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Adam Lapid Mysteries #4
A Debt of Death
The dead man was lying face down in a puddle of blood and rainwater...
When private investigator Adam Lapid finds Nathan Frankel dead in the street, he makes a quick decision:
He will discover who murdered Nathan and punish the killer himself.
Because Adam owes Nathan a debt that can never be fully repaid. Which makes this murder a personal matter.
But Adam's job will not be easy. Because quite a few people had reason to want Nathan Frankel dead. And some of them are quite willing to spill more blood to cover up for their crimes.
A Debt of Death is a thrilling murder mystery set in Israel, 1951. Join Adam Lapid on his most difficult case, as he encounters a host of unforgettable characters, goes head to head with violent criminals, and puts his very life on the line to solve the murder of a man to whom he owes everything.
You will love A Debt of Death because it is an action-packed, twisty murder mystery that will instantly suck you in and won't let go. Get your copy of this page-turner now!
When private investigator Adam Lapid finds Nathan Frankel dead in the street, he makes a quick decision:
He will discover who murdered Nathan and punish the killer himself.
Because Adam owes Nathan a debt that can never be fully repaid. Which makes this murder a personal matter.
But Adam's job will not be easy. Because quite a few people had reason to want Nathan Frankel dead. And some of them are quite willing to spill more blood to cover up for their crimes.
A Debt of Death is a thrilling murder mystery set in Israel, 1951. Join Adam Lapid on his most difficult case, as he encounters a host of unforgettable characters, goes head to head with violent criminals, and puts his very life on the line to solve the murder of a man to whom he owes everything.
You will love A Debt of Death because it is an action-packed, twisty murder mystery that will instantly suck you in and won't let go. Get your copy of this page-turner now!
324 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 8, 2017
358 people are currently reading
392 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Dunsky
20 books215 followersJonathan Dunsky is the author of eight crime novels, seven of which -- Ten Years Gone, The Dead Sister, The Auschwitz Violinist, A Debt of Death, A Deadly Act, The Auschwitz Detective, and A Death in Jerusalem -- are mysteries taking place in the early days of the State of Israel and featuring private investigator Adam Lapid, a holocaust survivor and former soldier and Nazi hunter. He has also published a standalone thriller called The Payback Girl and a number of short stories in various genres.
Born in Israel, he served for four years in the Israeli Army. After his military service he worked as a team leader in various high-tech firms, ran his own Search Engine Optimization business, and lectured in the faculty of Business Management in Tel Aviv University. He holds a degree in computer sciences and business. He's lived for several years in Europe and currently resides in Israel with his wife and two sons.
You can contact him at http://jonathandunsky.com/contact/
Born in Israel, he served for four years in the Israeli Army. After his military service he worked as a team leader in various high-tech firms, ran his own Search Engine Optimization business, and lectured in the faculty of Business Management in Tel Aviv University. He holds a degree in computer sciences and business. He's lived for several years in Europe and currently resides in Israel with his wife and two sons.
You can contact him at http://jonathandunsky.com/contact/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
September 28, 2018
Jonathan Dunsky’s superb series about private investigator Adam Lapid (great name!) induces in the reader a ‘ravenous hunger’ similar to that which occasionally attacks our hero, with ours being of a literary variety. At least that’s been my experience, devouring all four books in quick succession and now wondering how I’m going to hang on till the next. This is thrilling, character-driven fiction with a memorable, psychologically complex, anti-hero: Auschwitz survivor, ex-cop, seeker of vengeance, upholder of justice, chain smoker, caffeine addict, chess player and tough guy who closes his window at night so the neighbours don’t hear his nightmare-induced screams.
The rest of the cast too, primary and secondary characters, leap from the pages with the vividness of those in a Dickens novel. Greta, owner of the eponymous café in Allenby Street which is second home and makeshift office for Adam, is a true and loyal friend, a rock to which our troubled hero clings; like figures in a Hopper painting, the two can be glimpsed through the lighted window late at night, sitting head to head at a table in the rear. And of course no PI noir novel worth its salt is without at least one femme fatale. In Sima Vaaknin, Dunsky treats us to a stunner who adds a double capital F to the term. Sima’s seductive beauty, mysterious allure, troubled past and unfathomable soul draw Adam like a moth to a flame. ‘She was the ultimate temptation, a woman no man should be able to resist.’ Though their relationship remains ambiguous, unpredictable and full of unresolved tension, it is only in her arms that Adam can forget for a moment the ghosts of his dead wife and daughters.
