Rabbi Aviva Cohen Mysteries

A small-town New Jersey rabbi is compelled to investigate when a funeral leads to a suspicious death in this cozy mystery series opener. Aviva Cohen is a fifty-something, twice-divorced rabbi living an uneventful life in southern New Jersey. Although her family is unconventional, her days are otherwise routine. Services, religious education, and counseling mostly. She also officiates the occasional funeral . . . But the funeral of unpopular real estate tycoon William Phillips is very out of the ordinary. At the end of the service, two family members ask Aviva for help, saying that Phillips was murdered. Aviva dismisses their claims but is shocked when one of them is later found dead from an apparent suicide. Riddled with guilt and suspicious of the death, Aviva puts her skills as a yenta to good use. Her search for answers, unfortunately, has her crossing paths with her first ex-husband, the new chief of police. Plus, if Aviva's not careful, the next funeral she attends might be her own . . . "Lots of fun!" -Midwest Book Review  "Schneider succeeds in blending the complex life of a congregational spiritual leader with that of [a] first-rate detective, family member, confidant, friend, human being and even yenta (nosy body)." -San Diego Jewish World  "Chanukah Guilt weaves Jewish culture and mystery in a delightful blend. . . . I enjoyed this cozy mystery and look forward to the next instalment by this talented author." -Bloodstained Book Reviews"I think this character could show up in several more books and I'd be glad to see her." -Reviewing the Evidence

A New Jersey rabbi's mitzvah for her mother leads her to investigate a shady hospital in this cozy mystery by the author of Unleavened Dead. Rosh Hashanah has just ended, and Rabbi Aviva Cohen is exhausted. She should get started on her preparations for Yom Kippur, but there's a family emergency. Her mother was found unconscious at her assisted living facility in Boston and is now in the hospital. When Aviva arrives, she is desperate to learn if this was an accident or if her mother was attacked, but with unsure doctors and her mother in a coma, there's no way to get a clear answer. The rabbi's only choice is to investigate, but that won't be easy with her bossy sister and her lovelorn ex-husband in tow. And yet Aviva manages to uncover an unsettling conspiracy at the hospital involving fraud and possibly murder. Aviva better pray she doesn't wind up in the hospital herself-or worse yet-the morgue.  "A witty, engaging mystery and fun read!" -Amy M. Bennett, author of the award-winning Black Horse Campground mysteries  "The best in this series. As usual, Rabbi Aviva Cohen is feisty, honest, and funny. The author's experience ministering to the elderly is apparent. This cozy rings true." -J. L. Greger, author of the award-winning Science Traveler medical mystery thrillers"If I'm ever in trouble, forget the marines. Send in the rabbi! In Yom Killer you'll have a great time watching Rabbi Aviva Cohen shedding light on the shadiest hospital in New England. This is Schneider's best yet." -Robert Lopresti, award-winning author of Greenfellas

A full-time rabbi becomes a part-time sleuth when three suspicious deaths arise in this cozy mystery by the author of Chanukah Guilt. Rabbi Aviva Cohen has her hands full with Passover preparations, she certainly has no time to deal with anything else. Yet tragedy soon changes her plans when two members of the congregation are found dead. Their cause of death is believed to be accidental carbon monoxide poisoning, but Aviva is not so sure. Soon after, her niece's partner is suspected in a hit-and-run death. While Aviva is certain she's innocent, the amateur sleuth can't overlook the body-sized dent in the hood of her SUV. Digging into the two cases, Aviva uncovers a surprising connection between them, as well as a heap of disturbing criminal activity. Now she must quickly sift through the mishegoss to find out the truth before death strikes again . . . "Aviva is a great character, full of fun, somebody you'd feel comfortable hanging out with. Even though there are many mentions of Jewish tradition, non-Jews won't feel bombarded with too much information or miss any good clues along the way." -Kings River Life Magazine