Shofar, So Good

Cafe Arcana Mysteries #2

by Aliza Levine

Nothing ruins small-town football like murder at halftime.

Ava Goldberg thought she had her hands full running Cafe Arcana and keeping her tarot business afloat. But when the high school football commentator is murdered in the press box at halftime—right in the middle of the homecoming game—Shiloh is thrown into chaos.

Unfortunately for Ava, two of the main suspects are way too close for
Her ex-husband.
And the guy she’s maybe-sort-of dating.

The last thing she wants is to get involved. But when small-town gossip turns into full-blown scandal, Ava knows she has to step in—before someone else gets hurt and her new life unravels faster than a crocheted yarmulke.

Between navigating awkward Rosh Hashanah dinners, second-guessing her love life, and tracking down a killer, Ava’s holiday season is about to get a little more meshugge—and whole lot deadlier.

The second book in the Cafe Arcana Mystery series, Shofar, So Good is perfect for fans of cozy coffee shops, Jewish holidays, and small-town whodunnits with a mystical twist.

Buy Shofar, So Good today and discover why murder never takes a holiday.

Genres: Cozy Mystery

298 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 5, 2025

Reviews

[Lori Leaf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this cozy mystery! It had a complex murder investigation with several convincing suspects before the big reveal of who the actual offender was and their motive. So well done!

The heart of this book is Ava, her family & friends and small town Nebraska. I loved the family dynamics between Ava and her parents, as well as her ex. Their Jewish traditions and holiday celebrations were written in seamlessly. The budding romance she has with Owen was written well and I’m definitely pulling for them.

[Rachel Boyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the first book in this series and have been waiting (somewhat) patiently for this book to come out. It was worth the wait! Ava Goldberg lives in small-town Nebraska and owns a cafe and she also offers tarot readings. Ava's parents are coming to town for a Jewish holiday.....and her mom has invited Ava's ex-husband. And disapproves of anyone for Ava that isn't Jewish. What could go wrong? I really like the characters. Ava's meddlesome mother is written as a complex character with some redeeming qualities. Ava is of the Jewish faith and I really enjoyed learning about the faith and some of the customs and importance of certain foods and customs. Ava also reads tarot cards and it was interesting learning more about that too. The storyline is interesting and the twists I did not see coming- wow! I read this book quickly because I didn't want to put it down. It was so good! The ending was a little creepy and had my adrenaline pumping. Once again, there is the element about self reflection and growth in this book. I love it, it's something I really connect with and makes Ava feel more realistic. I enjoyed seeing more of Ava's parents, Riley, and Owen. The secondary characters are great. I love a good small town story. I highly recommend this book! I'm looking forward to the next one.

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, who knew that a murder could be such fun to read about? Levine provides us with a family situation that is real and thought-provoking, a potential romance that causes the reader to holler at the protagonist ("Go for it! He's great! Make a decision!"), and a long-term festering grudge in the small Nebraska town of Shiloh. Add to that more information about Jewish holidays and guidance from Tarot cards, and you're deep into a community mystery that's hard to put down. This second book in the series (with another on the way, I'm glad to hear) lets us understand how tough it is to move from a big city to a rural area, start a business, and make friends in a completely new environment. Grab it today!

[Kellie Vasa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being from Nebraska myself and living in the town this book is based off of I loved this book! Definitely looking forward to reading more from this author 💓

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was supposed to review this book a while ago, since I received an ARC in exchange for doing just that, but I wanted to save it to read during Rosh Hashanah. I'm not Jewish, but, like the MC's friends, I'm interested in learning about the traditions. Anyway, although I didn't really find out anything new, I enjoyed an inside look at the celebrations, and I really appreciated that the author seemed to respect her readers' intelligence and ability to decipher context clues. No, we don't need every Yiddish word defined for us, nor a glossary provided, and she didn't interrupt the narrative this way. In fact, I'd say that was one thing I really enjoyed about the book -- the flow. I could just immerse myself in the read without encountering any editorial oopsies (either it was professionally edited or the author herself has a good eye and sufficient patience to comb through the manuscript multiple times) or timeline glitches like a character said to be in their 50s who has grandchildren in their 30s or served in the Vietnam War. (These kinds of errors are surprisingly common and are a pet peeve of mine.)

Plot-wise, things moved along at a pretty good clip, and I didn't guess whodunnit until pretty close to the end. There was more romance than I'd have liked, but that's a personal preference I'm aware that not many share. At least things were kept pretty G-rated, though, which is good since I don't want a blow-by-blow of anyone's bedroom activities any more than I want to hear what they do in the bathroom.

The one thing I really didn't like was how, during the climactic part (not a spoiler, since there's always a climactic part), when the heroine is running from the baddie, she doesn't seem to spare much thought for whether the supposed love of her life is still alive or not. She doesn't go back to grab her phone to call for a rescue, and doesn't for one second consider rescuing him herself. Okay, maybe this attitude is more realistic than those books in which the MC takes unnecessary risks to save a loved one, or even a not-so-loved one, and I honestly have no idea how I'd react in a similar situation. Still, in comparison to other fictional heroines, her actions came across as somewhat jarring and almost callous since she didn't seem to think too much about her boyfriend until after she was safe.

[Bookish Bear (Stephanie) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Channel your inner Queen of Swords, girl – She don't take crap from no one.”

Thank you Aliza for the chance to read Book 2 early!

This was a fun read. I knew from the start that this was going to be a roller coaster. You have Ava's family visiting for the holiday, Rosh Hasanah. Ava on edge about her relationship with Owen and keeping silent about it to her parents. A very unwelcome guest shows up for Rosh Hasanah and it puts their relationship more on the rocks. And this unwelcome guest shows up everywhere! Ava and Owen attend the high school homecoming football game with her father and to make things more strained between them they find a dead body. They end up figuring out their relationship, thankfully. During Rosh Hasanah dinner, Owen brings an apple cake to try and win Ava’s mother over. I loved that! But I also liked the part that Ava and her family were trying to teach about their religious rituals. It felt welcoming as a reader. Ava's family, as dramatic as they come across, feel so genuine and fun. I hope we get more of them. Overall, I had a lot of fun reading book 2. I couldn’t figure out who the killer was but I had a ballpark idea. I recommend trying this series out! I look forward to book 3 and learning about Owen’s first Passover.

[Roman Haen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

Aliza Levine has been my first dive into the cozy mystery genre and I'm very excited to confirm that book 2 in the Cafe Arcana Mysteries series is just as good as the first! A Deck Stacked for Murder (book 1) convinced me that I actually do really like the cozy mystery genre and had me eager to read more of Ava's adventures. Shofar, So Good was just as wonderful!

In book 2, we get to feel Ava's anxiety about having her parents visit for the holidays, plus her anxiety about how to tell her parents about her non-Jewish boyfriend, PLUS her anxiety about the latest murder in town (which came far too soon after the last murder for comfort...). I had a hard time putting this book down - I was hooked from page one! It was so easy to read and I couldn't ever shake the feeling of needing to know what happens next.

I can't wait to read the next one!

[Jordan Raszler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shofar, So Good is a fantastic second installment in this cozy mystery series. I loved seeing Ava and Owen’s relationship develop—it's heartfelt and adds a great emotional layer to the story. The Jewish cultural elements are beautifully woven in, enriching the plot without ever feeling heavy-handed.

The small-town Nebraska setting is spot-on, full of warmth and quirky charm. It feels like a real place you’d want to visit (well, maybe without the murders!). The mystery itself is smart and twisty—I was kept guessing until the end.

If you enjoy cozy mysteries with strong characters, cultural depth, and a true sense of community, this book is a must-read. Can’t wait for the next one!

[Susan Reads Cozies · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the first book so it’s no surprise I loved this one as well. One of the best parts of the book is the tarot card readings. I would love for Ava to do a reading for me! I enjoyed learning about the Jewish traditions. There was some drama when it came to her ex-husband, her mom and Owen. I was reading and holding my breath waiting to see what happens. All the characters add their own little something to make this story great. Owen made my heart happy and put a smile on my face. I cannot wait to see what happens next.

Thank you to the author for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Cozy Champagne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shofar, So Good is the second book in the Cafe Arcana Mystery series by Aliza Levine, The amateur sleuth is Ava Goldberg, who owns Cafe Arcana (coffee and baked goods) and does tarot readings as a side hustle.

In this book, Ava's parents are visiting Ava in small town Nebraska to celebrate Rosh Hashanah. Ava is excited about their visit and also feeling awkward and nervous about introducing her parents to Owen, the guy she is sort of dating. Things become even more awkward when Ava's philandering ex-husband shows up and becomes a suspect in a murder that takes place at a local football game.

I loved Shofar, So Good. Ava is a really relatable sleuth. Her parents were great characters and added fun (and realistic) family moments to the story. I enjoyed reading about the Jewish holiday and traditions. I also really liked the tarot card readings.

The ending of the story was very suspenseful, and the setting for it was perfect!

I am looking forward to reading more books in this series and more from the author.

I received an ARC from the publisher. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a new author for me. I enjoyed the book. I had a weird connection to it as the small town, Shiloh (where the story is based), is near Omaha (where I live). Some of the mentions are completely familiar to me. This is the second book in the series, and the author did well catching us up on who was who if the first book wasn't read. I will definitely be reading the first book. The storyline kept me guessing through all the chapters.

[Carol Tucker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good storyline. I was glad to see less emphasis on the tarot readings in this second book compared to the first one.

[Charlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun read, lots of interesting complex quirky characters, murder and mayhem, lots of twists and turns, making this page turner a must read!

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The series is getting stronger!

[Traci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable mystery. I love the character growth we see in Ava in this book. She is starting yo grow a backbone. The reader will learn a lot about Jewish traditions surrounding Rosh Hashana. The mystery itself is well written and the guilty party was a bit of a surprise. Looking forward to the next book in the series