Dying for Chametz & Other Mystery Stories for Passover by Libi Astaire

Author:Libi Astaire
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: cozy mystery, amateur sleuths, traditional detectives, Jewish fiction, Humorous mystery, British mystery, mystery short stories
Publisher: Aster Press
Published: 2024-02-07T00:00:00+00:00

A MURDERER IS DENOUNCED

AGATHA KRINSKY didn’t usually think of herself as an envious person, but at that moment she had to admit she was jealous. In a few days Passover would begin. Her room was clean of chametz — the rolls and cakes and biscuits containing yeast, which were forbidden to eat or own during the week-long holiday. So were the rooms of the other Jewish residents at Barnet Court. Now a few of the ladies were making a final inspection of the temporary dining room where they would eat their meals, to make sure there were no taboo breadcrumbs lurking about. As Agatha watched them busily stoop down, give a drawer or shelf a quick swipe with a dustcloth, and stand up again, she had to struggle not to feel sorry for herself.

Her hip still hadn’t completely healed from the fall that had landed her in Barnet Court, and so she was still sentenced to clinging to her walker whenever she wished to go anywhere. And that “anywhere” had to be somewhere she could get to in an upright position, because bending down had become a task as dangerous as climbing a mountain might have been in her youth. What was more, everything, even the simplest task, now took so much time.

“I think we’ve checked everywhere,” said Rubles Bernfeld, who was a shining example of what people today called “active seniors.” She could still stoop and dash about with impressive vigor, even though she had to be approaching — well, some people at Barnet Court didn’t wish to make their age public knowledge. Rubles and her husband Ronny were among them.

Miss Eppel, on the other hand, didn’t mind it when people referred to her as “almost old enough to be Victorian!” She still had sharp eyes and ears, as well as a good supply of energy. If her joints creaked a bit when she sat down, and her mind wandered into fuzzy realms from time to time, she graciously accepted these things as part of the bargain of being alive.

“And we’ve done it in good time,” Miss Eppel said approvingly, as she looked down at her watch.

“Mrs. Krinsky, have you finished with the list of paper goods we’ll need for the Seder?” Rubles asked.

That had been Agatha’s sedentary task, to make a list of the dishes, glasses, and cutlery they would need for the Seder, where they would retell the story of the Exodus from Egypt, eat the matzah, drink the four cups of wine, and perform the other rituals which Jews have performed for thousands of years on this night. She gave her list another glance before replying, “I think this is everything. But should we add a bit more, in case a few people show up at the last minute unannounced?”

“Yes, we will do just that,” Rubles agreed. “It doesn’t matter how many signs you put up and how many invitations and reminders you slip into the mailbox, some people absolutely refuse to R.S.V.P.”

“So very inconsiderate,” Miss Eppel murmured.

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