Familial Tension and Devotion Turn Dark in Hanukkah Noir Collection

Eight Very Bad Nights by Tod Goldberg and Various Authors

"Touches on themes of familial love, grief, heartache, tragedy and despair as well as intense loyalty and conflicted devotion that may drive protagonists to murder."

Holidays can be stressful as Eight Very Bad Nights aptly demonstrates. Tensions mount faster than usual along with growing to-do lists and increasing demands on time and money. Tempers may fray until they snap! If gentle reader, you expected tales of pleasant festivities and happy times here, you’ve opened the wrong book. 

Editor and writer of the foreword Tod Goldberg presents a deliciously dark array of noir stories laced with humor and wry poignancy for the season written by eleven authors. They include If I Were a Rich Man by his wildly successful older brother New York Times best-selling author, television writer and producer of multiple long-running series, Lee Goldberg, whose credit list is nearly as long as this book!

He has reprised anti-hero Ray Bond from his own collection Crown Vic and describes this tale on his website as a “nasty novella”. Lee cautions faithful readers of his milder 15-book Monk series or his five-book collaboration with Janet Evanovich that this one is rude, crude and full of sex and violence despite its incongruous setting in a Jewish retirement home in Merced.

The other contributors are comprised of a diverse group of award-winning writers, editors, and educators. They are James D.F. Hannah, David L. Ulin, Ivy Pochoda, Nikki Dolson, J.R. Angelella, Jim Ruland, Liska Jacobs, Gabino Iglesias, and Stefanie Leder. Each author’s section contains a short biography and lists their publications for future reading pleasure. Tod Goldberg concludes this spellbinding celebration of fine storytelling with his own contribution, the eponymously named Eight Very Bad Nights. Spin the dreidel and settle in for “a collection of Hannukah Noir.” 

A Spin on Traditional Hanukkah Celebrations

Hanukkah, alternatively Chanukah, the Feast of Dedication, is an eight-day festival of lights that is often called a “moveable feast” as the date varies each year. In 2024, it coincides with the Christmas holidays lasting from December 25 to January 2, 2025.

It is a commemoration of a fierce battle in the second century BCE when a small band of Jews, led by Judah the Maccabee, drove the Greeks from their land and reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. There was only a single vial of uncontaminated olive oil to light the Menorah for the purification of the temple. Miraculously this supply sufficient only for one day lasted for eight. 

Each year, families and friends gather nightly to light their own menorahs which are also lit in synagogues and at public gatherings. Each holds nine candles, one of which is the attendant or “shamash” used to kindle the other lights. One candle is lit the first night, two the second and so on until all eight lights are kindled. Traditional blessings are recited and songs sung. Foods cooked in oils such as latkes and jelly doughnuts are served along with tender brisket, roast chicken, challah and other holiday favorites. Games are played, some wine is consumed and token gifts such as Hanukkah gelt in the guise of gold-wrapped chocolate coins are presented each night often with the most costly gift reserved for the eighth night. 

Holiday Chaos Drives Them to Murder

Eight Very Bad Nights touches on themes of familial love, grief, heartache, tragedy and despair as well as intense loyalty and conflicted devotion that may drive protagonists to murder. Stephanie Leder’s Not a Dinner Party Person may easily resonate with some readers who are reluctant guests at family gatherings, cocktail parties and holiday dinners. 

Rachel admits her major flaw. She is a sociopath, driven to succeed as a pharmaceutical rep even if she has to lie or manipulate data. She loathes her mother who is perpetually unable to utter praise or gratitude and reluctantly agrees to the eighth night dinner because she is protective of her sister Leah and loves her niece Nina.  When drunken, abusive lout Jake staggers in threatening his family, it’s lights out for the family menorah. 

Tod Goldberg’s foreword tells us, “There’s an old bromide in crime fiction that says there’s only four ways a person can die: Homicide, suicide, natural causes or an accident. Perhaps that’s true. But for anyone who has managed to spend Hannukah with their extended family, they would argue that there is also a fifth way: ‘Habitual annoyance.’” He might also contend that eight nights may be too long to celebrate anything but Eight Very Bad Nights is guaranteed to entertain and amuse readers of mysteries and crime fiction. Pass the latkes, please.