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Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus #16
The Burnt House
At 8:15 in the morning, a small commuter plane carrying forty-seven passengers crashes into an apartment building in Granada Hills, California. Shock waves ripple through Los Angeles, as L.A.P.D. Lieutenant Peter Decker works overtime to calm rampant fears of a 9/11-type terror attack. But a grisly mystery lives inside the plane's charred and twisted wreckage: the unidentified bodies of four extra travelers. And there is no sign of an airline employee who was supposedly on the catastrophic flight.
Decker and his wife, Rina, have personal reasons for being profoundly shaken by the tragedy, since the "accident" occurred frighteningly close to their daughter Hannah's school. Luckily, their child and her schoolmates escaped unscathed. But the fate of the unaccounted-for flight attendant -- twenty-eight-year-old Roseanne Dresden -- remains a question mark more than a month after the horrific event, when the young woman's irate stepfather calls, insisting that she was never onboard the doomed plane. Instead, he claims, she was most likely murdered by her abusive, unfaithful husband. But why, then, was Roseanne's name included on the passenger list?
Under intense pressure from the department to come up with answers, Decker launches an investigation that carries him down a path of tragic history, dangerous secrets, and deadly lies -- and leads him to the corpse of a three-decades-missing murder victim. And as the jagged pieces slowly fall into place, a frightening picture begins to form: a mind-searing portrait of unimaginable evil that will challenge Decker's and Rina's own beliefs about guilt and innocence and justice.
Combining relentless suspense with intense, multilayered human drama, The Burnt House is Faye Kellerman at her mesmerizing best.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published August 7, 2007
517 people are currently reading
2088 people want to read
About the author
Faye Kellerman
179 books2,020 followersFaye Kellerman was born in St. Louis, Missouri and grew up in Sherman Oaks, California. She earned a BA in mathematics and a doctorate in dentistry at UCLA., and conducted research in oral biology. Kellerman's groundbreaking first novel, THE RITUAL BATH, was published in 1986 to wide critical and commercial acclaim. The winner of the Macavity Award for the Best First Novel from the Mystery Readers of American, THE RITUAL BATH introduced readers to Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus, termed by People Magazine "Hands down, the most refreshing mystery couple around." The New York Times enthused, "This couple's domestic affairs have the haimish warmth of reality, unlike the formulaic lives of so many other genre detectives."
There are well over twenty million copies of Faye Kellerman's novels in print internationally. The Decker/Lazarus thrillers include SACRED AND PROFANE; MILK AND HONEY; DAY OF ATONEMENT; FALSE PROPHET; GRIEVOUS SIN; SANCTUARY; as well as her New York Times Bestsellers, JUSTICE, PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD - listed by the LA Times as one of the best crime novel of 2001; SERPENT'S TOOTH; JUPITER'S BONES, THE FORGOTTEN, STONE KISS, STRAIGHT INTO DARKNESS, THE BURNT HOUSE, THE MERCEDES COFFIN and BLINDMAN'S BLUFF. . The novels, STALKER and STREET DREAMS, introduced Kellerman's newest protagonist, Police Officer Cindy Decker. In addition to her crime series, Kellerman is also the author of New York Time's bestseller MOON MUSIC, a suspense horror novel set in Las Vegas featuring Detective Romulus Poe, as well as an historical novel of intrigue set in Elizabethan England, THE QUALITY OF MERCY. She has also co-authored the New York Times Bestseller DOUBLE HOMICIDE, with her husband and partner in crime, Jonathan Kellerman. She has also written a young adult novel, PRISM, with her daughter, Aliza Kellerman
Faye Kellerman's highly praised short stories and reviews have been anthologized in numerous collections including two volumes of the notable SISTERS IN CRIME SERIES, Sara Paretsky's, A WOMAN'S EYE; THE FIRST ANNUAL YEAR'S FINEST CRIME AND MYSTERY STORIES; THE THIRD ANNUAL BEST MYSTERY STORIES OF THE YEAR; WOMEN OF MYSTERY AND DEADLY ALLIES 11. Her personally annotated collection of her award winning stories, THE GARDEN OF EDEN and OTHER CRIMINAL DELIGHTS, was published in August of 2006. H
Her other hobbies include gardening, sewing and jogging if her back doesn't give out. She is the proud mother of four children, and her eldest son, Jesse, has just published his fourth novel, THE EXECUTOR, from Putnam. She lives in Los Angeles and Santa Fe with her husband, Jonathan, their youngest child, and their French Bulldog, Hugo.
