Jupiter's Bones: A Decker/Lazarus Novel (Decker/Lazarus Novels, 11)

L.A. Police Lieutenant Pete Decker is called in to investigate the death of a cult leader, the charismatic Father Jupiter of the Order of the Rings of God, the former famous astromoner, Dr. Emil Ganz.There are suspects galore. Ganz had made a lot of enemies when he was a scientist and his leadership of the cult was coveted by some of his followers. Added to that are the relatives of people who have been lured into the cult. The police probably wouldn't even have been notified of Ganz's death, which had already been called a suicide by the other cult leaders, if someone hadn't told his estranged daughter. She, in turn, called the police.Getting into the compound and getting cooperation from the members is difficult enough for Decker, but it's complicated by a struggle for power by the four privileged attendants, who are; Pluto, Venus, Nova and Bob. Brother Pluto is livid with anger because of the invasion of the police into their sacred sanctuary.In addition to Jupiter's death, the police learn that two of the cult members, one a child, are missing. Pluto shifts between accusing the police and a cult deprogrammer of stealing these two from their happy home.And as usual in a Faye Kellerman novel, there's problems on the home front. It appears that Decker's younger stepson, Jacob, is smoking pot and messing around with his girlfriend. For many parents that might seem like a teenage phase, but for Orthodox Jews it's a big deal. Kellerman knows how to write a fast-moving, suspenseful story involving people the reader learns to care about. She also manges to educate the reader about her religion without seeming to preach. Somehow she does it, without it getting in the way of the story. All and all, a very good read.

I had written off Faye Kellerman as an author due to the number of historical errors in Quality of Mercy; however, someone at work loaned me Jupiter's Bones. I was pleasantly surprised and, quite frankly, enjoyed the book. As an author of works set in the modern era, Kellerman is in her genre. The book's characters also teach about Orthodox Judaism without being didactic.

As a Faye Kellerman fan I am delighted to see her return to the world of the husband and wife team. Although this book lacks the link to orthodox Judaism present in her earlier books, she remains true to her characters. After the black and often unappealing Mystic Moon, it is nice to see a good author find her way back.

"Jupiter's Bones," Faye Kellerman latest Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus novel is probably her best effort in the entire series. Here Decker and his detective associates investigate the death of a famed astrophysicist that became the leader of a pseudoscientific cult. For the non-scientific reader there might be too much physics involved but it is an important part of the book. Kellerman combines the mysteries of cult life, not to far from today's headlines, and the complexities of family life. She continues to bring their family into the story. After all this is where the roots of the series lie. Rina's teenage sons by her first marriage (her husband died) and the daughter she and Peter had several novels ago is now five years old. Those of us who have read the series in sequence have grown with them. I recommend this book and look forward to the next book, "Stalker", now in progress.

Jupiter's Bones is classic Faye Kellerman. There is plenty of mystery and Peter works through the puzzle with the assistance of his partner Marge and supported by his wife Rina. The twists and turns kept me guessing and predicting. The challenges presented by Rina's sons were so typical of teen age boys - and Peter's handling of the situation was well done. Marge's heroic rescue of the children from the compound make me hope that if Ms. Kellerman decides to leave Peter and Rina again, that she will further develop Marge's character. Both my husband and I finished the book in one sitting - don't start it late at night. It's hard to put down.