Who Killed Jerusalem? A Rollicking Literary Murder Mystery Based on William Blake’s Characters & Ideas Updated to 1970s San Francisco is a work of fiction in the detective, mystery, and suspense subgenres. It is best suited to the general adult reading audience owing to some moderate but non-graphic adult content and was penned by author George Albert Brown. In this charming, witty, sardonic, and highly enjoyable mystery romp, we see our curmudgeonly detective, Ded Smith, engaged in the curious case of a dead poet in San Francisco in 1977. As if getting into the bizarre metaphysical mind of the late Ickey Jerusalem wasn’t enough, Ded soon discovers there are plenty of people who would rather he join Jerusalem than reveal the secrets of the poet’s demise.

Author George Albert Brown delivers an absolutely superb murder mystery novel with all the makings of a cult classic. I really enjoyed the throwback nature of the work with its atmospheric seventies vibe and slick dialogue to match, but there were also many nods to contemporary plot hooks and twists, and references dating back to the original romantic era and alternative poetry of William Blake. The myriad of influences is well-handled with a confident literary narrative that allows some pauses for thought and metaphysical consideration, poet-style, but then rockets us on through the next thrilling section of the plot with a dry, humorous play on the grumpy noir heroes of classic detective fiction. The result is a fantastically layered mystery novel with fresh shifts in pace and new dynamics that keep it exciting from cover to cover. Overall, I would not hesitate to recommend Who Killed Jerusalem? to mystery fans everywhere.