Synopsis:
Move over, Miss Marple—Mark Reutlinger’s charming cozy debut introduces readers to the unforgettable amateur sleuth Rose Kaplan and her loyal sidekick, Ida.
Everyone knows that Rose Kaplan makes the best matzoh ball soup around—she’s a regular matzoh ball maven—so it’s no surprise at the Julius and Rebecca Cohen Home for Jewish Seniors when, once again, Mrs. K wins the honor of preparing the beloved dish for the Home’s seder on the first night of Passover.
But when Bertha Finkelstein is discovered facedown in her bowl of soup, her death puts a bit of a pall on the rest of the seder. And things go really meshugge when it comes out that Bertha choked on a diamond earring earlier stolen from resident Daisy Goldfarb. Suddenly Mrs. K is the prime suspect in the police investigation of both theft and murder. Oy vey—it’s a recipe for disaster, unless Rose and her dear friend Ida can summon up the chutzpah to face down the police and solve the mystery themselves.
Advance praise for Mrs. Kaplan and the Matzoh Ball of Death
“Is there kosher food in jail? These two heroines have gotten themselves in quite a pickle! Well, it’s a matzoh ball mess, really. Too deliciously funny!”—Rita Mae Brown, bestselling author of Nine Lives to Die
My review:
Mrs. Kaplan and the Matzoh Ball of Death is the first cozy mystery from author Mark Reutlinger and is a fun and quick read that reminded me of The Golden Girls meets Columbo. I really enjoyed it!
There’s been a suspicious death during this year’s seder at the local home for Jewish seniors and the police are on the case. It turns out the victim, Bertha Finkelstein, has choked on an earring that seemingly has been cooked into one of Mrs. Kaplan’s matzoh balls. But things are not as they appear as this mystery will lead Mrs. Kaplan and her friend Ida on the search for the real culprit, since Mrs. K knew it wasn’t her. They sure have their work cut out for them and in the end, these women have a good shot at solving this culinary misfortune and prove that neither Mrs. K nor her famous matzoh balls are to blame.
This was a fun read for me, especially being a Jewish gal myself. There was a lot of yiddish being spoken between the characters which really appealed to me and reminded me a whole lot of my own grandmother and the friends she has at our local home for Jewish seniors. I enjoyed the mystery as well and thought that Mrs. K’s investigation was fantastic. There was a lot of wit and charm despite the fact that this was actually an investigation into an unfortunate death. Again, it really did remind me of The Golden Girls and I loved this departure from my normal genres.
If you’re looking for a quick and entertaining read, this is a book to get on your list! Thank you Mr. Reutlinger for bringing us the mysterious case of the matzoh ball of death!
Three-and-a-Half Loves
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About the author:
Mark Reutlinger is the author of the novel Made in China and a professor of law emeritus at Seattle University. Born in San Francisco, Mark graduated from UC Berkeley and now lives with his wife, Analee, in University Place, Washington.
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I loved The Golden Girls so if Rose and Ida are anything like those fabulous ladies then I’ll love this book. Thanks for being a part of the tour!