Part of Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus, book 14
First published 2003
LAPD Lieutenant Peter Decker receives devastating news from his wife Rina Lazarus. A brutal killing has shattered the family of his half-brother, Rabbi Jonathan Levin. The rabbi's brother-in-law lies dead in a squalid Manhattan hotel room. The victim's fifteen-year-old niece, who had been with him that day, has vanished without a trace. Decker and Rina fly immediately to New York to join the search. What begins as family assistance quickly spirals into something far more sinister. Their investigation drags them through New Jersey's bleakest neighborhoods and New York's abandoned industrial zones. They discover a world of sexual deviance and encounter Hasidic outcasts operating in shadows. Trust becomes impossible as deception surrounds them. Family members harbor secrets. Friends prove unreliable. The case threatens both their safety and their marriage. When Decker finally glimpses a path to rescue the missing girl, his only hope lies with a twisted individual driven by personal revenge.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: dark, emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, family-drama, missing-person
Setting: Los Angeles, Manhattan, New Jersey, New York
Period: Contemporary
528 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Vision
Content warnings: violence