This book con­tin­ues a fas­ci­nat­ing sto­ry line from Wish­ni­a’s mys­tery The Fifth Ser­vant. Toward the end of the six­teenth cen­tu­ry in Europe, anti-Semi­tism abounds. Benyamin Ben Aki­va, trav­el­ing com­pan­ion of the renowned Rab­bi Loew, famed for his cre­ation of the Golem of Prague, is try­ing to get to their des­ti­na­tion, Poz­nan, qui­et­ly. On their way they res­cue Kassy, whom we know from her short appear­ance in a pre­vi­ous adven­ture in The Fifth Ser­vant, from road­side attack­ers. She has been ban­ished from her city for her prac­tice of ​“witch­craft” — the herbal reme­dies she uses to heal those who seek her ser­vices. Kassy is a quick study who helps the men solve mur­der mys­ter­ies they encounter on their jour­ney. When I fin­ished read­ing The Fifth Ser­vant I hoped that Wish­nia would con­tin­ue Kassy’s sto­ry and am glad that he came up with this inter­est­ing addi­tion. His writ­ing is sharp, wit­ty, and engag­ing, and though this sto­ry stands on its own, it would be a shame to miss the main course, The Fifth Ser­vant.

Relat­ed Content:

• The Fifth Ser­vant by Ken­neth Wishnia
• The Glass Fac­to­ry by Ken­neth Wishnia 
• The Novel­la Read­ing List