As riveting and as real as the characters is the setting, Tel Aviv in the late nineteen-forties. In spite of political uncertainty, hardships, and food rationing, optimism is in the air in this vibrant young country. We push through the teeming density of the city in the baking heat, hearing the cacophony of car horns, the cries of watermelon vendors, the clip-clop of horses and carts, the blare of radios and gramophones through open windows, the ‘cocktail of languages and dialects and accents’ of its inhabitants. The humid air is saturated with smells, landladies frying onions, street vendors selling sausages, housewives baking rugelach, the plat du jour of a myriad of cafés and the briny smell of the sea, never far away. Interwoven with these descriptions are snippets of history, giving fascinating and important context without the author having to resort to long expository passages.
I could ramble on for much longer– the compelling, passionate writing, the fascinating minutiae of Adam’s old-fashioned sleuthing, the depiction of the Tel Aviv underworld, the spot-on dialogue, the fast-moving, often violent, action scenes, even the interesting facts the author gives us at the end about how the books were written–but I’ll simply stop and say ‘Enough! Start reading and discover the pleasure for yourselves.’
The rest of the cast too, primary and secondary characters, leap from the pages with the vividness of those in a Dickens novel. Greta, owner of the eponymous café in Allenby Street which is second home and makeshift office for Adam, is a true and loyal friend, a rock to which our troubled hero clings; like figures in a Hopper painting, the two can be glimpsed through the lighted window late at night, sitting head to head at a table in the rear. And of course no PI noir novel worth its salt is without at least one femme fatale. In Sima Vaaknin, Dunsky treats us to a stunner who adds a double capital F to the term. Sima’s seductive beauty, mysterious allure, troubled past and unfathomable soul draw Adam like a moth to a flame. ‘She was the ultimate temptation, a woman no man should be able to resist.’ Though their relationship remains ambiguous, unpredictable and full of unresolved tension, it is only in her arms that Adam can forget for a moment the ghosts of his dead wife and daughters.
As riveting and as real as the characters is the setting, Tel Aviv in the late nineteen-forties. In spite of political uncertainty, hardships, and food rationing, optimism is in the air in this vibrant young country. We push through the teeming density of the city in the baking heat, hearing the cacophony of car horns, the cries of watermelon vendors, the clip-clop of horses and carts, the blare of radios and gramophones through open windows, the ‘cocktail of languages and dialects and accents’ of its inhabitants. The humid air is saturated with smells, landladies frying onions, street vendors selling sausages, housewives baking rugelach, the plat du jour of a myriad of cafés and the briny smell of the sea, never far away. Interwoven with these descriptions are snippets of history, giving fascinating and important context without the author having to resort to long expository passages.
I could ramble on for much longer– the compelling, passionate writing, the fascinating minutiae of Adam’s old-fashioned sleuthing, the depiction of the Tel Aviv underworld, the spot-on dialogue, the fast-moving, often violent, action scenes, even the interesting facts the author gives us at the end about how the books were written–but I’ll simply stop and say ‘Enough! Start reading and discover the pleasure for yourselves.’
January 26, 2024
An unlikely relationship. Much like combat surviving Auschwitz is an eternal bond. Combine it with one saving the other and there’s nothing you won’t do to save a “brother” even if he’s a criminal. Adam feels responsible for the death of Nathan, whom he was hired to find and get a client’s money back. Turns out Nathan saved Adam’s life after a horrendous whipping at Auschwitz. No sooner do they meet than Nathan is dead. What ensues is a twisted tale with an escalating body count: counterfeiting, police corruption, greed, control and manipulation, and of course love. Best one yet!
December 6, 2018
No Idea
I Had no idea who the murderer was not an inkling until revealed at the very end. Adam finds his friend murdered just outside the cafe he usually eats. He, with no clues to go on, is determined to find the killer to repay an old debt.
I Had no idea who the murderer was not an inkling until revealed at the very end. Adam finds his friend murdered just outside the cafe he usually eats. He, with no clues to go on, is determined to find the killer to repay an old debt.
November 19, 2018
After reading Jonathan Dunsky first book introducing Adam Lapid, private investigator, I developed a thirst for more adventures. Dunsky writes gripping, energizing plots and subplots with captivating characters that leave you breathless and wanting for more.
