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Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus #25
Walking Shadows
Detective Peter Decker and his wife, Rina Lazarus, risk life and limb to solve a pair of brutal murders that may be tied to a crime from more than twenty years ago in this intense and addictive mystery from New York Times bestselling author Faye Kellerman.
On a quiet suburban street in upstate Greenbury, New York, the brutally beaten body of a young man is discovered in the woods adjacent to an empty vacation home. Twenty-six-year-old Brady Neil a resident of the neighboring town of Hamilton, had no criminal record, few friends, worked full-time, and attended community college. But as Detective Peter Decker learns, the clean-cut kid is linked to the criminal world. When Brady was a baby, his father, Brandon Gratz, was convicted of robbing and killing the owners of a local jewelry store. While Gratz and his partner, Kyle Masterson, admitted to the robbery, they swore they left the owners, Glen and Lydia Levine, very much alive.
The experienced detective knows there’s more to this homicide case than the records show. As he digs into Gratz’s past, Decker begins to suspect that the son’s murder may be connected to the father’s sins. Before he can put together the pieces, Decker finds out that one of Brady Neil’s friends, Joseph Boch—aka Boxer—has gone missing. Heading to Boch’s house with his temporary new partner, Hamilton PD cop Lenora Baccus, they discover a bloodbath.
Who would savagely kill two innocent men—and why? Finding the answers will require all of Decker’s skill and knowledge, the help of his fellow Greenbury detectives, Tyler McAdams and Kevin Butterfield, and information gleaned from his wife Rina’s behind the scenes investigation to put all the pieces of this deadly puzzle together . . . and see justice done.
On a quiet suburban street in upstate Greenbury, New York, the brutally beaten body of a young man is discovered in the woods adjacent to an empty vacation home. Twenty-six-year-old Brady Neil a resident of the neighboring town of Hamilton, had no criminal record, few friends, worked full-time, and attended community college. But as Detective Peter Decker learns, the clean-cut kid is linked to the criminal world. When Brady was a baby, his father, Brandon Gratz, was convicted of robbing and killing the owners of a local jewelry store. While Gratz and his partner, Kyle Masterson, admitted to the robbery, they swore they left the owners, Glen and Lydia Levine, very much alive.
The experienced detective knows there’s more to this homicide case than the records show. As he digs into Gratz’s past, Decker begins to suspect that the son’s murder may be connected to the father’s sins. Before he can put together the pieces, Decker finds out that one of Brady Neil’s friends, Joseph Boch—aka Boxer—has gone missing. Heading to Boch’s house with his temporary new partner, Hamilton PD cop Lenora Baccus, they discover a bloodbath.
Who would savagely kill two innocent men—and why? Finding the answers will require all of Decker’s skill and knowledge, the help of his fellow Greenbury detectives, Tyler McAdams and Kevin Butterfield, and information gleaned from his wife Rina’s behind the scenes investigation to put all the pieces of this deadly puzzle together . . . and see justice done.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 28, 2018
2065 people are currently reading
4555 people want to read
About the author
Faye Kellerman
179 books2,021 followersFaye 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 545 reviews
September 2, 2018
The year 2018 has proved a challenge for me in terms of balancing reading and reviewing with life offline- spending time with my family, work, and running my home. Goodreads has been at a premium and I have scaled back on my reviews and the books I have chosen to read. Consequently most of my books have fallen into the 4 star or higher range as they were books I had my eye on for a long time. And still I didn't take the time to review all of them. This is my "test" review to say the least.
Despite everything I just said above, I will still drop everything for a new Decker and Lazarus police mystery by Faye Kellerman. This is book #25 in her series and I have read them all. As noted many times during my reviews for previous books, I share the same lifestyle as the Deckers and reading these books is like visiting with old family or friends. Often when asked which fictional character I would most like to meet, I usually say Rina Decker. I have so much I would like to ask her but alas she is fictional and I make up these conversations as I read.
In this 25th installment the Deckers have yet another homicide case to solve in the sleepy college town of Greenbury, New York. They had moved there four books previously to escape the high crime and stress of the Los Angeles Police Department, yet crime seems to have followed Peter east. He initially took the job at Greenbury as a change of pace yet four years later he is still in charge of gritty murder investigations. This particular case is multilayered and involves a conviction from twenty years ago as well as the cooperation of neighboring Hamilton and their team of detectives. While I found most of the secondary characters one-dimensional, the case, Rina's involvement in it, and how it unraveled was still intriguing enough for me to read until the end.
Like any long running series, there are better books than others. This installment felt rushed but it was still nice to visit with old friends especially right before the holidays. I will stay with the Deckers until Ms. Kellerman retires for good and then I still hold out hope that Peter Decker will hand over the reins to his daughter Cindy, a detective now living in Philadelphia. In the meantime I will continue to visit with Peter and Rina Decker and see where the road of life continues to take them.
3.5 stars
Despite everything I just said above, I will still drop everything for a new Decker and Lazarus police mystery by Faye Kellerman. This is book #25 in her series and I have read them all. As noted many times during my reviews for previous books, I share the same lifestyle as the Deckers and reading these books is like visiting with old family or friends. Often when asked which fictional character I would most like to meet, I usually say Rina Decker. I have so much I would like to ask her but alas she is fictional and I make up these conversations as I read.
