The Yiddish Gangster's Daughter (Becks Ruchinsky Mysteries) - Softcover

Cochran, Joan Lipinsky

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0999828002 ISBN 13: 9780999828007

Publisher: Joan Lipinsky Cochran, 2018

Synopsis

Boca Raton writer Becks Ruchinsky is shocked to discover her elderly father, Tootsie, was a member of the Jewish mafia and may have murdered his best friend. When he offers her one lie after another, she sets out on a journey to learn the truth about his past. What awaits her at the end of her investigation is more disturbing than she could have imagined. A gripping and thought-provoking murder mystery, The Jewish Gangster’s Daughter explores the precarious world of the 1940s and 1950s Jewish mafia . . . and the limits of familial love.

About this title

About the Author

Joan Lipinsky Cochran is a former journalist who now focuses on writing crime-related novels that explore subcultures of American Judaism. Her most recent book, The Yiddish Gangster's Daughter, is about a woman whose life is endangered when she discovers her father was a member of the Jewish mafia. It was one of three 2011 Claymore Award finalists and an Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award quarter-finalist. Her first book, Still Missing Beulah: Stories of Jews and Blacks in Mid-Century Miami, explores the racism and anti-Semitism that tarnished Miami's past and informed the relationship between the two minority groups. Three of the short stories in that collection have won literary awards. When she’s not working on a novel, Joan is testing recipes and writing food columns and articles, playing classical and Irish violin, reading, sailing, and bicycling. She lives in Boca Raton with her husband and ungrateful cat.

Review

Reviewedby K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
 
TheYiddish Gangster's Daughter is a standalone mystery novel by
authorJoan Lipinsky Cochran, written for adults. The central
characteris Becks Ruchinsky, whose life is already in turmoil with
thenews of her husband's betrayal. As she's already trying to
recoverfrom this awful news, she finds out that her father, Tootsie,
hasbeen accused of a murder that took place in his youth. Fifty
yearsago, Tootsie worked for the Jewish syndicate, running
numbersfor mobsters and racketeering, as well as being involved
inillegal arms dealing. Horrified by the truth of her father's past,
Becksdiscovers more and more as she finds it harder and harder to
forgivehim.
 
Ifound Tootsie's story much more interesting than Becks's
dilemma,but that's not to say that the two don't go together well.
Tellingthe story from now and looking back lends a somewhat
comfortingair to the tale, softening some of the blows of the
difficultand dangerous life that Tootsie led when he was younger.
JoanLipinsky Cochran has done a fantastic job of illustrating the life
ofa Jewish gangster and the reasons why these men lived and
workedin the way that they did, whilst also giving us a modern day
voiceand opinion on the past through Becks. Overall, I'd
recommendThe Yiddish Gangster's Daughter to readers who enjoy
bothhistorical fiction and women's fiction, as the emotional story
lineof forgiveness and discovery runs hand in hand with the
fascinating andexciting life of gangsters five decades ago.

Review #2: Review by Keith Julius Reviewed By:
Keith Julius
Review Rating:
5 Stars - Congratulations on your 5-star review! Get your free 5-star seal!
Reviewed By Keith Julius for Readers' Favorite
In The Yiddish Gangster's Daughter, author Joan LipinskyCochran introduces us to Becky Ruchinsky, a forty-something mother oftwo who finds her life moving in some totally unexpected directions. Her two sons have headed off to college, leaving her at home with herhusband, Daniel, a renowned oncologist, and Becky has finally managed to make amends with her elderly father, Tootsie. Tootsie, a resident ofthe Schmuel Bernstein Jewish Home for the Aged, has been alone for twoyears now following the death of Becky's mother. But even before thentheir relationship had been strained, after Becky learned of herfather's infidelity toward her mother. She tries to be a good daughter,but she can't forgive him for the pain he brought to the family.Returning home after a visit with the old man, Becky receives a phonemessage informing her that her husband, Daniel, has likewise beencheating on her. Overwhelmed with emotions, she feels her life crashingdown around her as she throws Daniel out of the house. How could thingspossibly get any worse?

But get worse they do. While Becky is visiting her father, Tootsie letsslip a casual comment regarding the fact that he was involved withgangsters in Miami before Becky was born. She pressures him for moredetails and begins to learn the truth. Though the story is toldpredominately from Becky's point of view, we get occasional glimpsesfrom Tootsie's perspective as well, as he reflects on his past and thechoices he made to support his family. The story is richly detailed with believable characters and realistic dialogue, and paced to keep thereader interested and anticipating the next revelation, as we learn some shocking secrets regarding the family history and the role Tootsie andher Uncle Moe played in it. Joan Lipinsky Cochran presents an intriguing story line as The Yiddish Gangster's Daughter begins to piece togetherthe fragments of her father's life into a coherent story filled withpoor decisions and bad mistakes and, yes, gangsters. It's a lifestylethat eventually overtakes Becky and threatens not only her life but thelives of her loved ones. The book will have you eagerly turning pages as you await the revelations at the end of Becky's search to discover thetruth regarding the father she thought she knew.

Edition details

• Publisher: Joan Lipinsky Cochran
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0999828002
• ISBN 13: 9780999828007
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 306