A Debt of Death examines the brotherhood tie of Auschwitz survivors and how Adam felt he had a debt to repay for Nathan's gift of life while both victims in the camp.
Great reading.
A Debt of Death examines the brotherhood tie of Auschwitz survivors and how Adam felt he had a debt to repay for Nathan's gift of life while both victims in the camp.
Great reading.
July 29, 2018
as usual i read what ever i can of an author i like......all of these books are worth reading...getting lost in.....adam lapid is every bit as good as mickey spillane's mike hammer
November 24, 2018
Have read all the Adam Lapid books and have really kept me attention. Waiting for the next one.
All of the books have kept me on the edge of my seat from the beginning to the end. I also love the historical parts of the novels.
All of the books have kept me on the edge of my seat from the beginning to the end. I also love the historical parts of the novels.
November 5, 2018
A Debt of Death begins with Adam Lapid looking at his friend’s body on a Tel Aviv street. A friend who helped him survive Auschwitz. A friend whom he worries he might’ve gotten killed.
Adam begins to look for the killer - putting himself right in the middle between the police and the bad guys.
This is the fourth book in the series - the regulars are back - so we get to keep up with them too. This series is well written - and the characters are well developed
Adam begins to look for the killer - putting himself right in the middle between the police and the bad guys.
This is the fourth book in the series - the regulars are back - so we get to keep up with them too. This series is well written - and the characters are well developed
December 25, 2018
Is it possible for a non-criminal to really grok the milieu of the criminal? I don't know. But Dunsky's "A Debt of Death" really gave me that feeling of peering in to the criminal underworld. But, the story beneath the story is of corruption and how small scale corruption leads to growing corruption, culminating in murder. But Dunsky doesn't stop there, he adds one final twist in the plot to bring the story to a just ending.
I have been long interested in the topic of corruption because, perhaps naively, I feel that the US is relatively free of it, and I wondered how that came to be. Does it merely take good wages for police and other public officials to ward it off?
As we can see in this story and in "killers of the Flower Moon", when corruption becomes entrenched it leads ordinary people to fear for their lives, allowing corruption to become tyrannical.
I have been long interested in the topic of corruption because, perhaps naively, I feel that the US is relatively free of it, and I wondered how that came to be. Does it merely take good wages for police and other public officials to ward it off?
As we can see in this story and in "killers of the Flower Moon", when corruption becomes entrenched it leads ordinary people to fear for their lives, allowing corruption to become tyrannical.
May 2, 2021
This is the 4th book in a series about a post WWII Auschwitz survivor from Hungary who lost his wife and children in the camps and has now settled in Tel Aviv. He was formerly a police detective and now earns a modest living as a private detective. He spent the time immediately after liberation killing as many Nazis as he could but is still suffering from survivor's guilt and the nightmares of what he lived through. The books are engaging and the cases intriguing. They typically revolve around the underbelly of society and are driven by his own need to seek justice for the victim. Of course identifying the killer doesn't really bring justice. I love his wandering through the familiar streets of Tel Aviv as it was in the 40's and early 50's. He has three friends or at least relationships and they recur in varying sizes in the books. I recommend reading them in order.
May 22, 2018
Love this series, can't wait for the next one
This is the fourth in the series and whilst maybe not as good as the previous three I have still given it 5 stars. I've read everything I can lay my hands on concerning the holocaust and persecution of the Jewish people but this series examines it from one person's perspective and it really does allow you to feel the pain and suffering and the terrible loss. But there's also hope and good crime writing as well as the historical aspect of the founding of the state of Israel after the British left.
For something different look no further...
This is the fourth in the series and whilst maybe not as good as the previous three I have still given it 5 stars. I've read everything I can lay my hands on concerning the holocaust and persecution of the Jewish people but this series examines it from one person's perspective and it really does allow you to feel the pain and suffering and the terrible loss. But there's also hope and good crime writing as well as the historical aspect of the founding of the state of Israel after the British left.
For something different look no further...
November 25, 2020
Hell Hath No Fury
When a young man who helped P.I. Adam Lapid at Auschwitz turns up dead, Adam is determined to find the killer. The man was a charmer and a petty criminal and Adam is soon at odds with both cops and criminals. But things do not add up until Adam looks at the most unlikely suspect.