There are well over twenty million copies of Faye Kellerman's novels in print internationally. The Decker/Lazarus thrillers include SACRED AND PROFANE; MILK AND HONEY; DAY OF ATONEMENT; FALSE PROPHET; GRIEVOUS SIN; SANCTUARY; as well as her New York Times Bestsellers, JUSTICE, PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD - listed by the LA Times as one of the best crime novel of 2001; SERPENT'S TOOTH; JUPITER'S BONES, THE FORGOTTEN, STONE KISS, STRAIGHT INTO DARKNESS, THE BURNT HOUSE, THE MERCEDES COFFIN and BLINDMAN'S BLUFF. . The novels, STALKER and STREET DREAMS, introduced Kellerman's newest protagonist, Police Officer Cindy Decker. In addition to her crime series, Kellerman is also the author of New York Time's bestseller MOON MUSIC, a suspense horror novel set in Las Vegas featuring Detective Romulus Poe, as well as an historical novel of intrigue set in Elizabethan England, THE QUALITY OF MERCY. She has also co-authored the New York Times Bestseller DOUBLE HOMICIDE, with her husband and partner in crime, Jonathan Kellerman. She has also written a young adult novel, PRISM, with her daughter, Aliza Kellerman
Faye Kellerman's highly praised short stories and reviews have been anthologized in numerous collections including two volumes of the notable SISTERS IN CRIME SERIES, Sara Paretsky's, A WOMAN'S EYE; THE FIRST ANNUAL YEAR'S FINEST CRIME AND MYSTERY STORIES; THE THIRD ANNUAL BEST MYSTERY STORIES OF THE YEAR; WOMEN OF MYSTERY AND DEADLY ALLIES 11. Her personally annotated collection of her award winning stories, THE GARDEN OF EDEN and OTHER CRIMINAL DELIGHTS, was published in August of 2006. H
Her other hobbies include gardening, sewing and jogging if her back doesn't give out. She is the proud mother of four children, and her eldest son, Jesse, has just published his fourth novel, THE EXECUTOR, from Putnam. She lives in Los Angeles and Santa Fe with her husband, Jonathan, their youngest child, and their French Bulldog, Hugo.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 483 reviews
December 6, 2016
Peter Decker, family, and colleagues are back in this sixteenth book in Faye Kellerman's best selling series. A flight attendant who was supposed to be on an ill-fated flight has gone missing. Meanwhile, a different body, which turns out to be a thirty year old Jane Doe, turns up at the crash site, leading Decker and his team of detectives to investigate these two intertwined cases in the hopes that they will bring these cold cases to rest.
In this installment, Kellerman touches on more home life than usual. Koby and Cindy would like to renovate their home, and are a greater presence in the Deckers' lives. Hannah has grown from an adorable kid into a gangly teenager who would rather message her friends than spend time with her parents. Meanwhile, Marge's adopted daughter Vega is now a student at CalTech and calls her mother everyday for advice in navigating the world. Usually, Decker brings his work home, but not so in this book as she has chosen to keep work and business separate. This allows for a greater presence from Rina, who I adore, and is sometimes relegated to the background in these books.
As the case picks up steam, Decker, Marge, and Scott Oliver crisscross the southwest from Santa Fe to San Jose and back to Los Angeles in an attempt to bring the criminals of both cases to justice. Although a little far fetched at times, it was interesting for me to see how just because a crime can occur in one vicinity, does not limit the investigation to one location. Additionally, as in others of Kellerman's books, she is able to weave both cases together in order to gain a swift resolution to both crimes.
