The Fifth Servant - Hardcover

Wishnia, Kenneth

3.44

398 ratings by Goodreads

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0061725374 ISBN 13: 9780061725371

Publisher: William Morrow & Co, 2010

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To save his Jewish community in 16th-century Prague during the Inquisition, a young Talmudic scholar has only three days to discover who really killed a Christian girl found in the store of a Jewish shopkeeper, whom the authorities have brought a blood libel charge against. (Historical mystery). 15,000 first printing.

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Review:

""The Fifth Servant" suceeds at its goal: to keep you turning pages, and, when you're finished, wanting more."--Forward

"In another's hands, the resulting novel might end up grim and pedantic, but Wishnia manages to turn the story into something Dickensian in its comic turns, richly drawn cast of characters, and plot twists."--Historical Novels Review on THE FIFTH SERVANT

"This fast-paced historical from Edgar nominee Wishnia (23 Shades of Black ) combines scholarly historical details that bring the 16th century alive with believable characters and a compelling mystery. Highly recommended for mystery lovers and fans of historical fiction. "--Library Journal on THE FIFTH SERVANT

"Powerful . . . A densely philosophical yet surprisingly witty historical mystery."--Booklist

"The richness of the setting of "The Fifth Servant" is matched by the complexity and appeal of its characters. With apparent ease Kenneth Wishnia makes solid and real the sounds, sights, and smells of a vanished and legendary time."--S.J. Rozan, Edgar Award-winning author of "The Shanghai Moon"

""The Fifth Servant" offers a unique blend of mystery and Talmud set against an intriguing historical background."--Linda Barnes, author of Lie Down with the Devil

""The Fifth Servant" proves that academia, wit, and compelling mystery may all be found in one book. And what a suspenseful, enthralling story this is--accessible and hugely entertaining, it is an astonishing novel."--Ken Bruen, author of Sanctuary

"a compelling mystery"--Albuquerque Journal on THE FIFTH SERVANT

"The characters are distinct and thoughtfully created. The mystery and how it is unraveled make a compelling story."--Contra Costa Times on THE FIFTH SERVANT

Whatever you are currently reading, I promise you it is not nearly as intelligent, witty, compelling or entertaining as "The Fifth Servant "by Kenneth Wishnia....Wishnia makes history come alive. --David Liss, author of "The Devil's Company" and "The Whiskey Rebels""

From the Back Cover:

Whoever saves a single life saves the entire world . . .

In 1592, as the Catholic Church and the Protestants battle for control of the soul of Europe, Prague is a relatively safe harbor in the religious storm. Ruled by Emperor Rudolph II, the city is a refuge for Jews who live within the gated walls of its ghetto. But their lives are jeopardized when a young Christian girl is found with her throat slashed in a Jewish shop on the eve of Passover. Charged with blood libel, the shopkeeper and his family are arrested. All that stands in the way of a rabid Christian mob is a clever Talmudic scholar, newly arrived from Poland, named Benyamin Ben-Akiva. Pleading the shopkeeper's innocence to the city's sheriff, Benyamin is given three days to bring the true killer to justice.

But the search will not be easy. Hampered by rabbinic law, and with no allies or connections, Benyamin has only his wits, knowledge, and faith to guide him on his quest—a trail that weaves from the city's teeming streets to the quiet of a shul, from the forbidden back rooms of a ghetto brothel to the emperor's lavish palace.

The Talmud says many things in life depend on mazl, luck. Fortunately, Benyamin is blessed, for an unlikely group of heroes will risk their own lives to help him discover the truth: Anya, a Christian butcher's daughter; the renowned reformist rabbi Judah Loew; a wise herbal healer known as Kassandra the Bohemian; and even the emperor himself.

Who would most profit from the girl's murder—and from having the entire ghetto sealed off? Is the killer a Christian indebted to the girl's apothecary father? Or a messianic Jew bent on the destruction of his people to precipitate the Messiah's coming? The desperate search for answers is complicated by the arrival of a new Holy Inquisitor determined to root out witchcraft and heresy, and reclaim the fractious Bohemian territory for Rome. With time running out, Benyamin must dare the impossible—and commit the unthinkable—to save the Jews of Prague . . . and his own life.

Infused with history and spiritual insight, rich in atmosphere and color, The Fifth Servant vividly re-creates sixteenth-century Prague—a bustling city where superstition, ignorance, and hatred clash with curiosity, knowledge, and tolerance; a world in which innocent lives are swept away by political and religious struggles, and righteous men and women sacrifice everything in the name of justice and truth.

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