Well narrated and overall wonderfully voice acted, the narration increased the readers ability to follow a complex and twisting story through to its finish.

This book was not my jam at all...I am not sure if it was me, the book, or my mood/mindset. However, I will give George Albert Brown another chance.

I tried to listen to this as an audibook but couldn't get pass the first chapter and unfortunately had to DNF. I don't know if it was the narrator or the pace of the story was slow or if I coudn't really picture what was really happening.

Thank you Netgalley and Greenleaf Book Group Press for the ALC in exchange of my honest opinion.

This book was just not for me. From the beginning I had trouble engaging and staying focused - which can be real problem when it is an audiobook. This book made me think of The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde, which I also did not finish. For me this style of book - highly carticurized characters, dry wit just doesn't work for me. I wanted to push through and finish this book but at 20 hrs long, at half way through I had no idea what was going on and no desire to finish so decided to set this one aside.

For some this book might be a great read but for me it was not.

This was not the usual type mystery that I read. It started out in a different way but then has a person killed in the bathroom of a commercial aircraft. The story is written from the point of view of one passenger who is a private investigator but has worked with the police. This PoV takes some very different twists until it then settles into a more structured approach to a mystery. There were several parts that I needed to listen to more than once (Audible version of the book) but as I understood where the author was going with the characters it became more and more interesting. I highly recommend it for those who are interested in a mystery with a different twist.

I appreciated the opportunity to listen to an advanced audiobook version of Who Killed Jerusalem, but found this was a very difficult book j to follow in audio format. In reading other reviews, it is clear people are divided, and either love or don’t get it, I struggled with it, and feel like I would have been much better off with a printed/ebook version,

For these reasons I don’t feel it is fair for me to fully review this in my normal outlets, and will just leave this review here, not that this is particularly helpful to the publisher, or author,

Thank you to Galbraith Literary Publishers Incorporated and NetGalley for a copy of this whimsical audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Well, this was one long big book packed full of crazy characters with ludacris names. It is a locked room mystery with Monty Python type feel to the story. The narration was good, but made it difficult to remember names so I would recommend the book either in addition or on it's own.
I found myself zoning at times with the audio as sometimes the story dragged on but overall found the characters very silly and funny with a good storyline. I could have done without the perverted insurance investigator named Ded Smith who was from Buffalo, NY (another way my home town is thrown under the bus ! ) .. his sexular perversions were not important in this story whatsoever and really turned me off.
Otherwise it was an entertaining mystery on it's own. Editor please help out on this one!!!!

In "Who Killed Jerusalem," readers are invited to embark on a journey through the quirky and poetic streets of 1977 San Francisco, a city known for its counterculture and artistic fervor. This detective novel with a twist delves into the mysterious death of Ickey Jerusalem, a self-proclaimed poet laureate, who is found dead in an enigmatic locked toilet on a red-eye flight. The unlikely investigator, Ded Smith, is tasked with solving this eccentric puzzle, leading us on a whimsical and intellectually stimulating adventure.

The novel's protagonist, Ded Smith, is a character both relatable and enigmatic. His persona, a "desperately unhappy, intelligent philistine," is brilliantly crafted and constantly at odds with the artistic and philosophical world of Ickey Jerusalem. Yet, it is this very contrast that provides the novel with its charm and unique appeal. As Ded delves deeper into the case, readers are treated to his gradual transformation, as he begins to appreciate the beauty and depth of poetry, philosophy, and life itself.

One of the most captivating aspects of the story is its exploration of Ickey Jerusalem's world, a world that exists at the intersection of poetry, philosophy, and the counterculture spirit of San Francisco. Through Ded's investigation, readers are introduced to an eclectic cast of characters, each with their quirks, dreams, and obsessions. The encounters with members of Jerusalem's coterie are often hilarious and thought-provoking, leaving the reader both amused and reflective.

