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Rabbi Daniel Winter Mysteries
The Unorthodox Murder Of Rabbi Wahl
Murder isn't unusual in LA. But when feminist Rabbi Myrna Wahl is found dead after appearing on a controversial radio talk show, together with a radical nun and female minister, radio host Rabbi Daniel Winter finds himself the prime suspect. He'll only survive if he can develop the secular talent for detection - all the harder since he seems to be falling in love with the lady cop assigned to the case.
200 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
39 people want to read
About the author
Joseph Telushkin
49 books173 followersJoseph Telushkin (born 1948) is an American rabbi, lecturer, and best selling author. His more than 15 books include several volumes about Jewish ethics, Jewish Literacy, as well as "Rebbe", a New York Times best seller released in June 2014
Telushkin was raised in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Solomon and Hellen Telushkin. He attended Yeshiva of Flatbush where met his future co-author Dennis Prager. While at Columbia University, they authored Nine Questions People Ask About Judaism and Why the Jews?: The Reason for Antisemitism.
While at University, Telushkin was an active leader of the Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry. As part of his position, Telushkin visited the Soviet Union where he met with dissidents such as Andrei Sakharov. He was eventually listed by the KGB as an anti-Russian agent.
An Orthodox rabbi by training, Telushkin serves as a spiritual leader of Los Angeles’ Synagogue for the Performing Arts, founded in 1972 by Rabbi Jerome Cutler. He is an associate of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership and a former director of education at the non-denominational Brandeis-Bardin Institute. Telushkin is also a Senior Associate with CLAL, the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, and is a member of the board of directors of the Jewish Book Council. He has been on the Newsweek's list of the 50 most influential Rabbis in America since 1997.
Telushkin is the author of sixteen books on Judaism. His book, Words that Hurt, Words that Heal, inspired Senators Joseph Lieberman’s and Connie Mack’s Senate Resolution #151 to establish a National Speak No Evil Day in the United States, a day in which Americans would go for twenty-four hours without saying anything unkind or unfair about, or to, anyone. His book, Jewish Literacy: The Most Important Things to Know About the Jewish Religion, Its People and Its History, is one of the best-selling books on Judaism of the past two decades. More than two decades after its publication, the book remains a foundation text for Jews, non-Jews, and prospective converts alike. The first volume of A Code of Jewish Ethics, entitled A Code of Jewish Ethics: You Shall be Holy, which Telushkin regards as his major life's work, was published in 2006. The second volume, entitled, A Code of Jewish Ethics: Love Your Neighbor, was released in 2009.
In 2013, Telushkin was invited by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres to speak before the commission in Geneva.
In 2014, Telushkin released "Rebbe: The life and teachings of Menachem M. Schneerson, the most influential Rabbi in Modern History" which appeared on all the major best seller lists including New York Times Best Seller list, Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly.
Telushkin tours the United States as a lecturer on Jewish topics, and has been named by Talk Magazine as one of the fifty best speakers in the United States. He wrote the episode 'Bar Mitzvah' on Touched by an Angel guest starring Kirk Douglas.
Telushkin was raised in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Solomon and Hellen Telushkin. He attended Yeshiva of Flatbush where met his future co-author Dennis Prager. While at Columbia University, they authored Nine Questions People Ask About Judaism and Why the Jews?: The Reason for Antisemitism.
While at University, Telushkin was an active leader of the Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry. As part of his position, Telushkin visited the Soviet Union where he met with dissidents such as Andrei Sakharov. He was eventually listed by the KGB as an anti-Russian agent.
An Orthodox rabbi by training, Telushkin serves as a spiritual leader of Los Angeles’ Synagogue for the Performing Arts, founded in 1972 by Rabbi Jerome Cutler. He is an associate of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership and a former director of education at the non-denominational Brandeis-Bardin Institute. Telushkin is also a Senior Associate with CLAL, the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, and is a member of the board of directors of the Jewish Book Council. He has been on the Newsweek's list of the 50 most influential Rabbis in America since 1997.
Telushkin is the author of sixteen books on Judaism. His book, Words that Hurt, Words that Heal, inspired Senators Joseph Lieberman’s and Connie Mack’s Senate Resolution #151 to establish a National Speak No Evil Day in the United States, a day in which Americans would go for twenty-four hours without saying anything unkind or unfair about, or to, anyone. His book, Jewish Literacy: The Most Important Things to Know About the Jewish Religion, Its People and Its History, is one of the best-selling books on Judaism of the past two decades. More than two decades after its publication, the book remains a foundation text for Jews, non-Jews, and prospective converts alike. The first volume of A Code of Jewish Ethics, entitled A Code of Jewish Ethics: You Shall be Holy, which Telushkin regards as his major life's work, was published in 2006. The second volume, entitled, A Code of Jewish Ethics: Love Your Neighbor, was released in 2009.
In 2013, Telushkin was invited by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres to speak before the commission in Geneva.
In 2014, Telushkin released "Rebbe: The life and teachings of Menachem M. Schneerson, the most influential Rabbi in Modern History" which appeared on all the major best seller lists including New York Times Best Seller list, Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly.
Telushkin tours the United States as a lecturer on Jewish topics, and has been named by Talk Magazine as one of the fifty best speakers in the United States. He wrote the episode 'Bar Mitzvah' on Touched by an Angel guest starring Kirk Douglas.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 2, 2025
Ugh. Unless you are an Orthodox or conservative Jew, pass this one right on by. The sexism and homophobia are blatant and very cringey, as is our protagonist's negative thoughts/feelings towards modern women. Maybe in 1987 their views were considered super-radical feminism, but 40 years later, no so much. Except maybe to men who practice a religion that says men have to be the superior beings in said religion, because otherwise all the women would take over and the men lose interest, and we can't have that now, can we?? /sarcasm
The murder(s) were also pretty deflating, as the killer came out of left field and coincidentally tied a very neat bow around not only the deaths that happen in this book, but also a cold case from 2 years ago that is peripheral to our "lady cop" (who is not actually a police officer, but a psychologist attached to the LAPD, no idea why she was doing detective work in the first place).
