False Prophet

Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus #5

by Faye Kellerman

Even to case-hardened Detective Sergeant Pete Decker the brutal rape of Lilah Brecht, exquisite daughter of an aged Hollywood movie queen, is a disturbing act of violence. The only leads are provided by Lilah herself. However, Lilah's credibility is soon shattered when it emerges that she didn't physically see her rapist. It was only her 'gift' of second sight that enable her to 'image' her attacker. She claims that Decker is the only policeman who can truly understand and catch her attacker, who, she says, is still threatening her. Decker, however, is not so sure and is anxious to protect his heavily pregnant wife Rina from Lilah's alternately seductive and hysterical phone calls. But when Decker himself sees Lilah almost killed in a freak accident, he begins to think he may have judged her too harshly...

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Jewish, Suspense

419 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Faye Kellerman was born in St. Louis, Missouri and grew up in Sherman Oaks, California. She earned a BA in mathematics and a doctorate in dentistry at UCLA., and conducted research in oral biology. Kellerman's groundbreaking first novel, THE RITUAL BATH, was published in 1986 to wide critical and commercial acclaim. The winner of the Macavity Award for the Best First Novel from the Mystery Readers of American, THE RITUAL BATH introduced readers to Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus, termed by People Magazine "Hands down, the most refreshing mystery couple around." The New York Times enthused, "This couple's domestic affairs have the haimish warmth of reality, unlike the formulaic lives of so many other genre detectives."

There are well over twenty million copies of Faye Kellerman's novels in print internationally. The Decker/Lazarus thrillers include SACRED AND PROFANE; MILK AND HONEY; DAY OF ATONEMENT; FALSE PROPHET; GRIEVOUS SIN; SANCTUARY; as well as her New York Times Bestsellers, JUSTICE, PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD - listed by the LA Times as one of the best crime novel of 2001; SERPENT'S TOOTH; JUPITER'S BONES, THE FORGOTTEN, STONE KISS, STRAIGHT INTO DARKNESS, THE BURNT HOUSE, THE MERCEDES COFFIN and BLINDMAN'S BLUFF. . The novels, STALKER and STREET DREAMS, introduced Kellerman's newest protagonist, Police Officer Cindy Decker. In addition to her crime series, Kellerman is also the author of New York Time's bestseller MOON MUSIC, a suspense horror novel set in Las Vegas featuring Detective Romulus Poe, as well as an historical novel of intrigue set in Elizabethan England, THE QUALITY OF MERCY. She has also co-authored the New York Times Bestseller DOUBLE HOMICIDE, with her husband and partner in crime, Jonathan Kellerman. She has also written a young adult novel, PRISM, with her daughter, Aliza Kellerman

Faye Kellerman's highly praised short stories and reviews have been anthologized in numerous collections including two volumes of the notable SISTERS IN CRIME SERIES, Sara Paretsky's, A WOMAN'S EYE; THE FIRST ANNUAL YEAR'S FINEST CRIME AND MYSTERY STORIES; THE THIRD ANNUAL BEST MYSTERY STORIES OF THE YEAR; WOMEN OF MYSTERY AND DEADLY ALLIES 11. Her personally annotated collection of her award winning stories, THE GARDEN OF EDEN and OTHER CRIMINAL DELIGHTS, was published in August of 2006. H
Her other hobbies include gardening, sewing and jogging if her back doesn't give out. She is the proud mother of four children, and her eldest son, Jesse, has just published his fourth novel, THE EXECUTOR, from Putnam. She lives in Los Angeles and Santa Fe with her husband, Jonathan, their youngest child, and their French Bulldog, Hugo.

Reviews

[Brina · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8. Settling into life as a family, Peter and Rina Decker are back in this latest installment of their series. We find Rina six months pregnant, and the entire family is eagerly anticipating the baby's arrival. Cindy is even going to stay with the family for the summer to help out. Meanwhile, Peter and Marge have requested a transfer to work homicide in the Devonshire station alongside new colleague Scott Oliver. Before all these changes occur; however, a rape and burglary occur right in the Deckers' backyard, and Peter and Marge are assigned to the case.
In this case we enter the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Lilac Brecht is the daughter of actress Davida Eversong and director Hermann Brecht. The only girl with three half siblings, Lilah has always been the light for both her parents. Now she runs a day spa to cater to the women of the upper echelon of society. Always accustomed to getting whatever they want, both Lilah and Davida come across as spoiled. With this case occurring right after Rodney King and featuring many high profile characters, the LAPD does not want too much publicity. It is up to Peter and Marge to keep the force out of the limelight or at least in a positive light.
As the case unravels, all the players keep playing off one another, blackmail and all. Meanwhile, Peter questions his abilities as a father because it is always a stretch to balance work and home life. This mystery might not be at quite the level as the previous installments but it is a quick whodunit nonetheless. With the baby's arrival imminent, Cindy's appearance for the summer, and more from Scott Oliver in future books, I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Mike (the Paladin) · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, Peter and Rina are married. Things are looking up. of course there seems to be a little friction with Peter's older daughter who has become a bit distant since Rina became pregnant. Still this is probably just something to do with dad having another baby and will be worked out. All is looking great.

