Jesse Kellerman Books In Order

Publication Order of Clay Edison Books

Publication Order of Detective Jacob Lev Books

Publication Order of Warmer Collection Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Plays

An idiom soberly pipes that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. This idiom has never rung truer than in the classic case of Jesse Kellerman. It is not every other day that a writer is begat by parents who are established novelists. Before this preamble becomes maudlin, read on about him.

Meet Jesse Kellerman. Kellerman, who was born on September 1978 in Los Angeles upon California, is a tricenarian American penman. His mother is called Faye Kellerman while his father is called Jonathan Kellerman; both of them are celebrated mystery novelists in their own right. Jesse Kellerman, who has had a short stint as a lead guitarist for a rock band, pursued psychology at the Harvard University. He also went to the Massachusetts-based Brandeis University wherein he received a Master’s in Fine Arts.

Description of Two Early Books in a Series
In 1994, while still a teenager, Jesse Kellerman teamed up with his father and fellow writer, Jonathan Kellerman, and authored a children’s poetry book. However, it was not until January 2006 when Jesse Kellerman, who has independently penned lots of poems, produced his solely authored debut book titled Sunstroke.

Standalone books aside, novelist Jesse Kellerman is also renowned for co-authoring the Detective Jacob Lev series alongside his father. Currently, there are over twenty two editions of the first book in this series. The first edition was initially published in September 2014, titled The Golem of Hollywood, and this series is shelved as historical fiction, mystery, thriller, and fantasy genres.

Another book contained therein the Detective Jacob Lev series co-written by Jesse Kellerman is The Golem of Paris. There are approximately fifteen editions of this book and the first one was initially published in November 2015. The featured protagonist in the aptly named series is Jacob Lev. As the title of the series points out, protagonist Jacob Lev is a detective and he is based in Los Angeles. Jacob Lev is presently working with the Los Angeles Police Department. Detective Lev is a shell of his former shelf; he is washed out and has relapsed into alcoholism.

However, Lev is just seeking solace in alcohol. First, his mother, who seemingly is suffering from a bipolar disorder, has been admitted to a nursing home and, worse, she has not been talking lately. Secondly, Lev is not in good terms with his father, who is a rabbi. In his workplace, the Special Projects section of the LAPD, wherein he is attached to, is probing him constantly, not forgetting being stationed at a warehouse tackling lowly assignments. Then there is a paranormal aspect; there is a certain Mai, a supernatural entity, who is constantly him in his nightmarish dreams. Then the police force demotes Lev from the impressive homicide section to the damnable traffic section.

In Jesse Kellerman’s first book in the series, The Golem of Hollywood, the noun ‘golem’ refers to a mythical clay object which comes to life via magic. Contextually, Mai is that golem. The launching pad of the action is an eyebrow-raising murder in a hilly locale of Hollywood; the murder victim has been decapitated. Close to the head is the Hebrew word which, when translated to English, means justice. The fact that Jacob Lev is a Hebrew stands him in good stead; he is assigned the murder case by virtue of the Hebrew sign at the scene of crime. Mai, his supernatural cohort, protects Lev notably in dangerous situations and in his sleuthing.

Golems date to the Biblical time of creation. Subsequently, there is a Biblical allusion, pertaining to the instance whereby Cain killed Abel. To avenge Abel’s murder, his younger sibling called Asham goes after Cain. To achieve her aim, Asham manifests herself as a spirit and has been manifesting herself since then, ranging from the Hollywood golem to the Paris golem to the Shanghai golem.

Jesse Kellerman’s second book in the Detective Jacob Lev series, The Golem of Paris, begins by showing Lev’s new workplace wherein he is mandated to scan and digitize cold murder cases. In his work, Lev chances upon a particular case whereby a mother and child were killed. He travels to Paris whereby similar double murders have happened. Whoever the murderer is, he or she is well-off and a past master at avoiding detection. But Lev is quickly fastening on to the bottom when French authorities start stopping him in his quest.

Jesse Kellerman Awards
Jesse Kellerman has clinched various awards for his books. For example, in 2003, he won the Princess Grace Award for his promising playwriting, courtesy of 2004 book Things Beyond Our Control. Secondly, in 2010, his 2008 book The Genius clinched the Grand Prix des Lectrices de Elle. In 2003, his play Fafrotskies won the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Prize in the Best New Play category. In 2001, he clinched the Best of Edinburg Award.

Books authored by Jesse Kellerman have also been nominated for prestigious awards. For instance, his 2012 book titled Potboiler was nominated for the Edgar Award in the Best Novel category. In 2008, his 2007 book Trouble was a finalist for Thriller Award in the Best Novel category.

Best Jesse Kellerman Books
The best three books authored by Jesse Kellerman are Potboiler, The Genius, and Trouble by virtue of being nominated for or clinching topnotch awards. Arthur Pfefferkon is the featured protagonist in Potboiler; a professor in his middle age, he is a wannabe writer but lacks the muse. In a classic case of intellectual theft, he takes and publishes the manuscript of a friend-cum-author who went missing during a sea voyage.

Protagonist Ethan Muller is featured in the book called The Genius. Muller is a struggling art dealer and establishes himself with the rich artwork of a missing New York-based artist; but it seems the artist, who is a suspect, depicted evidence of his dark past. In the book called Trouble, protagonist Jonah Stem, who is a New Yorker studying medicine, hears a distress call as he plans to go home. He risks his life by responding to the call.

Other Book Series You May Like
Readers who enjoyed reading the Detective Jacob Lev series penned by Jesse Kellerman also enjoyed the following series. The first one is the Jack Marconi series authored by Vincent Zandri. The main character Jack Marconi, who worked as a prison warden previously, is a private detective. The second one is called the Mike Bowditch series authored by Paul Doiron. The featured protagonist, Mike Bowditch, is a game warden.

The third one is called the Rick Van Lam series and is penned by Andrew Lanh; protagonist Rick Van Lam is an American-Asian private eye investigating a series of murders in a Vietnamese-American society.

One Response to “Jesse Kellerman”

1. Abraham Kahan: 4 years ago

   When is A Golem in Shanghai coming out?

   Reply