The 12th Commandment

by Daniel Torday

Swirling with secrets and their consequences, exploring how revelation and redemption might be accessed through sin, and driven through twists and turns toward a startling conclusion, The 12th Commandment is a brilliant novel by award-winning author Daniel Torday.

The Dönme sect―a group of Jewish-Islamic adherents with ancient roots―lives in an isolated community on rural land outside of smalltown Mt. Izmir, Ohio. Self-sustaining, deeply-religious, and heavily-armed, they have followed their self-proclaimed prophet, Natan of Flatbush, from Brooklyn to this new land.

But the brutal murder of Natan’s teenage son throws their tight community into turmoil.

When Zeke Leger, a thirty-year-old writer at a national magazine, arrives from New York for the funeral of a friend, he becomes intrigued by the case, and begins to report on the murder. His college girlfriend Johanna Franklin prosecuted the case, and believes it is closed. Before he knows it, Zeke becomes entangled in the conflict between the Dönme, suspicious local citizens, Johanna, and the law―with dangerous implications for his body and his soul.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Religion, Cults, Audiobook, Jewish, Literary Fiction

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 17, 2023

About the author

Daniel Torday is a two-time National Jewish Book Book Award recipient and winner of the 2017 Sami Rohr Choice Award for THE LAST FLIGHT OF POXL WEST. Torday's work has appeared in Conjunctions, The New York Times, Paris Review Daily, Tin House, and on NPR, and has been honored in both the Best American Short Stories and Best American Essays series. He is the Director of Creative Writing at Bryn Mawr College.

Reviews

[Melissa Crytzer Fry · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fanatical religion is of interest to me -- no surprise given my Evangelical upbringing. So this book’s description appealed, offering an opportunity to learn about faith outside my personal, formative (and not entirely positive) experiences. I also attended undergraduate and graduate studies in Ohio, so even the setting was of interest. And yet…

The religious aspects had an academic tone to them throughout the novel that kept me from becoming emotionally involved – the musings of the prophet’s journals/diaries, even the conversations characters had about religion. Too academic. Too stilted. As someone who knows little about Jewish-Islamic faith, I found myself often confused by terminology that had no contextual reference. On a single page, in one paragraph, for instance, the terms Ben-Gurion, kibbutzim, goyische settlers, Lubavitchers, qelippa, and tzaddik appeared. [I read and loved The Weight of Ink, which centered around Jewish faith and felt I was led through the religious history in an organic fashion – never confused. Not the case here.]

While the depictions of small-town Ohio – and football fever – felt true, other aspects of the book felt wholly unnatural – most notably the dialogue, which just never came across as authentic. I wrestled with it throughout. Additionally, as a journalist, myself, I really struggled with the plausibility of the premise of this book: the main character is a magazine editor who has written only book reviews and a few celebrity profiles, yet he is assigned an investigative journalism piece about – of all things – a controversial death in a religious sect. I’m not sure why a NYC-based magazine would even care to report on this rural Ohio story, let alone assign it to someone without investigative experience.

Those quibbles aside, I just felt the religious aspects far overpowered any character development or mystery in the book, often coming across as heavy-handed history lessons that were hard to engage with.

The novel’s structure – with three Books – and those parallels to Biblical books offered a nice touch. And the concept behind the novel is impressive. It could very well be a case of “This book was simply not for me.” Though it might be for you.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review, through the First Reads program. I appreciate the opportunity.

[Daniel Torday · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote this novel. I hope you love it, and feel fulfilled and challenged and changed by reading it.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

CW: drug use, description of injuries, blood, medical content, child death, birth scene

So, I'm not calling anyone out by name, but one of the most-responded-to reviews of this book complains about the lack of explanation for Jewish (okay, mostly Yiddish terms) and all I have to say is if I need to know shit about Christianity, you can just one itty bitty baby Google search. :) Or don't read books for Jews. Idc, pick one. But don't complain that you don't know what words mean on the Internet where you can find the meaning of ANYTHING in an instance!!
Anyway. It is a breath of fresh air to read Jewish Fiction. I don't want my life defined, I just want to read about Jews being Jews and also cults being awful.

Uhh something something, when you stare into the abyss - but with religion. If I read a cult's tenants and it makes me think more about my own religion, is that a bad thing? Does that make me a bad Jew for needing a separatist cult to help me have new Big Thoughts?
Obsessed with the book, highly recommend to all Jews who like cult and/or crime fiction.

