Renowned Jewish vocalist and writer Elizabeth Schwartz’s first book of fiction, “The Sweet Fragrance of Life & Other Stories” is a meditation on historic European Jewish Culture seen through the lens of a woman’s point of view.

As if Sholem Ale­ichem and Angela Carter had a child, The Sweet Fra­grance of Life & Oth­er Hor­ror Sto­ries explores Euro­pean Jew­ish his­to­ry, cul­ture, and real world events through a fem­i­nist, shtetl perspective.

This is an eerie collection of new Jewish themed horror stories from a world that was. A Rabbi commits the gravest of sins as he lusts for a younger wife, evil is lurking in an apartment building in pre-war Germany and a young girl experiences hell at sea. These are thrilling and dark stories, but also political reflections about racism and misogyny.