Murder Under the Fig Tree: A Palestine Mystery    by Kate Jessica Raphael Order:  USA  Can She Writes Press, 2017 (2017) Softcover, e-Book    Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth Murder Under the Fig Tree by Kate Jessica Raphael takes place in Palestine at a time when the Israeli government is rounding up those whom they feel pose a threat. Palestinian policewoman Rania Bakara is thrown into prison. Chloe Rubin, living in San Francisco, flies in to help her friend. An Israeli policeman tells Rania he can get her out of prison if she agrees to discover who killed a gay young Palestinian. While the reader follows Rania – and Chloe – all over an area on both sides of the border between the two nations, we watch as the two women deal with personal anxieties as well as tracking down a murderer. They discover a world completely new to Rania – the gay community. As well as being given a geographic tour of Palestine and Israel, if one should so choose, a good deal of Hebrew can be learned. The research into the writing of the novel is extensive and painstakingly done. But – the ugly But – the story, didn't raise a hair on my head. There's very little actual action and what does occur provides no real suspense. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews