Gold Medal Winner of the IBPA Award for Best Fiction Audiobook

A delightful novel about an ordinary woman, her extraordinary daughter, and a secret society…

"Thoroughly enjoyable novel, both moving and astutely farcical." – Kirkus Reviews

"Kate Reading captures the foolish and the wise in this charming story of a Jewish village." – AudioFile Magazine

A spellbinding tale of love, loss, independence, reconciliation, and the power of women.

When Rachel Cohen is born, her parents’ marriage begins to crack. As she grows, and her village teeters on the brink, it is up to Rachel and The Council of Wise Women to cook up a plan and step in. Family breakdowns, a village on the edge of famine, and the challenges of a beloved community…

"…[a] playful touch throughout, painting characters who leap off the page. [The] wise women are delightful and perceptive, their conversations a joy to read… a beautiful testament to tradition and values." –Publishers Weekly

"the humor is universal and can be enjoyed by readers from all cultures." Reedsy Discovery

Kate Reading has narrated hundreds of audiobooks, won numerous Audie Awards, and is a 2024 a Golden Voice – AudioFile Magazine's lifetime achievement honor for audiobook narrators.

Izzy Abrahmson is a pen name for Mark Binder, an Audie Award nominated narrator, author and performance storyteller. THE COUNCIL OF WISE WOMEN and The Village Life Series of books and audiobooks can be enjoyed in any order.