This was an interesting read. The atmosphere, corruption and tribulations of early Israel added color to the novel. Adam is a killer with morals, haunted by the horror of the Holocaust. But he is smart, tough and a survivor. Good read.
When a young man who helped P.I. Adam Lapid at Auschwitz turns up dead, Adam is determined to find the killer. The man was a charmer and a petty criminal and Adam is soon at odds with both cops and criminals. But things do not add up until Adam looks at the most unlikely suspect.
This was an interesting read. The atmosphere, corruption and tribulations of early Israel added color to the novel. Adam is a killer with morals, haunted by the horror of the Holocaust. But he is smart, tough and a survivor. Good read.
February 6, 2019
Liked this best
I read all four of the Adam Lapid mysteries and enjoyed this one the most. I have a great respect for the Jewish people, and enjoy novels set in the WWII era so it stands to reason that I would enjoy this book. All four novels are relatively short so make for a quick , entertaining read.
I read all four of the Adam Lapid mysteries and enjoyed this one the most. I have a great respect for the Jewish people, and enjoy novels set in the WWII era so it stands to reason that I would enjoy this book. All four novels are relatively short so make for a quick , entertaining read.
January 2, 2019
Another winner
The four Jonathan Dunsky books I've read have been very good.
This one was, of course, very different from the previous three although there similarities. Adam Lapid is an, intriguing character. Tortured and single-minded in his quest for justice.
The four Jonathan Dunsky books I've read have been very good.
This one was, of course, very different from the previous three although there similarities. Adam Lapid is an, intriguing character. Tortured and single-minded in his quest for justice.
March 22, 2021
A Gem of a Series
This is the fourth book in the series. Love them, the endings are always intriguing. And the pictures his words create of 1949 Israel are a treasure. An unknown classic here.
This is the fourth book in the series. Love them, the endings are always intriguing. And the pictures his words create of 1949 Israel are a treasure. An unknown classic here.
May 19, 2019
A interesting story line
I found the story captivating, reading the novel in one day. Great characterization, good intrigue and a lot of intensity.
I found the story captivating, reading the novel in one day. Great characterization, good intrigue and a lot of intensity.
November 9, 2022
Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
CONTENT WARNING: murder, blood, Holocaust imagery, PTSD, grief, antisemitism, torture, violence, gun violence, gore
From my initial introduction to this series, I have become an avid fan of the Adam Lapid mysteries. Dunsky has created a riveting and complex main character, with his morally gray values and emotional scars, as well as the convoluted crimes that he investigates, and the historical setting of the newly established state of Israel, with its own problems.
If you’ve read any of these books, you know that Adam is only a few years away from his experiences in Auschwitz. He’s been through hell, literally, after losing everything that meant anything to him, including the man he used to be. His experiences have dramatically changed the man that he was, leading to his ongoing refusal to be a part of the police force, despite numerous offers. He’s comfortable in his role as a private investigator, which allows him to pursue justice by whatever means necessary, even those outside of the law.
“I thought of the man I had been before Auschwitz and the man I was today. I often doubted my parents would recognize who I had become. Apart from what time had altered, my face was the same, but my character and values had changed beyond recognition.”
The Israel in which these books are set is a haven for Jews fleeing from persecution in various areas. This influx led to the newly established state being overwhelmed, and food rationing was put in place. Obviously, when food is strictly rationed, a black market is primed to flourish, and this is exactly what happened. Normally law-abiding citizens become willing criminals to obtain food, and people like Adam, who have experienced starvation, are left with lingering issues surrounding food. He discusses these issues, and this is an ongoing issue for survivors even now. I’ve noted them in my own father, who would hoard bread and couldn’t throw away food even when it was abundantly available. Adam discusses it like this:
“The only thing I spent real money on was the food I purchased on the black market. I had a weakness for food—in terms of both quality and quantity. I had known starvation, and I had eaten my share of rotten, rancid, foul food. Experience had taught me that having the latter was better than suffering the former. It also explained why I had trouble discarding anything edible and why I was willing to part with a good deal of money to have something better than the very basic and meager rations the government allotted each citizen. My attitude toward food troubled me at times, but I’d come to accept it as something that was simply part of the man Auschwitz had made of me.”