The novel's pacing is well-crafted, seamlessly blending the detective genre with elements of humor, philosophy, and even romance. The plot takes unexpected turns, and the author masterfully weaves together various subplots that add depth and intrigue to the story. The inclusion of drug-induced dreams, offbeat philosophical discussions, and poetry-charged love-making scenes makes for a rich and multi-dimensional narrative.

Furthermore, the central theme of the book—the search for meaning and happiness—shines through the witty dialogue and Ded's character development. As Ded becomes more entangled in the enigma of Ickey Jerusalem's metaphysical world, readers are encouraged to question their own perspectives on life and the pursuit of joy.

However, while the novel excels in its exploration of ideas and the development of its characters, some readers may find the story's complexity and philosophical musings challenging to fully grasp. Additionally, the narrative's humor and wit might not appeal to everyone's taste.

In conclusion, "Ickey Jerusalem" is a delightful and intellectually stimulating read that takes readers on an unconventional journey through the mind of a poet laureate and an unlikely detective. With its unique blend of humor, philosophy, and mystery, this novel offers a fresh perspective on the quest for happiness and the transformative power of art and literature. For those willing to embrace the eccentricities of San Francisco's counterculture scene, this book promises an entertaining and thought-provoking adventure.

I just reviewed Who Killed Jerusalem? by George Albert Brown. #WhoKilledJerusalem #NetGalley

Part murder mystery, part surreal philosophical voyage, Who Killed Jerusalem? centers around the death of a famous poet, Ickey Jerusalem. On a flight to San Francisco, cantankerous oddball insurance adjuster, Ded Smith, gets sucked into activities around Jerusalem's suspicious demise. What at first looks like a suicide soon becomes a full-fledged murder investigation with a colorful assortment of outre and nutty suspects. Don't be fooled by a somewhat mundane-sounding setup. The story sees people becoming animals, wanders down existential tangents, proffers literary theories, and ruminates on the fabric of human connection. It is not a straight shot, by any measure.

Though while I want to love the layered complexity of the plot, its meanderings and contemplations, I did not. From the get-go, the nasal twang of the audiobook's narrator grated on my cochleae. While this certainly should not detract from the quality of the prose itself, it made it difficult for me to engage with the story in a way that I would have liked. But narrator aside, I was still disappointed. Many of the pivotal characters lacked depth, feeling more like caricatures, at best, and rough sketches at worst. They trundled through the intricate convolutions of the story, detracting from what might have otherwise been a brilliant and humorously meditative piece. What's more, they were by and large unsympathetic, leaving the auspicious concept feeling contrived and hollow, robbed of its promise. Overall, while the reader definitely gets a glimpse of the author's promise, the book ends up feeling a bit like a deflated satire.

Nevertheless, it's clear that the author has a message to convey, a unique style, and a profound capacity for mixing wit and wisdom. He describes this book as the one "he's always wanted to write", and perhaps the fact that this is the culmination of years of anticipation and musing has complicated the actual offing. There was a LOT to this book, possibly to the detriment of certain aspects of its fulfillment. But I sincerely hope this is not the only book the author has in him. Perhaps relinquished from the pressure of putting this book to paper, he can apply his originality and talent to a project with fewer lifelong emotional strings attached. I would love to see what he would do with that kind of creative freedom.

Unfortunately, this was the only book so far that I DNF . I listened to about 20% of the audiobook — — and I was really interested in the mystery aspect of the story — but there was 1. Too many allegories for my liking and 2. The content became very derogatory and I don’t find that kind of stuff amusing or something I want to read . Though aspects of the book appealed to me I couldn’t continue mostly due to the derogatory content. although I really enjoyed the narrator he was quite good !

This audiobook was not the greatest. The narrator sound bland, and it was a little to funny for a mystery. The story and plot were really good, but the comedy part was just a little to much for me. I am one of those readers that like a on the edge of your seat, who done it mystery. I am giving this book 3 stars

I really wasn’t sure what your expect from this interesting looking for book cover.
But it ended up being a story set in San Francisco in the 1970s with wonderful characters..
this audio is a bit long at 19 hrs but I believe you will enjoy it and it will keep you guessing till the end.
This is a interesting story that was well narrated

Firstly, I wish to extend my heartfelt thanks to Netgalley for affording me the opportunity to delve into an advanced copy of George Albert Brown's "Who Killed Jerusalem". An unconventional ride, this book leaves readers with a varied range of sentiments.

