Matt Beynon Rees

Matt Beynon Rees (born 1967, Newport, Wales) – a Welsh novelist and journalist best known for his crime fiction set in the Middle East. A former Jerusalem bureau chief for TIME magazine, he spent over two decades in the region, which heavily influences his work. Originally from Cardiff, Wales, he converted to Judaism in the 1990s. This, together with his long residence in Jerusalem and deep ties to the region have led some to describe him as having a dual identity, often being recognized in both Jewish and Welsh cultural contexts. He resides in Luxembourg with his wife, Devorah Blachor (an author who writes under the pen-name of Jasmine Schwartz - see her listing in the U.S. fiction authors bibliography) and their two children.

His 4-volume Omar Yussef series features a modest, aging Palestinian history teacher at a UN school in Bethlehem who becomes an amateur sleuth. The books explore the gritty realities of Palestinian society—corruption, religious tension, and the influence of rival militias—rather than focusing on the broader Arab-Israeli conflict. The four books:

The Collaborator of Bethlehem (also titled The Bethlehem Murders): Omar must clear a former student, a Palestinian Christian, who is framed as a collaborator for the Israelis and faces execution.

A Grave in Gaza (also titled The Saladin Murders): While inspecting UN schools in Gaza, Omar investigates the arrest of a colleague accused of spying for the CIA amidst local power struggles.

The Samaritan’s Secret: Set in Nablus, Omar investigates the murder of a member of the tiny Samaritan community who controlled millions in government aid money.

The Fourth Assassin: Omar travels to New York for a UN conference to visit his son, only to find a beheaded body in his son’s apartment and an international assassination plot.

While these novels have minimal Israeli or Jewish characters (as the focus is on the nuances of Palestinian society through the eyes of the Muslim protagonist, Omar Yussef), they deal heavily with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

Rees also co-authored The Ambassador with the late Yehuda Avner (a former adviser to Israeli Prime Ministers). It is an alternate history thriller that explores what might have happened if the state of Israel had been founded in 1938.The story’s main character is Dan Lavi, Israel’s ambassador to Hitler’s Berlin, and the entire narrative revolves around the premise of saving Jews during the Holocaust. The book explores the fundamental rationale behind Israel’s existence as a sanctuary for the Jewish people. [Google/AI]

Rees, Matt Beynon, (The Collaborator of Bethlehem [hc, Soho Crime, 2007]) 978-1569474426 [pb, Soho Crime, 2018] 978-1616959791

Rees, Matt Beynon, (A Grave in Gaza [hc, Soho Crime, 2008]) 978-1569474723 [pb, Soho Crime, 2019] 978-1616959807

Rees, Matt Beynon, (The Samaritan’s Secret [hc, Soho Crime, 2009]) 978-1569475454 [pb, Soho Crime, 2019] 978-1616959814

Rees, Matt Beynon, (The Fourth Assassin [hc, Soho Crime, 2010]) 978-1569476192 [pb, Soho Crime, 2011] 978-1569478851

Yehuda Avner & Matt Beynon Rees, (The Ambassador [hc, Toby Press, 2015]) 978-1592643882