I've not read the Rabbi Smalls books, but I remember hearing/reading somewhere that originally the author had simply wanted to write a book about a rabbi and his congregation. When he sent it to his agent, the agent responded that he could sell it if Kemelman would consider having the rabbi solve a murder, but otherwise there was no way. This story may be apocryphal but it does not stop me returning to it as a publishing parable.

(My uncle, who is a rabbi, has read them, and says there isn't enough rabbinical discourse in them, but that's just what I would expect him to say.)

I am also of course very excited to hear about any Isabelle Hollands!