As a police procedural, this one was better than the first book in the series and more exciting (though rather violent and harrowing). One thing that bugs me is that sometimes Ms. Kellerman takes an odd shortcut with the plot (e.g. a mysterious criminal holds important clues; nobody knows much about him except his first name (say, Marmarisco); you'd think that tracking him would be hard - but then Chapter x just begins with something like "Decker was meeting Marmarisco. Marmarisco was going to t...

Check out current lists of popular mystery novels, and you'll find many written by authors whose first language isn't English, or who don't speak or write English at all. (I'm referring to those whose works are translated into English.) "International" detective stories and thrillers now crowd the bestseller lists as readers increasingly reach for novels that reflect unfamiliar cultures, languages, and settings. Scandinavian noir is only the most familiar example of this trend.But Chester Himes'...

I am on a rereading marathon. It is interesting to go back and see the differences time makes to books. I am enjoying the series all over again. I find the religious sections very interesting, the mysteries and daily life of the cops fascinating and the relationship between Peter and Rina wonderful. As a Jew who also married a convert (wanted my children to have no doubts) the books have a secondary interest for me.

I thought this was quite good, probably 4.5 stars. However, the gruesome nature of the crime was too much for me to handle. (I know, I'm a big baby!) So, I'm not sure I'll continue with my re-reads right now.I was able to read stuff like this before I had my kids. Now, I have problems reading about violence against children.Too bad because I really like the blossoming relationship between Peter and Rina, and all of the Orthodox Jewish details in the story.Maybe I can pick it up again later...

I really had trouble getting into this one, perhaps because I didn't read the first one in the series. (This book was orphaned at my house after a visit by a family member ;) All of the dialogue felt very forced and fake, and the religious elements of the plot felt very forced. I know the author is very Orthodox and is perhaps trying to expose readers to her religion, but you really need reference book or a dictionary to know what some of the characters are talking about in some scenes. I don't

So, after liking the first 2 of these I read (the first I read was one farther along in the series) I've continued to follow our hero(es) through "life".And they have an eventful life.The detective is in love with our heroine. Our heroine however is a devout and actually believing and practicing Jew. There seems to be no way things can work out...even if they do love each other.Now Peter has to look at his life.Meanwhile psychopaths seem to proliferate.These books are well written. The romance g...

Definitely one of my favorite novels in a set of very ,very, good procedural mysteries with Peter Decker and Rinna Lazarus as main characters. Peter Decker is a hard boiled cop/detective with a heart of gold who is seriously involved with a much younger devoutly religious woman named Rinna. While taking what he hopes to be his step sons camping, the oldest boy and he discover the charred remains of two female victims of pornographic sex ring.The psychological consequences of this discovery and

4 stars🇺🇸

Although dated, still a great series. I have book 3 and will begin it shortly.

Still a learning curve for me - which is a good thing! I am enjoying this series. I do recommend it to those that like police procedurals.2 thumbs up and 4 starsFrom the blurb: Los Angeles Police Detective Peter Decker had grown very close to Rina's young sons, Sammy and Jake, as he had to their mother, and he looked forward to spending a day of his vacation camping with the boys. A nice reprieve from the grueling work of a homicide cop-until Sammy stumbles upon a gruesome sight...Two human skel...

Good beach read. Better than the first in the series. In any case, for most genre novels my ratings have more to do with entertainment value first, plot consistency second, literary value third.For religious people, the drama around sex and conversion and evil is probably resonating, even if completely mental (I find the religious arguments on why child abuse and torture is common and snuff films are permitted by any gods particularly compelling and ridiculous, especially the Rabbi's answers,; 1...

You can’t fake your beliefs. Pascal’s challenge is nonsense because our beliefs must be real to us in order to be our beliefs. One either believes something because they have evidence derived from facts which give identities with coherence and consistency or one does not. I can’t fake my belief. Faith is ultimately pretending to know something you don’t know. The burden of proof is always on the one who makes an assertion. Peter Drecker (the protagonist) is open to believing in the absurd for re...

Sacred and Profane by Faye Kellerman is the 2nd book in the Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus Mystery series. Police detective Peter Decker is camping with Rina's two young boys when one of them discovers two burnt skeletons. A rather gruesome and harrowing book. There is also a lot of tension in the relationship field. A well written but disturbing story.

Sacred and Profane is the second book of the Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus series and ends a few months after book 1 left off. Decker is coming to grips with his place as a Jew in an attempt to cement a relationship with Rina. The book opens while Peter is camping in the mountains with Rina's sons, and on the last day of their vacation, one of the boys discovers two dead bodies. As luck would have it, Peter is assigned to the case. The mystery components of this book read quickly, leaving me wan...

It's a cute enough schlock series, I suppose. As brain candy reading goes, it's not horrible, nor brilliant. For me, the extraneous digressions into Judaism here, there and everywhere were very offputting; I felt that, as a literary coup, they were poorly done. And that is a pity, because I would have loved to see more orthodox authors and themes written for outside audiences, and the complex life of Jewish Orthodoxy, which very few people on the outside are actually familiar with, reflected in

The continuing romance of LAPD Sergeant Peter Decker and the ultra orthodox Jewess Rina Lazarus. In this episode Peter struggles with the integrity of his newly discovered Jewish faith. Born to Jewish parent who gave him up for adoption, Decker was raised by Baptist adoptive parents. I began reading from the beginning of the series to find out how Decker converts from Christianity to Judaism. It seems that although his adoptive parents were devout Decker has no Sunday School training nor Chris

Peter is on a getting to know you camping trip with Rinna's boys when 1 boy finds 2 skeletons in the woods. Peter is given the case to solve. Menwhile he and Rinna are working through some bumps in the road regarding his conversion to be Jewish.

I bought this book several years ago after reading about the author in an article on Southern California writers. Finally got around to reading it, and now I'm hooked on the series. I haven't read the first book, so I plan on reading it soon. Living just outside LA I like the setting in Southern California, and find the beginning of the relationship between Decker and Lazarus intriguing. Also interesting that Decker is studying Judaism and seeing his struggle with faith. The plot line is deceivi...

Read a Faye Kellerman a few years ago, and didnt like it, much preferring her husband's style, so have avoided reading this one for a while.[return][return]However, did enjoy it more than I thought I would![return][return]Synopsis: "While on a camping trip, Detective Peter Decker and his two young charges come across the charred remains of two teenage girls. Embroiled in a disturbing case, Decker's only unifying thread in a network of violence and corruption is the deaths of the two apparently v...

This book has not aged well.