects for such places as The Jerusalem Post.
Lawrence writes in a near conversational style, gradually introducing his characters and the environment in which they find themselves, and then introduces the flags that will point the way toward the evil to come. For instance, during a severe dust storm in 1935 Oklahoma Jack Bell steps out of the dust storm into his home – ‘His wife was lying on the floor, her face and the front of her dress covered in dried blood. She’d been lying there for a while. He went over to her, holding her, lifting her head, desperate to breathe life back into her. But Jack had seen death up close since he was a boy. He knew there was no breathing life back. He knew his wife and his unborn child were gone… He listened and thought he heard the swirling wind and the rabbits with crushed heads and the baby in the tiny coffin crying with him.’
This being Volume 3 of The Charlie Singer and Katie Walker Series the main characters are well known to Lawrence’s readers. We first encounter them in New York City in 1941 I entered Central Park through The Merchant’s Gate at Columbus Circle. In the daytime, especially on weekends, children screamed and ran through the Gate on their way to the Heckscher playground. Now it was getting to dusk, the dark side of twilight, and there were few people wandering around. I stopped when I heard the sound. There was a cry off to my left. I first thought it was a wounded animal, but then it happened again and I realized it was someone in trouble. I started walking quickly. I wasn’t sure where I was going. A memory of a sound isn’t a useful compass. The sound haunted me, so I began to run. There it was again. It was the sound of pain and fear. Then I saw them. Two men wearing silver shirts and blue ties. The shirts had the scarlet letter L over the heart. The men also had blue corduroy trousers. One of the men was kicking a young woman. He was the bigger one, with blond hair so short he almost looked as though he had shaved his head. His eyes had a hunger for blood. I moved toward them. The blond man was screaming at the small woman on the ground. She was trying to protect herself by bringing her arms and legs as close as she could to her body and putting her hands over her face. “Say it again,” the man yelled. “Tell us you’re a dirty Jew.” He kicked her in the ribs. I was close enough now. “Stop it,” I yelled to them. “Leave her alone.”
The synopsis outlines the plot of this new volume well – ‘It is 1941. The country is on the edge of war. In New York, three men are murdered. The detective Charlie Singer is drawn into the case after rescuing a young woman being attacked in Central Park. With Katie Walker, his partner, Charlie deals with a famous gossip columnist, an organization devoted to fighting Hitler, and a violent group of haters. As Charlie uncovers the lies and secrets, he discovers a blossoming relationship with Katie who is undergoing a major life change.’
Powerful tale spinning – beautifully written and rich in suspense and a full taste of American history all related by wholly three-dimensional characters. Reading Book 3 encourages the reader to back track and read the entire series. This is an exciting author.
March 16, 2018
The Zero Commandment is a detective book set in the pre-WWII era. It is a time in America when hatred against Jews is at its peak and people are affected even in this neutral country by being attacked or murdered. The hero Charlie Singer is an effective detective who could dig into things even without the help of modern technology and assets. He uses his wit, intelligence, good intention and instinct to perceive danger and help people and himself. This is the way he rescues Hannah and through her gets into solving a mystery which even police had given up.
The book has humor, drama, romance and intrigue. Author Lawrence J. Epstein has done his homework well and he describes the events and occurrences of the time in a realistic and believable manner. Looking into negative things- the fact that I would like to raise is that the author worked on making his hero a little too positive and white. I would have liked if the protagonist had some grey shades too. For example he is always into helping people and making them feel at ease. He is not money minded and is ready to pay people extra even though there is no viable source of income. Other than that one fault the book was interesting and engaging and a good read.
The book has humor, drama, romance and intrigue. Author Lawrence J. Epstein has done his homework well and he describes the events and occurrences of the time in a realistic and believable manner. Looking into negative things- the fact that I would like to raise is that the author worked on making his hero a little too positive and white. I would have liked if the protagonist had some grey shades too. For example he is always into helping people and making them feel at ease. He is not money minded and is ready to pay people extra even though there is no viable source of income. Other than that one fault the book was interesting and engaging and a good read.
