Stalker: A Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus Novel

I have read all of Faye Kellerman's books. I have enjoyed them all. Stalker was a great read. I enjoyed the character development of Cindy, Peter's daughter, as well as the father/daughter relationship. Having read most of Jonathan Kellerman's books as well, I just love when Characters cross over, like the character Petra Conner, who was a central figure in Jonathan Kellerman's Billy Straight. They are usually just small tid bits of info, but it's such fun. I would love a joint effort, how about Dr Delaware and Peter Decker together. Faye Kellerman has never left me disappointed and once again I am left waiting for her next novel.

Faye Kellerman took a chance with this book--choosing to develop the character of Lt. Peter Decker's daughter, Cindy, also a police officer, and relegating Decker and his wife, Rina Lazarus, to secondary albeit important supporting roles. And she has succeeded. An exciting and engrossing plot follows 25-year-old Cindy Decker as she tries to find a niche for herself following in her father's footsteps. She navigates a treacherous path trying to maintain her independence and still be one of the "guys." She receives resistance from fellow officers because she's a "wiseass" college-educated woman, unwanted protectiveness from her father, amorous advances from one of her father's detectives, and the frightening attention of a stalker. She doggedly pursues an investigation of one of her father's murder cases--one she was unknowingly involved in--seeing it to its resolution in a slam-bang climax. Hope we'll see more of Cindy in later books. Kellerman is an engaging writer and the Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus series is one of the best going.

For fans grown weary of the sometimes cloying relationship between Faye Kellerman's series duo LAPD detective Peter Decker and his Orthodox Jewish wife, Rina Lazarus, Kellerman's latest, "Stalker," offers a refreshing departure. Decker takes a back seat and Rina makes only brief appearances as Peter's daughter Cynthia, an ambitious, impetuous rookie cop, struggles to fit in and prove her independence from her illustrious father.Subtle disturbances, hostility at work and a feeling of being stalked, initially put down to imagination, escalate into a savage vandalization of her apartment and a dangerous chase on the freeway. Is it some not-so-innocent rookie initiation or an attempt to warn her off the investigation of the carjacking murder of a real-estate tycoon?The plot, riddled with mysteries and twists, involves intersecting investigations and in-house suspicion. Well-paced action heightens as Cindy's life grows increasingly tangled - a protective/romantic liaison with her father's colleague, clandestine investigations of her co-workers and the murdered man, a mounting log of secrets from her father and frictions at work. Quick thinking but rash, Cindy makes lots of mistakes, leading to a careening, breathtaking climax in the California hills. No angel, Cindy breathes new life into Kellerman's neatly plotted procedurals.

Against her father's wishes, Cynthia Decker, has become a police officer, working for the LAPD's Hollywood Division.Peter Decker, still coming to terms with his daughter's career choice, must investigate a series of car-jackings.Cynthia, also involved in the car-jacking investigation, fears that someone is watching her, and when personal belongings in her apartment are touched, and mysterious notes are left on her car, she realizes her fear is becoming a reality...someone is watching her. Determined to find the identity of her stalker, she sets out to solve this without the help of her father, pitting her against someone out to destroy her, or ultimately, kill her.As the two cases come together, Decker believes there is a connection to a third unsolved case."Stalker" is an exciting entry into an already great series, and readers have the opportunity to welcome Decker's daughter, Cynthia. The novel balances 3 seperate plot lines while twisting and turning them, and bringing them all together in the climax.Faye Kellerman has created a fascinating and tough character in Cynthia, and readers will look forward to seeing her again. Fans of the series will not be disappointed in this un-putdownable thriller.Nick Gonnella

Los Angeles Police Department Lieutenant Peter Decker faces the worst crisis of his professional career. His daughter Cindy has joined the force over his objections and he has to balance protecting her vs. showing favorable treatment. Tired of her father's shielding nature, Cindy hides from him the fact that she believes someone is stalking her every move and that person might be tied to the murder of a fellow health club member, Armand Crayton.Meanwhile Peter works on a couple of car jacking cases. One of them he and his subordinates believe is tied to the murder of Armand. The carjackers have targeted health club members. To Peter's chagrin, he learns that his daughter is being stalked by most likely someone who wants to ensure the health club members remain silent.The twelfth Decker police procedural is a great entry in a top-notch series because the prime story line turns personal. This provides readers insight into the charcaters of Peter and Cindy. Peter's dilemma and Cindy's distressed reaction to his struggle over a cop for a daughter turns an already fine mystery into a fantastic novel that will entice sub-genre fans to seek out other Faye Kellerman tales (see best-selling JUPITER'S BONES).Harriet Klausner