In this story, Adam takes on a case for no pay other than his own conscience. He feels an obligation to the man who was murdered, and runs his own investigation parallel to that of the police, who he seems to cooperate with, but withholds information so that he can ensure that it does get solved. This book has more plot twists and turns, and a lot of them I didn’t see coming. I love watching Adam solve a case—he’s both instinctual and methodical, and in this one he’s following the clues while fighting against the people working to prevent him from solving the crime and his own memories working against him. In my opinion, this is the best book of the series so far, and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series. I hope it just keeps getting better from here.
CONTENT WARNING: murder, blood, Holocaust imagery, PTSD, grief, antisemitism, torture, violence, gun violence, gore
From my initial introduction to this series, I have become an avid fan of the Adam Lapid mysteries. Dunsky has created a riveting and complex main character, with his morally gray values and emotional scars, as well as the convoluted crimes that he investigates, and the historical setting of the newly established state of Israel, with its own problems.
If you’ve read any of these books, you know that Adam is only a few years away from his experiences in Auschwitz. He’s been through hell, literally, after losing everything that meant anything to him, including the man he used to be. His experiences have dramatically changed the man that he was, leading to his ongoing refusal to be a part of the police force, despite numerous offers. He’s comfortable in his role as a private investigator, which allows him to pursue justice by whatever means necessary, even those outside of the law.
“I thought of the man I had been before Auschwitz and the man I was today. I often doubted my parents would recognize who I had become. Apart from what time had altered, my face was the same, but my character and values had changed beyond recognition.”
The Israel in which these books are set is a haven for Jews fleeing from persecution in various areas. This influx led to the newly established state being overwhelmed, and food rationing was put in place. Obviously, when food is strictly rationed, a black market is primed to flourish, and this is exactly what happened. Normally law-abiding citizens become willing criminals to obtain food, and people like Adam, who have experienced starvation, are left with lingering issues surrounding food. He discusses these issues, and this is an ongoing issue for survivors even now. I’ve noted them in my own father, who would hoard bread and couldn’t throw away food even when it was abundantly available. Adam discusses it like this:
“The only thing I spent real money on was the food I purchased on the black market. I had a weakness for food—in terms of both quality and quantity. I had known starvation, and I had eaten my share of rotten, rancid, foul food. Experience had taught me that having the latter was better than suffering the former. It also explained why I had trouble discarding anything edible and why I was willing to part with a good deal of money to have something better than the very basic and meager rations the government allotted each citizen. My attitude toward food troubled me at times, but I’d come to accept it as something that was simply part of the man Auschwitz had made of me.”
In this story, Adam takes on a case for no pay other than his own conscience. He feels an obligation to the man who was murdered, and runs his own investigation parallel to that of the police, who he seems to cooperate with, but withholds information so that he can ensure that it does get solved. This book has more plot twists and turns, and a lot of them I didn’t see coming. I love watching Adam solve a case—he’s both instinctual and methodical, and in this one he’s following the clues while fighting against the people working to prevent him from solving the crime and his own memories working against him. In my opinion, this is the best book of the series so far, and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series. I hope it just keeps getting better from here.
August 3, 2025
Another entertaining Adam Lapid mystery, full of plot twists and characters.
I think I finished this one in about 24 hours.
***SPOILER ALERT***
I subtracted a star because I just didn't believe that Nathan's killer was capable of killing. Especially not with a knife to the heart, a murder method that takes physical strength and a strong stomach.
The murderer is painted as shy, reticent, biddable. She didn't seem capable of doing what she is said to have done. Not even in a moment of passion.
***LIT CRIT ALERT***
Dialogue is challenging to write. It has to sound like real people sound, yet it has to move the story along and be snappy to read. Secret revealed: the dialogue in books doesn't reproduce real life speech. You, the reader, think it sounds real because the writer has hit that elusive middle point between actual speech and literary dialogue.
Dialogue is even harder when the speaker is describing "something else," either a particular person or an event. You, the writer, want the reader to be able to visualize the "something else." But the fact is, when people talk, they don't use the evocative adjectives that evoke that "something else."
Here is where, IMHO, Dunsky went wrong. His characters are too descriptive, too evocative. They sound like narrators, not like characters.
Having criticized Dunsky for this weakness, I wish I could tell him how to solve the issue. I would if I knew how. I can only advise him to study Dickens and Hemingway and Faulkner, and other masters whose work he admires. This is not a new problem.
I think I finished this one in about 24 hours.
***SPOILER ALERT***
I subtracted a star because I just didn't believe that Nathan's killer was capable of killing. Especially not with a knife to the heart, a murder method that takes physical strength and a strong stomach.
The murderer is painted as shy, reticent, biddable. She didn't seem capable of doing what she is said to have done. Not even in a moment of passion.
***LIT CRIT ALERT***
Dialogue is challenging to write. It has to sound like real people sound, yet it has to move the story along and be snappy to read. Secret revealed: the dialogue in books doesn't reproduce real life speech. You, the reader, think it sounds real because the writer has hit that elusive middle point between actual speech and literary dialogue.
Dialogue is even harder when the speaker is describing "something else," either a particular person or an event. You, the writer, want the reader to be able to visualize the "something else." But the fact is, when people talk, they don't use the evocative adjectives that evoke that "something else."
Here is where, IMHO, Dunsky went wrong. His characters are too descriptive, too evocative. They sound like narrators, not like characters.
Having criticized Dunsky for this weakness, I wish I could tell him how to solve the issue. I would if I knew how. I can only advise him to study Dickens and Hemingway and Faulkner, and other masters whose work he admires. This is not a new problem.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 30, 2022
Another cracking read in this moreish series!
Adam Lapid survived Auschwitz; that's something that will never leave him. It's now 1951 and he's living in Israel when he unexpectedly meets someone he knows from those dark days and to whom he owes his life. When the man, Nathan Frankel, turns up dead the very next day, Adam can't let it go without finding out why he died and who was responsible, even if it leads him into danger. After all, it's a matter of honour. It seems that there was a queue of those wanting Nathan dead - can Adam investigate without suffering the same fate?
This is another series set in a time - and place - that I really didn't know much about. Intricately woven, this series demands, and gets, my full attention. These are exactly the kind of books that you want to race through to find out who did what, and why, but at the same time you want to make sure you don't miss anything along the way. I don't like including spoilers but I will say that the issue which came to the fore with the inability to dispose of almost inedible food almost broke me; not something I had ever thought about and certainly something I will never forget. Beautifully written and with each book I learn so much, but it remains a well-written and interesting series. A definite five star read, and absolutely recommended. *****
Adam Lapid survived Auschwitz; that's something that will never leave him. It's now 1951 and he's living in Israel when he unexpectedly meets someone he knows from those dark days and to whom he owes his life. When the man, Nathan Frankel, turns up dead the very next day, Adam can't let it go without finding out why he died and who was responsible, even if it leads him into danger. After all, it's a matter of honour. It seems that there was a queue of those wanting Nathan dead - can Adam investigate without suffering the same fate?
This is another series set in a time - and place - that I really didn't know much about. Intricately woven, this series demands, and gets, my full attention. These are exactly the kind of books that you want to race through to find out who did what, and why, but at the same time you want to make sure you don't miss anything along the way. I don't like including spoilers but I will say that the issue which came to the fore with the inability to dispose of almost inedible food almost broke me; not something I had ever thought about and certainly something I will never forget. Beautifully written and with each book I learn so much, but it remains a well-written and interesting series. A definite five star read, and absolutely recommended. *****
August 13, 2018
A Debt of Death begins with Adam Lapid looking at his friend’s body in a Tel Aviv gutter. A friend who helped him survive Auschwitz. A friend whom he worries he might’ve gotten killed.
This is the fourth installment in Jonathan Dunsky’s series featuring Israeli private investigator Adam Lapid. Almost no one escapes suspicion in this hardboiled tale mixing love, obligation, hope, despair, counterfeiting, the black market, and murder. And just when you think Lapid has collared the perpetrator, he reveals a new layer to the mystery.
To my mind, this is the best of the Adam Lapid mysteries published so far, though all have been page-turners, which is my basic rule in reviewing fiction. It fully merits a five-star review. I only hope Jonathan Dunsky has more stories in the works. Having read through the first four books in the last two weeks, I’m already jonesing for another.
Book Reviewed
Jonathan Dunsky, A Debt of Death: An Adam Lapid Mystery (Charlotte, NC: CreateSpace, 2017).
P.S. If you found my review helpful, please vote “Yes” on my Amazon.com review page.
This is the fourth installment in Jonathan Dunsky’s series featuring Israeli private investigator Adam Lapid. Almost no one escapes suspicion in this hardboiled tale mixing love, obligation, hope, despair, counterfeiting, the black market, and murder. And just when you think Lapid has collared the perpetrator, he reveals a new layer to the mystery.
