Series: Thorndike Mystery | Publication Date: November 2008
A new Double Feature mystery opens— with fun movie facts and trivia.
Elliot Freed is beyond happy when legendary comics Lillis & Townes appear at his refurbished all-comedy theater. But when insinuations arise that the duo were involved in a decades-old Hollywood murder, Elliot sets out to prove the rumors wrong.
Jeffrey Cohen started life as poor street urchin, orphaned and taken in by a gang of pickpockets led by an older man named Fagin. No, wait. That's someone else, entirely.
In reality, Cohen was born in Newark, NJ during a certain year, and grew (more or less) up in Irvington, NJ, otherwise known as the Garden Spot of the Western Hemisphere.
After a childhood of normal duration, Cohen attended Rutgers College in New Brunswick, New Jersey, so as to maintain a record of never having left the Garden State for more than two weeks at a time, something which has never been equaled (or attempted, by anyone else). He studied English (when actually attending classes and not lounging at the student newspaper office), but decided to work as a journalist anyway.
Finding work (after a fashion) at the Passaic Herald-News, he served as a municipal reporter for well over six months, establishing new lows in news gathering, but managing, in his final work for the newspaper, to quote Chico Marx.
Following a hideous foray into public relations, Cohen eventually became a trade journalist, covering the consumer electronics business until someone told him to stop.
Since 1985, he has been a freelance reporter and writer, writing for such publications as The New York Times, TV Guide, USA Weekend, Premiere, American Baby and The Newark Star-Ledger, among many others.
He is also the author of more than 20 feature-length screenplays, some of which are actually good. His work has been developed by Jim Henson Productions, CBS, Gross-Weston Productions, Ken Walz Productions and others.
Cohen lives in New Jersey (big surprise!) with his wife and two children, who have been sworn to secrecy.
Hooray! IT HAPPENED ONE KNIFE has opened at a bookstore near you! Cohen's effortless, breezy and relentlessly upbeat style keeps you laughing. Nonstop. Uproariously. Slapstick, witty repartee, dry sarcasm, one-liners; Cohen has mastered them all. The mystery and the humor go hand-in-hand, seamlessly. Readers of all ages will love this book. After consuming KNIFE in one sitting, our teenage daughter actually emerged from her room demanding, and I do mean demanding, "who is this Jeffrey Cohen and why is he so funny?!". Is there any greater testimony to a tremendous talent?
Buy this book and laugh; a lot.
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Life is looking up for Elliot Freed, the owner of the movie theater Comedy Tonight, which shows one classic comedy and one contemporary comedy each week. Due to circumstances beyond his control the theatre required renovation, which took four months to complete and when finished saved Elliot's nerves from a meltdown. Now it is ready to reopen, but he learns his ex-wife Sharon is leaving her current husband, which makes Elliot even more euphoric as he still loves her. The evening before the official opening, Elliot opens late to a select audience who she shows a slasher flick that Anathony his projectionist made...
When it opens, the sales rep for Klassic Comedy Distributions Vic wants to connect Anthony with a movie distributor because he believes the audience will pay to see it. He also tells Elliot that he saw his favorite comic Harry Lillis ay an assisted care living center in Englewood, N. J. Elliot writes him about his classic show Cracked Ice opening in his theatre and Harry shows for the premier. Before he leaves he tells Eliot that Townes killed his wife Vivien and burned down the evidence to hide his crime. Lillis demands justice and their efforts to obtain proof backfires at the same time Anthony cannot find the only copy of his film; he believes Elliot took it.
Jeffrey Cohen shows why he is a wonderful mystery author with his humorous yet action-packed investigative tale. IT HAPPENED ONE KNIFE is fast-paced but contains a quirky cast who insures the audience will believe they are at a comedy show instead of in an amateur sleuth novel. Elliot is the terrific star in this comedic cozy.
Harriet Klausner
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Jeffrey Cohen has done it again, made me laugh out loud while puzzling my way through his newest Elliot Freed mystery. This time Elliot gets a chance to meet one of his all-time comedy hero's, one half- of the comedy team of Lillis and Townes. The meeting happens when he get a chance to show one of their best movies, Cracked Ice, at his comedy theatre. Lillis arranges to do an appearance before the showing and from there the tale is off and running. Mix in Elliot's complicated relationship with ex-wife Sharon and his motley crew of young employees and you have a wonderful read.
I love Jeff's writing style, his sense of humor and his ability to deftly mix his love of the puzzle with the outright funny. Congratulations Jeff, you did it again!
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