Let's Get Criminal: An Academic Mystery

A tale of intrigue in academia involving homosexuals. It begins when a new man arrives at a university and obtains tenure despite lack of qualifications. When he is murdered, suspicion falls on a writer-in-residence on whom the man once did the dirty. Nick Hoffman, the writer's friend, tries to clear his name by finding the real killer.When the mysterious Perry Cross is hired to fill a quickly created position at the state university of Michigan, teacher Nick Hoffman learns that his lover, writer Stefan Browski, shared a past with Cross, who is murdered shortly thereafter

Lev Raphael has wanted to be an author since he was in second grade, and he’s not only achieved his dream, he’s published 19 books in genres from memoir to mystery; had his books translated into nearly a dozen languages; appeared in two documentaries; won various prizes; done hundreds of invited talks and readings on three different continents; recently sold his literary papers (92 boxes!) to the Michigan State University Libraries (MSUL); been the subject of scholarly articles, papers and book chapters; and seen his work taught at colleges and universities around the country. Which means he’s become homework. Who knew?

Born and raised in New York, he got over it and has spent half his life in Michigan. He’s a pioneer in writing about children of Holocaust survivors, which he’s been doing since 1978, longer than almost any other American author. He frequently tours with his books (check http://www.levraphael.com for his current schedule) and is currently touring with My Germany, a memoir/travelogue exploring the role Germany has played in his family, his life, and his career. After he escaped academe to write full-time, he reviewed extensively for over a decade for the Detroit Free Press, Michigan Radio, The Washington Post, Jerusalem Report, The Ft. Worth Star-Telegram, Forward, Boston Review, and Lambda Book Report. He now reviews for Bibliobuffet.com and WKAR 90.5 FM/East Lansing Public Radio, and when he’s not busy, he sometimes imagines some graduate student years from now in the MSUL archives puzzling over his handwriting.

A seasoned reader of his own work, with a background in theater and teaching, he loves the performance aspect of touring, as well as meeting people he’d never meet back home. And the sightseeing. And the foreign foods. German fans in Berlin, Frankfurt, Hannover, Magdeburg, Dessau and Halle will get to hear him next fall. Stay tuned to this page or check his web site for details of his next German book tour. For photos and description of previous sones, go to http://www.levraphael.com/europe_photos.html.