Rina Lazarus
Encyclopedia
Rina Lazarus is a fictional character in a series of mystery novels by Faye Kellerman
. The novels in the series include The Ritual Bath (1986), Sacred and Profane (1987), Milk and Honey (1990), Day of Atonement (1991), False Prophet (1992), Grievous Sin (1993), Sanctuary (1994), Justice, (1995), Prayers for the Dead (1996), Serpent's Tooth (1997), Jupiter's Bones (1999), Stalker (2000), The Forgotten (2001), Stone Kiss (2002), Street Dreams (2004), The Burnt House (2007), The Mercedes Coffin (2008), Blindman's Bluff (2009), and Hangman (2010).
Rina, an Orthodox Jew, is the daughter of Holocaust survivors. She married a yeshiva
scholar when she was 17, lived in Israel
with him for a time and had two sons before her husband died of a brain tumor
. She went to college to finish her degree in mathematics and is living and teaching at a yeshiva
school when she meets her second husband, Los Angeles
police
lieutenant Peter Decker
, in The Ritual Bath. Decker, though raised Baptist
by his adoptive parents in Florida
, discovered as an adult that his birth parents were Jewish, which makes him officially Jewish as well. After meeting Rina during his investigation of a rape at the yeshiva
, he is compelled to explore the religion for himself and eventually to become a religiously observant Orthodox Jew.
All of the books that follow in the series are rooted in Jewish themes. Major characters in the series include Rina's two sons, Jacob and Samuel Lazarus; Cindy Decker
, Peter's daughter from his first marriage; Rina and Peter's daughter Hannah Decker; and Peter's partner Marge Dunn. Decker's daughter from his first marriage, Cindy Decker, a teenager in the earliest books, eventually follows her father into the police
force and is the main character of two of the later books, Stalker and Street Dreams.
Faye Kellerman
Faye Kellerman is an American author of mystery novels, in particular the "Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus" series, as well as three non-series books, The Quality of Mercy, Moon Music and Straight into Darkness.-Early life:...
. The novels in the series include The Ritual Bath (1986), Sacred and Profane (1987), Milk and Honey (1990), Day of Atonement (1991), False Prophet (1992), Grievous Sin (1993), Sanctuary (1994), Justice, (1995), Prayers for the Dead (1996), Serpent's Tooth (1997), Jupiter's Bones (1999), Stalker (2000), The Forgotten (2001), Stone Kiss (2002), Street Dreams (2004), The Burnt House (2007), The Mercedes Coffin (2008), Blindman's Bluff (2009), and Hangman (2010).
Rina, an Orthodox Jew, is the daughter of Holocaust survivors. She married a yeshiva
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
scholar when she was 17, lived in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
with him for a time and had two sons before her husband died of a brain tumor
Brain tumor
A brain tumor is an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor within the brain or the central spinal canal.Brain tumors include all tumors inside the cranium or in the central spinal canal...
. She went to college to finish her degree in mathematics and is living and teaching at a yeshiva
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
school when she meets her second husband, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
lieutenant Peter Decker
Peter Decker
Peter Decker is a fictional character in a series of mystery novels by Faye Kellerman. A lieutenant in the LAPD, Decker is assisted in solving crimes by his Orthodox Jewish wife Rina Lazarus....
, in The Ritual Bath. Decker, though raised Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
by his adoptive parents in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, discovered as an adult that his birth parents were Jewish, which makes him officially Jewish as well. After meeting Rina during his investigation of a rape at the yeshiva
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
, he is compelled to explore the religion for himself and eventually to become a religiously observant Orthodox Jew.
All of the books that follow in the series are rooted in Jewish themes. Major characters in the series include Rina's two sons, Jacob and Samuel Lazarus; Cindy Decker
Cindy Decker
Cindy Decker Kutiel is a fictional character in a series of mystery novels by Faye Kellerman. The novels in the series include The Ritual Bath , Sacred and Profane , Milk and Honey , Day of Atonement , False Prophet , Grievous Sin , Sanctuary , Justice, , Prayers for the Dead , Serpent's Tooth...
, Peter's daughter from his first marriage; Rina and Peter's daughter Hannah Decker; and Peter's partner Marge Dunn. Decker's daughter from his first marriage, Cindy Decker, a teenager in the earliest books, eventually follows her father into the police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
force and is the main character of two of the later books, Stalker and Street Dreams.