The following is the review I have written for my synagogue newsletter:
When journalist Zeke returns to Ohio for the funeral of a college friend, he is confronted with whispers surrounding the leader of an unusual religious cult. And, even stranger, a cult that blurs the line between Judaism and Islamic practice, known as the Dönme? What follows is an exploration of illicit substances, Halakha, the Zohar, and what it means to have faith.
The 12th Commandment is a curious and literary exploration, part crime novel, part religious text. It draws deeply on Jewish text and historic separatist groups to create a story that spirals, drawing you in deeper as you read. At 300 pages, a short book, but one that keeps you thinking.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mystical faith with a charismatic leader that uses hallucinogenic drugs as part of its ritual–wouldn’t you be intrigued? And learning that the leader is in jail, charged with the murder of his own son for breaking the 12th commandment to not divulge the sect’s secrets, wouldn’t your curiosity be piqued?

Zeke was back in Central Ohio for the funeral of a college friend when he heard about the Muslim Jewish group and the murder. The sect dated back to the 1600s when Jews living in the Ottoman Empire took on the trappings of Islam outwardly.

The sect was revived by Natan of Flatbush, who brought his flock to Ohio. Zeke saw a story for the New York City magazine he worked for. He would stick around to learn more–plus reconnecting with this college girlfriend was also attractive.

Surprisingly, Zeke is allowed access to the closed group and is invited to participate in their worship. Natan invites him to interview him in prison and give Zeke his journal. He names Zeke as his scribe, giving him free access. The AK-47 toting Hasidim at the gates had to let him in.

Zeke is fascinated by the sect’s mysticism that offers an experience lacking in mainstream religion. As Zeke is drawn deeper into the cult, getting high and experiencing their ecstatic state of being, he also becomes a threat to the locals. His rental car is shot at, and his room is broken into and trashed. He has stumbled into something bigger than he expected.

Then, there is his revived relationship with his ex, a lawyer who loved her Ohio home and isn’t interested in living in New York city.

I was glad to read this as an ebook where I could click on words and terms to understand Jewish and esoteric religious terminologies.

Torday’s book combines elements of a thriller with a deep exploration of our quest for transcendence and the lure of false prophets.

I received a free egallery from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.

[Eliza · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOWW!!! neo hasidic stoner rural kabbalistic mystical prophet crime investigation… yes PLEASSEEE!!!! every day my need to read kabbalistic texts increases. this was a beautifully written, much needed jolt to the system

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zeke Leger, a writer from New York, arrives in Ohio for the funeral of a friend. He hears about a murder committed by Natan of Flatbush of his son. Zeke's ex-girlfriend, Joanna, prosecuted the case and believed that Natan was guilty.

This murder leads to questioning the legal system and the religious beliefs of the Jewish Islamic community also known as the Donme. Zeke is drawn into the investigation and into the Donme and their ways. Is Zeke able to solve the murder before his life is in danger?

This book was a little difficult for me to understand due to the fact I was unfamiliar with the Jewish Islamic vernacular. I think I would have gotten more out of it if the book included a section with the meaning of some of the wording.

I received this ARC copy of The 12th Commandment from St. Martin's Press and Goodreads.

[Laynie T · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t normally write reviews, but I was gifted an ARC by a bookseller and thought it might be helpful. I honestly thought that based on the book’s premise, this might not be for me, as I pretty much stick exclusively to historical fiction or memoir. However, I found that I couldn’t put it this book down, I had to see where it was going next. It maybe tied up a bit too nicely in the end, but I found it compelling and interesting, and an all-around enjoyable read. I am Jewish, and have a lot of background in Jewish laws, customs, and practices—and even enough knowledge of Islam—that I understood most if not all religious references. As other reviews have mentioned, I thought to myself while reading that someone without the same background would likely be extremely confused. I think a glossary in the final print edition would go a long way to allowing a wider audience to fully comprehend the story.

[Zoe Zeid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book on Jewish Mysticism, some of it went over my head but I liked the story.

