A Possibility of Violence: A Novel
Detective Avraham &#x201C;Avi&#x201D; Avraham returns from an idyllic stay in Brussels with the knowledge that Marianka, a Brussels police officer, will immigrate to Israel to be with him. But a suitcase containing a &#x201C;fake&#x201D; bomb found outside a day-care center greets him on his return and makes manifest Avi&#x2019;s fixation with his last case (The Missing File, 2013). He learns that Ilana, his superior and &#x201C;rabbi,&#x201D; wrote a report detailing Ari&#x2019;s mishandling of the last case, and he is confronted by a prime suspect who is even more emotionally knackered than he is. The owner of the day-care center quickly convinces Avi that she is a liar and possibly a child abuser. Even worse, Marianka isn&#x2019;t answering her phone, and Ilana, who expresses doubts about Avi&#x2019;s approach to the new investigation, tells him she will be undergoing treatment for cancer. It&#x2019;s all nearly too much for self-doubting Avi. The book&#x2019;s narrative structure may try the patience of some readers, but Avi is a fascinating character, and international-crime fans will enjoy the glimpses of life in Israel. --Thomas Gaughan