Don't Cry for Me, Hot Pastrami [Paperback]

Sharon Kahn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 5, 2002

Sailing the Caribbean on a bargain cruise line, Ruby and members from her temple discover day old dinners and portholes sealed with bubblegum. The good news is Ruby finds love on deck. The bad news is he may be a killer.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Widow Ruby Rothman and the gang from Temple Rita in Eternal, Tex., return for a third riotous tale of murder and mayhem from Agatha Award-nominee Kahn (Fax Me a Bagel and Never Nosh a Matzo Ball). The irksome temple yenta Essie Sue Margolis, fund-raising chairperson and resident busybody, plans a Caribbean cruise with a Jewish sea captain and Prof. Willie Bob Gonzales, who will lecture on Jews of the Caribbean. Ruby knows from a survey she conducted that their rabbi, Kevin Kapstein, is losing ground with his congregation. She's certain that the cruise will boost his waning popularity. However, the survey is anything but kosher, the sea captain is actually Essie Sue's cousin Horatio (n‚ Harry) Goldberg, and Willie Bob dies mysteriously at Ruby's feet while waiting to board the ship. And as if that weren't enough, the boat runs into a severe storm, the opening gala dinner features plastic tablecloths and frozen chicken and it looks like the cruise to die for will be the cruise to die from. Even a possible shipboard romance, the first romantic interest Ruby has felt since her husband's death, is fraught with suspicion and doubts as she uses her high-tech computer skills and the aid of her mysterious e-mail friend, Nan, to discover what really happened to Willie Bob. A fast-paced mystery, a cast of quirky characters, humor and wit that will make readers giggle if not laugh out loud, as well as an enchanting sleuth, make this a delightful addition to the series.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Ruby (Fax Me a Bagel), a plump-and-proud rabbi's widow and part-owner of a bagel shop in Eternal, TX, wins a free Caribbean cruise trip sponsored by her temple. Several disadvantages become apparent. First, it's a budget cruise put together by the temple's ubiquitous control freak. Second, the professor in charge of their study of Caribbean Jews collapses and dies just before boarding. Then, during a week of clouds and rain, someone attacks Ruby while she's taking pictures. The narrative proceeds with wild abandon, blatant cruise-bashing, and much humor, so this should provide the rest and relaxation the doctor ordered.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (November 5, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425187152
• ISBN-13: 978-0425187159
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,443,059 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Don't buy for me, hot pastrami, December 31, 2001

By 

tamara (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Don't Cry For Me, Hot Pastrami: A Ruby, the Rabbi's Wife Mystery (Ruby, the Rabbi's Wife Mysteries) (Hardcover)

The bibliophile's eternal question -- to buy or not to buy (or borrow from the library), I would say the answer here is: borrow. Worth reading. A fun read. But that's it.

Ruby, the former rabbi's wife, embarks on a cruise with the congregants from hell and their current rabbi who has the leadership ability of Jello. The entire cruise quickly turns hellish when Ruby stumbles onto some nefarious goings-on. The book's downside: The congregants are unbelievable to the point of being insulting caricatures. The plot has a tendency to stray and meander. But, it's worth sticking with because it does leave you (and Ruby literally) dying to know the truth. Plus, Ruby has a delightfully quick, sarcastic wit and manages to deliver some wicked observations and comments which made me "kvell" (because if I'd been in her place, I wouldn't have thought of that perfect line until 16 hours later ... of course she does have the luxury of being a character in a book, but nonetheless it's always refreshing to spend time with someone who won't suffer fools gladly and that's Ruby.) So, definitely a fun read, you'll be treated to some delicious and hilarious lines and a plot that does turn interesting around p. 100. A more worthwhile "borrow" than "buy." This likely isn't a book you'll need or want to read again. But, I don't think you'll regret the time you spent reading it.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Plot Overboard!, October 25, 2001

By 

Thelma Matthew (Lisle, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Don't Cry For Me, Hot Pastrami: A Ruby, the Rabbi's Wife Mystery (Ruby, the Rabbi's Wife Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Unless you are looking for a lame mystery which insults anyone even loosely related to the Jewish faith or the cruise industry, forget about this offering from Sharon Kahn. I do, however, give her an extra star for handling Ruby's emotional dilemma about trust and dating after widowhood in a sensitive and believable manner.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Good Idea For A Book Series, But Not Well Done, October 25, 2001

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Don't Cry For Me, Hot Pastrami: A Ruby, the Rabbi's Wife Mystery (Ruby, the Rabbi's Wife Mysteries) (Hardcover)

I really wanted to like this, but Ruby is getting less likeable with each book in this series. This is a problem since she is the narrator and main character. The story is improbable and the characters are silly. A fast, light read that will not stay with you as long as a hot pastrami sandwich, or even a bagel. Too bad. Maybe the next one (if there is one) will be better.