Blurb
An unexpected murder. A suspect with a reason. The power of unwavering belief.
A murder has been committed in an office in Jerusalem. That’s for sure. The rest is not as clear-cut as it might seem. Asaf languishes in his cell, unable to tell his story even to himself. How can he tell it to someone who elicits such fear within him?
His colleague, Nathalie, has studied Beauty and the Beast. She understands its moral. Maybe that’s why she’s the only one who believes in Asaf, the suspect. But she’s new in the company – and in the country. Would anyone take her opinion seriously? She coerces her flatmates, Yarden and Tehila, into helping her investigate. As they uncover new trails, will they be able to reverse popular opinion?
In the end, will Beauty’s belief be strong enough to waken the Beast? Or, in this case, can Style waken the Solitary?
Review
Style and the Solitary is an intriguing mystery with two brilliant protagonists.
Asaf Levitt is an electrical engineer at a firm based in Jerusalem, who struggles with social anxiety. He has trouble opening up to anybody, and finds authority figures particularly intimidating. This anxiety is brought to a head when he's accused of murdering his colleague, Ido, who had earned a promotion after taking credit for Asaf's work. I'm introverted myself, and have trouble socialising (especially since I haven't done much of it thanks to Covid), so I can really relate to Asaf and sympathise with his plight. To see him come out of his shell as the story progresses is so satisfying.
We also have Nathalie Weyl, a French expatriate living in Jerusalem who works at the same firm as Asaf. She's the only person who believes that Asaf is innocent, and is determined to prove this. Adopting the persona of a gumshoe named Juliette Beauchamp, she investigates the rest of the company's employees, hoping to find other motives for Ido's murder. It plays out like a classic film noir.
I like how the mystery unravels, but the best part is Asaf overcoming his social anxiety. It's a fairly short read, but a pretty good one. It's available here.
About the Author
Miriam Drori was born in the UK and now lives in Israel. She has had four novels published and one non-fiction book, along with a few short stories, including Gruesome in Golders Green in the Dark London charity anthology.
Miriam is passionate about raising awareness of social anxiety.
Thanks so much for your review. I'm glad you enjoyed the novel.
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