Rating: 
Summary: Peter deals with a religious cult
Review: Police Lieutenant Peter Decker is called in on the death of a charismatic leader of a religious cult called the Order of the Rings. The deceased was a well-known astophysicist named Emil Ganz who had disappeared and then surfaced as Father Jupiter, the leader of the cult. His death is reported to the police by his daughter, Europa, who is not involved with the cult but who had followed her father's footsteps into his occupation. When Decker and the LAPD try to investigate the death, Jupiter's four lieutenants try to stonewall their efforts. Soon there is another death, and some disappearances from the compound where the cult lives. Decker and his cohorts are horrified as they uncover the secrets of the Order of the Rings. Peter's longtime partner Marge plays a pivotal role in an exciting rescue attempt at the end of the book where the action really peaks. Peter also discovers some long-hidden secrets about his stepsons, but as usual, his homelife takes second place to his professional one. This is another good entry to the Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus Series from the gifted writer, Faye Kellerman.
Rating: 
Summary: Fantasy & Reality - There is plenty of both
Review: The story line of this book was too weak and far-fetched to enthrall me, as it should have. With several of the main characters having names such as Jupiter, Andromeda, Pluto, and Venus it was hard to believe. OK, these people belonged to a powerful, evil, cult, which required them to forget their pasts and isolate themselves from the real world. One way to do this was to adopt astrological names. Even so, when the leader of the cult was formerly a top scientist in the USA and renowned around the world for his advances in scientific research, it was hard to accept the circumstances, which lead him to set up this loony group. Apparently vanishing from the face of the earth for 15 years, but actually dropping out of society, and living in a home for the insane with his wife's financial aid gave him that opportunity. He emerges with a new name and a group of devoted followers living in a Fort Knox like building and compound. But it would appear that not all of his followers are that devoted. The story opens with his death under mysterious circumstances. Appearing on the surface to be an everyday suicide after imbibing a bottle of vodka and swallowing a few tablets, there is a strong suspicion that foul play was involved. Now the story line developed around our hero, Lieutenant Peter Decker, ("Loo"), provided a firm grounding with reality throughout the long book. He tries his hardest to cope with days on end at work, without sleep, under the glare of the media and the pressure from his police and political bosses, whilst maintaining a loving marriage. This struggle, of trying to be normal and sane and responsible for his headstrong adolescent kids was more than realistic. A mixed marriage to a strictly Jewish widow coming with a ready-made family of teens is reality itself. So, as the plot develops, the suicide/murder leads into a series of worsening events. The cult members not only won't co-operate with police investigations, they actively hamper them. The murders and violence escalate. However, for me, it was too fantasy like to be plausible and the tension that was clearly supposed to be developing just didn't happen. If you enjoy science fiction and fantasy this book is for you, but in my judgement two stars is the best I can offer.
Rating:
Summary: Cults and Mystery
Review: What is it with all the cult-oriented mystery novels lately? Between this and Death Du Jour (Kathy Reichs) it seems like we're in a spurt of post-Heaven's Gate paranoia. Cults are bad. We get the message. This is not Faye Kellerman's best book. It's not even close. As far as the mystery itself is concerned, this book would only rate 3 stars at best. The situation feels more than a little contrived in a number of places and the ending is overly sensational. I also think a lot of diehard Peter Dekker fans may be turned off because we see rather significantly less of Rina than we usually do. What saves the book and made it (in the end) a good read is the care with which Kellerman handles her family unit of Rina Lazarus and Peter Dekker. The trials of Peter and his maturing step-sons contain enough realism and conflict to keep the reader firmly hooked. Kellerman provides enough resolution to leave us satisfied, but nicely sets up the seeds of future problems for later books. Along the way she manages to do some fairly intelligent musing on the differences between orthodox religious adherents and cult members. Worth a read, particularly if you like the series.
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