Jeffrey Cohen (1)Critiques

While billed as book four of the Aaron Tucker Mystery Series, the short story titled, The Gun Also Rises, is also a prequel to the series. For readers familiar with the books, this ten thousand word short story is an explanation of how things got started with characters we already know and love. For those readers new to the series, it is a nice taste of what is to come in the series that started with For Whom The Minivan Rolls.

Set several years before the books, the tale opens with Aaron Tucker dealing with a school issue that haunted many parents in the late 1990s--- zero tolerance. Driven by fear, zero tolerance policies covered many things that used to be handled on an individual case-by-case manner as things happened. Bringing a toy water gun to school and shooting your fellow first grade classmate is something that does not go over well. What would have been dismissed as a childhood prank and the offender warned, now results in a heavy administrative response. Barely two weeks into the school year and Aaron Trucker is already sitting down with the Vice Principal Anne Mignano of Sydney Primary School located in Midland Heights, New Jersey.

According to the vice principal, there isn’t any question Ethan used his water gun on the other student. Even if Abby, Ethan’s mom and Aaron’s wife, and is also an attorney, was there for the meeting Ethan could not avoid a two day suspension from school. After all, it is a mandatory district rule and therefore can’t be open to interpretation.

But, what if the water gun wasn’t his?

Aaron knows once he sees the water gun that it does not belong to Ethan. Aarons knows what toys Ethan has and certainly does not have a yellow one. All Ethan has are red and blue toys, except for dinosaurs, as they have to be yellow because it is an accuracy thing. Once Aaron points out the fact that he had the water gun isn’t his, Vice Principal Mignano gives him three days to identify the guilty party or Ethan starts his suspension on Monday.

Not only does Aaron need the time to clear his son of the false accusation, he needs time to do his freelance writing assignments. Being a working writer operating from home means he has his hands full with taking care of the home front in all aspects as well as taking any and all writing gigs as they come. That includes an assignment for a baseball periodical that wants Aaron to write a piece on the star pitcher of the local minor league team. The same star pitcher that died right on the mound during the celebration minutes after the team won the championship. As Aaron does his research on the player, when not dealing with the water gun problem, Aaron begins to realize that the death was a murder. The question is—who did it?

First published in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, The Gun Also Rises is a mystery with a couple of twists and plenty of humor. Those of us who were work from home parents or still are will recognize some of the issues that have to be dealt with on a regular basis. Those who aren’t will still get a chuckle or two as the primary mystery of what happened to the baseball player takes over the read.

Fun and entertaining, The Gun Also Rises: An Aaron Tucker Mystery, is a nice treat for longtime readers of the Aaron Tucker series as well as a very nice entry point for new readers. Well worth your time, the short tale is highly recommended.

The Gun Also Rises: An Aaron Tucker Mystery
Jeffrey Cohen
http://www.jeffcohenbooks.com/wp/
Self Published
August 2011
ASIN# B005JPEGGA
eBook
46 Pages
$0.99

I recently picked this up to read and review using funds in my Amazon Associate Account.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2017

Comedy Tonight, a comedy-only theater, shows two films each night. But when the man seated in row S, seat 18, ends up dead, Elliott Freed’s movie theatre becomes a crime scene. It isn’t long before the police determine that poisoned popcorn was the cause of Vincent Ansella’s demise and the writer-turned-theatre-owner sets out to prove that no one at Comedy Tonight is responsible for this reprehensible crime.

Delightful characters populate this tale: theatre owner Elliot Freed wrote a book that became a bad movie and now eschews writing in favor of showing comedy films in his theatre; projectionist/usher/film geek Anthony dreams of directing his own film; Goth-wannabe Sophie sells tickets and snacks. It’s a bare-bones operation with few regular customers, but Comedy Tonight is Elliot’s pride and joy. With a strong sense of place, larger-than-life, lovable characters, an original premise, and many delightful references, chuckling readers will find much to enjoy as they unravel clues that lead to the culprit.

Highly recommended.

The book looks into the relationship between schools and parents of children with an autistic spectrum disorder. The author offers advice on how to build a team to help someone's child through the trials and tribulations of school, something difficult for children with an autistic spectrum disorder. Teachers, administrators, professionals and many parents contribute ideas and offer advice on topics ranging from home schooling to transition plans to college.

This my favorite of the three Aaron Tucker books, probably because of the introduction of the dog. Aaron is still staying home with his kids, writing freelance, and getting involved in a murder. This one touches pretty close to home and involves his son with Asperger's. There is still a lot of humor and those laugh out loud moments which have become a trademark of this series.

The second in the Aaron Tucker mysteries is just as funny and just as fun as the first. "Legs" is a nickname and you'll get the reason for his farewell - eventually. Cohen is good at making you guess, and at misdirecting you so you are surprised at the ending.

Aaron Tucker and his family are great to spend time, and this first in the series shines like a new spotlight. It is funny, it is real and it features people as most people know them, just going through life as best they can. The fact that Aaron ends up solving a murder is almost incidental to the rest of the story.

Highly recommended.

I love Jeff Cohen's books. They are fun and humorous and have a great mystery all at the same time. This effort has a little more serious overtone because Elliott's ex-wife is missing and there is a dead body the police want to ask her about. Elliott of course can't let the police handle things alone, so in his usual manner he goes looking for the killer himself. There is the usual involvement of the staff and patrons of Elliott's theatre, including a hilarious scene that has to be read to be appreciated! And, of course, this book allows Jeff to insert his love of the Marx Brothers.

Highly recommended, but if you want to truly appreciate it, read the first two before this - because all series should be read in order. The book will stand alone but the fun of knowing some of the inside jokes comes through having read the others.

I was one of the very lucky people to win a galley of this marvelous book. 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!

Leaving behind the Aaron Tucker series, Mr. Cohen heads onto a new series dealing with an old movie theater that shows only comedies, one new film and one classic. Peppering the story with lots of references to classic comedies and comedians this story revolves around a dead body who didn't laugh during a very funny scene in Young Frankenstein. Anything by Cohen is a favorite of mine but this new series is close to my heart, as I also love classic films and comedies are some of the best.

Great stories, wonderful characters and references to classic comedy, what could be better?

First Line: "So he pulled a gun out of his pocket."

It's not easy being a freelance reporter and work-at-home dad. Aaron Tucker is hired to write a piece on a local minor league baseball player and discovers that the young man died under mysterious circumstances. He's having a difficult time focusing on the assignment because his six-year-old son, Ethan (not yet diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome), has been framed with a dastardly crime: bringing a water pistol to his first-grade class.

There's not much to say about this short story without giving a whole lot of good stuff away. What I will say is that it's short, breezy, and fun-- a perfect introduction to the Aaron Tucker mystery series (and I happen to have the first book waiting for me on my well-stocked to-be-read shelves). I have yet to read anything by Jeffrey Cohen/E.J. Copperman that I haven't liked, and I think it's safe to say that this trend will continue well into the foreseeable future.

The only other thing that I'm willing to divulge is this: "The Gun Also Rises" is hilarious and not suitable for reading in bed while your partner is asleep. Trust me.

A laugh out loud and quick moving mystery perfect for the beach or relaxed evening in.

Elliot is such a sweetie. I enjoy watching his mind work out problems that occur, how he manages to get rides to places that are too far for him to ride his bike to get to, taking care of his people and his people taking care of him: at the theater, at the bike shop, at his ex-wife's medical practice. Even how he gets involved in the murder solving that keep happening around him.
He has extra reason this time since it's Sharon, Elliot's ex, who is accused of causing the death of one of her patients. Sharon disappears, not answering her phone, and it makes her look all the more guilty. Elliot to the rescue.
Would that I had a movie theatre around here in our neck of Colorado so I could see these classic comedies. Heck I'd want to work there. I hope he's working on another Double Feature Mystery, but at least I have the Haunted Guesthouse series to keep me happy, since he writes that one as E J Copperman...YAY!
Five let's go to the movies beans....

I loved SOME LIKE IT HOT-BUTTERED (review in link) when I read it in April. It's a fab title (and it's how I like my popcorn), so it immediately drew my attention when I saw it somewhere. Now for the author to grab me to keep reading the series, there has to be more than a pretty title. Jeffrey Cohen did it in spades with IT HAPPENED ONE KNIFE.
Poor Elliot...he's doing his projectionist a favor and shows Anthony's debut film...then is accused of stealing the film project. Elliot then invites his two heroes of comedy filmdom, Lillis & Townes, to a special showing of one of their hit films at his theater...and finds out that one of them may have committed a murder in the past.
Elliot decides he has to investigate both crimes and gets in all kinds of trouble around town, someone sends him an unpleasant gift, demolishes his bike, he might be dating his ex-wife...poor poor Elliot. I just want to reach in and give him a hug.
But he carries on and forges ahead, no matter that everyone tells otherwise..some a little more strongly than others and more forcefully.
And now I cannot wait to read number 3 in the series, A NIGHT AT THE OPERATION. It's in the B&N shopping cart and my next order to Cynthia at High Crimes...whichever gets sent first...now what's this that only three have been written..
Five please say it's only three books in the series so far beans....

Ahhhhhh....this was such a good book to read as a bedside book! I always went to sleep smiling. I have to find more of Jeffrey Cohen's books, really anything he writes.
Elliot is my kind of guy, the people I like to surround myself with. People who want to make others happy through laughter and what a way to do so with a movie theater that only plays comedies. One classic comedy and one newer (less funny comparatively) to bring in the crowds. But the crowds don't show up until the dead guy is found in Row S seat 18. So now the cops are thinking that Elliot makes a good suspect, especially once the boxes of pirated DVDs of movies being shown at Elliot's theater are found in the basement of said theater.
Elliot gets on his bike and rides to each investigative clue or hitches a ride with his dad (who gladly drives to escape the house for a bit). Or he gets a ride with his ex-wife who he's still friends with even after she left him for her anesthesiologist.....
See why I went to sleep smiling each night?
So do yourself a favor and get this book! It's a wonderfully funny amateur sleuth mystery, excellent characters and fab story.
Five die laughing beans....

The first few pages of the book I was a little hesitant. There were quite a few references to movies I have never heard of or seen before - then again I'm not a movie buff at all. I barely watch them (as I prefer reading) and only will do so once in a while to take a break from reading. However I decided to stick with the book. I have to make my 100 page limit to see if I'm still interested. I was interested sooner than that. It actually got me hooked. Elliot is quirky, sarcastic and witty without being overly silly. The comedy in this mystery is well written and well done. The mystery and intrigue is also well done so there's a good striking balance between the two. I have to say there were at least two or three parts of the book where I found myself bursting out in giggles because of Elliot's wit and actions. I'd have to say I greatly enjoyed reading this book. I thought I had the mystery solved in my head - yet I was surprised. It was nothing like I had pictured and it's good! I didn't want a predictable outcome of the mystery. I believe I was close to the answer, but not quite as I had thought.

The characters in the book are all right, although the ones that have something to do with Elliot's personal life weren't really that outstanding - although I have to say, I liked Elliot's father (he reminded me a bit of a mix between Seinfeld's dad and George's dad from the Seinfeld show) and added more to the comedy, I'd like to see more of him in the next future books. When it comes to Elliot's love life, it's funny too as he doesn't seem to be headed in the right direction with any of the ones he meets except his ex-wife (which for some reason, I didn't really like her in the book she just didn't seem to be a great character in my opinion). They both seem to have a very different sort of relationship you wouldn't find in most divorced couples but perhaps that adds more to the quirkiness of this book.

The criticism I find in this book is the references to movies which I have never seen before and therefore can't really understand. Yet I'm sure if there's movie buffs out there that love reading about movies and who know their movie trivia would probably enjoy this book ten times more than I did (not to say I didn't enjoy reading this! I truly did!). If I knew the movies and understood the references, I would probably be chuckling a lot more than I did while reading. Other than that, there really is nothing else I dislike about this book.

Overall, a wonderful light story with an equal amount of mystery and comedy that makes it a delightful read. This is definitely a series to look into if you're a cozy mystery fan. If you're a movie buff, give this book a try as well. Perhaps you'll be able to identify some of the movies mentioned in this book.

Another third installment.
Although Elliott Freed and his ex-wife Sharon have been divorced for some time, they are still close friends and still celebrate their wedding anniversary together. However, this time, Sharon's soon-to-be new ex-husband Gregory tells Elliott that Sharon has disappeared. Elliott is certain that this is a mistake, and that Sharon will contact him to let him know where she is, but there is no word from her at his house or his theater, Comedy Tonight. Elliott's friend the police chief says it's too soon to search for her so Elliott decides to do it himself. He goes to her office and learns of the suicide of a patient whom she apparently misdiagnosed. The staff all believe she's gone away for a few days to get her head together, but Elliott doesn't think she would do that without telling a soul, and he's convinced that foul play has come to her.
Elliott is blessed with family and friends who are somewhat eccentric, and he seems to attract disastrous incidents, such as being hit by a brick while walking down the street. The accident-prone part of me really identifies with him.

Elliot Freed is the owner of Comedy Tonight, an old movie house that shows strictly comedy movies - double feature comedy movies. But there is nothing funny about the man in row S, seat 18 Tuesday night. He's dead from...wait for it, poisoned popcorn, and Comedy Tonight has turned into a crime scene. As if that wasn't bad enough, while searching the "crime scene" the police uncovered bootleg videos. Copies of the same movie showing at Comedy Tonight, a movie that isn't available on video yet.

All leads point to Elliot's movie-obsessed projectionist, Anthony, but Anthony has vanished. Will this murder be solved before Comedy Tonight ends up the next victim?

I LOVE humor. So the use of tasteful, intelligent humor weaved into a plot always earns bonus points with me. SOME LIKE IT HOT-BUTTERED earned oodles of bonus points as I laughed out loud through practically the entire book. Cohen takes the humor of everyday life and expertly interjects it into dialogue, plot and character. What better way to help a reader connect with the characters and the story? I can't imagine reading this and not laughing while simultaneously thinking, "I know EXACTLY what he's talking about!" By the conclusion of the book, I realized that Cohen is an astute observer of life, and he can articulate the humor in all the absurdity. Elliot, himself, sums up Cohen's humor when he says, "I hate jokes. I like wit, not contrived stories that end with someone making an obscene pun or confusing his wife with a horse or something." Now THAT is my kind of humor!

The strengths of this book don't lie solely in Cohen's use of humor, though. Actually, the humor helps to enhance the other strengths. The characters in this book are so real you expect to walk out your door on the way to work and wave to them as you climb in your car to leave. Elliot is a man who is struggling with the loss of his marriage and the embarrassment of being on the receiving end of alimony. Sophie, his refreshment stand employee, is the epitome of a teenage girl struggling with identity, trying to establish who she is, rebelling against every form of authority. Even Elliot's father comes to life on the page. An older man trying to battle the forces of nature that are slowing him down. Cohen cements the characters with their relationships to each other and reminds the reader of how powerful those relationships are, even when we take them for granted.

There's magic on the pages of this book, either magic or glue. I simply couldn't put it down. I wanted to know what would happen with the murder investigation; I wanted to know what would happen between the characters. Cohen pulled me into Midland Height, New Jersey, and I walked away taking a part of it with me. Jeffrey Cohen's Double Feature Mystery Series will definitely be one of if not the greatest discovery of 2009 for me.

When you're ready for a healthy dose of laughter with your popcorn, I recommend SOME LIKE IT HOT-BUTTERED by Jeffrey Cohen.½

Jeff Cohen has done it again with his likable movie house owner, Elliot Freed. The crime this time is personal, very, very personal. Elliott's ex-wife, for whom he still carries a flaming torch, has disappeared, and she's been implicated in the death of a patient in her care. For added fun, watch the Marx Brothers A Night at the Opera before - or while - reading the book. The classic stateroom scene in the movie is re-created in the book, and even though the situation in the book is sort of scary, I defy you not to crack up when you see where it's going.

1st in the series, and a very funny cozy mystery! After his divorce, author Elliot Freed uses the money from the book he sold to a movie studio to open up his very own theater. A huge fan of classic comedies, Elliot shows a double feature every night. One night, there's one guy in the audience not laughing....because he has been poisoned to death by his popcorn. This doesn't sit well with Elliot...after all, his theater should kill them with laughter, not poison, so he can't help but launch his own investigation. When Elliot gets too close to the truth, however, he finds himself in danger. The only problem is, he's not sure which "truth" he's stumbled onto! Lots of fun and suspense.

It was a light funny, mystery, with another amateur sleuth. I really enjoyed the premise of this one, as an ex-writer, movie theater owner, he brought a unique perspective. On the most part, it was cute, and stayed light and kept me grinning. I did have a few laugh-out-loud moments, and couldn’t resist even reading the funnier bit to DH. I did get tired of hearing about the ‘very green door’ and about him constantly putting on and taking off his front bike tire. But overall I really enjoyed it, and would definitely read more by this author, and recommend this to others who enjoy some of the ‘lighter’ mysteries as I do.

Love this book, love, love, love it.

This is an absolutely hilarious book! The premise revolves around a man dying while watching a movie in a comedy-only theater. Poisoned popcorn. But why and how and who did it and what it all has to do with the pirated movies in the basement is a blast to find out. The narrator's voice (Elliot Freed, the theater's owner) is a laugh-out-loud barrel of 4th-wall-breaking fun! Great book for anyone who likes lighter mysteries & humorous stories. Particularly if they're pretty well-educated & can easily follow the commentary/sarcastic remarks.½

Popping with action this newest contribution to the cozy mystery genre will please current fans and create new ones for Jeffrey Cohen. It is a nice addition to his collection of work that includes the Aaron Tucker mystery series. Some Like It Hot-Buttered is the first in the new Double Feature Mystery series

Elliot Freed is the proud owner of the Comedy Tonight movie theater. He has sunk all his savings into the idea that others may share his addiction to funny movies, both classics and current. So far he is not overwhelmed with customers. Unfortunately it takes a dead body to give a boost to the business. When the lights go on one night after the usual double feature one man is not getting ready to leave as his dead body is found still sitting in the seat. Elliot embarks on an investigation to clear both his name and that of his ticket seller, who vanishes after the police question him. A collection of pirated movies found in the basement of the theater does not look good for him either.

The plot is nicely twisting, with enough action to keep the reader entertained. The conclusion is unexpected but not absurd. Cohen is known for his humor and it is fully evident in this one also. His movie references and information are a great contribution to both the plot and the enjoyment of the readers. Elliot is a sweet main character who will have the reader rooting for his professional and personal lives to succeed. It will be interesting to see how he is developed in future books from the series.

This is the book for anyone who wants to relax, chuckle a bit and get involved in a good mystery.

A helpful and hopeful book by a parent of an Aspergers Syndrome child

For light mysteries with humor, engaging characters, and excellent plotting, you can't beat Jeffrey Cohen. This is the first of a planned series featuring the owner of a struggling comedy-only movie theater in New Jersey. He tosses off one-liners almost compulsively and it's easy to hear his voice in your head as you read. May there be many more "Double Feature" mysteries.