The Truth About Marvin Kalish

Edith Fowke is a professor emeritus at York University and author of the
recently published Canadian Folklore: Perspectives on Canadian Culture.

This unusual and complicated mystery novel involves four historical
periods and four sets of characters; its background is historical, but
the characters are fictional.

The story, gradually revealed in reverse order, begins in 1981 with
Bunny Falk seeking her son, who was born in 1953. Bunny is Jewish, and
the narrative mentions and explains a great many Jewish words and
traditions. Recently married to Lawrence Lazar, Bunny receives a warning
that her son is in danger.

In New York a young comedian, Marvin Kalish, has been the target of
strange attacks that are puzzling Detective Abernathy. It turns out that
Marvin is Bunny’s long-lost son. Meanwhile, Bunny’s husband comes
across a picture of a catacomb fresco showing Jesus and his disciples,
one of whom looks like Marvin.

The dénouement of this complex novel does not fully clear up the
mystery. People interested in Jewish history and traditions will find
much of interest here; others may find the story too complicated.