Review by Booklist Review
The nearly identical suicides of two students at a prestigious private school, both involving stolen handguns, pique the interest of LAPD Lieutenant Detective Pete Decker and his squad. But the focus here is less on Decker and his wife, Rina Lazarus, than on Gabe Whitman, the son of a friend who's living with them temporarily. Gabe, a 15-year-old musical prodigy, also has street smarts learned from his mobster father, Chris Donatti, that stand him in good stead when he's crowded and threatened by the clique called the B&W Mafia. Home-schooled Gabe also falls head-over-heels in love with 14-year-old Yasmine Nourmand. While the reciprocal relationship is grounded in love of music (plus raging hormones), it appears doomed by cultural and religious differences. Plot threads intertwine head-on in a violent confrontation, eventually tying up most loose ends extremely satisfactorily. The twentieth Decker/Lazarus novel shows Kellerman in fine form, taking on the au courant issue of bullying, in a slick, fast-moving mystery that should entice even those new to the series. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: After a slight misstep with Hangman, Kellerman returns to fine form here, and fans of the long-running series will return as well.--Leber, Michele Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A teenage romance dominates bestseller Kellerman's subpar 20th novel featuring LAPD Lt. Peter Decker and his wife, Rina Lazarus (after 2010's Hangman). Decker's search for the truth in the wake of the inexplicable suicide of high school student Gregory Hesse competes with the story of Decker's latest rescue, 15-year-old Gabe Whitman, a brilliant musical prodigy whose father earns his living as a pimp. Gabe's hormones run out-of-control after he meets 14-year-old Yasmine Nourmand, a Persian Jew from a very traditional family. The vicissitudes of the budding relationship between Gabe, who lives with the Deckers, and Yasmine hit on pretty much all the usual cliches, and this focus diminishes the impact of the truth behind Gregory's death. Kellerman's portrayal of Rina as the Jewish mother of all Jewish mothers may leave some readers wishing the author had cast Rina more as an individual than a type. (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
LAPD Lt. Det. Peter Decker and his wife, Rina Lazarus (Hangman), are acting as surrogate parents to Gabe Whitman, a teenaged piano prodigy who is as moody and mysterious as he is gifted. Outside of this new domestic arrangement, Decker and his team investigate the assumed suicide of Gregory Hesse, an average kid attending an elite private prep school where competition and intimidation rule-and everything is for sale. Gregory's mother claims he wasn't suicidal, and the more Decker and company uncover, including the death of a second student, the more they suspect foul play. Verdict An intriguing premise, strengthened by interesting characters, this title can stand alone from the Decker/Lazarus series as a compelling thriller. Prior knowledge of the characters would be helpful but certainly doesn't detract from a page-turning story. The character of Gabe and his plotline are particularly appealing. Kellerman's devoted fans and readers who fancy thriller/procedural series from the likes of John Sandford and Patricia Cornwell will find much to enjoy here. [See Prepub Alert, 7/25/11.]-Nicole A. Cooke, Montclair State Univ. Lib., NJ (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Hangman, 2010, etc.) stakes out her claim as the mordant Judy Blume. If you're not particularly engaged by the sexual arousal of pubescent first-timers, you can skip to the final vignette, which puts the focus back on adult misdemeanors.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