In this 25th installment the Deckers have yet another homicide case to solve in the sleepy college town of Greenbury, New York. They had moved there four books previously to escape the high crime and stress of the Los Angeles Police Department, yet crime seems to have followed Peter east. He initially took the job at Greenbury as a change of pace yet four years later he is still in charge of gritty murder investigations. This particular case is multilayered and involves a conviction from twenty years ago as well as the cooperation of neighboring Hamilton and their team of detectives. While I found most of the secondary characters one-dimensional, the case, Rina's involvement in it, and how it unraveled was still intriguing enough for me to read until the end.
Like any long running series, there are better books than others. This installment felt rushed but it was still nice to visit with old friends especially right before the holidays. I will stay with the Deckers until Ms. Kellerman retires for good and then I still hold out hope that Peter Decker will hand over the reins to his daughter Cindy, a detective now living in Philadelphia. In the meantime I will continue to visit with Peter and Rina Decker and see where the road of life continues to take them.
3.5 stars
September 17, 2018
I usually love a Kellerman book - (his and hers) but this one was way too convoluted - let's name all the characters with the letter B so we can't remember who is who. Brady, Brandy, Brandon, Boxer, Boch and Baccuss- come on - really? - Is that so we don't realize that there is nothing really holding this story together? I actually had to write a list on paper - a who's who list.
And the shout-out to Jonathan was just dumb. Especially since Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis were actually characters consulted by Decker in a previous book. - Now all of a sudden Alex is a fictional character and Decker is told he should read the Alex Delaware books because they are so good. I am glad that Rina stayed in the background.
I love a good Kellerman book....but I was disappointed by this one.
And the shout-out to Jonathan was just dumb. Especially since Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis were actually characters consulted by Decker in a previous book. - Now all of a sudden Alex is a fictional character and Decker is told he should read the Alex Delaware books because they are so good. I am glad that Rina stayed in the background.
I love a good Kellerman book....but I was disappointed by this one.
October 28, 2018
I've been a fan of the Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus series for nearly 20 years but lately, Ms. Kellerman's books feel forced and tedious.
But then, its to be expected when the series has been going on for so long.
** Minor spoilers ahead **
That description applies to Walking Shadows, a confusing, complicated mystery that begins when a young man named Brady Neil is found bludgeoned to death.
Decker's investigation uncovers a conspiracy that dates back to the brutal murders of two jewelry owners, corrupt cops and plenty of disreputable characters.
There is WAYYY too much stuff going on; characters with similar sounding names, numerous subplots that involve an embezzling couple from 20 years ago, sons of murderers and corrupt men, slut shaming, the daughter of a police captain Decker has to babysit, Harvard mooching off of Decker and Rina, a hostage negotiation, yadda yadda yadda.
I'm still not sure why Brady was killed. Was it blackmail or something else?
Oh, you know what, forget it.
But then, its to be expected when the series has been going on for so long.
** Minor spoilers ahead **
That description applies to Walking Shadows, a confusing, complicated mystery that begins when a young man named Brady Neil is found bludgeoned to death.
Decker's investigation uncovers a conspiracy that dates back to the brutal murders of two jewelry owners, corrupt cops and plenty of disreputable characters.
There is WAYYY too much stuff going on; characters with similar sounding names, numerous subplots that involve an embezzling couple from 20 years ago, sons of murderers and corrupt men, slut shaming, the daughter of a police captain Decker has to babysit, Harvard mooching off of Decker and Rina, a hostage negotiation, yadda yadda yadda.
I'm still not sure why Brady was killed. Was it blackmail or something else?
Oh, you know what, forget it.
September 26, 2024
While deciding to continue reading the Decker/Lazarus series (this is my second in about two weeks), I learned that “The Hunt” was the last book to be written with these characters. So, that was my next Kellerman to read and review. Which I have also done. I was happy that my local library had copies of both, so that I could once again immerse myself in Peter and Rina’s life.
Again, for anyone choosing to read this book, consider starting at the beginning of the series to fully understand the continuing characters.
Of course, it always starts with a case. And, this one was particularly frustrating for Detective Peter Decker. Could the death of this young man be related to a case from 20 years ago?
It seems the more that he investigates, the more trouble and questions seems to turn up. With Rina’s help behind the scenes, more information becomes clear as Decker searches for answers. But as in any police procedural, Decker is relentless in getting to the truth, no matter what it takes. And, what happens when he finally does? Will the case be solved satisfactorily or will he have to speculate what could have really happened?
For fans of the series this will be a fast-paced, page-turner with lots of twists and turns. But for readers, will it be a satisfying end?
Again, for anyone choosing to read this book, consider starting at the beginning of the series to fully understand the continuing characters.
Of course, it always starts with a case. And, this one was particularly frustrating for Detective Peter Decker. Could the death of this young man be related to a case from 20 years ago?
It seems the more that he investigates, the more trouble and questions seems to turn up. With Rina’s help behind the scenes, more information becomes clear as Decker searches for answers. But as in any police procedural, Decker is relentless in getting to the truth, no matter what it takes. And, what happens when he finally does? Will the case be solved satisfactorily or will he have to speculate what could have really happened?
For fans of the series this will be a fast-paced, page-turner with lots of twists and turns. But for readers, will it be a satisfying end?
October 17, 2018
Decker is called out to investigate smashed mailboxes, but finds the dead body of Brady Neil. Brady works as a manager in the electronics department at the local superstore, lives at home, always seems to have money, but does not seem to have enemies. His father, on the other hand, is serving time in prison for robbing and murdering the owners of a local jewelry store. Joined by a detective from the neighboring police force (Lennie Bacchus), they find out Brady's close friend, Joseph Boch, is missing. Peter Decker is joined by his no-so-new-anymore sidekick, Tyler as they dig into the 20-year old crime and police investigation, led by Lennie's father.
The plot was unnecessarily convoluted, the rivalry between the two police departments seemed forced to me, and the gratuitous promotion of Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware series should have been deleted.
The plot was unnecessarily convoluted, the rivalry between the two police departments seemed forced to me, and the gratuitous promotion of Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware series should have been deleted.
August 29, 2018
Walking Shadows is another brilliantly addictive novel in the Decker/Lazarus series from Faye Kellerman- personally I love this dynamic duo who I’ve followed for years since that very first meeting in book one.
Each mystery is intriguing and unpredictable, alongside that we have the family life behind the scenes and one of the things that keeps bringing me back to these books is the solid relationship between Pete and Rina, one we can all aspire to.
In this instalment Pete finds a body and gets caught up in a 20 year old case, the resolution of which is blurry at best. Caught between two precincts, politics and cover ups seem to be the order of the day.
The plotting is clever, the writing as always is wonderful and returning to Decker’s world is always one of the highlights of my year.
Completely recommended as a series.
Each mystery is intriguing and unpredictable, alongside that we have the family life behind the scenes and one of the things that keeps bringing me back to these books is the solid relationship between Pete and Rina, one we can all aspire to.
In this instalment Pete finds a body and gets caught up in a 20 year old case, the resolution of which is blurry at best. Caught between two precincts, politics and cover ups seem to be the order of the day.
The plotting is clever, the writing as always is wonderful and returning to Decker’s world is always one of the highlights of my year.
Completely recommended as a series.
July 16, 2018
I received this as a review copy from Edelweiss +
Much as I've loved the Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus series, this one was too convoluted to follow. The characters were not interesting enough to keep track of, too many unrelated story lines, and a very unfulfilling ending made me glad when I got to the end. And Taylor does not add anything to these books. He's uninteresting and doesn't contribute much.
Much as I've loved the Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus series, this one was too convoluted to follow. The characters were not interesting enough to keep track of, too many unrelated story lines, and a very unfulfilling ending made me glad when I got to the end. And Taylor does not add anything to these books. He's uninteresting and doesn't contribute much.
September 4, 2018
"Old friends, old friends,
Sat on their parkbench like bookends..."
--Paul Simon
After so many years of reading and enjoying the books in this series, the words to that song popped into my head as I started this one. I've followed the adventures of Detective Peter Decker and his wife, Rina Lazarus, from the time they met, fell in love and married (beginning, if I recall correctly, with The Ritual Bath in 1986). I loved watching their blended family grow and the interactions between Peter and Rina as she guides their Orthodox Jewish household and offers sage advice to him as he works to solve crimes.
Given that expectation, then, I was a bit disappointed with this book, in which Rina plays what to me is a very insignificant role. Yes, she offers some coffee and sympathy when he gets bogged down in as-yet-unsolvable details of the case he's working on, but most of what little on-page time she gets is spent making kosher sandwiches. In all honesty, though, I've said the same for all the other books written since the empty-nesters and grandparents moved from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles to Greenbury, New York, a small, upstate college town (I believe this is the fourth).
For both Peter and Rina, that move was supposed to put them in a relatively quiet, relaxing world; but bored with doing nothing, Peter joined the local police force, not really expecting much action. Needless to say, no sooner than he signed on, homicides started happening. This one - the body of a badly beaten young man - is discovered by Peter himself. In part because he lived in nearby Hamilton, there's some clamor over territorial rights, and the Hamilton police chief insists that his daughter, Lenora Baccus ("Lennie") be assigned temporarily to assist Decker and his Greenbury team. As sort of an aside, Lennie formerly worked for the Philadelphia police, specifically with Decker's grown daughter Cindy. Coincidence? Of course not; since Lennie has no idea that Peter is Cindy's father, it adds a couple of pages to the book by allowing him to call Cindy to check up on Lennie's performance since he really doesn't fully trust her or the reason her father lent her to Greenbury.
Peter doesn't trust her father's motives, either (nor, for that matter, those of most of the police teams of Hamilton or Greenbury). Some of that distrust may be well-earned; early on, the supposedly squeaky clean victim, Brady Neil, turned out to be involved in criminal activities. Then it was learned that his father, Brandon Gratz, is in jail for the murder of two owners of a local jewelry store. That link, in turn, leads to possible connections to members of the Hamilton police, whose detectives - including Lennie's father - were the lead investigators in the jewelry store murders. The trail also leads Peter and Rina to Florida, where they can spend a few paragraphs visiting both their aging mothers (Ida Decker, Peter's mom, is a spry 94).
