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Benny Cooperman #5
A City Called July
When Rabbi Meltzer and the President of Grantham’s synagogue, Mr. Tepperman, knock on Benny’s office door, they weren't looking to sell raffle tickets. Of that much, Benny was sure. It turns out that they need his help as a private investigator in tracking down a missing lawyer who has disappeared with the life savings of half of the city's Jewish community.
His new clients promise to pay him $500 for his work, but Benny knows he’ll likely never see a dime of it. What can he do? It’s summer in the city and it's going to be a hot one. With complications and bodies piling up. Welcome to #5 in the acclaimed Benny Cooperman series!
Librarian's note: characters, settings, etc. have been completed for the series of 12 novels and 2 novellas: #1. The Suicide Murders (1980), #2. The Ransom Game (1981), #3. Murder On Location (1982), #4. Murder Sees The Light (1984), #5. A City Called July (1986), #6. A Victim Must Be Found (1988), #7. Dead And Buried (1990), #7A. The Whole Megillah (1991) (a novella), #8. There Was An Old Woman (1993), #9. Getting Away With Murder (1995), #10. The Cooperman Variations (2001), #10A. My Brother's Keeper (2001) with co-author Eric Wright (a novella), #11. Memory Book (2005), and #12, East Of Suez (2008). A thirteenth, Over the River, was scheduled for 2018 but never came out.
His new clients promise to pay him $500 for his work, but Benny knows he’ll likely never see a dime of it. What can he do? It’s summer in the city and it's going to be a hot one. With complications and bodies piling up. Welcome to #5 in the acclaimed Benny Cooperman series!
Librarian's note: characters, settings, etc. have been completed for the series of 12 novels and 2 novellas: #1. The Suicide Murders (1980), #2. The Ransom Game (1981), #3. Murder On Location (1982), #4. Murder Sees The Light (1984), #5. A City Called July (1986), #6. A Victim Must Be Found (1988), #7. Dead And Buried (1990), #7A. The Whole Megillah (1991) (a novella), #8. There Was An Old Woman (1993), #9. Getting Away With Murder (1995), #10. The Cooperman Variations (2001), #10A. My Brother's Keeper (2001) with co-author Eric Wright (a novella), #11. Memory Book (2005), and #12, East Of Suez (2008). A thirteenth, Over the River, was scheduled for 2018 but never came out.
284 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 2, 1986
5 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Howard Engel
32 books29 followersHoward Engel was a pioneering, award-winning Canadian mystery and non-fiction author. He is famous for his Benny Cooperman private-eye series, set in the Niagara Region of Ontario.
He and Eric Wright are two of the authors responsible for founding Crime Writers Of Canada. He had twins Charlotte and William with authoress, Marian Engel. He has a son, Jacob, with his late wife, authoress Janet Hamilton: with whom he co-wrote "Murder In Space".
A stroke in 2001 famously caused "alexia sine agraphia". It was a disease that hampered Howard's ability to comprehend written words, even though he could continue to write! He retired in Toronto, where he continued to inspire and mentor future authors and writers of all kinds. Maureen Jennings, creator of the Murdoch novels and still-running television series, is among them.
Unfortunately, he died of pneumonia that arose after a stroke. True animal-lovers: Howard's beloved living cat, Kali, is included by their family in his obituary.
He and Eric Wright are two of the authors responsible for founding Crime Writers Of Canada. He had twins Charlotte and William with authoress, Marian Engel. He has a son, Jacob, with his late wife, authoress Janet Hamilton: with whom he co-wrote "Murder In Space".
A stroke in 2001 famously caused "alexia sine agraphia". It was a disease that hampered Howard's ability to comprehend written words, even though he could continue to write! He retired in Toronto, where he continued to inspire and mentor future authors and writers of all kinds. Maureen Jennings, creator of the Murdoch novels and still-running television series, is among them.
Unfortunately, he died of pneumonia that arose after a stroke. True animal-lovers: Howard's beloved living cat, Kali, is included by their family in his obituary.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 16, 2025
3 Stars. Cooperman is a good private eye. Funny too. But this one's complicated - hinging on muddy family relationships and murky business activities. With illegalities sprinkled here and there. A challenge for our friend Benny; even he seems to be lost. The writing needed to be tighter, but I truly enjoy this guy. He's just so Canadian. We begin with Rabbi Meltzer of the synagogue in Grantham [to you and me the city of St. Catharines, Ontario near Niagara Falls] visiting Cooperman and asking for help. Benny's Jewish and it's his synagogue but he doesn't grace it with his presence as often as he should! Feeling guilty, he accedes to the Rabbi's request to track down Larry Geller, a lawyer who has skipped town with more than $2 million from the savings of members of the community. Over 50 of them, Hesh Riskin the baker, the Greenblatts, and others. When Benny recommends taking it to the police, Meltzer begs for discretion. Can it be kept quiet? Soon we are into the confusing kinships of the Geller family and the business dealings of Sid Geller's construction company. Watch for Benny coming up with a clever idea to pull it out of the fire. (May2023/Oc2025)
October 7, 2017
I was able to see through the complications very early on and knew what the outcome would be, so I did not enjoy this book as much as some others in the series. Benny is hired by the rabbi to investigate on the quiet the missing 2.6 million-dollar take by a dishonest local lawyer who had been missing two weeks. In a small town like Grantham the news had already made the rounds, so there was nothing quiet about this investigation.
"Let me get this straight. You mean Geller has defrauded fifty people and skipped town? And you don't want to go to the police about it? That's crazy."
I won't describe the plot as other readers may not see the early clues. Easy to solve or not, Benny still brings the smiles.
"Let me get this straight. You mean Geller has defrauded fifty people and skipped town? And you don't want to go to the police about it? That's crazy."
I won't describe the plot as other readers may not see the early clues. Easy to solve or not, Benny still brings the smiles.
December 29, 2017
I really liked this book. As usual the pace is lively and engaging. The turn of phrase amuses me, though the wit in this edition is drier than most. I really had to be paying attention to get a laugh. As far as the mystery goes, it kept my attention and had a satisfying conclusion. I was put off by some distracting plot twists that ended up being loose ends, although they entertained me at the time.
February 3, 2021
Benny Cooperman is a Jewish private investigator living in the relatively small town of Grantham (actually St. Catherine's, Ontario) He seems to prefer getting beaten up by goons and making little money to working in his father's retail clothing business.
It's completely implausible, but when it's funny and well-written, who cares if it's plausible?
I certainly enjoyed it.
It's completely implausible, but when it's funny and well-written, who cares if it's plausible?
I certainly enjoyed it.
February 7, 2017
After traipsing around cottage country, "A City Called July" highlights Grantham; Howard Engel's pseudonym for his hometown, St. Catherine's. I loved exploring disused and current terrain of the Niagara Escarpment and how, very much in boy adventure style, it factors into the most creative part of Benny's case. I only have one critique, the purpose of thugs nabbing him, despite precipitating an exhilaratingly intelligent escape. They detained Benny to divert trouble from their establishments but were superfluous, having nothing to do with the missing husband and Father in question. I think they drew attention to themselves instead of letting Benny sift for clues but I decided to give five stars because this novel was unique, constructed with excellent plotting, and kept moving forward even when Howard took his time crafting realistic tableaux and impressions.
One reason we stay interested is because this case is more personal than being in Benny's town. The missing man belongs to his Jewish community and in fact, his Rabbi and president hire him. Through this milieu we learn a lot about Benny's upbringing and some fascinating traditions; like the bucket of water and towel outside a house of mourning. By default, the Canadian setting guarantees a breath of fresh air from other countries' writing. I am reading for a change of our own laws and police forces and natural environments.
Howard is an exceptional writer of emotions and the wry amusement of all home lives, like Benny's personable parents. Benny involves wealthier and poorer people, with equally important roles. His friendship with homeless veterans sets an example of respect. His creativity with settings and plots knows no bounds. Howard keeps us laughing too: "It's like searching for a needle in a haystack and the only thing we know, is that the haystack has left town!!!!
One reason we stay interested is because this case is more personal than being in Benny's town. The missing man belongs to his Jewish community and in fact, his Rabbi and president hire him. Through this milieu we learn a lot about Benny's upbringing and some fascinating traditions; like the bucket of water and towel outside a house of mourning. By default, the Canadian setting guarantees a breath of fresh air from other countries' writing. I am reading for a change of our own laws and police forces and natural environments.
Howard is an exceptional writer of emotions and the wry amusement of all home lives, like Benny's personable parents. Benny involves wealthier and poorer people, with equally important roles. His friendship with homeless veterans sets an example of respect. His creativity with settings and plots knows no bounds. Howard keeps us laughing too: "It's like searching for a needle in a haystack and the only thing we know, is that the haystack has left town!!!!
July 9, 2018
A City Called July is the fifth Benny Cooperman Canadian detective series by Howard Engel. Cooperman follows the tradition of those great private eyes like Travis McGee, Philip Marlowe and Sam Spade.... well, sort of anyway. Put one of those detectives in Grantham Ontario (don the road from Niagara Falls) and you've got Jewish / Canadian detective Benny Cooperman.
Benny is a small town detective who does divorce cases and any other work he can find but also finds himself in over his head quite often. In A City Called July Benny is asked by his Rabbi to help find Larry Geller, a lawyer who ripped off his clients (mainly from the Grantham Jewish community) and has disappeared. Benny doesn't want to take the case as he feels the police are better equipped to look into it. But he agrees to spend a week checking things out.
In a convoluted at times story, Benny finds himself checking out the Geller family, the local mob, trying to avoid the cops (his friend Staff Sgt Pete Staziak) and also help out a homeless man find his friend. All are linked as you wind through this fun, entertaining mystery. Cooperman is a most likable character, down-to-earth, smart, at times lucky and at times risking his life as he works to solve the case.
It's an interesting story with likable characters and the series is worth giving it a chance. (3.5 stars)
Benny is a small town detective who does divorce cases and any other work he can find but also finds himself in over his head quite often. In A City Called July Benny is asked by his Rabbi to help find Larry Geller, a lawyer who ripped off his clients (mainly from the Grantham Jewish community) and has disappeared. Benny doesn't want to take the case as he feels the police are better equipped to look into it. But he agrees to spend a week checking things out.
In a convoluted at times story, Benny finds himself checking out the Geller family, the local mob, trying to avoid the cops (his friend Staff Sgt Pete Staziak) and also help out a homeless man find his friend. All are linked as you wind through this fun, entertaining mystery. Cooperman is a most likable character, down-to-earth, smart, at times lucky and at times risking his life as he works to solve the case.
It's an interesting story with likable characters and the series is worth giving it a chance. (3.5 stars)
February 13, 2014
I liked. It was the first Benny Cooperman I read. I'm currently living in St. Catharines (Grantham) and love trying to match Engel's gweographic descriptions with the actual city locations. Goo fun eay read and not so obvious ending.
July 18, 2010
Benny Cooperman #5
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October 14, 2024Benny Cooperman #5--a good mystery.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews