What We Buried
Perhaps I should introduce you to Toronto author Robert Rotenberg.
He is a criminal lawyer and a principal in his own legal firm. But he has also found time to become a popular author of “legal thrillers”, a screen writer, and a teacher of creative writing. In all, he has published six detective or police-procedure novels set in Toronto; they begin with “Old City Hall” (2009) and run through “Downfall” (2021). His seventh is “What We Buried” (Simon and Schuster, 2024). It brings forward a startling revelation about the persistence of Nazi thinking and headstrong antisemitism in present-day Ontario; it also forges a reminder of the link between wartime Italy and Canada, and in particular, the Italian town of Gubbio and cottage country north of Toronto.
“What We Buried” is the story of Daniel Kennicott and the belated police pursuit of the criminal forces behind the suspicious deaths of his parents and his brother Michael in separate Ontario incidents. These cold cases have long haunted Kennicott and certain of his superiors. As usual in Rotenberg’s novels, a major figure is head detective Ari Greene. As Kennicott’s “boss and mentor”, Greene is intrigued by a new lead that has recently surfaced concerning the motor-vehicle deaths of Daniel’s parents a decade ago. Nora Bering, Toronto’s first woman chief of police and a former partner of both Greene and Kennicott, is in charge of the investigation. Over coffee at a popular Portuguese bakery in downtown Toronto, Bering informs Kennicott that she is sending him to Gubbio the very next day. The assignment opens up the parallel lines of action in the novel. What Kennicott discovers on his trip to Italy is paralleled by what Greene and others are able to unearth about the cold case in cottage country north of Toronto.
Gubbio is a medieval hill town in eastern Italy. While visiting there many years earlier, Kennicott’s mother had discovered “I Quaranta”, the monument to the 40 innocent Italian martyrs who were murdered in the town by the fleeing Nazis. Rotenberg provides some useful background: “In 1944, the Allies’ Italian campaign was brutal. They fought their way up from the south, and the Nazis, hell-bent on stopping their advance, punished Italians who had collaborated with them. Hitler decreed that if a German soldier was killed by partisans, then twenty civilians picked at random would be executed. The price for a German officer was forty innocent people.” In Gubbio, Nazi retribution was swift and brutal. That act of vengeance led to the town’s memorial.
The massacre itself was random and utterly contemptuous of the townsfolk. The victims were taken from their homes and forced to dig their own graves before they were executed. Bullet holes are still evident in the wall where they were shot. Kennicott finds a pamphlet describing the awful event; it allows him to connect and empathize with his mother’s discovery of the “I Quaranta” monument and the grim truth behind it.
Rotenberg faced a major challenge in setting his story in motion. With such an important story to tell and sort out, could he make Kennicott a credible and solidly interesting character? This is, I think, a particular problem for a writer working in a series. In “What We Buried”, Kennicott seems at first only modestly interested in his lost family members and appears to be only a modestly interesting character himself. His Toronto routines in “Little Italy” and his relationship with his partner Angela are all we have to go on — that, and his career change from lawyer to police officer and his stature within the force.
Those three lost members were, after all, his only immediate family. It turns out that he has kept his mother’s diary from her trip to Gubbio; however, he hasn’t paid much attention to it, despite the fact it was found in his brother’s briefcase when he was murdered. Nevertheless, he tells Angela that he will make it his “guidebook” should he ever go there. Then, not coincidently, Ari Greene and Nora Bering, spurred by the 10-year anniversary of Michael Kennicott’s death and their ongoing concern for Daniel’s safety in Toronto, decide to send him to Gubbio.
Once there, and following his guidebook, he learns about the scars left on the Italian community by the Nazi occupation 80 years ago. Families there have long memories and recall especially whether they were either partisan or not. The Gubbio family Daniel connects with see him as a descendent of their Canadian liberators and invite him to their annual archery dinner. But after visiting the “I Quaranta” Memorial, he realizes that it is seen by very few tourists to the area and remains little known.
Moreover, after the war, conditions in Europe were horrible: “Cities were destroyed, infrastructure destroyed, farms destroyed.” While many of the Waffen-SS Nazis were hunted down, some “members made extreme efforts to hide their identities,” changing their names, removing their identification tattoos, and seeking to relocate. A number came to Canada, initially to prison camps, but then on occasion, with government help, they became citizens.
The story turns on the surprising fact that Kennicott’s maternal grandparents had successfully disguised their German heritage; formerly known as Hans Schmidt, his grandfather renamed his family Smith. They were part of a small and close group of Nazi Germans who resettled in Canada after the war; some rose to high places but remained quietly loyal to the Nazi cause. Others like Smith tried to bury his former connections. Kennicott remembered that grandfather Smith’s home contained no family pictures.
Hans Schmidt had been a member of the Waffen-SS and was active in Gubbio. Quite on her own, his daughter had researched her father’s dark past and was on to revelations when she was killed in the Ontario traffic accident. Turns out, however, that she had left her research material with some partisans in Gubbio and they remained ready to provide a guiding hand when Daniel Kennicott made his visit to the town. Little wonder that he was well received when he arrived.
The story has a Jewish connection as well. Ari Greene’s daughter Alison begins a family study of the life of Ari’s father Yitzhak (she calls him Grandpa Y) and slowly digs into his life in Europe before and after the war. Surviving concentration camps, family killings, and Nazi persecution in Poland, Grandpa Y became a tracker of escaping Nazis in Europe after the war. “The Allies didn’t care about the soldiers who had been in Italy. The sadists who did the killing.” “There were two million German prisoners in Europe and the Allies were overwhelmed.” Yitzhak describes on film how “Jewish agents” managed to identify and then kill numerous Nazis who were seeking refuge in new countries.
The other major part of the narrative focuses on Ari Greene and his team’s successful search for new evidence about the three Kennicott deaths in Ontario. I found these chapters the least satisfying part of the story. The detective work was carefully detailed but seemed relatively paint-by-number and self-congratulatory when compared to the Gubbio material. Perhaps this follows from the understanding that the responsibility for the Kennicott deaths lay with two families that had managed to disguise their Nazi sympathies by means of successful professional careers and impervious social identities in Ontario. Ari Greene notes wryly that, though his team had been denied a wiretap on these families, the police would conduct it anyway. This likely implies a future direction for the Ari Greene series.
All in all, “What We Buried” is a gripping and complex, though uneven, mystery. The secrets closely harboured by our grandparents can contain horrible truths. Killers do lurk among us still.
Michael Peterman is professor emeritus of English literature at Trent University.
It's been years since Daniel Kennicott's brother, Michael, was shot and killed the night before he was about to depart for Gubbio, Italy. The case, never solved, has haunted Daniel ever since. Long suspecting the killing was tied to Michael's planned trip but overwhelmed with grief, Daniel has put off going there — until now, the tenth anniversary of the murder.
As he's about to leave, Daniel learns that his two mentors, detectives Ari Greene and Nora Bering, have been more involved in the investigation of Michael's murder than he ever knew. And they're concerned about Daniel's safety. But why? Is Daniel risking his life — and those of others — by trying to uncover the truth?
When Daniel arrives in the bucolic Italian hill town, he learns the past has not been put to rest. Residents are still haunted by the brutal Nazi occupation, the brave acts of the local freedom fighters, and the swift savagery of German retribution.
And as Daniel delves into his family's deadly connection to Gubbio, Ari Greene searches for a killer closer to home.
Inspired by the true story of the Forty Martyrs in Gubbio, Italy, during World War II, What We Buried is an extraordinary crime novel about troubled legacies, revenge, and the unbreakable bonds of family. (From Simon & Schuster)
Robert Rotenberg is a criminal lawyer and novelist, based in Toronto. While running his own practice, he has authored bestselling crime novels.
Rotenberg debuted in 2009 with the crime novel Old City Hall. His other books include Heart of the City, Stray Bullets, Stranglehold and The Guilty Plea.
What We Buried, Robert Rotenberg (Simon & Schuster Canada, 320 pages)
This is the seventh book in Robert Rotenberg’s excellent series, set in Toronto and featuring detectives Daniel Kennicott and Ari Greene, and it’s the best of the series so far. Rotenberg, a Toronto criminal lawyer, knows police work inside and out but he’s also well-versed in good writing. Here, he takes us into Italy’s past to investigate a crime with long and dangerous tentacles.
It’s 10 years since Daniel Kennicott’s brother, Michael, was murdered in his front yard on the eve of a trip to Italy. No clues were ever found and there was no motive. The death naturally haunts his brother. After the accidental death of the men’s parents, the family appears cursed. All that was known is that Michael was on his way to the village of Gubbio. Daniel is convinced that the murder is connected to the trip but what was in Gubbio? He decides to follow Michael’s trail.
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At this point, Daniel discovers that his friends Greene and Nora Bering have been assembling the meager evidence on Michael’s death. They are convinced that Daniel is in danger if he starts digging around. Why does he want to uncover a truth that will endanger himself and others?
Once in Gubbio, Daniel quickly discovers a town beset by history. Events during the Nazi occupation of the Second World War have festered for nearly a century. I found this book irresistible reading and didn’t put it down until the final page.
"While What We Buried is a superb whodunit, it’s also a tale of family secrets and family beliefs. What We Buried is a terrific read, with some fabulous secondary characters. Your book club may want to ask each other: how well do you know your grandparents?" - Winnipeg Free Press
“WHAT WE BURIED is a powerful and fast-moving story whose characters will keep readers engrossed from start to finish. Highly recommended.” - Fresh Fiction
"What We Buried is one of the best novels that I’ve read in ages. The historical fiction novel is a riveting read full of suspense and mystery." -Glenn Perrett
- Toronto.com
“Beyond its compelling characters and intricate plot, What We Buried also serves as a meditation on the nature of truth and the lengths to which people will go to protect their secrets. Rotenberg deftly explores themes of guilt, redemption, and the consequences of actions, challenging readers to confront their own moral compasses and consider the weight of their decisions.”
- CanadianCookBooks.ca
"What We Buried is a fast-paced, short-chaptered and unputdownable book... a fantastic combination of well-researched history and suspense... Layered and complex without being fussy or hard to follow, What We Buried is strong in its characterizations, intriguing plot and suspenseful storytelling, giving readers an amazing ride that will have them reading ‘just a couple more chapters."
- Check It Out Waterloo Public Library
"Wow! It's been a while since a book captivated me like Robert Rotenberg's upcoming book, What We Buried. Layered and complex without being fussy or hard to follow, What We Buried is strong in its characterizations, intriguing plot and suspenseful storytelling, giving readers one helluva ride that will have them reading 'just one more chapter.'"
- TheBakingBookworm.ca
"Compelling, suspenseful, and fast-paced! What We Buried is an absorbing, mysterious, well-written tale by Rotenberg inspired by real-life events that does a wonderful job of interweaving historical facts and compelling fiction into an insightful, sinister tale that is intriguing and highly entertaining."
- WhatsBetterThanBooks.com
Downfall
“Entertainment and sleuthing combine in [this] new crime fiction novel... Somebody’s killing homeless people in Toronto. But this is far from the only concern veteran Homicide Detective Ari Greene deals with in the latest book in Robert Rotenberg’s complex and thoughtfully realized series. There’s the friction between the exclusive west end golf club and the aggressive champions of Toronto’s homeless community; the mysterious collapse in relations among three ace women lawyers who’ve been pals since law school; not to mention the odd choice in boyfriends made by Ari’s daughter who happens to be a star TV crime reporter. Rotenberg juggles these plot items with his customary aplomb and plenty of verisimilitude.
— JACK BATTEN, The Toronto Star
“Takes the reader on a suspenseful descent into a seldom-examined underworld, as police track a serial killer who is stalking the homeless in Toronto’s Humber River Valley. Well written and fast-paced, Downfall explores the growing problem of homelessness in our cities—what causes it and what keeps feeding it.”
— BEVERLEY McLACHLIN, former Chief Justice and #1 bestselling author of Full Disclosure
“A well-crafted tale, alive with real characters and a riveting plot, making for another thoroughly compelling read.”
— RICK MOFINA, USA Today bestselling author of Search for Her
“An unsparing exploration of the hostility between those who have it all, the members of an elite golf glub, and those who’ve lost it all, the squatters who make the ravine near the club their home. When two of the homeless are murdered, Ari Greene, the new head of the homicide squad, wads up the banal public relations statement he’s been handed and sets out to learn the truth. Rotenberg gets everything right in this stellar novel, but the scene in which ‘The Three Amigas,’ friends since they articled at the same law firm, have a late night meeting in the firm’s washroom is such a tender evocation of female solidarity that it brought me to tears.”
— GAIL BOWEN, author of the Joanne Kilbourn Shreve mystery series
“A riveting read that fired my conscience as well as my imagination.”
— IAN HAMILTON, author of the bestselling Ava Lee series
“Rotenberg has outdone himself again. Downfall is a superb read. With his trademark elegant prose, he masterfully weaves heart-stopping suspense with astute observations of human nature, delivering a story that is gripping and complex. I highly recommend!”
— PAMELA CALLOW, bestselling author of the Kate Lange series
“Downfall is so much more than a murder-mystery, opening our eyes to what lies in the ravines of our cities and our souls.”
— NORMAN BACAL, bestselling author of Breakdown and Odell's Fall
“There has never been a better time to be swept up in a new novel by Robert Rotenberg. His characters are as real as the city streets they live in: a perfect antidote to a digital world. Leave it to his imagination to spark yours.”
— DALTON McGUINTY, former Premier of Ontario
Heart of the City
“The only complaint I ever have about Robert Rotenberg’s novels is that he takes too long between books. . . . [Rotenberg] makes his legal-cop dramas spot-on for details, along with terrific plots and characters that evolve.”
— The Globe and Mail“Robert Rotenberg’s latest crime thriller hits pretty close to home, (literally and figuratively), in that perhaps no other author has such an in-depth characterization of Toronto.” Brieftake.com
“You will be hard pressed to find a mystery/suspense read this summer that’s as gripping as ‘Heart of the City’.” –ThirtyFourFlavours.com
“Rotenberg is a natural storyteller. Full of colourful, fascinating characters, Heart of the City moves fast and keep you guessing.” –David Bezmozgis
“Rotenberg writes with the taut plots of John Grisham and the beautiful writing of Scott Turow. Heart of the City is one hell of a read.” –Sheena Kamal
“Rotenberg has created believable and likeable characters, put them into a fast paced story and sprinkled the mix with astute observations of contemporary urban life. -what more can ask for.” –Maureen Jennings (author of the Murdoch Mysteries)
“Fast paced and entertaining…a great read.” –Shari Lapina
Stranglehold
“…his fourth and best.” –The Globe and Mail
“Rotenberg does rich work — full, and full-hearted, compelling and compassionate. And judging from Stranglehold’s final words, there’s more of this good work to come.” –London Free Press
“Readers of all descriptions will get off on Stranglehold’s courtroom drama…the action is authoritatively presented…and as twisty as anything from Perry Mason’s worst nightmares.”–The Toronto Star
“Author Robert Rotenberg was in the business of turning Toronto into fiction before Toronto became stranger than fiction.” –Metro News
“Robert Rotenberg’s latest whodunit sets up an uncannily corrupt Toronto.” –The Toronto Star
“Readers of all description will get off on Stranglehold’s crackerjack courtroom drama”… “the action is authoritatively presented…and as twisty as anything from Perry Mason’s worst nightmares.” –The Toronto Star
“Fans know that Rotenberg is a master of the classic courtroom drama, but he’s also highly knowledgeable about Canadian police procedure.” –The Globe and Mail
Stray Bullets
“…a cracking good story.” –The Toronto Star
“Rotenberg really knows how to build legal suspense” –The Globe & Mail
“…the entire unfolding and resolution of a tragic, sadly semi-familiar, crime-and-punishment tale shows a real pro of a writer, just getting better and better.” –The London Free Press
“Rotenberg’s work reads like an episode of Law and Order.” –The Chronicle Herald
“Rotenberg makes it his own with propulsive plotting, crisp, vivid, no-wasted-words writing, and, most importantly, distinct characters virtually all of whom
individual claims on a reader’s interest and empathy.” –The London Free Press
“Rotenberg really knows how to build legal suspense” –The Globe and Mail
“Rotenberg, a Toronto criminal lawyer who rents office space from Eddie Greenspan, has the credentials to write a crime novel built around the intricacies of Canada’s criminal trial system.” –The Toronto Star
Guilty Plea
“Rotenberg’s…courtroom drama is terrific” –Ian Rankin
“…a compulsive page-turner…his humanizing of seemingly obvious killers raises doubts in the reader at the same pace as it does for the jury.” –Maclean’s Magazine
“It’s a solid whodunit.” –The Winnipeg Free Press
“Rotenberg juggles the many plot elements with aplomb, unveiling each new surprise with care and patience.” –Quill & Quire
“Rotenberg has crafted an idealistic but gripping – and distinctly Canadian – portrait of how justice does and does not get done.” –The London Free Press
“He has learned to master the interesting interweaving of characters’ professional and personal lives into a fascinating story-line.” –The Toronto Sun
a real life criminal lawyer. The detail that he puts into his story, about the whole procedure from suspect to sentencing, is amazing.” –Linda Reads
Old City Hall
“Breathtaking…a tightly woven spiderweb of plot and a rich cast of characters make this a truly gripping read…Robert Rotenberg does for Toronto what Ian Rankin does for Edinburgh.” –Jeffrey Deaver
“Clever, complex, and filled with an engaging cast of characters, Old City Hall captures the vibrancy and soul of Toronto.” –Kathy Reichs
“It’s clear that Old City Hall has enough hidden motives and gumshoeing to make it a hard-boiled classic.” –The Globe & Mail
“The book has wowed pretty much everyone who’s read it…A finely paced, intricately written plot is matched by a kaleidoscope of the multicultural city’s locales and characters.” –Maclean’s
“Wonderfully written, the book provides a genuine insider’s view in the legal chess game of the criminal justice system.” – Edward L Greenspan Q.C.
“Splendid entertainment. Rotenberg knows his Toronto courts and jails and he knows his way around a legal thriller.” – Andrew Pyper
“Robert Rotenberg juggles a large cast and spins his twisty yarn efficiently.” –Entertainment Weekly