March 31, 2018
There are more than plenty detective novels these days so you better have something to stand out. This novel maybe isn't super original or ground breaking, but it has enough interesting elements to please the reader.
The setting is particularly good, it is pre-WWII United States where all sorts of nasty things happen, there are religiously based crimes and atmosphere that is uneasy and bleak. The author does a really good job in showing us what kind of a world that is and it is easy to slip into it. Of course, for a gripping detective tale you need a detective, and Charlie Singer is one that we have here. I must say that he isn't something special as a character to me, maybe because I am used to more of an anti-hero types, and Charlie is a pure hero. He is good, noble, strong, romantic, pretty much all-around good guy, and that isn't terribly fascinating to me. But he serves his purpose in the story. The plot itself is great and it has more of a romantic angle than usual, but that works. It isn't over the top, but it adds something different. I like the novel, I would like to see where it goes from here and I can recommend it, despite some minor hiccups.
The setting is particularly good, it is pre-WWII United States where all sorts of nasty things happen, there are religiously based crimes and atmosphere that is uneasy and bleak. The author does a really good job in showing us what kind of a world that is and it is easy to slip into it. Of course, for a gripping detective tale you need a detective, and Charlie Singer is one that we have here. I must say that he isn't something special as a character to me, maybe because I am used to more of an anti-hero types, and Charlie is a pure hero. He is good, noble, strong, romantic, pretty much all-around good guy, and that isn't terribly fascinating to me. But he serves his purpose in the story. The plot itself is great and it has more of a romantic angle than usual, but that works. It isn't over the top, but it adds something different. I like the novel, I would like to see where it goes from here and I can recommend it, despite some minor hiccups.
March 6, 2018
A murder story that not only takes you back to another time but also makes you use your brain like no other book has.
I often think that romance doesn’t blend well with, well, anything. Especially with this kind of story, I don’t think romance couldn’t fit anywhere, and yet there is romance in this book and I find very enjoyable to read those moments, in the middle of all the tension and sublime atmosphere this story has, it’s outstanding how the author manages to accomplish such a thing.
A suspicious murder in a dark time takes detective Charlie Singer to a journey where not everything is as it seems, and this is the type of story that makes you reread everything, in my second read I notice a lot of details I missed the first time, I can’t explain how satisfying is to find that in a book, even if this is not your type or read I still recommend it to anyone to read it, books like these aren’t that easy to find.
I often think that romance doesn’t blend well with, well, anything. Especially with this kind of story, I don’t think romance couldn’t fit anywhere, and yet there is romance in this book and I find very enjoyable to read those moments, in the middle of all the tension and sublime atmosphere this story has, it’s outstanding how the author manages to accomplish such a thing.
A suspicious murder in a dark time takes detective Charlie Singer to a journey where not everything is as it seems, and this is the type of story that makes you reread everything, in my second read I notice a lot of details I missed the first time, I can’t explain how satisfying is to find that in a book, even if this is not your type or read I still recommend it to anyone to read it, books like these aren’t that easy to find.
March 19, 2018
Perfect mix of romance and mystery!
The Zero Commandment is the third book in the Charlie Singer and Katie Walker Series by Lawrence J. Epstein. While it’s the third book in a series it’s written in such a way that it could very easily be a stand alone book. It’s pre-WWI and Charlie Singer is off on another adventure to solve mysteries and murders. Along the way he discovers his deepening feelings for his partner Katie Walker. The storyline was fantastic! It was so well written with dropping clues here and there I found myself trying to solve the cases before Charlie did! It was the perfect mix of romance and mystery. I loved that even though there was a string romance it never overpowered the mystery which remained the central plot throughout the book. Epstein truly has a knack for writing and knows how to spin a great story to keep his reader invested and reading. I can’t wait to read more about Charlie and Katie!
