The Kindness of Strangers

In Andy Weinberger’s The Kindness of Strangers, semi-retired private investigator Amos Parisman—Los Angeles’s oldest, sharpest, and most unapologetically persistent Jewish gumshoe—returns to navigate a harrowing case that strikes at the city's moral core. When a string of unhoused individuals and marginalized community members are found murdered, LAPD treats the victims as peripheral, but Amos refuses to look away. Embodying the archetype of a true mensch—a person of integrity, warmth, and deep empathy—Amos dives into L.A.’s urban periphery, tracing connections between local shelters, storefront churches, and forgotten neighborhoods to track down a predator targeting the invisible class. Meanwhile, on a personal front, Amos grapples with profound grief as his beloved wife's cognitive health continues to decline in a care facility, prompting him to seek solace, human connection, and late-in-life romance through the shared solidarity of caregivers.

Rooted firmly in Jewish culture and ethics, the novel uses the procedural mystery format to examine core Jewish values of social justice (tikkun olam) and the sanctity of human dignity. Amos operates not out of cynicism, but out of a deeply rooted cultural obligation to act as a protector for those who have no one else advocating for them. His investigative approach relies heavily on warm interpersonal connection, humor, and a distinctly Jewish sensibility—asking questions, listening patiently, and treating every stranger with intrinsic respect. Through Parisman’s stubborn commitment to justice and his compassionate navigation of personal loss, Weinberger crafts a character-driven mystery that weaves community, identity, and moral responsibility into a poignant portrait of modern Los Angeles.

"There's a melancholy tone of loss in Weinberger's follow-up to Reason to Kill. The purposeful pace is befitting of the aging Amos as he tackles a case whose victims are largely neglected by society." ―Library Journal

"Smoothly paced . . . [The Kindness of Strangers] has all the characteristics of traditional noir—harsh urban street life versus cloistered affluence; cheap dives and hangouts; an eclectic mix of eccentric secondary characters . . . Weinberger offers a gentle counterbalance to Walter Mosley's more hard-knuckled Easy Rawlins series." ―Publishers Weekly

"Compelling . . . The novel evokes Los Angeles as few do . . . Angelinos will find themselves at home in the novel's physical and culinary landscape." —The Jewish News of Northern California

"A wonderful voice, great storytelling, and a completely unique character." ―First Clue

"Down in L.A., Andy Weinberger's detective Amos Parisman is a Talmudic gumshoe—he's ethically motivated, and often in his investigations, life is really more about asking the right questions than assuming you will actually find the right answers. (I daydream Parisman meeting Eddie Muller, the host of Noir Alley for TCM, in a dive near the Chateau Marmont and talking all night.) Since Weinberger 'started late' as a writer, it's only fair to his loyal readers that he finds a way to continue writing about Amos Parisman and Lieutenant Malloy well into the afterlife. Weinberger is an astonishingly gifted and big-hearted storyteller." —Howard Norman, author of Next Life Might Be Kinder

"If you wish someone still wrote classic, hard-boiled detective novels, Andy Weinberger does! Every installment in this series is a pure pleasure to read, and The Kindness of Strangers is no exception. Amos Parisman is a cantankerous but large-hearted old man pursuing wrongdoers for all the right reasons. His voice is pitch-perfect, and the Los Angeles he inhabits is instantly familiar. Any fan of authentic detective fiction will adore this novel." ―Amy Stewart, bestselling author of the Kopp Sisters Series

"The Kindness of Strangers combines an engrossing mystery with a vivid feeling of humanity. The Amos Parisman series is equal parts suspenseful and soulful, witty and worldly wise, entertaining and heart-breaking. And he's Jewish, too! What's not to like?" ―Elliott Kalan, co-host of The Flop House podcast

"Well-seasoned Los Angeles private detective Amos Parisman has just stumbled upon a fresh crime scene that pulls him out of retirement...sharp and fun to read." —Esther Schnaidman, Association of Jewish Libraries