Kirschman, Ellen, [Dot Meyerhoff #1] (Burying Ben) [pb, Aakenbaaken & Kent, 2013] 978-1938436116
United States · Fiction author
Ellen Kirschman
Ellen Kirschman (born 1939, New York City) is the author of the 5-volume Dr. Dot Meyerhoff Mystery series. A police psychologist herself, Kirschman uses her professional expertise to write these psychological mysteries featuring a protagonist with the same career. Her books include Jewish content primarily through her mystery protagonist’s identity and specific short fiction. While her main mystery series does not focus on religious themes, she identifies as Jewish by heritage and has written about the rise of antisemitism and her family’s history. Although the books are not primarily about religion, Dot’s Jewish heritage is an integral part of her character, influencing her thoughts and choices. The first book in the series, Burying Ben, has been categorized as a best seller in “Jewish American Fiction” on some platforms.
“The Almost Sisters”: This short story was published in the 2022 anthology Jewish Noir II: Tales of Crime and Other Dark Deeds (see Kenneth Wishnia in this Bibliography). The anthology explores various aspects of Jewish culture and religion, including themes of antisemitism, identity, and assimilation. In her non-fiction work and public writing, Kirschman has shared personal connections to Jewish history and contemporary issues:
Heritage: She is a second-generation American whose paternal grandparents fled Russia to escape the Czar.
Social Commentary: She has written about her alarm regarding the modern rise of antisemitism in the United States and globally.
Character Inspiration: She has noted that she and her protagonist, Dot Meyerhoff, share several traits, including their Jewish identity and experience working as civilians in male-dominated law enforcement subcultures. [Google/AI]
Kirschman, Ellen, [Dot Meyerhoff #2] (The Right Wrong Thing) [hc, Oceanview Publishing, 2015] 978-1608091546 [pb, Oceanview Publishing, 2015] 978-1608092246
Kirschman, Ellen, [Dot Meyerhoff #3] (The Fifth Reflection) [hc, Oceanview Publishing, 2017] 978-1608092505 [pb, Open Road Integrated Media, 2024] 978-1504094221
Kirschman, Ellen, [Dot Meyerhoff #4] (The Answer to His Prayers) [pb, Hillcrest House Publishing, 2022] 978-1737863304
Kirschman, Ellen, [Dot Meyerhoff #5] (Call Me Carmela) [pb, Open Road Media, 2024] 978-1504095754