The Zero Commandment is the third book in the Charlie Singer and Katie Walker Series by Lawrence J. Epstein. While it’s the third book in a series it’s written in such a way that it could very easily be a stand alone book. It’s pre-WWI and Charlie Singer is off on another adventure to solve mysteries and murders. Along the way he discovers his deepening feelings for his partner Katie Walker. The storyline was fantastic! It was so well written with dropping clues here and there I found myself trying to solve the cases before Charlie did! It was the perfect mix of romance and mystery. I loved that even though there was a string romance it never overpowered the mystery which remained the central plot throughout the book. Epstein truly has a knack for writing and knows how to spin a great story to keep his reader invested and reading. I can’t wait to read more about Charlie and Katie!
April 7, 2018
The Zero Commandment (The Charlie Singer and Katie Walker Series) written by Lawrence J. Epstein is a wonderful and unique fictional mystery detective story with a touch of romance thrown in. I really enjoyed this book. Set in the pre-World War II era, when the Nazi movement is taking place, the reader gets to follow alongside Charlie Singer as he investigates murders happening in New York. I knew from the moment Charlie saved a woman from Nazi goons he would be a character I would be rooting for. Charlie is a great main character and is well developed and expressive throughout the book. Although most detective books tend to follow the same path, the writing and touch of romance puts this book above the rest. I was really impressed with the details that the author included that helped me visualize the story and also contributed to my intrigue. The Zero Commandment was definitely a page turner for me and is a must read for any mystery/detective genre fan.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2018
Step into the 1940's with Charlie Singer and his partner Katie Walker as they attempt to solve some heinous murders that have occurred. This is book three of the series. I have not read the first two in the series, but was not lost or confused at all in the third book - which could be read as a standalone. This is a solid mystery fiction tale intertwined with a romantic side story which really brought it to life. The two main characters are also well-done and have distinct, yet separate, personalities and lives. Many mystery books focus on the plot and the author did a good job bringing his characters to life in this book. The overall writing (to me) was mediocre but I did enjoy the plot. It was suspenseful, dropped clues for the reader, and had excellent romantic and mystery elements that made a great book. Everything comes together at the end, and even with the clues I still didn't figure it out.
July 16, 2018
The Zero Commandment is very clever detective story. It opens with a man saving young Jewish girl from a physical assault during WWII. The man is actually Charlie Singer, a Private Detective. When the young girl discovers this, she asks him to take on a case to look into the murder of one of her neighbours – and so begins the story.
I found this to be a very well written book, although there were a couple of typos, but I can forgive this. The story is interesting, and well paced. Plus there are enough elements of historical relevance thrown in to add context. It's full of twists and turns, and there's also a little romance too.
If I have one criticism, it would be Miss Boswell, who for me, didn't add much to the story. I didn't find her to be a believable character, and she didn't hold much substance.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read. The cover speaks of mystery and intrigue, and that is exactly what this book delivers.
I found this to be a very well written book, although there were a couple of typos, but I can forgive this. The story is interesting, and well paced. Plus there are enough elements of historical relevance thrown in to add context. It's full of twists and turns, and there's also a little romance too.
If I have one criticism, it would be Miss Boswell, who for me, didn't add much to the story. I didn't find her to be a believable character, and she didn't hold much substance.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read. The cover speaks of mystery and intrigue, and that is exactly what this book delivers.
July 25, 2018
Mysterious and Exciting
Another chapter in the life of a hero during WWII, Charlie Singer.
He saves a young woman from an attack by a nazi group gaining strengths on the streets of 1941 New York.
Through a series of twisting clues and an undertone of bubbling romance we are led on an adventure with Charlie and Katie as they battle the growing forces of evil on the streets of the Big Apple.
Their goal is solve a series of mysterious murders that have been brought to their attention by Hannah, the young girl saved by Charlie in the first chapter. It proves much trickier than either could have suspected.
Although a good story with an honourable main character I wasn't hugely overwhelmed. The language is quite stilted and awkward in places.
But the story flows naturally and it brings itself back together at the end.
Epstein ties in historical accuracy to give the book more life, and brings the reader to a very real place.
Another chapter in the life of a hero during WWII, Charlie Singer.
He saves a young woman from an attack by a nazi group gaining strengths on the streets of 1941 New York.
Through a series of twisting clues and an undertone of bubbling romance we are led on an adventure with Charlie and Katie as they battle the growing forces of evil on the streets of the Big Apple.
Their goal is solve a series of mysterious murders that have been brought to their attention by Hannah, the young girl saved by Charlie in the first chapter. It proves much trickier than either could have suspected.
Although a good story with an honourable main character I wasn't hugely overwhelmed. The language is quite stilted and awkward in places.
But the story flows naturally and it brings itself back together at the end.
Epstein ties in historical accuracy to give the book more life, and brings the reader to a very real place.
March 5, 2018
I found this book to be a good mix of mystery and romance. Often, when you mix the two, the romance seems to overtake the mystery which can really take away from the story line. I loved that the mystery remained the main topic and the romance was just a side dish that made the story a bit more appealing. The author really did a great job in creating a murder story that is intriguing to follow. I had a lot of fun reading about the cases and anticipating what was going to come next. The clues were fun to catch and will leave you trying to work ahead of the detective. I think this is a novel you’ll want to reread, just so you can go back and catch everything you missed. I would recommend this to mystery and romance fans, especially those who really enjoy following a series. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s coming next in the story.
January 16, 2019
The Zero Commandment is book three in the Charlie Singer and Katie Walker series by author Lawrence J. Epstein. I have not read books one and two but the write ups sound as promising as I found this to be. I love a good detective mystery and I love the 1940s era so this mash-up of the two had me excited from the get go. Solving crimes without the help of super computers and high tech gadgets is a nice change of pace in this genre.
The characters Charlie and Katie were a pleasant surprise to me. I enjoyed the rawness in each of them. I thought Epstein created personalities realistically and in a way that felt sincere. There were times that I loved each character and times when each made me want to scream in frustration. To this reader, that is a sign of well written characters and characters make or break a story. The Zero Commandment gets the #worthit hashtag for certain.
The characters Charlie and Katie were a pleasant surprise to me. I enjoyed the rawness in each of them. I thought Epstein created personalities realistically and in a way that felt sincere. There were times that I loved each character and times when each made me want to scream in frustration. To this reader, that is a sign of well written characters and characters make or break a story. The Zero Commandment gets the #worthit hashtag for certain.
March 5, 2018
Great murder mystery with a side of romance
This is a great story of murder and the exploits of detective Charlie singer and his efforts to solve the crime. This is a journey that takes place in new York right before world war 2. A mystery filled with lies and half truths twists and turns it way from the beginning. Along the way Charlie finds romance that may complicate his life even more. Well written with great characters and development. The story grabs you from the start and it's a race to see if you can solve it before our lead detective. Check this one out and let me know if you agree.
This is a great story of murder and the exploits of detective Charlie singer and his efforts to solve the crime. This is a journey that takes place in new York right before world war 2. A mystery filled with lies and half truths twists and turns it way from the beginning. Along the way Charlie finds romance that may complicate his life even more. Well written with great characters and development. The story grabs you from the start and it's a race to see if you can solve it before our lead detective. Check this one out and let me know if you agree.
March 5, 2018
Mystery fiction!
A fiction detective series with twist of romance, a good story. Charlie Singer is onto a mission to uncover the mystery of murders in New York. As the book unfolds the secrets are revealed, lies are uncovered and the relationship between Charlie and his partner Katie also evolve. The author has done a good job in expressing profession and emotions in one story line.
A fiction detective series with twist of romance, a good story. Charlie Singer is onto a mission to uncover the mystery of murders in New York. As the book unfolds the secrets are revealed, lies are uncovered and the relationship between Charlie and his partner Katie also evolve. The author has done a good job in expressing profession and emotions in one story line.
March 8, 2018
A good old fashioned mystery.
A story with a lot of twists and turns. It keeps you guessing until all loose ends are tied up in the last chapter.
A story with a lot of twists and turns. It keeps you guessing until all loose ends are tied up in the last chapter.
March 10, 2018
A great read, mystery and a little romance. I enjoyed reading a mystery taking place in the early 1940's.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews