The Butcher's Theater

Rating:
Summary: Disapointment! Too slow.
Review: I was very disappointed in "Butcher's Theater," having read all of The Alex Delaware novels with the exception of "Survival of the Fittest." I felt the author took too long to bring everything to a head and solve the crime. I do look forward to meeting the Israeli policeman, Daniel Sharavi, when he arrives in Los Angles to work with the LAPD in "Survival."

Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable, but not a page-turner
Review: I've enjoyed Kellerman as a new find this year; I've read every one of his books since April, THE BUTCHER'S THEATER being the last. Normally, I can't wait to finish his work, staying up later than my wife would like and taking longer lunch breaks than my boss would like. I usually finish his novels in 2-3 days. This one, however, didn't grab me like the others. Perhaps it was the unfamiliar locale that distracted me, but it took me 2 weeks to finish it, and frankly, it didn't bother me if I didn't get a chance to read it. The characterizations were good, as Kellerman's usually are, but I found the psychopath and his "political" leanings a little trite. I never felt like he was as scary as he was made out to be. This book also suffers from Kellerman's biggest weakness: endings. The "big confrontation" that is telegraphed from about half-way through the book is not entirely satisfactory.

Rating:
Summary: A GREAT RIDE!
Review: I've just started reading Kellerman's books, and thought Dani Sharavi's character was also in WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS. The fact that the story is set in Israel just thrilled me after meeting this character in the aforementioned book. Kellerman did a marvelous job of developing the character of Pakad Sharavi and the rest of his detectives...all of whom were part of the intricate web of searching for a devious and warped killer. The book races, you can't put it down. I lost sleep with this one reading into the night. Hopefully we'll see more of Pakad Daniel Sharavi and his entourage...I really enjoyed him.

Rating:
Summary: A GREAT RIDE!
Review: I've just started reading Kellerman's books, and thought Dani Sharavi's character was also in WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS. The fact that the story is set in Israel just thrilled me after meeting this character in the aforementioned book. Kellerman did a marvelous job of developing the character of Pakad Sharavi and the rest of his detectives...all of whom were part of the intricate web of searching for a devious and warped killer. The book races, you can't put it down. I lost sleep with this one reading into the night. Hopefully we'll see more of Pakad Daniel Sharavi and his entourage...I really enjoyed him.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Read!
Review: Jonathan Kellerman takes a break from his Alex Deleware series in style. This book has everything, you learn the workings of a psychotic mind, the past of a brutal killer, some history of a foreign land, and the workings of the police in a serial killing case. This is nothing like the previous or current Kellerman books, but it is definately equal to them and a good read

Rating:
Summary: SUPERB!
Review: Kellerman has become one of my favorites, but of all his books, this one with Daniel Sharavi as the investigator has been the most riveting. I really enjoyed the history of Israel's landmarks....Jonathan has had to spend time in Israel to get so many things so clear for his readers. What an amazing read. I'd highly recommend it. You won't put it down till you've hit the last page! I do wish Daniel Sharavi would appear in more of Kellerman's novels. I love Alex Delaware and Detective Milo Sturgis...but Daniel Sharavi and family are wonderful characters as well.

Rating:
Summary: SUPERB!
Review: Kellerman has become one of my favorites, but of all his books, this one with Daniel Sharavi as the investigator has been the most riveting. I really enjoyed the history of Israel's landmarks....Jonathan has had to spend time in Israel to get so many things so clear for his readers. What an amazing read. I'd highly recommend it. You won't put it down till you've hit the last page! I do wish Daniel Sharavi would appear in more of Kellerman's novels. I love Alex Delaware and Detective Milo Sturgis...but Daniel Sharavi and family are wonderful characters as well.

Rating:
Summary: Somewhat disappointing, but spellbinding at points.....
Review: Many facets of Jerusalem's past & population were covered, it was sometimes too much and would detract from my interest in the plot itself. The ending read like a screenplay - too much like a tv movie. The plot seemed drawn out and the "ends" weren't tied together quite well enough. Good, but not a great mystery. I don't agree with the jacket reviews that the ending rivals Ken Follet's EYE OF THE NEEDLE. I'll try another of Jonathan Kellerman's books, but this one didn't thrill me

Rating:
Summary: Racial Stereotyping
Review: The blatent and overt racial overtones of this novel were so unsettling I prefered to relegate the book to the waste bin. Good writers should be able to tell the story without insulting any race.

Rating:
Summary: A triumph.
Review: The Butchers Theatre. A magnificent novel from Kellerman.I have not been thrilled to bits by his Alex Delaware series, as that character always strikes me as a smug rich kid with far too much time and money on his hands.However Kellerman has excelled himself here.A psychotic pseudo-Nazi killer,a team of rookie detectives trying to catch him in the holy land...Genuinely chilling stuff,especially the killers background in LA. Everything from 1980s Israel is here-from customs to retellings of legends.The book is almost like an elaborate conversation and is superb and gripping stuff.The only disappointment was the ending.Its rather predictable and a bit of a letdown.However this is an excellent book and to any Kellerman fan a must-read.