Brown's prowess as a writer is beyond question. His skillful hand is evident in every turn of phrase, every clever line. This book is a testament to the artistry possible within the written word, and in this regard, Brown shines as a true craftsman of the trade.

The narration is something I simply cannot forget to laud. It was exceptional, meticulously sculpting just the right ambiance for the unorthodox style of the narrative. The storytelling adeptly marries the prose, resulting in an overall impressive delivery that reflects the heart and soul of the work.

One of the standout features of this novel is its dark comedy. Typically, I'm drawn to such sardonic humor and revel in its adept integration into the narrative. Brown's execution in this regard was, once again, commendable.

However, there was a part of me that found it challenging to truly immerse myself within the folds of the plot. Despite the deft writing and the pulsating pace, my engagement seemed to slip through the cracks. There's a chance that the timing of my read could have played a role in this feeling, making it a case of 'right book, wrong time'. Perhaps, I wasn't in the right mindset to fully appreciate the trip that "Who Killed Jerusalem" intended to take me on.

In conclusion, I find myself torn between praising the undeniable craftsmanship of Brown's writing and my personal struggle to connect with the narrative. While it is an ambitious endeavor that breaks the conventions of storytelling, the layers of this complex novel require a certain mindset to decipher.

"Who Killed Jerusalem" is an intriguing work that, at times, can feel overwhelming, but it is unquestionably a testament to George Albert Brown's storytelling prowess. It's a thumbs-up from me, but be warned: this book is not just a journey—it's an odyssey.

With this in mind, I won't discard the possibility of revisiting the book in a few years. Sometimes, a story reveals its full depth only when approached with different life experiences and perspectives.

So, brace yourself and embark on this literary expedition with an open mind, and let "Who Killed Jerusalem" reveal its multi-faceted truths to you.

Who Killed Jerusalem? ByGeorge Albert Brown is an entertaining and fun story that I initially was swept up into and thought was well done. My love of literary fiction was quite thrilled with the whole premise however, while I would never consider myself as someone who cannot handle spicy writing. This book does tend to be a bit risqué at times and so I would definitely recommend that at minimum over 17 be able to read it. Sex is of course nothing to be ashamed of but younger readers do not need to be exposed to it in a book or audiobook in this case. Thank you NetGalley so much the opportunity to try out this audiobook and author. I hope to read more from them in the future.

One thing I will say, this book was funny to listen to. Jerusalem who is well known poet is dead and the characters surrounding this book was so different and their names, and even the detective on the case is funny as hell, I got stuck sometimes because I couldn’t tell if this was a murder case we trying to get into or something else, it can get a little confusing if you are not paying attention.

My initial impression when I had barely started the book was that it was but very funny and reminded me of Confederacy of Dunces by Toole.

I listened to the audio book. The narration - voices are great.
Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy in return for an unbiased review.

This is a murder mystery wrapped in an allegory tale, in the form of a farce ... or is it an allegory in the form of a farce murder mystery. If this were a movie it would be a madcap - screwball comedy similar to Groucho Marx or Abbot and Costello, although the main character is more competent and solves "the who done it" by skills rather than by accident... or does he. The pieces are all there.

This book was so many things and I am sure I missed some of the visual comedy because I listened to the audio book, particularly in the form of the characters' names. There are many characters and I do mean characters - they are more than quirky and eccentric - the characters who are connected to the dead man are a doctor, a lawyer, a prostitute ex-girlfriend who used to be married to the dead man's brother who is now married to someone else, a current girlfriend, a chauffer, and a bunch of family members. They all seem to have a reason to want him dead and all seem to have the means to do it.

The key character's name is Dead Smith and he is an insurance investigator whose job is to determine if the death was accidental, murder, or suicide. If it is a suicide then the insurance company doesn't have to pay out. Death is his job. Dead is his nickname which is short for Daedalus, the father of Icarus, who flew too close to the sun in Greek mythology. Dead does his job while someone is trying to kill him.

There is a lot of comic relief in the book. There are misadventures at sea, a chauffer who drives a hearse but doesn't really know how to drive, and a costume party that defies description.

Odd. This book left me exhausted. As the NetGalley description and author’s note indicate this book is more of a study on the writings of William Blake than a traditional mystery. While the author’s note states that one does not need (and is perhaps better able to appreciate) this book without a knowledge of William Blake I found it confusing. Both the detective, Ded, and the deceased, Ichy, both espoused their philosophies at length throughout the book; as I am not familiar with Blake I was not clear which of Ded’s and/or Ichy’s concepts were attributable to Blake and which were someone else’s. The way Ichy’s work was tied into the eventual solving of the death felt forced and unnecessarily prolonged. When I started the book I thought the sense of occasional hints of humor was quirky and that the offbeat characters could be entertaining (if slightly grating), however the plot wove back and forth on itself so many times that I was left worn down. While I do not have to have a likeable character to enjoy a book, I do need to have some characters I understand. Unfortunately, I could not relate to the characters so I felt left out. This could be a great book for the right person but not for me.

I did not like this book at all! I will not be recommending to anyone at this time. Hopefully my next book is better.

Sure wish I could leave a negative review. Almost a 20 hour narrative and I was only able to handle it for 20%, that's 4 hours. I did not like the narrator at all and the story was going no where for me so I could not finish. I didn’t care about the characters at all interesting and I found the philosophical tie-ins to be childlike. Thankfully I was granted the audiobook from NetGalley. and didn't pay for the douwnload.

Although the book (including audiobook) are already out as of February, I wad able to access a free ARC of the audiobook via Netgalley.

Murder mystery set in the 1970s featuring a bizarre cast of characters and the poetry and art of William Blake. Importantly, there is no historical Blake in the novel; the art and poetry is instead the work of the murder victim, poet/engraver/philosopher Icarus "Ickey" Jerusalem. In the process of trying to solve the murder, Dedalus "Ded" Smith has to wrap his head around Jerusalem's philosophy and get to know Jerusalem's oddball group of followers, enemies, and associates that make up the suspect list.

The works this book reminded me most of were A Confederacy of Dunces (frequent reference to the world's of a long dead writer that the novel's reader need not be familiar with; oddball characters); and the realistic fiction of Kurt Vonnegut (i.e. fiction that is realistic in the sense of not being sci-fi or fantasy but is near absurdist in terms of character and plot). Three narrative style and sense of humor reminded me of Vonnegut, and I did have some laugh out loud moments, but this novel lacked a powerful thematic punch of Vonnegut, and frankly, ran on to a length that ultimately outlasted its greatest appeals, for me (or it would have been a 4 stars for the wit alone).

An unfortunate resemblance to the work of Vonnegut was the sexual objectification of the 2 female characters. Granted, most of the male characters are also characterized at least partly in terms of their attitudes or proclivities toward sex, but the women are entirely poor almost entirely sexual in their characterization, and it's very male-gaze-y. The MORE complex woman is described at least the first four or five times she shows up in terms of how big her breasts are and how arousing she is.

There was a lot of witty humor, and I loved all the Blake stuff. The murder mystery plot was interesting at first but dragged. It felt like a fun, niche, smart read in some ways, but at other times, I thought, "Why is this being published in 2023? What does this novel have to say to 2023?" Not as a criticism, but as a way of thinking about and engaging the novel-- but I couldn't answer the question. I couldn't find the timeliness of it. I don't think novels need to be "about" hot topics, and as far as contemporary adult fiction goes, I tend to prefer the quirky to the mainstream. I think this novel has an audience. I'm just not sure who that is.