Chanukah Guilt

Rabbi Aviva Cohen Mystery #1

by Ilene Schneider

Aviva Cohen is a Rabbi and an amateur. Her adventures are a combination Jewish culture and traditional English murder mysteries.

Schneider succeeds in blending the complex life of a congregational spiritual leader with that of first-rate detective, family member, confidant, friend, human being and even yenta (nosy body). – San Diego Jewish World

Genres: Mystery, Jewish, Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Womens

280 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 15, 2007

About the author

A 1976 graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Philadelphia, Rabbi Ilene Schneider, Ed.D., was one of the first six women rabbis in the United States. She has been a columnist for the Burlington County Times and the Philadelphia Inquirer. She is the Coordinator of the Jewish Hospice Program for Samaritan Hospice, Marlton, NJ. An avid birder, she is active with the New Jersey Audubon Society Rancocas Nature Center. Rabbi Schneider resides in Marlton, NJ, with her husband and their two sons. Her first novel, a cozy mystery titled CHANUKAH GUILT, was published April 2007 by Swimming Kangaroo Books. Visit her website at http://rabbiavivacohenmysteries.com"

Reviews

[Davida Chazan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy Hanukkah (or however you spell it)! Remember this book? Chanukah Guilt by Ilene Schneider is the perfect reading for the holiday, if you ask me! See my updated #bookreview here. https://wp.me/pauSsa-h2

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

When wealthy builder William Phillips dies of an apparent heart attack, Rabbi Aviva Cohen doesn't think too much about it beyond her involvement in the funeral services. But when Phillips' daughter, Madison, dies the day after visiting Aviva for some counseling, things start to look complicated.

And that's on top of Aviva's ex-husband coming to her tiny Pennsylvania town to be the new chief of police.

Honestly, I was confused by the reveal -- and not the least because there were two different versions of it (I thought the second made more sense). However, the book is a well-constructed fair play puzzle, and one that felt like the right read for the season.

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading CHANUKAH GUILT. Rabbi Aviva Cohen officiates at the funeral of a wealthy unpopular man with two ex-wives and a mistress who believes he was murdered. Then one of his daughters tells Aviva that her father died because of her. Aviva doesn't think this is so, but when she also dies, supposedly by commiting suicide, Aviva is riddled with guilt. Sge starts snooping around, intent on finding find out if both father and daughter were murdered. A feisty sleuth with a great sense of humor.

[Marjorie Goldman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining but a little too long getting to the end which seemed obvious 50 pages before the end

[Tracy Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had come across these “Rabbi Aviva Cohen mysteries” before but had never read one. I decided to start at the beginning. This was maybe a 3.5-3.75 for me. The series takes place in a small town where the female (twice divorced) rabbi seems to get mixed up in mysteries.

Though I’m not Jewish, I have lived in some heavily Jewish parts of the country, attending bar mitzvahs and such. I liked that the book was filled with Jewish rituals, holy days, vocabulary, etc…it helped me remember the timing and symbolism behind many of the events.

The centeal character of Rabbi Cohen is fun. She’s down to earth, not too perfect and seems to get wrapped up in these events. I didn’t feel the book got too heavy in violence or theme so it might be a fun murder series for a Young Adult reader (YA book section), particularly if the reader is Jewish.

I’m up in the air on reading another one just yet but I did enjoy how quick and easy it was to read through. Though the solution to the crimes were a bit of a reach in some areas, and very easy to see in others, there still were hidden connections between characters with a few twists and a turn or two. Might be a good first read for someone interested in a light murder series.

Recognize the community and events are primarily Jewish, which is interesting to me as I looked up all the unfamiliar holy days and vocabulary words that appeared in italics. Some other readers might find all the unknown vocabulary tiresome if not familiar.

[Mike Nemeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rabbi Aviva Cohen ministers to her flock, worrying about the mundane details of her life while navigating the personalities required by her job. She doesn't expect to be drawn into the investigation of a murder, much less two. But that's the premise of "Chanukah Guilt," the first in Ilene Schneider's mystery series. Aviva is no action hero. She's not even all that interested in becoming a private eye. Her synagogue, however, has other ideas. Drawn to officiate a funeral, she hears from not one but two congregants that the man was murdered. Yet Aviva is reluctant to get involved. No evidence exists. Still she forges ahead on the premise of discovering new information. Schneider's writing is compelling. There are even a couple of tense moment. But the story is mostly about relationships and the fracturing that can come with people who have long histories and complex backstories. The character development continues throughout as Aviva learns more about her subjects and their connection to the original dead man. Then another body is discovered, and the cops start to snoop around. The plot moves right along, which was good for me. I finished this in my second month of recovery from heart surgery. I had trouble even focusing on TV. But books are my go-to. This title was a gift from a friend of my son's.

[Lisa Teves · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Chanukah stories but Chanukah Guilt is my first mystery. Written by a woman Rabbi about a woman Rabbi couldn’t get any better for me. A very rich rather unpleasant real estate developer dies of a heart attack and Rabbi Aviva is asked to conduct the funeral. A week later his daughter comes to the Rabbi for counseling. Sadly she commits suicide soon after. Shocked and saddened, Rabbi Aviva starts asking questions and the more she asks, the more certain she is that both deaths were murders. Suspects for the real estate developer death include ex wives, current wife and young mistress. Even the possibility that his daughter killed him and filled with remorse took her life.
There were only two things that I didn’t like about the story. First there were so many characters that it was difficult to remember each one and their relationship to the victims. And two there was in the edition of the book I read, one ending that I thought was perfect and an alternative ending which I didn’t like. However, what I did like very much besides the basic mystery is that Rabbi Schneider includes information about Jewish life, faith and traditions. I look forward to reading the next two books in this series.

[R.E. Admore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like learning about new locations and cultures and enjoyed learning a little about New Jersey and Jewish customs; all wrapped up in an engaging murder mystery. The only thing I don't like about this genre is that people get murdered, even though I like the suspense and putting together clues to find the villain. The characters are fun and quirky, but I did get a little confused because there are many names to remember. The action moved along nicely and kept me interested throughout the book and I enjoyed some of the small details that were included. I recommended this book to a friend and we read it at the same time so were able to discuss it. We agreed on the rating, so you are getting two reviews in one! Review by R.E. Admore

[G.P. Gottlieb · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun mystery to read during Hanukah since it’s set (in New Jersey) during Hanukah! Loved the protagonist, Rabbi Aviva Cohen, who is honest in her feelings and actions, and freely shares news of her tummy troubles and opinionated thoughts about everything under the sun. Enjoyed the glimpses of her busy schedule and her jokes about having gained 50 pounds and needing to keep it up, so yes, she’ll have another latke. Admired the references to Jewish traditions and explanations about what she can eat, how she observes the sabbath, and what is expected from visitors to a house of mourning. Well done, Rabbi Schneider, can’t wait to read the rest of your books!

[G.P. Gottlieb · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun mystery to read during Hanukah because it’s set in New Jersey during Hanukah! Loved the protagonist, Rabbi Aviva Cohen, who is honest in her feelings and actions, not sparing news of her tummy troubles or any of her opinionated thoughts about everything under the sun. Enjoyed the glimpses of her busy schedule and her jokes about having gained 50 pounds and needing to keep it up, so yes, she’ll have another latke. Enjoyed the references to Jewish traditions and explanations about what she can eat, how she observes the sabbath, and what is expected from visitors to a house of mourning. Well done, Rabbi Schneider, can’t wait to read the rest of your books!

[Joan Cochran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Several people have mentioned Rabbi Schneider's books to me and I wish I'd read a more recent one as I came across what looked like an alternative chapter, which I found confusing. However, that being said, I was swept up in this story of a divorced small town rabbi investigating the death of a young woman whose father had died a few days earlier and who blames herself for his death. The characters in the book were definitely compelling and the story kept my interest. I will definitely go on to read more by this author.

[Kevin Vrieze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good characterization for Aviva Cohen, the Rabbi and main character. While the ending was a bit predictable, the story line was more believable as "normal" than many mysteries out there. The Judaica in the story was tastefully done and gave good flavor and structure to the story. There is no onstage violence and the psychology is well done. All in all, a pleasant read in the same way as The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. Chanukah is as much about faith and perseverance as anything and this mystery was in sync with that. Highly recommended. Enjoy!

[Kathleen Kalb · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED it! Checks all the boxes for a terrific mystery: unique, interesting and sympathetic main character, great ensemble and setting, and a sneaky plot. I really loved the emphasis on Jewish culture and religion, which we don't see a lot...but you don't have to be Jewish to get the references or enjoy the story. Will be jumping right into the next one! (Full disclosure: I discovered these when I won a copy in a FB group giveaway. SO glad I did!)

[Margaret Klein · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery, written by a woman rabbi about a woman rabbi. It has the air of authenticity. (I know. I'm a woman rabbi!) The rabbi officiates at a funeral of a wealthy but unpopular man. After that, the story of his life, and his death, and his granddaughter's untimely death all begin to unravel. Can Rabbi Aviva Cohen solve it? She's a rabbi, not a PI. Read the book and see if you can figure it out with all the twists and turns.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It got better s it went along. It will be interesting to read the next two volumes. Aviva is a Rabbi for a small (ish) congregation in New Jersey. She is asked to officiate at the funeral of a local building contractor. His whole family seams to be pretty dysfunctional and the Rabbi tries to help out. It's not a light, funny read but it's not bad. Worth reading more.

