Solomon the Accountant by Edward M. Krauss captures a forgotten time. Carefully researched, it rings of a simpler time. Strong story line winds through several other stories. Delightful, serious characters.

This was a very enjoyable read. Set in quiet, 1950's Toledo, Ohio--Solomon "the Accountant" first meets Molly "the widow" when he is going to the funeral home on routine business. When he arrives, he notices the ongoing funeral for Darren Manion, a young man married for only 10 months, killed in a motorcycle accident. He knows a friend of the deceased and decides to come in for the service. He is instantly struck by Molly's beauty and make 3 shiva calls in the 7 days.

There is the parallel love story of Solomon's best friend Herman and his long-time girlfriend, Deborah. They've been taking things a bit "too far" and neither wants to risk an unintended pregnancy. Eventually both stories intertwine in a very pleasant way. At times, I laughed with the Yiddish/Jewish humor--like feeding someone beyond the stuffing point or telling Solomon he'd have to stand the entire Yom Kippur service for "lusting" after a new widow, but other times I felt somewhat sad because the close-knit community of friends with whom I was raised through all of their same childhood bonds, are now scattered across the country--far away from our hometown of Buffalo, New York. The feelings of friendship, love, loss and family cross all cultural and religious lines. In 1999, my husband, a Sicilian who chose to be a nice Jewish boy, asked my father for my hand in marriage--so not all is lost.

*** Thanks to NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. My review is voluntary,