Genre: Mystery
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Many years ago I was fortunate enough to happen upon The Ritual Bath by Faye Kellerman. It was the beginning of a long journey for me, as I happily read subsequent books that took me through the lives of Rina Lazarus and Peter Decker. I just rediscovered this book and enjoyed it as much as I did the first time, so I decided to review it again, fifteen or so years after I did the first time.
I will try my best not to give away anything from later books, but I will say that these are two of the most wonderful characters that I have had the pleasure of getting to know. In this book we meet Rina as a young widow with two children. She is an ultra-orthodox Jewish resident of an ultra-conservative community in California. She is bright and brave and willing to speak to Detective Peter Decker about the crime that others are trying to keep hidden.
Decker is a somewhat intense Detective and is horrified to hear that a woman was brutally raped when returning from the mikvah (bathhouse) after a ritual cleansing was performed. Rina called in the crime and calmly explained what happened to the Detective. Together they will get to the bottom of a crime that turned this peaceful and secluded neighborhood upside down.
Kellerman handles the explanation of orthodox beliefs and rituals in such an interesting way, that the reader gets a top grade education while taking part in the solving of a brutal crime. She also does a great job mixing the beliefs of two religious opposites and helps them to find common ground to work (and maybe even play) together. Watching their relationship build was one of my favorite parts of this story.
As Decker digs deeper into his investigation and begins wondering who the intended victim might have been, his emotions start getting in his way, and he will stop at nothing until he successfully solves the mystery before him.
- Beverly
Publisher - William Morrow
Date of Publication - October 13, 2009 (reprint edition)
I will try my best not to give away anything from later books, but I will say that these are two of the most wonderful characters that I have had the pleasure of getting to know. In this book we meet Rina as a young widow with two children. She is an ultra-orthodox Jewish resident of an ultra-conservative community in California. She is bright and brave and willing to speak to Detective Peter Decker about the crime that others are trying to keep hidden.
Decker is a somewhat intense Detective and is horrified to hear that a woman was brutally raped when returning from the mikvah (bathhouse) after a ritual cleansing was performed. Rina called in the crime and calmly explained what happened to the Detective. Together they will get to the bottom of a crime that turned this peaceful and secluded neighborhood upside down.
Kellerman handles the explanation of orthodox beliefs and rituals in such an interesting way, that the reader gets a top grade education while taking part in the solving of a brutal crime. She also does a great job mixing the beliefs of two religious opposites and helps them to find common ground to work (and maybe even play) together. Watching their relationship build was one of my favorite parts of this story.
As Decker digs deeper into his investigation and begins wondering who the intended victim might have been, his emotions start getting in his way, and he will stop at nothing until he successfully solves the mystery before him.
- Beverly
Publisher - William Morrow
Date of Publication - October 13, 2009 (reprint edition)
