Detective Peter Decker of the LAPD is stunned when he gets the report. Someone has shattered the sanctuary of a remote yeshiva community in the California hills with an unimaginable crime. One of the women was brutally raped as she returned from the mikvah, the bathhouse where the cleansing ritual is performed.
The crime was called in by Rina Lazarus, and Decker is relieved to discover that she … that she is a calm and intelligent witness. She is also the only one in the sheltered community willing to speak of this unspeakable violation. As Rina tries to steer Decker through the maze of religious laws the two grow closer. But before they get to the bottom of this horrendous crime, revelations come to light that are so shocking that they threaten to come between the hard-nosed cop and the deeply religious woman with whom he has become irrevocably linked.
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Interesting combination of Mystery and Religion in a sensitive manner regarding the religious tradition as referred to in this book. Ms. Kellerman presents a murder committed in a religious community, and the local police are charged with solving it. She explains the limitations place on the detectives because of the religious boundaries, and at …
The first of a series of twenty seven books, well written with many twists and turns. My nephew is a police officer and these stories are really true to life. Policing is hard work and it takes a really understanding and dedicated person to be a Policeman’s mate. I believe these books are best read in order. I was hooked on the first book, and am …
It took me back to my roots, I was raised in an orthodox Jewish home. My mother bought it for me thinking I would enjoy, and I did. I have read most in the series.
Absolutely fantastic beginning to the Decker/Lazarus series.
I read this year’s ago. It’s a great series that I highly recommend.
I have read this first book of her series several times and just love the way the main characters are born. Then their growth together through this book sets the basics for the rest of the series. I loved it!
The Decker/Lazarus relationship begins!
So good!
Loved them then. Interestingly love the relationship/jewish struggle even more now.
Listened to the audio book. I saw this was the first in a series with a lot of books. I am surprised this has such high reviews. I thought the story was slow to develop and had a heavy presence of explaining the Jewish customs – some of it wasn’t too bad, but when there is so much explaining, it kind of takes away from the main story. I will …
Terrific crime novel which turned out to be the first of many featuring the same principal characters. In my opinion, and I’ve read most of them, this might be the very best of the series. Terrific story, original characters, very well written. I highly recommend this to all mystery fans – especially Jewish ones.
This was the first book in the series where a crime occurred in a Mikvah, hence the name, Ritual Bath. You meet Rina and Peter and start their building relationship and learn a lot about Orthodox Jews if you don’t know much. The police where great, the victims worthy of protection, I couldn’t help but want to read the next, and the next and the …
An interesting mystery along with a glimpse of Jewish customs and life on a yeshiva.
love Faye Kellerman
After reading this I read all books in this series in order. Love the characters.
The Ritual Bath If you are looking for a new author that is a great writer of fiction, Faye Kellerman’s THE RITUAL BATH is for you.
The Ritual Bath
The first of Faye Kellerman’s Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus mysteries is a great introduction to the lead characters, as well as the worlds in wjich they both live. Peter is a divorced LAPD detective and Rina, an Orthodox Jewish widow living in a closed Jewish community. Ms. Kellerman adds a lot of background information that helps the reader …
Excellent. Read the book while in Israel for my first time. Really appreciated the authors knowledge on the Orthodox Jewish practices. I can’t wait to read more of her books. Shalom
This is the first book in series. Nice to return to the start. A lot of what I remembered was wrong.
always like the Decker stories
Learned some very interesting things about Kosher Judaism and the practises in place. The more you learn, the more accepting you should become.