To my mind, this is the best of the Adam Lapid mysteries published so far, though all have been page-turners, which is my basic rule in reviewing fiction. It fully merits a five-star review. I only hope Jonathan Dunsky has more stories in the works. Having read through the first four books in the last two weeks, I’m already jonesing for another.
Book Reviewed
Jonathan Dunsky, A Debt of Death: An Adam Lapid Mystery (Charlotte, NC: CreateSpace, 2017).
P.S. If you found my review helpful, please vote “Yes” on my Amazon.com review page.
January 16, 2026
In the 4thbook in the Adam Lapid series, Adam investigates the murder of someone who, unknown to him, saved his life in Auschwitz. As usual, the story takes my many twists and turns and as his friend is seeing two women at the same time, there is usual possibly corrupt police officer and a couple of career criminals. Adam has to work outside the police to gain valuable clues, but becomes a target himself as he gets too close to a variety of illegal activity.
In the book, Dunsky really digs deep to portray the psychology of Holocaust survivors who have lost their entire families and explores how they go on, how they try to rebuild their lives after experiences that produce trauma beyond anything we can understand and how they weigh their luck, their guilt, their anger and their optimism. In many ways, this is what Adam Lapid is really about. Keep in mind that these stories are set in Tel Aviva in the 1950 and many of the survivors are still in their late 20's and 30's.
Greta and Sima continue to play important supporting roles for Adam.
In the book, Dunsky really digs deep to portray the psychology of Holocaust survivors who have lost their entire families and explores how they go on, how they try to rebuild their lives after experiences that produce trauma beyond anything we can understand and how they weigh their luck, their guilt, their anger and their optimism. In many ways, this is what Adam Lapid is really about. Keep in mind that these stories are set in Tel Aviva in the 1950 and many of the survivors are still in their late 20's and 30's.
Greta and Sima continue to play important supporting roles for Adam.
January 3, 2021
A great mistake!
I fell into the Adam Lapid series completely by mistake from an email I receive about free books. The title, Ten Tears Gone, caught my attention and since it was free, I decided I’d branch out of my comfort zone. I’m now getting ready to read book four of the Adam Lapid series and proudly call myself a huge fan! (What can I say, I’m a sucker for a great read.) I love the author’s writing style, look forward to the next book, and always read each book, cover-to-cover. The author always writes a personal message and has a way of making me feel like we’re great friends, lol. Needless to say, I’m hooked on the Adam Lapid series and look forward to each new book! Now onward to see what murder Adam Lapid is going to work on solving next...
I fell into the Adam Lapid series completely by mistake from an email I receive about free books. The title, Ten Tears Gone, caught my attention and since it was free, I decided I’d branch out of my comfort zone. I’m now getting ready to read book four of the Adam Lapid series and proudly call myself a huge fan! (What can I say, I’m a sucker for a great read.) I love the author’s writing style, look forward to the next book, and always read each book, cover-to-cover. The author always writes a personal message and has a way of making me feel like we’re great friends, lol. Needless to say, I’m hooked on the Adam Lapid series and look forward to each new book! Now onward to see what murder Adam Lapid is going to work on solving next...
August 31, 2023
Excellent writing. What started out as a one book read turned out to be a continuing must read series for me. Thanks to Scribd I was introduced to Adam Lapid, an ex Jew policeman from Poland and an Auschwitz camp survivor. Now a private detective in Israel during the time after World War Two and Israel’s independence, Lapid go on investigating his intriguing cases without the aid of cellphones or the internet but with a keen sense of intellect and deep analysis. Fast paced and never a dull moment. Good narration even as this book was available on Scribd without any ebook format. Wouldn’t need it as the audio is clear and interesting enough by itself with excellent narration and voice quality. Onwards to book five for me.
March 27, 2024
I really like this series. Adam Lapid is a fantastic character, and, while I don't have the knowledge of Tel Aviv that I do of other cities, Jonathan Dunsky does a great job taking me around the city circa early-1950s.
A Debt of Death might be my favorite of the first four novels. It feels like Dunsky is really comfortable with his stable of characters, and, while we still get some backstory from time to time, everyone is working together to move the plot forwards. The mystery is complicated without becoming labyrinthine, and there are some genuine surprises as things wrap up.
Highly recommended
A Debt of Death might be my favorite of the first four novels. It feels like Dunsky is really comfortable with his stable of characters, and, while we still get some backstory from time to time, everyone is working together to move the plot forwards. The mystery is complicated without becoming labyrinthine, and there are some genuine surprises as things wrap up.
Highly recommended
January 29, 2020
A debt of life repaid
In the background of each novel featuring the detective Adam Lapid looms the nightmare of Auschwitz. Adam finally meets the man who helped save his life after a beating by Gestapo guards. A few days later, Nathan is dead, stabbed to death. The rest of the book is Adam's pursuit to find the killer, in spite of some very violent roadblocks. Well written, again this book affirms life in the middle of terrible obstacles, murderous criminals, and corrupt police.
In the background of each novel featuring the detective Adam Lapid looms the nightmare of Auschwitz. Adam finally meets the man who helped save his life after a beating by Gestapo guards. A few days later, Nathan is dead, stabbed to death. The rest of the book is Adam's pursuit to find the killer, in spite of some very violent roadblocks. Well written, again this book affirms life in the middle of terrible obstacles, murderous criminals, and corrupt police.
December 11, 2020
A must read
Hooked, that is the word that describes what has happened to me. What is there not to like. Deep characters, Adam Lapid, carries the physical, mental, emotional scars from the Jewish death camps. An inside look of a person who survived. Then the icing on the cake is the mystery, the murder, and all the characters that come with the murder. The emotional upheaval of each character, so well described. Could not put it down. You find yourself wanting Adam to find happiness after losing so much. A sliver of history we know so little about.
Hooked, that is the word that describes what has happened to me. What is there not to like. Deep characters, Adam Lapid, carries the physical, mental, emotional scars from the Jewish death camps. An inside look of a person who survived. Then the icing on the cake is the mystery, the murder, and all the characters that come with the murder. The emotional upheaval of each character, so well described. Could not put it down. You find yourself wanting Adam to find happiness after losing so much. A sliver of history we know so little about.
July 24, 2021
Hard to put down mystery
Yet another great Adam Lapid mystery. When Adam comes across the body of a friend in the street he knows it is up to him to solve the murder. With a long suspect list he knows it won’t be easy, especially when a police detective suspects Adam of the murder. I highly recommend this book. The characters are so well developed Some likable, some not likable. The settings are so well written, with so much detail that I almost feel I am in Tel Aviv along with Adam.
Yet another great Adam Lapid mystery. When Adam comes across the body of a friend in the street he knows it is up to him to solve the murder. With a long suspect list he knows it won’t be easy, especially when a police detective suspects Adam of the murder. I highly recommend this book. The characters are so well developed Some likable, some not likable. The settings are so well written, with so much detail that I almost feel I am in Tel Aviv along with Adam.
June 27, 2025
A well played out who dunnit by Jonathan Dunsky.
The characters are certainly unique and each one has their strengths that allows you to empathize with them while at the same time, seeing their flaws that at times brings out raw emotions in ourselves and how people can act certain ways.
Not having been subject to real black market conditions due to food rationing, it is sometimes hard for a reader to comprehend the length these characters went too.
A gem.
The characters are certainly unique and each one has their strengths that allows you to empathize with them while at the same time, seeing their flaws that at times brings out raw emotions in ourselves and how people can act certain ways.
Not having been subject to real black market conditions due to food rationing, it is sometimes hard for a reader to comprehend the length these characters went too.
A gem.
December 10, 2019
A Dept of Death
I am always tied to the Adam Lapis Mysteries! I just can't put these books down. They are always fast moving and as ride the rollercoaster trying to figure it out myself, he keeps finding more clues. Really like not knowing till the very end of the book who done it! Waiting for the next one!
I am always tied to the Adam Lapis Mysteries! I just can't put these books down. They are always fast moving and as ride the rollercoaster trying to figure it out myself, he keeps finding more clues. Really like not knowing till the very end of the book who done it! Waiting for the next one!
April 24, 2021
Another exciting mystery
Adam Lapid mysteries are well written and interesting. The characters are a curious mix of good and evil, although the truly evil characters have no redeeming qualities. The description of Adam's time in Auschwitz was horrific. I am amazed that anyone survived. The book is definitely worth reading.
Adam Lapid mysteries are well written and interesting. The characters are a curious mix of good and evil, although the truly evil characters have no redeeming qualities. The description of Adam's time in Auschwitz was horrific. I am amazed that anyone survived. The book is definitely worth reading.
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