[Kerry Pickens · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover of this book drew me in as I recognized that it was about Hasidic Judaism and Kabbalah, and the author is a well-respected Jewish writer. Zeke, a young NY Jewish journalist, travels to Ohio for the funeral of one of his college buddies. He rekindles a relationship with a college girlfriend, Johanna, and decides to extend his stay once he learns of an intriguing situation among the local Hasidic community. Further investigation reveals a murder mystery that he decides would make a good story with the murder victim's father and community leader being incarcerated for the crime. The local Hasidic group is a very esoteric sect called the Dönme, a group of crypto-Jews going back to the Ottoman Empire who converted outwardly to Islam but retained their Jewish faith and Kabbalistic beliefs in secret. The 12th Commandment is very similar to the first rule of Fight Club, don't mention what goes on here. It's the details of the sect's behavior that don't sit well with me because I am an observant Jew and know more than my fair share of Hasidim. They are for the most part, "conservative in the front, party in the back." They like to drink alcohol, but the stuff in this book these Jews are up to is not quite kosher. I felt like I did when I was invited to a seder and then found when I got there it was a Jews for Jesus seder. My take is these people are confused but this is fiction so let's give the author some room to run with it. So with that said, the main plot is believable and I had to look up who the Dönme were and what Lurianic Kabbalah was. The style of writing is very, very Jewish with much discussion focusing on the different possible meanings of words and storytelling to get a point across Overall I enjoyed the book, but there was an anti-Semitism that runs through the narrative where the Dönme are called freaks and other negative terms, and their leader Natan of Flatbush is referred to as a false prophet. My problem is most of the literature published in the United States that deals with the Jewish culture either focus on the Holocaust or people trying to leave the Orthodox community. There is a wide breadth and depth to the Jewish experience beyond genocide and repression that is represented in American films of the Safdie brothers or Israeli television and films such as Shitsel where Jewish families find joy in their families and their lifestyle.

[Lenoire · Rating 2 out of 5]

A group of Jewish Islamic people, known as the Donme, live in an isolation community in Mt. Izmir, Ohio.The people are religious and self-sustaining, who followed their prophet, Natan of Flatbush, from Brooklyn to Ohio. When Natan's teenage son is brutally murdered, the entire community is in turmoil and begins to arm themselves.

Zeke Leger, is a thirty year old writer, who arrives to Ohio for a friend's funeral. He becomes interested in the case and decides to report on the murder. His ex-girlfriend, Johanna Franklin, prosecuted the case and believes Natan is guilty. As Zeke investigates the murder, he finds himself drawn to the Donme and becomes interested in their ways. Will Zeke be able to solve the murder before he endangers himself?

I thought the cover and the premise was interesting. Unfortunately, the book fell flat to me. The writing style didn't flow smoothly for me and there was tons of vernacular that I was unsure of. I wish the author included a section explaining the culture and norms. I feel like it would have made the novel easier to follow along if you are not familiar with the culture. I also felt that the story moved very slowly and nothing really happened for extended amount of time. I feel like readers who are familiar with the culture might enjoy this novel more than I did.

[Kelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received this novel in a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for my honest review.

Who needs drugs when you can just read this novel and go through psychedelic and crazy experiences via written text??
This novel had a storyline and it very well could have been an interesting one - man becomes interested in a local murder of the son of a cult member - was it the father who murdered his son because he was straying from the fanatical cult or was it the town teens? Or someone else entirely?
First off, no cult is just going to let this layman in to witness their rituals and give up their secrets. I guess there is some (or a lot) of grooming going on, but then his journalist girlfriend is sort of also along for the ride and does she see what is happening or is this just all in the name of getting the story??
Like I said, this had the working for a decent story, but it simply became almost unreadable with all of the drugs and trippy experiences going on. It becomes hard to follow with the outer body experiences mixed with cult type ritualistic scenes that the actual storyline gets lost amongst it all.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started out enjoying this book, but the dialogue wrecked the entire story for me. All the character spoke with the same choppy, disjointed speech pattern. And it didn't follow any kind of logistical style. CP Style and Chicago Manuel of style use ellipses to denote speech that trails off, and em-dashes to denote interrupted speech. In this book, those that spoke used ellipses, em-dashes and periods to denote broken thought patterns. And every single person had the same way of speaking. One chapter, a character spoke at Zeke for the entire chapter. No exposition to break up the speech. Just pages and pages of one character speaking with no context.

Zeke wasn't a very remarkable character. Or memorable character. Perhaps because he was the one person who rarely talked. He just stood there while others spoke at him.

This could have been a deeply interesting story, but it just didn't work for me on so many levels.

