Howard Feigenbaum

Howard Feigenbaum (birth est. 1945 in a small town in the Catskill Mts., NY and moved with his family to Los Angeles as a youth) – After a business career, he turned (or returned) to writing, authoring two books of poetry and the Benny Goldfarb, Private “I” trilogy. The series begins in Los Angeles and transitions into travel-heavy investigations across South and Central America, focusing on local culture, cuisine, and geography. Benny is depicted as very consciously Jewish, even if not necessarily religious.  His actions are driven by a sense of duty that aligns with the Jewish concept of Tzedek (Justice), which compels individuals to act righteously and protect the vulnerable. Benny moves beyond a simple “tough guy” persona to grapple with ethical dilemmas, reflecting the idea of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) through his work as a private investigator. The series also integrates a sense of communal responsibility by linking modern mysteries to Jewish historical trauma, such as the Spanish Inquisition and the Sephardic diaspora. [Google/AI]

Feigenbaum, Howard [Benny Goldfarb #1], (Benny Goldfarb, Private “I”) [pb, CreateSpace Independent, 2014] 978-1499632538 [Benny, a regular at a Los Angeles car wash, is hired by the owner, Rosa Zuleca, when her cardiologist brother disappears in Cartagena, Colombia. The investigation involves Colombian drug cartels and leads to Rosa discovering her family’s hidden Sephardic Jewish history.]

Feigenbaum, Howard [Benny Goldfarb #2], (Home Stretch) [pb, CreateSpace Independent, 2015] 978-1518606304 [Set in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay, the story involves a bank specializing in racehorse loans being defrauded. The case leads Benny to the lawless “tri-border” region, a hub for international criminals and terrorists.]

Feigenbaum, Howard [Benny Goldfarb #3], (Hot Zone) [pb, CreateSpace Independent, 2017] 978-1979018951 [Tasked by the FBI, Benny travels to Panama to investigate growing Chinese influence and their potential control over the Panama Canal.]