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Rating: 
Summary: A fun read for Shabbat!
Review: As a former resident of Austin, TX and its Jewish community, I found this book true to life in the details of living in a small Jewish community far from the East coast. Eternal, TX may be fiction, but it's also true! True, some of the characterization seems a bit extreme, but this is a fun read. Ruby's perspective is funny, yet realistic as a new widow struggling along. The narrative zips along and before you know it, you're finished, hoping that Kahn is writing quickly to keep you up-to-date on Essie Sue, the new Rabbi, and, of course, Ruby herself.
Rating: 
Summary: Mediocre
Review: I decided to give this series another shot after I read and disliked one of the author's other books. I hate to pile on but this series really does fall flat. Ruby is an unappealing character and the plot seems farfetched and convoluted.That is the kiss of death in a series that hopes to have any staying power. The supporting characters are very irritating .It would be so great to have a cozy mystery series with a strong Jewish female protagonist but Ruby is not in the running.
Rating:
Summary: FUN READING
Review: I FELL IN LOVE WITH RUBY. AS A MYSTERY, IT WAS A BIT ON THE OBVIOUS SIDE. BUT AS A GOOD AND FUN READ, IT WAS TERRIFIC. IT HAS HUMOR, WONDERFUL CHARACTERS, AND INTRESTING INFORMATION ABOUT THE HISTORY OF BAGEL INDUSTRY IN NEW YORK.I SINCERELY HOPE THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A LONG LASTING SERIES.
Rating:
Summary: A fun, fast murder-mystery
Review: It is unusual to think of a murder-mystery as fun, but this one is. Ruby is actually the widow of the rabbi of the local, small Jewish community in Eternal, Texas. She cannot abide by the temple board politics, but becomes embroiled in a local murder with links to New York. (Very unseemly for a rabbi's wife. . .) This was a very enjoyable read, and I look forward to the subsequent "episodes."
Rating:
Summary: A fun, fast murder-mystery
Review: It is unusual to think of a murder-mystery as fun, but this one is. Ruby is actually the widow of the rabbi of the local, small Jewish community in Eternal, Texas. She cannot abide by the temple board politics, but becomes embroiled in a local murder with links to New York. (Very unseemly for a rabbi's wife. . .) This was a very enjoyable read, and I look forward to the subsequent "episodes."
Rating:
Summary: Weak, weak, weak
Review: Mystery novels with Jewish themes are somewhat rare, but if you're looking for a good one, this is not it. It was worth a quick read to "kill an evening," but is far from a classic. The developments and conclusion were very predictable. You may prefer the earlier books in Faye Kellerman's Peter Drucker/Rina Lazarus series. If you just want a female detective, Sue Grafton's series (A is for Alibi, etc.) also gives a quick read but is much better.
Rating: 
Summary: Fun Read, But Not Great Book
Review: Overall, the book is a quick fun read. I was not disposed to like Ruby Rothman after her flippant email at the very beginning, but as I kept reading, I began to like her as a character. But, why does she have to send incomplete email because phone is ringing? Can't she save it as a draft, take call, finish email and then send? Also, why not be more assertive in defending herself? Essie Sue complains about Ruby having red hair & green eyes. Ruby tells her lots of biblical figures were redheads. Why not just say that if Jews weren't supposed to have green eyes and red hair, God wouldn't have made her that way. Why doesn't she tell Essie Sue that she wasn't a rabbi's wife; she was Stu's wife and Stu happened to be a rabbi. Rabbi Kapstein is the rabbi from hell. What kind of a rabbi, or other clergyman, comes on so strong to another woman so soon after his wife leaves him? Doesn't he need to do any grieving for his failed marriage? I loved it when Yvonne Copeland, Buster's wife, asked the rabbi if his wife had to call him Rabbi Kapstein in those "wifely" moments. She should have pushed for an answer. I loved the part about the installation service for Rabbi Kapstein. I would like to have seen more of Ruby's son, Joshie. Isn't he a little old to be called Joshie? But maybe this is a Texas thing or a southern thing. I got tired of emails between Ruby & Nan. Would have liked more expository writing.
Rating: 
Summary: Judaism, Texas, New York ,murder - and bagels.
Review: This is an excellent first book. It combines unique characters with enough plot twists to keep the reader turning the pages. The heroine, widow of a rabbi, is appealing, spunky, and funny. The villain takes somewhat of a back seat to two other characters - one is the new rabbi who must be met to be believed and the temple "fixer"-in this case a woman who is a steamroller in human form. I hope Ms. Kahn returns to Eternal, Texas, and her delightful Ruby, the Rabbi's Wife, in many books to come.
Rating:
Summary: SO, I LIKE BAGELS!
Review: To be honest, I picked up this book because of the title. I've always had this thing for bagels and the totally twisted title caught my eye. And would you believe, I ended up not only loving the book, but also Ruby Rothman, the rabbi's widow. (Can't figure out why everyone calls her the rabbi's wife since he was killed by a hit and run driver some time ago. Maybe it's a Jewish thing.) Anyway, widowed Ruby is a computer consultant in Eternal, Texas where the place to go for bagels is The Hot Bagel owned by Lebanese Milt Aboud. While waiting for her weekly bagels Ruby witnesses the death by cinnamon cyadide bagel of a member of her temple's congregation. Naturally, everyone but Ruby thinks Milt did it and she sets out to prove he didn't . Until she does, you get to enjoy the cowboy-booted congregation of the Temple Rita (Don't ask!), the overly opinionated new-rabbi-to-be (Don't call me Kevin, call me Rabbi Kapstein) who would like to turn ex-rabbi's wife Ruby back into a rabbi's wife and Essie Sue Margolis Temple Rita's self-appointed everything who wants to erect a statue of her murdered sister on the temple steps in the guise of Queen Esther. Even though I uncovered the identity of the murderer long before Rudy, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The not very subtle but totally funny combination of the Jewish and Texas cultures is to die for. Try it, I'm sure you'll like it. I'm actually ordering Ruby's next two adventures right now!
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