[Sylvia J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a delight. It is especially delightful since some of my last books have been horribly depressing, very academic, or not so great. Jude the Obscure, Lewis Percy, and Goyhood, depressing. I needed this book bigtime! Great main character! And I laughed. I have not laughed much in the last year. Now I am ready for Hanukkah!

[Donna K. Silverstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

great cozy mystery

This book was very entertaining and much better than I thought it would be. The writing was excellent. The main characters were very well developed and felt like friends. The only drawback was that there were so many characters, it was hard to keep some of the more peripheral ones straight. Great book overall though.

[Suzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very readable. She writes like she's talking to a friend and it's fun. New Jersey, female rabbi, good guys and bad guys. I want to read her other two asap. Not cozy and no recipes, more like a nice visit with an adventurous friend.

[Yifat Cestare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It flowed smoothly with plenty of explanations for the Judaic terms some people may not be familiar with. I’m looking forward to reading the next in the series.

[Corinne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nicely cozy mystery. There aren't many cozy mysteries with a Jewish perspective and a nice smattering of Jewish knowledge. This was a very enjoyable read, and I intend to read the next two books in the series.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too verbose and tangential and detailed for absolutely no reason. It was like listening to my mother (B”H) tell a story. The editor should be fired. The story was weak but the story kept me interested and wanting to know what happened.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this at random because it was available through Libby. I quite enjoyed this peak into a world very different from my own. The mystery is a bit of a let down as our detectives only really solve it because someone goes rather crazy and another person breaks down and confesses.

[Dottie Lapsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! A fun story with a unique main character and great Jewish cultural background. Can't wait to read more.

[Serita · Rating 5 out of 5]

A FUN READ

Great story and engrossing characters as well as Great explanations ON JUDAISM. The other two books in the series are equally enjoyable

[Patricia Gulley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A day by day look at a rabbi's duties and family obligations between Thanksgiving and New Year with two murders thrown in. Tangents and solutions, very good.

[Elizabeth F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good book

Very well written story with an intriguing plot. Relatable and witty characters made the mystery enjoyable. Definitely worth reading. Highly recommend!

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Really Like this book

Rabbi Aviva Cohen is a great first book! I'm looking forward to the next one in the series.😊😊😊 and many more

[Peter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Chanukah Guilt is the title of Rabbi Illene Schneider’s first cozy mystery. The heroine is also a female rabbi whose persistence in seeking answers about the supposed suicide of a young woman lead to the discovery of a double murder.

The Chanukah connection is an artificial overlay to the story and other than being “cute” due to the fact that Guilt almost sounds like Gelt, the title has nothing to do with the story.

The main character is a twice-divorced female rabbi who heads up a small congregation in southern New Jersey. We learn a great deal about Rabbi Cohen’s likes and dislikes, about her relationship with her sister and her mother, and by an unlikely coincidence meet one of her ex-husbands when he’s appointed acting police chief of the town in which Cohen lives.

Introducing all these details makes for slow going at times. One wishes her editor had explained to Rabbi Schneider the downside of falling in love with one’s protagonist. Not only does it slow things down but it detracts from the main story. Case in point is the discovery of a video of someone visiting the suicide shortly before her death. Schneider introduces evidence that the visitor brought the vodka and pills that were the cause of death, but then fails to follow up on those facts.

I read the second edition of Chanukah Guilt, which Schneider promises has eliminated typos and other errors and for which she introduces an alternate ending and asks the readers which one we prefer. When an author isn’t confident how to end her story, why should we?

Despite the awards she has garnered, Chanukah Guilt didn’t make me want to try any of Schneider’s subsequent novels. However, if you are a fan of cozy mysteries and enjoy learning how 50-something female rabbis manage their congregations and solve crimes, you may want to give Schneider’s novels a try.

[Barb Minsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

A New Rabbi Mystery Series

If you enjoyed the Rabbi Small series you will enjoy the Rabbi Cohen series.
This is well-written and keeps you guessing and entertained.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chanukah is more a home-centered holiday than a synagogue-centered one, but Aviva, the rabbi who is the protagonist of Chanukah Guilt, is having a busy one even though she lives alone. The book starts with Aviva being called to do a funeral for a local tycoon who hated all the other rabbis in their New Jersey town - a tycoon with two ex-wives, a current wife, a mistress, and several children. When the college-age daughter asks for some counsel and says she believes her father was murdered, things start to get really complicated. Add some personal family troubles, the arrival (as interim police chief) of Aviva's ex-husband, and a crippling snowstorm, and you can see that Aviva's Chanukah is not going to be peaceful. But it's always entertaining! As I attended a Jewish-sponsored university and have a daughter who is a (Christian) clergyperson, I can attest to the believability of Ilene Schneider's portrayal of her characters. I found Aviva to be an engaging and intelligent amateur sleuth, and I'm planning to read her Passover adventure a little later this year. But don't wait for Chanukah to read Chanukah Guilt -- it's a great read any time of year.