False Prophet [Mass Market Paperback]

Faye Kellerman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 5, 1993

When Lilah Brecht, the beautiful if unstable owner of a popular health spa, is found beaten, raped, and robbed in her own home, L.A. detective Peter Decker takes the case. His heart goes out to Lilah, who doesn't make it easy.

Lilah claims to have psychic powers, which Decker finds difficult to believe. And when a family member is murdered, he gets the distinct impression that Lilah, her faded actress-mother, and even her brothers are all keeping secrets--and starring in their own home movie of deception and deadly betrayal. . . .

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

With typically creative prose and plotting, Kellerman immerses LAPD Detective Decker ( Sacred and Profane , LJ 6/1/87) in an absorbing post-Rodney King police procedural. Decker, still practicing a rediscovered Judaism and catering to the moods of his pregnant wife, investigates the brutal beating and rape of an elegant spa's owner. Crucial--and engaging--elements in the case soon appear: a retarded stable hand; secretive resort employees; an earthy, manipulative mother; three malicious stepbrother doctors; and valuable stolen memoirs. Full attention to detail and characterization cap a masterful effort. Another great escape. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 4/15/92.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

When LAPD detective Peter Decker arrives at the Valley Canyon Spa Resort, its beautiful owner, Lilah, the daughter of Hollywood legend Davida Eversong, appears to have been beaten and raped, and her mother's jewels and late father's unpublished memoirs are missing from her safe. To thwart Lilah's growing obsession with him, Peter shunts her off on his partner Margie while he concentrates on possible perps, including her three doctor brothers, a slow-witted stablehand, and one of the spa's aerobic instructors. Two deaths later, Peter is convinced that Lilah staged the rape and hid the gems, but then who stole the memoirs, and why? Lilah's ex-husband leads him to a former Eversong employee who knows many family secrets, and Peter uncovers another identity brouhaha. Eventually, with some psychological input from his rabbi and his pregnant wife Rina, Peter sorts through a tangle of viperous relationships to close the case. Histrionic plot, not helped much by Kellerman's B-movie prose. Like Day of Atonement, Milk and Honey, etc., this comes to life only when discussing Judaica, which takes a backseat here to adoption procedures and assorted sexual preferences. -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback
• Publisher: Fawcett (July 5, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0449148408
• ISBN-13: 978-0449148402
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,599,092 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Faye Kellerman is the author of twenty-six novels, including nineteen New York Times bestselling mysteries that feature the husband-and-wife team of Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus. She has also penned two best selling short novels with her husband, New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Kellerman, and recently has teamed up with her daughter, Aliza, to co-write a teen novel, entitled PRISM. She lives in Los Angeles, California, and Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Slow to start, but still a great book, July 13, 2003

By 

Anonymous Coward (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: False Prophet (Peter Decker & Rina Lazarus Novels) (Mass Market Paperback)

The other reviewers seem to be mixed about this one. It's understandable. We've now read quite a few of these things (is this book 5 already?) and the honeymoon between Kellerman and the readers is definitely over. We're now reading the books not because they're as fantastic as the first one, but because we have time and emotion invested in Peter and Rina.

First, it's unfair to compare any of the Rina and Peter books to the first one. The first one was simply the best.

One of the reviewers gave a good plot summary, so I'll refrain from doing that here. Instead I'll say that the book is a little slow to start, but about midway, picks up at a tremendous pace. The characters become wonderfully complicated and Kellerman pulls quite a few tricks out of her hat which caught me by surprise. This book has its twists and turns!

One last comment. Some of Kellerman's books focus more on Peter and Rina's personal relationship, and some focus less. This one is less, for better or worse.

If you've made it to this book, chances are you'll read the next one. See you there! :-)

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Complex family relationships, February 20, 2003

By 

Karen Potts (Lake Jackson, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: False Prophet (Peter Decker & Rina Lazarus Novels) (Mass Market Paperback)

Faye Kellerman always has two plot strands running through her Peter Decker/Rina Lazarua Mystery Series--the personal and professional parts of their lives. In this, the fifth book of the series, Rina is pregnant and cranky. Her sons and his daughter are a bit put off by the pregnancy and Peter is wondering if he's too old to be fathering a child by his young wife. The professional part of the story deals with a case in which Lilah Brecht, the daughter of a famous actress is assaulted and raped while her mother's jewels and some important papers are stolen from her safe. She clings to Decker in a way that makes both Peter and Rina uneasy. As he delves into Lilah's life, Peter discovers a complex and dysfunctional pattern of behavior between Lilah's mother and her children. Revelation follows revelation until Peter and his partner Marge finally put all of the pieces together. Kellerman is a dependable writer who turns out complex and interesting mysteries with an emphasis on what motivates people to do the things they do.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Harmless Read, September 11, 2007

By 

Samuel Levin "loyola64" (Pikesville, Maryland USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: False Prophet (Peter Decker & Rina Lazarus Novels) (Mass Market Paperback)

This is book number 5 in the Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus series nd the two of them are now married and Rina is pregnant. The story really centers around Decker and his partner, Marge Dunn. Rina is in the background and plays a minor role in the development of this story and does seem somewhat extraneous. The characters are rarher well developed and the story tends to move along at a rather good pace. The plot varies from that which is expected and rather predictable to some very good double and triple turns of events. This is a good story which is a harmless read with characters that are of interest. It is fast reading even though it is somewhat forgettable. Take the book for what it is and you will have an enjoyable read.