Actually, the story itself is quite engrossing, but there are way, way too many characters to keep straight; about halfway through, I totally gave up trying, figuring things would sort themselves out in the end (which they did, for the most part). But keeping them all straight was made even more difficult because just about everyone in the cast had a name beginning with a "B" - either first or last. Finally, although most of the loose ends are tidied up by the end, there were a couple of stragglers; I can only assume those will become fodder for the plot of a future book (and yes, I'll be among the first in line to get it). That's because even after my kvetching about this one, Peter and Rina still feel like old friends and people with whom I'd love to sit on a park bench and chat. Oy, the stories we could share!
Sat on their parkbench like bookends..."
--Paul Simon
After so many years of reading and enjoying the books in this series, the words to that song popped into my head as I started this one. I've followed the adventures of Detective Peter Decker and his wife, Rina Lazarus, from the time they met, fell in love and married (beginning, if I recall correctly, with The Ritual Bath in 1986). I loved watching their blended family grow and the interactions between Peter and Rina as she guides their Orthodox Jewish household and offers sage advice to him as he works to solve crimes.
Given that expectation, then, I was a bit disappointed with this book, in which Rina plays what to me is a very insignificant role. Yes, she offers some coffee and sympathy when he gets bogged down in as-yet-unsolvable details of the case he's working on, but most of what little on-page time she gets is spent making kosher sandwiches. In all honesty, though, I've said the same for all the other books written since the empty-nesters and grandparents moved from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles to Greenbury, New York, a small, upstate college town (I believe this is the fourth).
For both Peter and Rina, that move was supposed to put them in a relatively quiet, relaxing world; but bored with doing nothing, Peter joined the local police force, not really expecting much action. Needless to say, no sooner than he signed on, homicides started happening. This one - the body of a badly beaten young man - is discovered by Peter himself. In part because he lived in nearby Hamilton, there's some clamor over territorial rights, and the Hamilton police chief insists that his daughter, Lenora Baccus ("Lennie") be assigned temporarily to assist Decker and his Greenbury team. As sort of an aside, Lennie formerly worked for the Philadelphia police, specifically with Decker's grown daughter Cindy. Coincidence? Of course not; since Lennie has no idea that Peter is Cindy's father, it adds a couple of pages to the book by allowing him to call Cindy to check up on Lennie's performance since he really doesn't fully trust her or the reason her father lent her to Greenbury.
Peter doesn't trust her father's motives, either (nor, for that matter, those of most of the police teams of Hamilton or Greenbury). Some of that distrust may be well-earned; early on, the supposedly squeaky clean victim, Brady Neil, turned out to be involved in criminal activities. Then it was learned that his father, Brandon Gratz, is in jail for the murder of two owners of a local jewelry store. That link, in turn, leads to possible connections to members of the Hamilton police, whose detectives - including Lennie's father - were the lead investigators in the jewelry store murders. The trail also leads Peter and Rina to Florida, where they can spend a few paragraphs visiting both their aging mothers (Ida Decker, Peter's mom, is a spry 94).
Actually, the story itself is quite engrossing, but there are way, way too many characters to keep straight; about halfway through, I totally gave up trying, figuring things would sort themselves out in the end (which they did, for the most part). But keeping them all straight was made even more difficult because just about everyone in the cast had a name beginning with a "B" - either first or last. Finally, although most of the loose ends are tidied up by the end, there were a couple of stragglers; I can only assume those will become fodder for the plot of a future book (and yes, I'll be among the first in line to get it). That's because even after my kvetching about this one, Peter and Rina still feel like old friends and people with whom I'd love to sit on a park bench and chat. Oy, the stories we could share!
February 27, 2022
Maybe if I had read the earlier books featuring Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus I would have been better prepared for this book. Not sure that was the problem though, as I really liked the banter and interaction between Peter and Rina and would have appreciated more of that. I also liked the way their Jewish observances were woven into the narrative. Other aspects of this novel did not gel as well with me.
When twenty six year old Brady Neil is found murdered in New York, Decker suspects it could be linked to another case when he learns Brady’s father was convicted of murder years earlier. Then, another murder occurs. It also seems some of the police force don’t want Decker looking too closely into the old murder. And why has police chief Baccus added his daughter Lennie to Decker’s team? It seems odd. Is there an ulterior motive?
This is a gritty and rather convoluted story with a fair sprinkling of the f word and, it felt to me, like too many characters to keep track of. As for the ending that pulled my rating down further. In the end I was disappointed and doubt I will read any other books in this series. It could be just my frame of mind or it could be the book, so perhaps give it a go and see what you think. For me only 2 and a half stars.
When twenty six year old Brady Neil is found murdered in New York, Decker suspects it could be linked to another case when he learns Brady’s father was convicted of murder years earlier. Then, another murder occurs. It also seems some of the police force don’t want Decker looking too closely into the old murder. And why has police chief Baccus added his daughter Lennie to Decker’s team? It seems odd. Is there an ulterior motive?
