Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner
Fax Me a Bagel
Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Sharon Kahn
Class/Genre: Mystery
Series: Ruby, the Rabbi's Wife
Scribner, Aug 1998, $22.00, 255 pp.
In the small Jewish community of Eternal, Texas, Marla Solomon dies after eating a poisoned bagel. The local police arrest baker Milt Aboud, owner of the Hot Bagel, for committing the crime. Ruby Rothman, widow of the rabbi who died in a hit and run, refuses to believe that Milt killed the sister of the synagogue's vice chairman.
Ruby begins to investigate the townsfolk, starting with her deceased spouse's personal files. She soon concludes that her husband was murdered and that someone is after her too when she almost is hit by a fleeing vehicle. Ruby also learns what propelled Milt to open up his bakery in Texas. As she gets closer to the truth, Ruby realizes that her husband's family is intertwined in the six decade old Aboud feud that appears to have traveled from New York to Texas. Still, she needs to show more caution because the culprit has begin to target her.
FAX ME A BAGEL is an entertaining female amateur sleuth tale that brings a warm new entry into a very talented and growing field. Fans of the sub-genre will love the spunky and self-deprecatingly humorous Ruby, whose ironic outlook on life makes her a refreshing sleuth. Though the story line is obvious from the start , it does not take away from insight into rabbinical politics and the unionization of the bagel industry. Hopefully, Sharon Kahn will provide readers with more tales of her cream cheese and lox (on a bialy next time?) heroine.
Harriet Klausner
Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner
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