[Phyllis | Mocha Drop · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 12th Commandment is an amalgamation on meditations on grief, aspects of a “who-dun-it” mystery, and an exposition of the Donme - a Jewish sect who at one point converted to Islam but retained many aspects of their religious origins. The novel opens with Zeke, a Jewish journalist returning to rural Ohio for the funeral of one of his closest, most outgoing college friends who committed suicide. He is immediately attracted to a local story surrounding the local Donme’s leader (and proclaimed messiah) who is accused of killing his own son. Sensing a great story and buoyed with a longing for spiritual guidance, Zeke initiates contact with the sect and soon finds himself as the messiah’s “scribe.” There is a lot of speculation and assumptions surrounding the rather reclusive and secretive group members; with some very salacious stories shared by the victim. Zeke’s investigation takes him down the proverbial “rabbit hole” with some surprising revelations (no pun intended) concerning the sect’s leaders, the community leaders, the victim, and the politically charged trial.

There is a lot of “telling” in this novel – Zeke has extended conversations with sect members who provide a lot of backstory that allow Zeke to connect the dots. Some threads dive deeply into the sect’s religious aspects and their merging of Jewish Kabbalah and Islamic Sufism orders to shape their current beliefs and practices - which I found interesting (but a bit academic in its delivery). I was also a bit surprised that the book spent quite some time describing rituals (often with heavy drug use), philosophies, and other religious dogma. I could see where this may deter some readers.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to review.
The 12th Commandment is an amalgamation on meditations on grief, aspects of a “who-dun-it” mystery, and an exposition of the Donme - a Jewish sect who at one point converted to Islam but retained many aspects of their religious origins. The novel opens with Zeke, a Jewish journalist returning to rural Ohio for the funeral of one of his closest, most outgoing college friends who committed suicide. He is immediately attracted to a local story surrounding the local Donme’s leader (and proclaimed messiah) who is accused of killing his own son. Sensing a great story and buoyed with a longing for spiritual guidance, Zeke initiates contact with the sect and soon finds himself as the messiah’s “scribe.” There is a lot of speculation and assumptions surrounding the rather reclusive and secretive group members; with some very salacious stories shared by the victim. Zeke’s investigation takes him down the proverbial “rabbit hole” with some surprising revelations (no pun intended) concerning the sect’s leaders, the community leaders, the victim, and the politically charged trial.

There is a lot of “telling” in this novel – Zeke has extended conversations with sect members who provide a lot of backstory that allow Zeke to connect the dots. Some threads dive deeply into the sect’s religious aspects and their merging of Jewish Kabbalah and Islamic Sufism orders to shape their current beliefs and practices - which I found interesting (but a bit academic in its delivery). I was also a bit surprised that the book spent quite some time describing rituals (often with heavy drug use), philosophies, and other religious dogma. I could see where this may deter some readers.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to review.

[Tonstant Weader · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 12th Commandment refers to a controversial principle of the Dönme, a crypto-Jewish sect established in Turkey but, in this book, also in Ohio. The 12th commandment demands that one kill one’s own child if they share the secrets of the sect with outsiders. Natan of Flatbush, the leader of the Ohio Dönme has been convicted of murdering his son and is appealing his conviction. He is arguing he did not kill his son, but if he did, he had a protected religious right to do so.

The Dönme are perpetual outsiders. In Turkey, they are perceived as Jews and oppressed, but in Israel, they are seen as Muslim and denied the right of return. So why not establish a community in the United States where they will meet with tolerance? Except, it seems the tolerance is provisional. The Dönme believe Natan’s son was murdered by his classmates in a bias crime. They feel persecuted by local authorities.

When Zeke Leger returns to Ohio for a funeral, he is caught up by the idea of the Dönme. Add a recent murder that tests the limits of religious freedom and he thinks he’s found a fantastic story for the respected national magazine he writes for. I pictured The New Yorker or The Atlantic. As an added bonus, he can spend time with his former love, rekindling old flames. A complicating factor is she is the person who prosecuted Natan of Flatbush.

I liked the people in The 12th Commandment more than I liked the story. That is how I felt about Daniel Torday’s Boomer1 as well. He does a great job of creating credible characters that feel lived in. In particular, I loved the passive obstinance that propelled Zeke forward, continuing to investigate in the face of harassment, violence, and threats, but not with bravado or great proclamations of the rights of a free press. No, he will appear intimidated, ready to obey, but then do his thing. That’s so much more real than the self-righteous orator of liberty that is far more common.