Then (of course) Peter gets called in on the rape assault of the daughter of a well know, golden age screen star. The victim herself is well known and runs a popular spa. She's had numerous "suitors", romantic liaisons and marriages. She's beautiful, desired...eccentric and has decided she wants Peter.

Sigh.

Life can be tough for us desirable men.

Anyway this book has a bit more of the mystery flavor than the last as John puts convoluted clues together to figure out what's going on.

Again a good book where characters work with plot and neither outweighs the other. These are good books and I plan to follow the series.

Recommended, enjoy.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been enjoying this series up until this installment - sorry Ms. Kellerman you missed the mark. A bit out there and things (for me) just weren't that connected and it felt like there was no ending to the story. An awful lot of nasty, psycho, disjointed characters and all good at the lying game, a bit too far fetched for me. But I haven't given up on the series yet.

3 stretched stars

From the blurb: L.A.P.D. Detective Peter Decker doesn't know quite what to make of Lilah Brecht. The beautiful, eccentric spa owner and daughter of a faded Hollywood legend, Lilah was beaten, robbed, and raped in her own home -- and claims to have psychic powers that enable her to see even more devastating events looming on the horizon. With his heart and mind on his pregnant young wife, Rina Lazarus, at home, Peter finds it hard to put much credence in the victim's outrageous claims, or to become too deeply involved with her equally odd brothers and aging film star mom. But when Lilah's dark visions turn frighteningly real, Decker's world will be severely rocked -- as the "false prophet's" secrets and obsessions entrap the dedicated policeman ... and point a killer toward Decker's own vulnerable family.

[Kristin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Liked it, but not as much as her other books. There was less in the storyline about Rina, her boys and Decker, and more on the crime storyline. But I wasn't terribly happy with how the crime story got wrapped up. I keep reading the series because I want to know how things develop with Decker, Marge, Rina and the boys... and I like the crime stories. But some of the books are better than others. You could probably skip this one and just take note that Rina is pregnant in this one, then move on to the next.

[Yvonne G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to follow shortly, but an enjoyable read :)

[Rena Sherwood · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the worst in an already uneven series. A horse running into the side of a mountain? Are you kidding me? The mystery really is not much of a mystery. You read it and have a feeling that this is an early draft and the real book is somewhere else.

[Terry Cornell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this better than the fourth book in the series, but the ending was a little disappointing. I like Decker better in this book, but not much effort was made in further developing the Decker and Lazarus relationship. Granted, Rina is six-months pregnant but her role seems diminished. At some point I'll probably continue with book six, but for now I think I'll take a break.

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really unsatisfying

What is with this Kellerman novel? I’ve loved the other ones, but this one is dissatisfying in so many ways. The dialogue between Pete and Marge and the other police officers is great. The dialogue between the members of the family that is the main focus of the story is tedious and infuriating. I know that we’re supposed to find them infuriating, but we don’t need to be hit over the head with it time and time again. The only reason I finished the book is that I wanted to find out what happened, of course, but the ending was not even satisfying. I will read another, because I like Pete and Rena, and I think Kellerman usually does a good job with the mystery, but I hope this isn’t a trend.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book and the characters. It wasn't a "can't put it down" novel, but reading until midnight was in the cards.

[Tanya Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love her books - old or new! It is intellectual, riveting and quite simply fun. I don't feel bad about indulging in a book for pleasure when it is a Kellerman novel.

[Marilyn Silver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great characters, relationships, story and not predictable.

[Brooke Sillaby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Round up to 3.5 stars.

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7

[StefanieFrei · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Show Must Go On (Decker Lazarus 5)

Cop Pete Decker gets an assignment for a rape case – to add up, victim Lilah Brecht’s safe is empty, her house is a mess and she was beaten up. Working juvey, Pete is used to deal with rape victims – some react against a male cop with lots of distrust, others rather try to bond as a result from the shock. Lilah is a special woman: “She burst into tears. Decker handed her a box of Kleenex and waited. Ordinarily, he might have patted her hand or shoulder. But something stopped him from touching this woman.“ p 92 His gut instinct is just right – the woman is beautiful, rich, sexy, used to getting things her way. And that is Pete, with what type of work she wants him to do and as a man. Great deal, while he has enough of a load with his beloved new wife Rina pregnant, the two young sons from her first marriage just about to adjust with the changes in the family, and Pete’s daughter from his respective first marriage just not adjusting all too well.