This is a gritty and rather convoluted story with a fair sprinkling of the f word and, it felt to me, like too many characters to keep track of. As for the ending that pulled my rating down further. In the end I was disappointed and doubt I will read any other books in this series. It could be just my frame of mind or it could be the book, so perhaps give it a go and see what you think. For me only 2 and a half stars.
June 5, 2019
Not the best installment of this series, but it reminded me how much I enjoyed the earlier books.
Now I want to re-read the beginning of the series. I love the idea of having an Orthodox Jewish couple as the leads for the mystery investigations.
This book was sort of a hot mess. Brandon, Brady, Brandy? Really? Hee hee.
Grade: C
Now I want to re-read the beginning of the series. I love the idea of having an Orthodox Jewish couple as the leads for the mystery investigations.
This book was sort of a hot mess. Brandon, Brady, Brandy? Really? Hee hee.
Grade: C
September 10, 2018
It does not seem possible that every Decker/Lazarus book is better than the previous one and yet, it is. I have read every one of these books and remain enthralled with them. Rina and Peter are an incredible team.
August 30, 2018
Not one of her best.Love this series but this is overly complicated with the characters not well developed. The ending is rushed and vaguely unsatisfying.
November 10, 2018
Another excellent addition to the Decker/Lazarus series. Faye Kellerman really does hit the spot each and every time! 🤗
April 29, 2019
I would like to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for a review copy of Walking Shadows, the twentyfifth novel to feature Lieutenant Pete Decker and his wife Rina Lazarus, set in the fictional New York State town of Greenbury.
Out on another call Decker discovers the body of Brady Neil, an apparently quiet man of twenty six with no known enemies. As he investigates further he discovers that Brady’s dad has been in prison for twenty years after being convicted of armed robbery and murder. Does this have anything to do with Brady’s murder or the disappearance of his best friend, Boxer? Certainly there are anomalies in the case.
I thoroughly enjoyed Walking Shadows which is a twisted tale of old crimes casting long shadows. It is certainly true, as other reviewers have commented, that the ending is inconclusive and there are some plot lines that start and just peter out (no pun intended) but rather than being disappointed by it I saw it as more of a positive. It is impossible after twenty years to get the full truth and given both the time and staff constraints in modern policing it makes sense to prioritise what they can investigate and prove so I saw the inconclusiveness as realism. I got my reader satisfaction from Decker’s conclusions which seem smart and logical.
The plot itself is interesting with many strands, participants and motives so I found it quite a compulsive read and was feverishly turning the pages to see what was coming next. It is full of mayhem and lies so great stuff.
Throughout it all Decker, ably assisted by his sidekick Tyler McAdams, investigates relentlessly with his wife Rina providing the calm, smart advice and occasional research to keep him balanced. The banter between McAdams and Decker is lively and, at times, humourous providing some light relief to the strain and tension of the investigation.
Walking Shadows is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
Out on another call Decker discovers the body of Brady Neil, an apparently quiet man of twenty six with no known enemies. As he investigates further he discovers that Brady’s dad has been in prison for twenty years after being convicted of armed robbery and murder. Does this have anything to do with Brady’s murder or the disappearance of his best friend, Boxer? Certainly there are anomalies in the case.
I thoroughly enjoyed Walking Shadows which is a twisted tale of old crimes casting long shadows. It is certainly true, as other reviewers have commented, that the ending is inconclusive and there are some plot lines that start and just peter out (no pun intended) but rather than being disappointed by it I saw it as more of a positive. It is impossible after twenty years to get the full truth and given both the time and staff constraints in modern policing it makes sense to prioritise what they can investigate and prove so I saw the inconclusiveness as realism. I got my reader satisfaction from Decker’s conclusions which seem smart and logical.
The plot itself is interesting with many strands, participants and motives so I found it quite a compulsive read and was feverishly turning the pages to see what was coming next. It is full of mayhem and lies so great stuff.
Throughout it all Decker, ably assisted by his sidekick Tyler McAdams, investigates relentlessly with his wife Rina providing the calm, smart advice and occasional research to keep him balanced. The banter between McAdams and Decker is lively and, at times, humourous providing some light relief to the strain and tension of the investigation.
Walking Shadows is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
November 1, 2018
I slogged through the last book despite the rampant transphobia, thinking that Kellerman always comes through eventually.
Then this book starts out with a character victim blaming a female cop for not being able to "take" sexual harassment, rails against "PC culture", and finally, the straw that broke the camel's back, Kellerman writes THIS line:
"Tears filled her orbs."
WHAT???? THEY'RE CALLED EYEBALLS FAYE. WTF???
I'm done with this series. Couldn't stomach finishing this novel and can't stomach Ms. Kellerman's old fashioned beliefs. I'll be happy when the "old guard" generation dies off along with their antiquated ideas about how the world works.
Then this book starts out with a character victim blaming a female cop for not being able to "take" sexual harassment, rails against "PC culture", and finally, the straw that broke the camel's back, Kellerman writes THIS line:
"Tears filled her orbs."
WHAT???? THEY'RE CALLED EYEBALLS FAYE. WTF???
I'm done with this series. Couldn't stomach finishing this novel and can't stomach Ms. Kellerman's old fashioned beliefs. I'll be happy when the "old guard" generation dies off along with their antiquated ideas about how the world works.
April 15, 2019
3.5/5
A interesting twisty story, a little slow to get going. But there were a few nit-picky things that detracted...
How did Rina
A interesting twisty story, a little slow to get going. But there were a few nit-picky things that detracted...
How did Rina
September 11, 2019
Drat! The first and only Faye Kellerman novel which I have bottomed out in... I guess the time has come for me to hang up my spectacles with this series, and it seems that others are feeling the same. Pete Decker doesn’t rely on the lovely Rina the same way, and those vignettes were some of the most special in her earlier books.
I’ll keep my eyes open, and spectacles clean to observe any re-emergence of the spectacular Rina... but I’m not working myself into a lather to finish this less than stellar Faye Kellerman mystery. Sigh.
I’ll keep my eyes open, and spectacles clean to observe any re-emergence of the spectacular Rina... but I’m not working myself into a lather to finish this less than stellar Faye Kellerman mystery. Sigh.
April 7, 2019
Walking Shadows (Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus #25)
Faye Kellerman
This was not as engaging as most of the others in the Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus series. Somehow the story and characters just seemed tired. Midway through, and until the end, I simply did not much care about the characters or the outcome. Fortunately it was a very fast read, and it was over quickly.
Faye Kellerman
This was not as engaging as most of the others in the Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus series. Somehow the story and characters just seemed tired. Midway through, and until the end, I simply did not much care about the characters or the outcome. Fortunately it was a very fast read, and it was over quickly.
September 8, 2018
Walking Shadows
By Faye Kellerman
William Morrow
August 28, 2018
Hardcover, 367 pp., $27.99
ISBN: 978-0-0624-2498-3
Reviewed by Theodore Feit
After 35 years with the LAPD, Peter Decker took his well-earned pension and a supposedly softer job in a small town in upstate New York. So much for wishes. Now two years later and a homicide in each, he now has a third, when residents complain about vandalism, and a body is discovered in the area. This discovery leads Decker (with the help of his wife Rina Lazarus) on a wild chase involving a 20-year-old double murder and a robbery of a jewelry store in a nearby town.
Complicating the task of finding the murderer is the fact that Decker needs the cooperation of the police department of the neighboring town, whose chief of police was the one who made his reputation in solving the old case. Another complication is that the persons convicted of the robbery-murder, one of whom is the father of the victim serving a 20-year term, and providing Decker with no help.
It’s kind of hard to believe that Walking Shadows is the 25th novel in the series. I guess it has stood the test of time. Like its predecessors, the novel is a police procedural in which Decker logically solves the crime step by step, applying logic and asking questions, lots of questions.
Recommended.
By Faye Kellerman
William Morrow
August 28, 2018
Hardcover, 367 pp., $27.99
ISBN: 978-0-0624-2498-3
Reviewed by Theodore Feit
After 35 years with the LAPD, Peter Decker took his well-earned pension and a supposedly softer job in a small town in upstate New York. So much for wishes. Now two years later and a homicide in each, he now has a third, when residents complain about vandalism, and a body is discovered in the area. This discovery leads Decker (with the help of his wife Rina Lazarus) on a wild chase involving a 20-year-old double murder and a robbery of a jewelry store in a nearby town.
Complicating the task of finding the murderer is the fact that Decker needs the cooperation of the police department of the neighboring town, whose chief of police was the one who made his reputation in solving the old case. Another complication is that the persons convicted of the robbery-murder, one of whom is the father of the victim serving a 20-year term, and providing Decker with no help.
It’s kind of hard to believe that Walking Shadows is the 25th novel in the series. I guess it has stood the test of time. Like its predecessors, the novel is a police procedural in which Decker logically solves the crime step by step, applying logic and asking questions, lots of questions.
Recommended.
June 11, 2018
I love a good Decker/Lazarus novel, and I think this one delivers. This time Decker ends up fighting over territory with the neighboring Hamilton police, and ends up unearthing a decades-old mystery. Solid contribution to the ongoing series.
I was bothered by a couple of things -- the somewhat amusing and somewhat bizarre advertisement for the Alex Delaware series which happens in the middle of the book -- I'm not sure how people would miss that the authors are married, but ok. Also, Reena as unpaid researcher and full confidant is becoming a bit problematic to me, given that Decker is so very hard on his people about not sharing details of the case with anyone, under any circumstances. Speaks to the humanity of the police force, but the scene where she's reading a confidential case file over his shoulder in front of his boss and offering her take seems a bit farfetched.
Advanced Reader's copy provided by Edelweiss.
I was bothered by a couple of things -- the somewhat amusing and somewhat bizarre advertisement for the Alex Delaware series which happens in the middle of the book -- I'm not sure how people would miss that the authors are married, but ok. Also, Reena as unpaid researcher and full confidant is becoming a bit problematic to me, given that Decker is so very hard on his people about not sharing details of the case with anyone, under any circumstances. Speaks to the humanity of the police force, but the scene where she's reading a confidential case file over his shoulder in front of his boss and offering her take seems a bit farfetched.
Advanced Reader's copy provided by Edelweiss.
February 9, 2022
Just reread this and I still feel the same way as before. Read the following:This was a hard one. I love Peter and Rina but this one was very hard to follow. Too many characters for me to follow this time around. No one stood out for you to remember their role except for the girl (can't even remember her name) who was assigned to work with Decker by her father the chief or whatever he was. Trying to track everyone and remember who they were and where they fit into the story was daunting. I muddled on through but found myself not remembering who was who (I was going back and forth trying to keep them straight and then gave up on that) so decided to go for it and finish the book. Was disappointed in this one but one kind of bad book out of 25 ain't so bad. Bring on the next one.
September 16, 2018
Meh
Kellerman's characters are becoming a bit precious. The too perfect couple and plot twists that just go beyond believability. The final straw is her characters taking time to tout her husband's novels. I'd like my money back for this one.
Kellerman's characters are becoming a bit precious. The too perfect couple and plot twists that just go beyond believability. The final straw is her characters taking time to tout her husband's novels. I'd like my money back for this one.
January 12, 2019
Series is feeling dated.
September 8, 2018
It was a riot unlike any Peter Decker had ever seen before. More than a dozen senior citizens, dressed in their nightwear and robes, had taken to the street furious because seven of their mailboxes had been knocked over, the third time in two months. The police had installed a camera but one of the men had removed it because his wife didn’t like the way it looked.
Decker wandered the area to see what clues of adolescent delinquency he could find in the yards and the woods behind the houses. What he found was the body of a twenty-six-year-old male, killed by someone bashing in his head. He had not been killed there.
Decker and Rena had moved from Los Angeles to Greenbury; New York, a small, college town. As one character described it, “ “It’s a decent place, but it’s not exceptional. We’re what politicians call God and gun people.”
“Nothing wrong with that.”
“I don’t know about that, Detective. With God, it’s a round-trip ticket. The Lord destroys, but the Lord also creates. With guns, it’s strictly a one-way fare.”
Decker soon learned the victim was Brady Neil, from the neighboring community, Hamilton. Neil had no criminal record, worked full-time, had few friends, and, it turned out, his father was in jail for a gruesome murder twenty years earlier. He was scheduled to be paroled in the near future.
Decker began interviewing Neil’s family and co-workers. He lived in the basement of his mother’s home. She didn’t know much about what he did or where he went but he always had a lot of money. The one coworker, Boxer, with whom he was friends, had stopped coming to work at the time Neil disappeared.
Since the body was discovered in Greenbury but the victim lived in Hamilton, Decker realized both police departments would have to cooperate. Hamilton Police Chief, Victor Baccus, agreed as long as his daughter Lenora worked with the team. She had recently left a five-year stint with the Philadelphia Police Department and her father wasn’t confident about her ability. He wanted Decker to check her skills and mentor her. No problem. Yet. Tyler McAdams, Decker and Rena’s long-time friend and current co-worker, thought she was planted there to spy on what Decker was learning.
Gregg, the son of the jeweler and his wife, was ten years old when his parents were killed. He was the lone witness and identified Neil’s father as the killer. The father and his partner confessed to the robbery but not the murder. Solving the case made Baccus’s career. When Decker tried to interview him, he was unavailable and would not return calls.
While trying to find the motive for Neil’s murder, the hunt for Boxer continued and evidence of his fate showed up. It was in Hamilton and the argument about jurisdiction and who should handle the cases began.
There are many possible motives and killers in WALKING SHADOWS. Some possibilities are based on recent events. Others go back two decades.
The book has it’s humorous moments. In one case, “She gave him some sliced white meat. Sides were coleslaw and coleslaw.”
I noticed one inconsistency: In a free moment, Decker called Rena:
Hi, I’‘m in the car. Can I call you back in ten minutes?”
“It might not work. I have a lull right now, but I don’t want you to talk while you’re driving.”
“Everything okay?”
“Just a whole lot of nothing...well, that’s not entirely true.” He told her about Boxer and his disappearing act.”
For someone who didn’t want her to talk while driving, he still kept her on the phone.
There was also a scene where a man with one arm chained to a table crossed his arms.
WALKING SHADOWS kept my attention. The characters are realistic and the story moves forward. For Decker/Lazarus fans, Rena plays a small but important role, much different than the ones she played when they lived in Los Angeles
Decker wandered the area to see what clues of adolescent delinquency he could find in the yards and the woods behind the houses. What he found was the body of a twenty-six-year-old male, killed by someone bashing in his head. He had not been killed there.
Decker and Rena had moved from Los Angeles to Greenbury; New York, a small, college town. As one character described it, “ “It’s a decent place, but it’s not exceptional. We’re what politicians call God and gun people.”
“Nothing wrong with that.”
“I don’t know about that, Detective. With God, it’s a round-trip ticket. The Lord destroys, but the Lord also creates. With guns, it’s strictly a one-way fare.”
Decker soon learned the victim was Brady Neil, from the neighboring community, Hamilton. Neil had no criminal record, worked full-time, had few friends, and, it turned out, his father was in jail for a gruesome murder twenty years earlier. He was scheduled to be paroled in the near future.
Decker began interviewing Neil’s family and co-workers. He lived in the basement of his mother’s home. She didn’t know much about what he did or where he went but he always had a lot of money. The one coworker, Boxer, with whom he was friends, had stopped coming to work at the time Neil disappeared.
Since the body was discovered in Greenbury but the victim lived in Hamilton, Decker realized both police departments would have to cooperate. Hamilton Police Chief, Victor Baccus, agreed as long as his daughter Lenora worked with the team. She had recently left a five-year stint with the Philadelphia Police Department and her father wasn’t confident about her ability. He wanted Decker to check her skills and mentor her. No problem. Yet. Tyler McAdams, Decker and Rena’s long-time friend and current co-worker, thought she was planted there to spy on what Decker was learning.
Gregg, the son of the jeweler and his wife, was ten years old when his parents were killed. He was the lone witness and identified Neil’s father as the killer. The father and his partner confessed to the robbery but not the murder. Solving the case made Baccus’s career. When Decker tried to interview him, he was unavailable and would not return calls.
While trying to find the motive for Neil’s murder, the hunt for Boxer continued and evidence of his fate showed up. It was in Hamilton and the argument about jurisdiction and who should handle the cases began.
There are many possible motives and killers in WALKING SHADOWS. Some possibilities are based on recent events. Others go back two decades.
The book has it’s humorous moments. In one case, “She gave him some sliced white meat. Sides were coleslaw and coleslaw.”
I noticed one inconsistency: In a free moment, Decker called Rena:
Hi, I’‘m in the car. Can I call you back in ten minutes?”
“It might not work. I have a lull right now, but I don’t want you to talk while you’re driving.”
“Everything okay?”
“Just a whole lot of nothing...well, that’s not entirely true.” He told her about Boxer and his disappearing act.”
For someone who didn’t want her to talk while driving, he still kept her on the phone.
There was also a scene where a man with one arm chained to a table crossed his arms.
WALKING SHADOWS kept my attention. The characters are realistic and the story moves forward. For Decker/Lazarus fans, Rena plays a small but important role, much different than the ones she played when they lived in Los Angeles
September 16, 2018
#25 in the Peter Decker / Rina Lazarus mystery series. This 2018 series entry from author Faye Kellerman brings back a favorite series character but Peter's wife Rina has a smaller than usual role, daughter Cindy is limited to a phone call and their other children don't appear at all. Tyler McAdams, Decker's partner since Murder 101 (2014) feels slighted in his role by the appearance of Lennie Baccus and she provides one of the loose threads at the climax of this less than completely satisfying mystery. Author Kellerman's husband Jonathan, also an author, and his fictional creation, Alex Delaware, are recognized in the course of this novel.
The bludgeoned body of Brady Neil, a 26-year-old electronics store employee, surprises Peter Decker, a police detective in Greenbury, N.Y., who had started the evening investigating mailbox vandalism. Since the victim lived in the neighboring town of Hamilton, Decker needs to cooperate with the Hamilton police chief, which means reluctantly accepting the assignment of the chief's daughter, Lennie Baccus, to the case. When Decker learns that Neil's father was doing time for a double homicide, he probes whether the bludgeoning was somehow connected with those murders. More murders follow and the web of conspiracy that started 20 years earlier continues to grow.
The bludgeoned body of Brady Neil, a 26-year-old electronics store employee, surprises Peter Decker, a police detective in Greenbury, N.Y., who had started the evening investigating mailbox vandalism. Since the victim lived in the neighboring town of Hamilton, Decker needs to cooperate with the Hamilton police chief, which means reluctantly accepting the assignment of the chief's daughter, Lennie Baccus, to the case. When Decker learns that Neil's father was doing time for a double homicide, he probes whether the bludgeoning was somehow connected with those murders. More murders follow and the web of conspiracy that started 20 years earlier continues to grow.
September 30, 2019
This one has displaced the one which I read just before , as the most boring Decker Lazarus novel . Perhaps Kellerman is running out of ideas.
I completed it only because it is Decker Lazarus duo and they have kept me entertained numerous times.
Two young men who are a decade apart are found dead and missing ... And the investigation starts .
In the end the story was nothing much ..
I completed it only because it is Decker Lazarus duo and they have kept me entertained numerous times.
Two young men who are a decade apart are found dead and missing ... And the investigation starts .
In the end the story was nothing much ..
October 5, 2019
Thrilling and taut
September 29, 2018
Surprise ending that works. Always good to spend time with these people.
October 19, 2018
Great reading, interesting characters, overall a great book. Would love to read more from Faye Kellerman, I'll have to be on the look-out for her books.
February 2, 2019
Two-haiku review:
Young man's body found
Turns out father's in prison
Could it be payback?
Complicated case
With Decker nothing's simple
He's a real good guy
Young man's body found
Turns out father's in prison
Could it be payback?
Complicated case
With Decker nothing's simple
He's a real good guy
Displaying 1 - 30 of 545 reviews