Ed Goldberg

Ed Goldberg [born 1943, Bronx, NY] – his protagonist, Lenny Schneider, is defined by a deep, multifaceted Jewish identity that blends cultural heritage with the grit of a New York private investigator. 

The Jewish aspects of his character include:

Cultural Roots and Profession: Lenny is a Jewish private investigator originally from New York who later moves to Portland, Oregon. His Jewishness is not incidental but central to the themes of the books, often involving cases tied to Jewish history and the community.

The “Jewish Deli” Sensibility: His character is closely associated with Jewish culinary traditions. He is described as a “food-loving hero” whose adventures often feature descriptions of Jewish food so evocative they inspire readers to visit a local Jewish deli.

Historical Conscience: In the first novel, Served Cold, Lenny’s Jewish identity is central to the plot as he is hired to prevent an aging Holocaust survivor from seeking revenge against a former prison camp guard. This places him in the role of a moral mediator within the context of post-Holocaust Jewish trauma.

Humor and Personality: He is characterized by a “funny, foul-mouthed” demeanor that reflects a specific brand of secular Jewish wit and cynicism.

Outsider Status: As a New York Jew in Portland, Schneider often navigates the “self-righteous smugness” and “PC preciousness” of his new environment from the perspective of an outsider, a common trope in Jewish-American literature. [Google/AI]

Goldberg, Ed, [Lenny Schneider] (Served Cold [mass mkt pb, Berkley, 1997] 978-0425159439 [pb, Blue Heron Pub, 1999]) 978-1883303129

Goldberg, Ed, (Dead Air [pb, Berkley, 1998]) 978-0425162972

Goldberg, Ed, (Red Flags [1998, Kindle Edition only] 978-1601741448

Goldberg, Ed, (Season of Miracles [2010, Kindle Edition only] 978-1601741066 [not part of Schneider series]