The Seventh Commandment

This book was well written and moved quickly. It wasn't a sit on the edge of your seat thriller but it wasn't dull. It centers around a prominent family who are in the jewelery business. A string of murders happen and it seems just about everyone is breaking the seventh commandment.

Lawrence Sanders ran the gamut in suspense detective prose. From the intellectual cop Delaney to the hip private eye McNally, Sanders was able to create memorable characters in highly entertaining novels. In "The Seventh Commandment" Dora Conti, a tough insurance scam hound is called in to investigate the death of a jeweler, Lewis Starrett. Starrett, stabbed in the back with a kitchen knife, is obviously a victim of foul play, but who did it? With millions at stake, there are abundant motives from numerous suspects. So when other characters in this drama of violence start getting killed one at a time, Dora plunges into a world with cobwebs of duplicity - A world where murder is cheap, and adultery, cheaper. In sync with his later novels, Sanders toned down the hard edge typical of suspense, eschewing action in favor of characterization. Dora, as the plump housewife, is unique in a genre populated by lithe men and slim women (Just watch the TV shows.) At times, the Seventh Commandment can seem reminiscent of his Timothy Files, however it vindicates itself with its enjoyable plot. This novel should make for some good evening reading.

I loved the book! Sanders is a gifted writer and I love evrething he writes about. Dora is a funny and a loveable character- It's great to finally read about a female heroine.

This book was well written, despite its predictablity.

Dora Conti is not your typically glamorous protagonist. She is a happily married, slightly overweight insurance investigator who has a bulldog's tenacity when it comes to fraud. In this story she befriends a police detective who has the hots for her (much to her combined delight and dismay) when they both look into the mysterious deaths of a wealthy jeweler. The intricate family dynamics of the murdered man, interwoven with the potential romance of the two investigators, is further enhanced with humor. This reviewer liked and cared about the characters. Should have a wide appeal since its grittiness factor is minimal, but the suspense is strong enough for those who also like the hardboiled genre.