Eight Very Unhealthy Nights by Tod Goldberg and Numerous Authors
“Touches on themes of familial love, grief, heartache, tragedy and despair in addition to intense loyalty and conflicted devotion that will drive protagonists to homicide.”
Holidays could be disturbing as Eight Very Unhealthy Nights aptly demonstrates. Tensions mount sooner than ordinary together with rising to-do lists and rising calls for on money and time. Tempers could fray till they snap! If mild reader, you anticipated tales of nice festivities and glad instances right here, you’ve opened the incorrect ebook.
Editor and author of the foreword Tod Goldberg presents a deliciously darkish array of noir tales laced with humor and wry poignancy for the season written by eleven authors. They embody If I Had been a Wealthy Man by his wildly profitable older brother New York Instances best-selling creator, tv author and producer of a number of long-running collection, Lee Goldberg, whose credit score checklist is sort of so long as this ebook!
He has reprised anti-hero Ray Bond from his personal assortment Crown Vic and describes this story on his web site as a “nasty novella”. Lee cautions devoted readers of his milder 15-book Monk collection or his five-book collaboration with Janet Evanovich that this one is impolite, crude and filled with intercourse and violence regardless of its incongruous setting in a Jewish retirement dwelling in Merced.
The opposite contributors are comprised of a various group of award-winning writers, editors, and educators. They’re James D.F. Hannah, David L. Ulin, Ivy Pochoda, Nikki Dolson, J.R. Angelella, Jim Ruland, Liska Jacobs, Gabino Iglesias, and Stefanie Leder. Every creator’s part incorporates a brief biography and lists their publications for future studying pleasure. Tod Goldberg concludes this spellbinding celebration of high-quality storytelling together with his personal contribution, the eponymously named Eight Very Unhealthy Nights. Spin the dreidel and settle in for “a group of Hannukah Noir.”
A Spin on Conventional Hanukkah Celebrations
Hanukkah, alternatively Chanukah, the Feast of Dedication, is an eight-day pageant of lights that’s usually known as a “moveable feast” because the date varies annually. In 2024, it coincides with the Christmas holidays lasting from December 25 to January 2, 2025.
It’s a commemoration of a fierce battle within the second century BCE when a small band of Jews, led by Judah the Maccabee, drove the Greeks from their land and reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. There was solely a single vial of uncontaminated olive oil to gentle the Menorah for the purification of the temple. Miraculously this provide adequate just for at some point lasted for eight.
Every year, households and mates collect nightly to gentle their very own menorahs that are additionally lit in synagogues and at public gatherings. Every holds 9 candles, one among which is the attendant or “shamash” used to kindle the opposite lights. One candle is lit the primary night time, two the second and so forth till all eight lights are kindled. Conventional blessings are recited and songs sung. Meals cooked in oils equivalent to latkes and jelly doughnuts are served together with tender brisket, roast hen, challah and different vacation favorites. Video games are performed, some wine is consumed and token items equivalent to Hanukkah gelt within the guise of gold-wrapped chocolate cash are offered every night time usually with the most expensive present reserved for the eighth night time.
Vacation Chaos Drives Them to Homicide
Eight Very Unhealthy Nights touches on themes of familial love, grief, heartache, tragedy and despair in addition to intense loyalty and conflicted devotion that will drive protagonists to homicide. Stephanie Leder’s Not a Dinner Occasion Particular person could simply resonate with some readers who’re reluctant friends at household gatherings, cocktail events and vacation dinners.
Rachel admits her main flaw. She is a sociopath, pushed to succeed as a pharmaceutical rep even when she has to lie or manipulate knowledge. She loathes her mom who’s perpetually unable to utter reward or gratitude and reluctantly agrees to the eighth night time dinner as a result of she is protecting of her sister Leah and loves her niece Nina. When drunken, abusive lout Jake staggers in threatening his household, it’s lights out for the household menorah.
Tod Goldberg’s foreword tells us, “There’s an previous bromide in crime fiction that claims there’s solely 4 methods an individual can die: Murder, suicide, pure causes or an accident. Maybe that’s true. However for anybody who has managed to spend Hannukah with their prolonged household, they’d argue that there’s additionally a fifth manner: ‘Ordinary annoyance.’” He may also contend that eight nights could also be too lengthy to rejoice something however Eight Very Unhealthy Nights is assured to entertain and amuse readers of mysteries and crime fiction. Move the latkes, please.
Publish Date: 10/29/2024
Style: Thriller, Suspense
Creator: Tod Goldberg and Numerous Authors
Web page Depend: 304 pages
Writer: Soho Crime
ISBN: 9781641296137