Jeffrey Cohen Reviews (3)

(2009) A Night at the Operation

Elliot Freed has his usual problems with Comedy Night, his New Jersey movie theater: small crowds, personnel issues and an old building that’s seen better days. In A Night at the Operation, he has one more – his ex-wife is missing. Conventional wisdom would be that, for most people, a missing ex-spouse isn’t that big of a deal. But our hero and Dr. Sharon Simon-Freed have an unusually friendly relationship – and Elliot is devastated.

One possible reason police give for Sharon’s disappearance is that she’s distraught by the death of one of her patients and hiding out. It appears the good doctor gave Russell Chapman a horrible diagnosis and he committed suicide to avoid a prolonged and painful death. His daughters blame Sharon and an insurance investigator is asking questions. Elliot isn’t convinced. He believes Sharon may have been kidnapped – and he’s even more certain about that when his own apartment is trashed. No surprise, Elliot decides he must investigate. He even convinces a friend who’s a cop in another jurisdiction she should help.

Elliot is a wonderful cozy hero – and funny to boot. He’s a mensch everyone roots for. A Night at the Operation is a gentle and engaging mystery with great characters it’s easy for readers to care about. The writing is breezy, the plot satisfyingly complex. And a huge plus is the movie trivia that’s easily woven into the story. I’m happy that developments in A Night at the Operation bode well for a long lineup of entertaining stories ahead.

By Diana. First published in the Cozy Library April 17, 2009.

(2008) It Happened One Knife

Getting to meet legendary 1950s comic actors Harry Lillis and Leslie Townes has New Jersey theater owner Elliot Freed on Cloud Nine. After the duo appears at Elliot’s Comedy Tonight for a special showing of their hit movie Cracked Ice. Lillis tells Elliot that his old partner is guilty of a murder fifty years earlier. Although the case couldn’t be much colder, Elliot decides to look into the accusation.

Elliot also has a more recent crime to look into, one that hits closer to home. His youthful employee/filmmaker wannabee Anthony Pagliarulo has the only copy of his film Killin’ Time, a super violent Western, stolen from the projection room at Comedy Tonight. Anthony erroneously believes Elliot stole it himself in a misguided attempt to keep the young man in college rather than pursuing a film career before he graduates.

I love this series! The writing is funny without the author’s appearing to try too hard, occasionally cynical but laced with kindness. Even the local police chief is portrayed sympathetically and NOT as the prototypical nincompoop. And Elliot, the first-person narrator, is an absolute sweetheart. I really like the relationship between him and his ex-wife Sharon, a medical doctor who dumped Elliot for Gregory the anesthesiologist. In It Happened One Knife, their relationship appears to be moving from solid friendship to something a bit more complicated.

Film buffs will appreciate all the movie references – but It Happened One Knife offers much more: smooth and witty writing, a pleasantly well-paced plot and a wonderful supporting cast for Elliot, who’s the undisputed star.

By Diana. First published in the Cozy Library August 20, 2008.

(2007) Some Like It Hot-Buttered 

Elliot Freed took money from the sale of movie rights to his one and only novel and purchased a run-down movie theater in Midland Heights, New Jersey. Comedy Tonight runs double features that pair a classic comedy with a contemporary one. It’s not a ticket to riches, but Elliot is happy with his life … until one of his patrons dies (and not laughing) during Young Frankenstein.

Our hero takes the man’s death – from drug-laced popcorn – seriously. He also takes a serious dislike to Detective Sergeant Brendan O’Donnell, who closes down the theater while he investigates. But there’s one cop Elliot takes a shine to – Officer Leslie Levant, who seems to appreciate comedy and laughter as much as he does. Elliot thinks it might be time to get back into the dating game after an incredibly friendly divorce from his first wife Sharon, an M.D. who helps support Elliot and his business venture with her regular alimony checks.

While investigating the murder, cops discover a cache of DVDs of pirated films in Comedy Tonight’s basement and, coincidentally or not, one of Elliot’s two employees, Rutgers film student Anthony Pagliarulo, disappears. That leaves him with young Sophia Beringer, a high-school junior to handle the crowds who flock to Comedy Tonight, after news of the murder makes the papers. With everyone urging Eliot to keep his nose out of police business, our man just can’t help himself.

First in a new series the author of both non-fiction and the Aaron Tucker mysteries, Some Like It Hot-Buttered was a delight to read and Elliot quickly joined the ranks of my favorite cozy heroes. The plot was fresh, the writing sparkled and the scene in which Elliot confronted one of the perpetrators inside the theater was worth the price of the book. Even a grammatical error that was repeated throughout the uncorrected proof I read -- I’m hoping it will be found and revised before publication -- didn’t put me off. Film buffs and readers who like to laugh should read this book. Some Like It Hot-Buttered is just plain funny.

By Diana. First published in Mystery News, October-November 2007.