Case Closed

Orgad tackles the subject of juvenile delinquency in a novel of rare psychological realism. Ronen, the son of a well-to-do family, is angry at his parents and rightly so. They are constantly fighting over trifles and worrying about superficial problems, like what the neighbors will think of them. They don’t trust Ronen and blame him for everything. He vents his anger through violence. Avigdor’s family, on the other hand, is warm and supportive, though humble. Fat, cumbersome and slow to learn, Avigdor is often considered handicapped. Ronen takes advantage of Avigdor’s great need for a friend and persuades him to take part in stealing a box full of money. The boys are caught. Ronen used Avigdor for his own purposes, but he is unexpectedly noble during the trial, and says to the judge, “Do what you want with me, but Avigdor must be released. He was only helping me to open the box. He only wanted to have a friend.” Both boys are put on probation. Full of surprising developments, Case Closed is not only thought-provoking but also an intriguing suspense story.