I liked Natan of Flatbush, but why Flatbush? It just is zany and perhaps that is an intentional sign to readers not to take the story too seriously. There are a lot of towns in New Jersey to choose from, Natan of Newark just doesn’t have that touch of the ridiculous that Natan of Flatbush has. He’s a great character, though. A willing martyr to his faith, whether to the judicial system or to more venal opponents.

I was disappointed in the final resolution, however. I guess it was fair. There were hints and suggestions that laid a sketchy foundation for the ending, but it seemed so banal compared to the much more serious implications of other possibilities. However, I do think Torday has with The 12th Commandment and Boomer1 shown us how very ordinary our prophets and trailblazers are.

I received an ARC of The 12th Commandment from the publisher through Shelf Awareness

The 12th Commandment at St. Martin’s Press | Macmillan
Daniel Torday author site
My review of Boomer1 by Daniel Torday
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...

[Kelly {SpaceOnTheBookcase] · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daniel Torday writes a compelling books about a Jewish Muslin religious cult in middle of nowhere Ohio. The premise of the book immediately the book. I don't come from a Jewish or Muslin background and while I always applaud the usage of language and terms, I do prefer some sort of guide so I understand them. I did a lot of pausing to look up a word motions while reading.

If you take the academic writing out of the equation, the overall story was interesting and twisty. The ending was a bit of a surprise and while the ending may not have been the satisfying one I hoped it would be, it fit the story.

The book is split into three sections titled Book One, Book Two and Book Three. I won't lie and say that Book One wasn't a struggle because it was, until the very last few lines. Book Two and Three I couldn't read through fast enough. The musing of the prophet are written as speech and I wonder if it would have come across better in audiobook form.

Overall I liked the story and felt it was well written. A shout out to St. Martin's Press for sending me a finished copy to read and review.

[Paul Goins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting enough story that mostly kept me turning the pages, but in the end doesn’t quite tie together (or maybe ties together too neatly). The narrator, Zeke, got under my skin-perhaps one of the most credulous journalists in fiction, who seems to enjoy smoking weed and getting high more than any other pursuit. He falls hard and fast for the Jewish mystic in charge of what can only be called a cult in a rural enclave in central Ohio. I realize writers are allowed wide latitude to paint their environment, but as an Ohioan, a few things had me shouting “no, no, no!” Sheriff Shaw is described as a small town sheriff-we don’t really have those here. We have elected county sheriffs and Shaw seems to be the sheriff of Franklin County-one of the largest counties in the state which encompasses Columbus. The idea that he could tool around solo like some rural police chief in Georgia is a bit much. Also all sheriffs departments in the state wear the same uniform (black and gray, not brown) and drive cars marked and painted in the same manner. Nitpicking? Perhaps. But “errors” like these had me straining to move forward at times.

[Bandit · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was one of those reading experiences where an objectively well-made novel just does nothing for the reader. I tried and tried.
It sounded interesting conceptually. I live all sorts of cult and cult-adjacent themes. This one is more of a religious sect, albeit obscure—an intersection of Jewish and Muslim origins. A community living of all places in Ohio.
A New York journalist in town to bury a friend, hears about the murder of the community’s prophet’s teenage son with the father accused of it and becomes fascinated by the story. So he proceeds to investigate, while also rekindling an old romance.
There, a solid reasonable plot. The wriitng’s perfectly good too. So why didn’t the book work for me? Just one of those things— a profound failure to engage.
Something about the pacing, the meandering of the book, the heavy dense narrative structure of it, with endless paragraphs and monologue-like dialogues.
The religious and historical aspects were interesting, but the overall tone was slow and not especially compelling. Again, likely not so much the novel’s fault as just the wrong reader/book chemistry. Draw your own conclusions. As always. Thanks Netgalley.

[Luis Cuesta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. Daniel Torday's novel marries an intriguing murder mystery to an exploration of the power of charismatic religious leaders but sometimes it is difficult to follow a plot that focus on its protagonist, Ezekiel “Zeke” Leger, a New York–based journalist and magazine editor who travels back to Central Ohio for the funeral of a college friend. Shortly after he arrives, an Uber driver suggests he investigate the story of Nathan Fritzman, a Jewish cult leader currently jailed for the murder of his 16-year-old son. Another issue for me was the inclusion of a subplot about groups fighting tooth and nail for control of legalized weed in Ohio.

Torday frequently changes narrators and perspectives, and even at one point drops the novel form for stage directions making me, the reader, feeling a little lost until I was able to connect the narrative again. Overall “The 12th Commandment” is not a bad book but he final product suffers from tired character archetypes, overambitious storytelling, and long-winded pacing.