And speaking of which - Daniel Winter may be a rabbi, but he's also a man and he gets a lot of Pants Feelings for Brenda. Did I mention she was one of his congregants? Nope nope nope!
The murder(s) were also pretty deflating, as the killer came out of left field and coincidentally tied a very neat bow around not only the deaths that happen in this book, but also a cold case from 2 years ago that is peripheral to our "lady cop" (who is not actually a police officer, but a psychologist attached to the LAPD, no idea why she was doing detective work in the first place).
And speaking of which - Daniel Winter may be a rabbi, but he's also a man and he gets a lot of Pants Feelings for Brenda. Did I mention she was one of his congregants? Nope nope nope!
April 9, 2019
Rabbi Daniel Winter helps the police investigate the murder of a feminist rabbi from a nearby synagogue in West LA. This was fun-ish. I liked the rabbi asking the woman he might date to call him by his first name, because everyone calls him ‘rabbi.’ The casual homophobia didn’t date well. Bought at Catnap $3.00 9.24.16
April 30, 2023
What an elegant read! The unlikely amateur detective is an orthodox rabbi who is engaging, interesting, and so intelligent. His life within a synagogue and in the outside world is laid out for us to understand. Multiple relationships, complicated relationships, all become clear as the plot unfolds. Joseph Telushkin is a star. I am now in hot pursuit of his other books in the series and beyond.
April 17, 2019
Shows its age in its sexism and homophobia.
July 22, 2010
I know Joseph Telushkin as a scholar of Judaica. He is also a pretty fair mystery writer. The problem is that he has only written three mysteries and I read them many nears ago. However, in the middle of the Zookeepers Wife I felt the need for something light and went back to Telushkin.
In his first mystery he introduces us to Rabbi Daniel Winter, a orthodox rabbi. serving a conservative congregation. The Rabbi is a widower so in the first chapter he meets Brenda Goldstein, a striking readheaded criminal psychiatrist divorcee. Throughout the solving of the mystery the relationship grows.
The rabbi has a weekly radio talk show - religion and you. On this particular night he is interviewing three women on the issue of women and religion. Ardent Feminist Rabbi Myra Wahl and her protestant friend heat up the rhetoric. The show ends with unfortunate exchange of words. On the way home Rabbi Wahl is murdered. The obvious killer is Milton Karp, a member of the congregation who is leading the charge to get Myra fired.
Guess I will go back and re-read the other two.
In his first mystery he introduces us to Rabbi Daniel Winter, a orthodox rabbi. serving a conservative congregation. The Rabbi is a widower so in the first chapter he meets Brenda Goldstein, a striking readheaded criminal psychiatrist divorcee. Throughout the solving of the mystery the relationship grows.
The rabbi has a weekly radio talk show - religion and you. On this particular night he is interviewing three women on the issue of women and religion. Ardent Feminist Rabbi Myra Wahl and her protestant friend heat up the rhetoric. The show ends with unfortunate exchange of words. On the way home Rabbi Wahl is murdered. The obvious killer is Milton Karp, a member of the congregation who is leading the charge to get Myra fired.
Guess I will go back and re-read the other two.
September 1, 2014
I found this book while we were cleaning.
Rabbi Daniel Winter hosts a radio show without using his title of Rabbi. He had invited three women to be on the same show: Rabbi Myra Wahl, Reverend Joanne Short, and Sister Mary Kuluski. He never expected to be a suspect the next day in the murder of Rabbi Wahl.
Before the murder happens, he meets Brenda Goldstein, who is working for the Homicide Division of the local police department. She comes to the Rabbi because a watch was stolen from her daughter who is in the bat mitzvah class. The Rabbi makes an announcement and the watch is returned and they become friends.
The Rabbi has a good memory and is able to connect events to eventually solve the title murder as well as other mysteries.
I have no memory of buying this book but am glad I found it. I am using it as U in my Alphabet Soup challenge though it was not read for that purpose.
Rabbi Daniel Winter hosts a radio show without using his title of Rabbi. He had invited three women to be on the same show: Rabbi Myra Wahl, Reverend Joanne Short, and Sister Mary Kuluski. He never expected to be a suspect the next day in the murder of Rabbi Wahl.
Before the murder happens, he meets Brenda Goldstein, who is working for the Homicide Division of the local police department. She comes to the Rabbi because a watch was stolen from her daughter who is in the bat mitzvah class. The Rabbi makes an announcement and the watch is returned and they become friends.
The Rabbi has a good memory and is able to connect events to eventually solve the title murder as well as other mysteries.
I have no memory of buying this book but am glad I found it. I am using it as U in my Alphabet Soup challenge though it was not read for that purpose.
November 15, 2013
I loved this series. A plot of one of the books turned up on a tv show a few years ago and I always wondered if this author even knew about it! Interesting plots, good mysteries and a some cultural education.
I'm very sorry he didn't continue this series.
I'm very sorry he didn't continue this series.
June 11, 2009
Feels a bit dated in theme and a little paint-by-numbers in the plotting, but still pretty good.
March 2, 2015
An interesting mystery as well as a window into Jewish society in California.
June 28, 2012
very fast reading. Rabbi Goldstein lent it to me.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews