Daniel Kluger

Daniel (Daniil) Kluger (1951 – 2025) – Writer, journalist, and publicist. Born in Simferopol, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union and died in Rehovot, Israel. Began publishing his literary work and news articles in the 1970s and emigrated from Russia to Israel in 1994. Continued writing prolifically there, in the Russian language. He is best known for his science fiction, detective novels, and historical essays. Several of his detective novels feature Nathaniel (Nataniel) Rozovsky, a former Soviet police officer who moves to Israel and runs a private detective agency, and are set in Israel. Among them are:

• Death in Caesarea (Смерть в Кесарии) — set primarily in Caesarea, Israel.
• Unpredicted Murder (Непредсказанное убийство) — another Rozovsky investigation in contemporary Israel.
• Other Rozovsky novels also generally take place in Israel, although individual cases may involve international elements.

The Israeli setting is important because Rozovsky is an Israeli detective (and a distinctly Jewish protagonist), allowing Kluger to combine classic detective plotting with Israeli society and Jewish cultural themes. Only two of his detective novels are so far available in English translation:

The Shtetl Book: Jewish Horror Stories [hc, independently published, 2024] - 979-8336545449 [pb, independently published, 2024] 979-8332427558 (This “novel in stories” is a collection exploring supernatural elements within a Jewish community.)

Shylock’s Last Act - [hc, independently published, 2025] 979-8315382829 [pb, independently published, 2025] 979-8333663245 [A detective story set in a Jewish ghetto during WWII, leading to Auschwitz.]

No third-party translator is indicated, suggesting that Daniel Kluger translated the works himself and/or in cooperation with a freelance translator. Daniel Kluger’s work is deeply rooted in Jewish history, mysticism, and folklore, often set against historical backdrops ranging from the Middle Ages to the Holocaust. 

Recurring Jewish Content:

• Folklore & Mysticism: Frequent use of dybbuks, golems, and supernatural forces as allegories for historical trauma.
• Ethical Dilemmas: His detective novels often place Jewish characters in impossible moral positions, such as collaborating with authorities to protect their community or solving “internal” crimes while external existential threats loom. [Google/AI]