Grievous Sin: A Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus Mystery (Peter Decker & Rina Lazarus Novels) [Hardcover]

Faye Kellerman (Author)

Book Description

Series: Peter Decker & Rina Lazarus Novels | Publication Date: August 1993

Detective Peter Decker of the LAPD and his wife, Rina, recovering from the recent birth of their baby, attempt to discover who has stolen a newborn baby from its mother. 100,000 first printing. $100,000 ad/promo. Tour.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Complications in the delivery room lead to major surgery for Rina Decker, who, when last seen in False Prophet , was pregnant with her and husband Peter Decker's first child . She is barely out of danger when an infant vanishes from the hospital's understaffed nursery, and proud father Peter, an LAPD detective sergeant, declares (in a mercifully brief descent into melodrama), "I owe it to that little baby girl to find her." Marie Bellson, the nurse in charge of the unit that night, has also disappeared, but it is difficult to tell whether the woman--apparently a fiercely dedicated nurse--is a villain or a second victim. Peter's partner, Marge Dunn, visits Marie's mother, Lita, at her retirement home. Lita, a real pistol unsoftened by age, clues Marge in on Marie's days as "Miss Flower Child" before she "found Jesus" and became a nurse. Despite extended excursions into Rina's medical tribulations and the awkward introduction of a significant character in isolated vignettes from left field, Kellerman weaves a satisfying mystery that includes elements of the Decker family's daily life as Orthodox Jews. Her plot is generated by the failings of very human characters and derives depth from her consideration of healthy and unhealthy family relationships. Author tour.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

This is another engrossing mystery in Kellerman's series featuring Rina and Peter Decker. While preoccupied with the birth of their first baby, a daughter, the couple are perturbed to learn of the disappearance of another newborn from the hospital nursery. While Rina recovers from the birthing, Peter sets out with his partner to investigate the events surrounding the missing baby girl. Chief suspect in the crime is a hard-working but stern nurse in the maternity ward who is also missing. This is a well-balanced tale, engaging the listener in an intricate plot and the details of the personal lives and relationships of the main characters. The reading by Buck Schirner is moderately paced, enabling the listener to absorb the author's detailed descriptions of characters, settings, and action. Recommended for mystery and general fiction collections.
- Catherine Swenson, Norwich Univ. Lib., Northfield, Vt.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow & Co; 1st edition (August 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688105548
• ISBN-13: 978-0688105549
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 4.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,980,873 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:

3.0 out of 5 stars A wild hunt for a missing baby, with multiple twists & turns, January 9, 1999

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[e-mail] (USA) - See all my reviews

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

The book gets off to a slow start, Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus have a new baby at the same hospital where a newborn is kidnapped. Cindy, Peter's older daughter, joins in the hunt for the missing baby.

Rina whines throughout the book about having to have a hysterectomy following childbirth. One feels she forgets that she is lucky to be alive. Instead she complains, "I am useless and uterusless". Not the typical strong character you expect from Rina.

The plot is predictable in places, it's obvious early on that a baby will turn up missing from the hospital. But there are still plenty of surprises and the book is still hard to put down.

Cindy is a refreshing new face with lots of energy and she adds a lot to the story. Her teenage daredevil sense of immortality and her thirst for adventure (along with her desire to follow in her cop-dad's footsteps) lead her into much mischief and actually helps solve the crime. Hopefully she will team up with Peter and Rina in future tales.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars SINS OF THE WRITER, November 9, 2003

By 

Michael Butts (Berkeley Springs, WV USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Grievous Sin (Peter Decker & Rina Lazarus Novels) (Mass Market Paperback)

Rina and Peter Decker are back and continue to resemble the Lockhorns in the amount of squabbles they have. This time, Rina gives birth to their daughter, but in doing so, complications force a hysterectomy on her. Decker gets involved in the kidnapping of an newborn infant who is sharing the nursery with his new daughter. Cindy Decker is along with them this time, and decides to play detective, against her father's stern and chauvinistic wishes. Marge Dunn continues her slide into more adamant cynicism, and that's just for starters.
While this one is not one of Kellerman's best, it maintains some interest due to the complexity of the mystery and the discovery of key facts. The character of Tandy stretches the imagination a bit, and her fate at the end, along with nurse Marie Bellson is not one of comfort or resolution.
Still, I find myself initrigued with the series and even with their faults, Rina and Pete are a strong couple.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable reading, November 26, 2001

By 

Rabid Reader (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

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

I just finished this book, and enjoyed it as much as I have the earlier Peter Decker & Rina Lazarus books. Kellerman's characters are more substantial than those of many other mystery writers, and I enjoy watching them and their relationships grow over the series.

I strongly disagree with the earlier reviewer who felt that the author was unfair to religious Christians. Only one character in the book fit this description, and by and large she was a sympathetic character - a good nurse, mentor and daughter.

I particularly liked the interwoven relationships of the various characters, and I have to admit that the mystery itself kept me guessing to the end.

I'm looking forward to reading more of Kellerman's books.