[Sydnye · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I received a copy of this book from St. Martins Press who asked for an honest review in exchange for the book. The death of a son of the leader of a remote Jewish sect is the pretext that the hero, Zeke, a reporter for a national magazine, is assigned by his editor to investigate. Subplots exist in Zeke's journey: his relationship with a college sweetheart, life in small town Ohio, his relationship to his religion, and his introduction and immersion into the ultra-orthodox messianic Jewish cult among them.

I would have appreciated a glossary of terms as this book was filled with terms that were unfamiliar to me and sometimes uncontextualized. Had I been reading an ebook, this would have been an easier read for me. I had to stop to research some of the terms I did not understand.

Well written. If you are interested in Jewish mysticism, you will surely enjoy The 12th Commandment.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many people look to religion for answers when faced with tragedy. That’s true for Zeke Lager, a magazine writer and editor, who returns to Ohio for the funeral of a college friend who died by suicide. Some mutual friends have remained in the area, allowing him to reconnect with people he hasn’t seen in years. However, the real reason he extends his visit after the funeral is due to a murder connected to a religious sect known as the Donme – something that could be a great basis for a magazine article. In “The 12th Commandment” by Daniel Torday (St. Martin’s Group), Zeke must not only learn if the correct man was convicted of the crime, but whether the Donme can offer him the spiritual meaning he’s been seeking since the death of his friend.
See the rest of my review at https://www.thereportergroup.org/past...

[Marissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’d probably give this somewhere around a 3.5. There are parts I enjoyed immensely: the writing was beautiful, there was excellent dialogue, and it was philosophically and historically fascinating. As a Hebrew speaker, I loved the use of Hebrew throughout and as a Jewish person, I did feel how deeply entrenched in Jewish history and practice much of this story was. That being said, I think the lack of explanation excludes a large group of people — both Jews and gentiles — from accessing or understanding a lot of this story. I also felt the mystery was a bit messy and some of the writing was too dense.

[Miciah Bay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the haunting imagery, gorgeous sentences, and imaginative force behind this dark, mystical, culty murder mystery set in snowy small-town Ohio. The religious history is fascinating, and the writing from the religious leader character (Natan of Flatbush) is pure poetry. But what I like most is the mystery, the danger, set against this deceptively quiet icy forest backdrop, as the main character, Zeke, a journalist works to uncover the truth about a teenage boy's murder.

[Keren Krinick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, "The 12th Commandment" by Daniel Torday is a complex, unique, turmoiled, emotionally loaded spiritual journey. This novel explores, from the eye of a journalist, a religious movement in the Midwest, with cult-like commitment, drug induced experiences, grief, miracles, relationships, and a murder mystery. Certainly, interesting, insightful and captivating. Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a strange but interesting book. It is a mystery about a murder. It is a book about the Donme, a group of Moslem Jews who believe that Shabbatei Tzvi was the Messiah and who worship him. There is a sect of this group that lives in Turkey. When Zeke goes to central Ohio for the funeral of an old college friend, someone tells him he should check out the Donme - there may be a story there. He finds far more than he expected. Interesting but very weird

[Annie French · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to admit—this book was kind of up my alley. I’m into crime novels and I like learning about religion. But I also think this is a great read for anyone who’s into literary fiction. The story is gripping and, even though the book takes place in rural Ohio, the way the setting is described makes you want to be there. Highly recommended!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could not put this book down. Literally a read in one sitting type book. The plot is very complicated and convoluted and the characters are complex and well developed. The back story was very detailed and well written. A must read. I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway but the opinions expressed are solely my own.

[Alexander Yates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Feels at times hardboiled, and noir-adjacent. A propulsive read about at an insular community of faith, out of place and entirely at home in central Ohio. I went into this free of expectations, and was pleased with where I ended up.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book felt like it had so much unrealized potential. It was enjoyable, but it could have been so much more.

I'm glad I had Olga Tokarczuk's "The Books of Jacob" as a background and reference point for this book.

[Makenzie Moorman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel this book started very intriguingly and faded very quickly. I really enjoyed the more human, interpersonal conversations but my eyes glazed over in the deeper, philosophical/mystical sections.

[Kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not being familiar with Jewish concepts and words made this a challenging read. I had to look up several terms as I was reading. The drug use and mystical trips were a little too much for me. Goodreads giveaway.