Lilah’s family is not too helpful, either: her mom, ex-B-moviestar Davida Eversong, worries rather about her jewels that got stolen from Lilah’s safe, and then there is a full load of brothers and employees at the spa run by Lilah to interfere. So what is this all about? It might be something personal, a raid gone wrong or a special attempt to get either the memoirs written by Lilah’s father, the jewels or Lilah. The case gets some impetus when a suspect can be identified from traces in Lilah’s bed and somebody goes missing…

Back again 8 months after Pete Decker and Rina (formerly Lazarus) got married; with Rina pregnant and slightly more emotional, there is a medium level of her involvement in the storyline – fine with me, as long as it does not become less of her. More from Pete’s partner Marge Dunn – great. This time, there is less of an insight in Judaism, and the orthodox portion is hardly played at all, just standard religious routine along the way. With book no 2, that was about similar –you will have lots of patchwork family experience in this book which I found highly entertaining and realistic. The solution is very much different from standard schemes, really beyond ‘open‘ or ‘not open‘ – I rather appreciated that.

Now there is one of the reasons coming up why I love to read book series and what seriously bugs me about them. Something is repetetive – and that is what you get accustomed to and what wears you out the same. The Decker Lazarus books are part re-read (the first ones) part new or shelf of unread books (SUB), like this one. After a while, some habits really become a pain in the lower back: Pete Decker is a cop, still, most of the crimes he gets to solve in the installments do not come to him as a professional, he rather happens to stumble into them.
No 2, Sacred and Profane: his stepson finds two charred corpses when they go camping
No 3, Milk and Honey, driving around at night, Decker spots a toddler – the pajamas soaked in blood.
No 4, Day of Atonement, Deckers honeymooning and visiting family – a boy disappears. This time, the cop is rather driving around privately, but decides to take a call. Well – half-o.k., then. Oh, and: you will always find one way to handle an issue with Pete or his family repeated, but differently, in the case, I noticed, like discussion different approaches. THAT is a repetition I consider to go beyond standard crime novels.
5 stars, with at least one of them for the realistic patchwork family portion and the special ending.

[Kennedy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting enough. Always a little dark and twisted elements in her stories. The horse running straight into a hillside was disgusting. The idea of incest was a bit much. The psychotic things the characters do like faking their own rape are extreme. Always lots of characters that hold their secrets. Maybe it's the time period that makes it more sensational about MIchael Ness' character. A little disappointing that Davida didn't ha e to pay a thing for her crimes. A little disappointing that you don't really know what happened with KIngston's shoot out. Some parts of the detective works are a little slow - like when they were arresting Totes why weren't they thinking about who his partner was or asking him about that? And he had sheets for his cot that would be the same type of sheets that Lilah would have in her expensive room? Anyway, quick, easy read and entertaining but lacks that wow moment for me.

[Dlytle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peter Decker, pursued by a crime victim used to having everything she wants, involved in Hollywood stardom, kamikaze horses,and the most dysfunctional of families digs into the crime and the background with lots of help from Marge. Scott Oliver has a cameo appearance in this story, with crimes spanning 3 different jurisdictions. The crime related characters are mostly (intentionally) thoroughly unlikable, but Decker still focuses on solving the crimes. The ending was unsatisfying, but a good reminder that things don't always wrap up neatly in real life.

[SueChor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Peter Decker, LA cop, is married to Rina, 6 months pregnant, but story is primarily from his point of view, as crazy victim, Lilah Brecht, enters the picture. Lots of motivation for Brecht family lunacy, but they’re pretty much all baddies. Much of the action takes place around Lilah’s spa. My exhaustion with this story was the ongoing repeated discussion between Peter and his partner, Marge, concerning crime theories, maybe this, maybe that. It made for a boring, repetitive read. Not the best of Kellerman. I’m going through the books on my shelves, and this one is a thumbs down.

[Aleeza · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know this was written in the late 80s/early 90s but there was a character named Totes and I just couldn't take it seriously after that. Also after loving the last book in the series I felt like all the character progress had reverted.

[Laura Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great story, great plot, great characters, horrible ending.

[Carole · Rating 3 out of 5]

A weird whodunit/police procedural. Moderately interesting, pretty confusing, definitely ugly crimes with no relief or reward in the ending. Not terrible, just not much.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been a long time since I read a novel in this series and when I looked to see which the last one I read was, the first thing I found was a less than stellar review for "Day of Atonement," in which I referred to Peter Decker as seemingly almost abusive as a husband, to the point I was tempted to walk away from the series altogether. While it took me a few years to pick up book #5, I'm glad I did. Peter is a much more likeable character in this one!

This book takes place about 8 months after the last one ended. I didn't remember a lot of that one (including my scathing review of it!) but in that one, Peter and Rina had just married and were on their honeymoon. Now the honeymoon is over and Rina is pregnant with their first child, which is a time of adjustment for both Peter and Rina and their children: his 19 year old daughter who has always had Daddy to herself, and her two sons who are still not sure about having a step-father following the death of their own father only a few short years ago. But as always when it comes to detectives, duty calls...

While driving home from the bakery with the pastries Rina craves, despite being off-duty, Decker responds to a call as he's near the scene: the spa-owning daughter of an aging, but still famous diva-like actress has been raped during a burglary of her private residence located on the same property as the spa. Officially assigned the case, Decker becomes embroiled with a family full of secrets - and a very unstable victim with a few secrets of her own!

The pacing of this story was good and while I thought I had it figured out, I was happily wrong - who wants to read a mystery that is THAT easy to solve, after all? And man, is this family ever dysfunctional! There was a bit of a twist at the end I felt was a bit weak - almost like Kellerman needed a reason to connect these characters but couldn't really come up with a good one. And as the book was written in the '90's, it did feel a bit dated to be reading it now, but that's on me for not reading it sooner.

Whereas after I finished the 4th book in this series, I was not looking forward to what came next, I find that after this one, I am much more inclined to not wait so long before I read the next.

[Russell Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came upon two novels in Faye Kellerman’s Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus series that I somehow had missed. Having read all of the other novels, I was delighted. The first of these two I tackled was False Prophet, a book written in 1992 and the fifth in the series. Peter and Rina have only been married a few years and Rina is pregnant and at times, quite irritable. Enter Lilah Brecht, the daughter of a legendary movie star, who is raped and beaten. Lilah is a temptress who claims to be a prophetess as well. And she latches onto Peter. The course of Peter’s investigation leads us to some incredibly colorful characters and leads Rina to offer her usual observations and advice, most of which is valid, as Rina has always proven to be quite the detective herself. The plot takes us on a wild chase with the movie star— much like Gloria Swanson’s character in the film Sunset Boulevard, her array of offspring—all doctors except Lilah, and an assortment of quirky characters surrounding Lilah. One of them proves to have a back story that is totally unexpected. Along the way, Peter deals with his new sons, Rina’s two boys from her previous marriage, his own teenage daughter who is on the cusp of womanhood and feeling the growing pains, and, of course, the impending birth of his newest child who will have to fit into this blended family. I really enjoyed all that for it filled me in on how the family formed in the early days. After all, now, in the books, Rina and Peter are empty-nesters, so it was great to look back and see how their family evolved. Kellerman, as always, writes beautifully. Her research is spot-on, and she makes her police characters very authentic-sounding, indeed. It is a pleasure to discover this early novel.

[Nolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The maid found Lilah Brecht beaten nearly unconscious early one morning. Peter Decker, recently converted to Judaism and relatively new husband to Rina Lazarus, drew the case. They rush Lilah to the hospital for examinations, and she later confesses she didn’t see her two attackers. Instead, she “imaged” them. She insists she saw them with her mind’s eye, and she’s quite prepared to craft a sketch with the help of a police artist.

That’s just the beginning of the bizarre nature of this book. Lilah owns a health spa, and she’s not the only character you’ll want to keep an eye on. Her eccentric has-been actress mother is also a person to whom you’ll want to pay attention. Cops get confused when they find no semen in any of her orifices. The case gets more confusing when Decker with the help from a lab links a developmentally disabled stable hand to the case—a stable hand who is so mentally deficient as to cast doubt on his ability to commit a rape.

The characters are all interesting here to varying degrees, but it’s the snapshots into Decker’s life as a recent convert to Judaism that fascinated me. You learn so much about the customs and traditions, especially since Decker and Lazarus are orthodox Jews. Add to that a sometimes-tense subplot that involves Rina’s burgeoning pregnancy and the unease Rina’s sons experience when they’re trying to figure out where and how they fit into the new family structure, and you have a mystery that will make you want to press on to the next book in the series.

[Marleen · Rating 1 out of 5]

More then a decade ago, I read this book and I remember it giving clearly it higher marks. It is remarkable how things can change over a number of years. This time around, I thought this was the most boring plot ever. Not to mentioned the uninteresting characters, spoiled rotten and so misguided. The fact that I listened to it in audio, with a mismatched narrator, Mitchell Greenberg, (not so suited for this series in my opinion), well, that didn't help either. I have always enjoyed Decker, and Rina and their family, but again, here, this time around, I was more critical, and had hoped for a more satisfactory feeling.
In recent years, I re-read Street Dreams, a much later book in the chronology, where we find Cindy Decker as the main character, as a young police officer in the LAPD. I still think that Street Dreams is one of the best books in the entire series, besides maybe The Ritual Bath.
So my recommendation to the fans would be : don't listen to this one.

[Needingknittles · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been reading the series in order. And then I came to this book, which is clearly not up to the level of the others. The characters (excluding those who are part of the continuing series) are uniformly dislikeable. The plot is a convoluted series of unlikely events that seems overly complicated and baroque at times. It's as if the author had a list of possible events and just threw them in at random. There is no sense of progressing toward any conclusion. As I read, I kept finding myself putting the book aside and reaching for a crossword puzzle or checking my email.

And then there is the end, which is thoroughly unsatisfying. In fact, I wouldn't actually say that the story comes to an end. It just runs out of steam and stops. The only good part of that is that I could close the book and find something else to read.

If you decide to read Decker/Lazarus series -- it it really is a great series -- I would suggest that you skip this book.

[Peggy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened to this audiobook. Peter Decker is an L.A. police detective. He is married and his new wife is pregnant. This book series is about Peter and Rina, his devoutly Jewish wife. But, this book has Rina mostly in the background. The story begins as a crime involving rape and robbery of a wealthy spa owner. But it quickly becomes a story of the rich family and their warped relationships. The rape victim is unstable and latches onto Peter. Her siblings are all doctors and they are hostile. The mother is an aging movie star who is demanding and manipulative. As Peter and his partner try to solve the rape they find themselves knee deep in the family's past sins. I would have rated this higher, but the ending is really baffling. Lots of secrets are revealed, but the crimes are ultimately unresolved. Very disappointing.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

I once again enjoyed reading this book in Kellerman's Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus series. Once again a bizarre type of crime scene comes into focus and is solved when equally bizarre family dynamics are exposed. Yet this book is quite a bit different than the first four books. Absent were the interactions with others in the Jewish community, as well as the more central place of Rina's children. Perhaps as Decker continues to grow into his acceptance of the faith in his life, absent now are the more deep conversations and struggles of the issues of faith as they come to bear on his job. In addition, Rina is now pregnant and nearing delivery of their first child together - so another theme which I am sure will come to the forefront in the next book.

Decker and Lazarus are evolving as characters. I will be interested to see where Kellerman takes them in subsequent volumes.

[Virginia Tican · Rating 5 out of 5]

First there was a rape and robbery with a clingy and needy 'victim' fixated on Decker obviously with her own agenda... then there were her three half~brothers (though one was supposed to be adopted), all doctors... all with different fathers ~ two hated each other and one was just indifferent... their mother was an actress and one of the most disgusting characters that I have ever come across in the series. Her name was Davida Eversong... a manipulative blackmailing, narcissistic septuagenarian and was well~preserved with the aid of the latest on plastic surgery and performed by the best plastic surgeons... she was not also above using sexual favors, both doling and receiving, as part of her blackmail package especially on her male victims... for if not for her secrets and meddling, the deaths that had the Police involved would have been avoided. An extremely dysfunctional family. Another entertaining read.

[Stewart · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two stars might seem a little harsh, but, per Goodreads, two stars means "it was ok," and I think that's fair.

This was the first Decker/Lazarus book where Rina was pretty much totally inconsequential. She was basically at home gestating the whole time. Also, Judaism really took a back seat as well. There was a little WASP-y antisemitism, and a visit to the good Rabbi, but otherwise this was a fairly benign, secular mystery.

And it wasn't that great a mystery (the central conceit was obvious, if not the why), and the end was wholly unsatisfying.

I've not read Grievous Sin yet, but I'm guessing you could just note that Rina got knocked up and skip this entirely.

[Camela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peter Decker's intuition is almost always bang on. Along with Marge, his partner, they methodically solve the crimes they are tasked with investigating. I love the banter between the two!
The personal side of Peter's life grows in this novel as we catch further glimpses of how protective he is and how intense his love is for his family. I'm sure this will grow even more in the next book, Grievous Sin, which I have already started.
The eccentric characters in this story were well-developed. I enjoyed the twists and turns; it took me some time to really put a finger on who I felt the culprit was.