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emil_y_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
britjan126's review against another edition
2.0
The mystery itself was boring and definitely a waste for it to be 466 pages. The story of Peter's biological family was more interesting than the murder mystery itself.
lorkay's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
ncrabb's review against another edition
4.0
As book four opens, Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus are finally married. Decker is fully and officially Jewish. He technically didn’t have to convert, since his biological mother was Jewish, but he had passed all the tests and attended all the study groups. But this is not the honeymoon he had hoped for. Instead of being somewhere exotic, Decker is in Brooklyn spending Rosh Hashanah with his new wife’s former in-laws, of all people. He’s hanging out with some orthodox Jews, and one of them turns out to be far more involved in his past than he wants to deal with.
When Noam, the son of one of Rina’s family members, goes missing, it’s up to Decker and Rina to figure out what happened to the kid. The young man wanted what so many adolescents want—a sense of self, a sense of freedom and autonomy. The best way he could get that, eh reasoned, was to hook up with an older guy from the neighborhood—a guy who seemed to understand him so well. He, too, had been part of an orthodox family at one time, and he understood the restraints Noam dealt with. He tapped into the kid’s psyche in ways no one else had. The problem is, he’s a psychopath who wants nothing more than to introduce Noam to his chaotic bloody murderous world. It’s up to Decker and Lazarus to find him and bring him home before the psychopath kills him. It’s a dizzying chase between New York, Los Angeles, and ultimately back to New York.
I was fascinated by the snapshot of how orthodox Jews live and celebrate their sacred holidays. You’ll learn much from this book without feeling like someone sought to teach you things. That’s a good kind of learning in which to engage.
When Noam, the son of one of Rina’s family members, goes missing, it’s up to Decker and Rina to figure out what happened to the kid. The young man wanted what so many adolescents want—a sense of self, a sense of freedom and autonomy. The best way he could get that, eh reasoned, was to hook up with an older guy from the neighborhood—a guy who seemed to understand him so well. He, too, had been part of an orthodox family at one time, and he understood the restraints Noam dealt with. He tapped into the kid’s psyche in ways no one else had. The problem is, he’s a psychopath who wants nothing more than to introduce Noam to his chaotic bloody murderous world. It’s up to Decker and Lazarus to find him and bring him home before the psychopath kills him. It’s a dizzying chase between New York, Los Angeles, and ultimately back to New York.
I was fascinated by the snapshot of how orthodox Jews live and celebrate their sacred holidays. You’ll learn much from this book without feeling like someone sought to teach you things. That’s a good kind of learning in which to engage.
pepper1133's review against another edition
4.0
I love my Faye Kellerman mysteries. Total brain fluff. This one delves deeper into the orthodox culture of Brooklyn and paints a picture of what it's like to grow up in its confines. Bonus points for a realistic outcome for Noam.
vaderbird's review against another edition
3.0
5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
em_beddedinbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Loved this one too. I am deeply involved in the lives of Decker and Lazarus, both personal and proffesional. I feel as if I am out of touch with close acquaintances if I don't read books by Faye Letterman every now and then. This book deal s with teen rebellion and its aftermath, in the setting of a fairly orthodox Jew community
dontmissythesereads's review against another edition
4.0
Book #16 read in 2007
This was a very fast-paced read. I enjoyed it very much. I look forward to reading more in the series.
This was a very fast-paced read. I enjoyed it very much. I look forward to reading more in the series.
sparkingjoyinreading's review
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
devrose's review against another edition
3.0
This is not one of my favorites, and I hate what Decker does at the end. But - he has a lot going on. I'm not sure if that makes up for it.