As in many long running series, the stories tend to become formulaic. I revisit these books not for the prose but for the characters who at this point are like old friends to me. I have been with Peter and Rina from the beginning and will read on as long as Kellerman writes their stories. She has hinted that Koby and Cindy would like to start a family, which will lead to new storylines, and a fresh start in the series. I am looking forward as always to the next installment, and rate this edition of my favorite comfort read 3.5 stars.
In this installment, Kellerman touches on more home life than usual. Koby and Cindy would like to renovate their home, and are a greater presence in the Deckers' lives. Hannah has grown from an adorable kid into a gangly teenager who would rather message her friends than spend time with her parents. Meanwhile, Marge's adopted daughter Vega is now a student at CalTech and calls her mother everyday for advice in navigating the world. Usually, Decker brings his work home, but not so in this book as she has chosen to keep work and business separate. This allows for a greater presence from Rina, who I adore, and is sometimes relegated to the background in these books.
As the case picks up steam, Decker, Marge, and Scott Oliver crisscross the southwest from Santa Fe to San Jose and back to Los Angeles in an attempt to bring the criminals of both cases to justice. Although a little far fetched at times, it was interesting for me to see how just because a crime can occur in one vicinity, does not limit the investigation to one location. Additionally, as in others of Kellerman's books, she is able to weave both cases together in order to gain a swift resolution to both crimes.
As in many long running series, the stories tend to become formulaic. I revisit these books not for the prose but for the characters who at this point are like old friends to me. I have been with Peter and Rina from the beginning and will read on as long as Kellerman writes their stories. She has hinted that Koby and Cindy would like to start a family, which will lead to new storylines, and a fresh start in the series. I am looking forward as always to the next installment, and rate this edition of my favorite comfort read 3.5 stars.
February 28, 2012
Before I write my review, please indulge me while I vent my spleen.
I would like to ask all those readers in the literary world who feel the need to write comments in the margins of library books to pull their heads in. You don’t own it so don’t write in it. I don’t care that you found a particular phrase trite and poorly structured. The book is an airport page-turner for god sake, not Chaucer and your sanctimonious comments are not appreciated.
I feel better now.
So, where was I? The Burning House. This is an enjoyable read without being anything brilliant. This was the first Kellerman Faye book I had read so the central characters were new to me. I wasn’t aware of their background and how they had developed. This resulted in me being somewhat cynical towards Rina Lazarus who came across as being unbelievable. She was portrayed as a source of great wisdom and queen of the kitchen which got on my nerves after a while. I feel much more comfortable with characters who are a little less noble and who are capable of burning the crap out of the spuds.
Good book for reading on a plane ... except the part about the plane crash.
March 11, 2022
Man, was this book good! A complex police procedural about a plane that crashed into an apartment building. A body is found in the wreckage that wasn't on the passenger list, and no remains are found for a passenger that was on the list. Complex plot, lots of meticulous police work including forensics. I will definitely read more by this author.
February 10, 2016
An excellent mystery, complex and confusing, with some significant surprises. Not every plot aspect is resolved.
Read
September 26, 2023Know what I like about this series? Peter and Rina.
Know what I didn't get enough of in this installment?
Know what I didn't get enough of in this installment?
May 23, 2017
This was my first Faye Kellerman book to read. Honestly, I struggled through over half the book debating on whether I wanted to finish it or not. I had high hopes going into this book, considering it is a popular mystery series and a well known author, but I was somewhat disappointed that the mystery aspect of the book did not grab me and hold my attention. After I got past the half way point, it seemed the pace of the book began to increase. Once the pace picked up, I found it a little more engaging. I reserve judgments for the series until after I read another in hopes that this one just did not grip me as much.
September 28, 2007
I'm not sure I'm going to finish this one. I used to really like Faye Kellerman's books, especially the Decker/Lazarus series, but lately I've not been able to get through them. I'd have to re-read some of the older ones to see if it's just me or if the writing has changed. There's a lot of minutiae here that just isn't interesting... like what everyone is wearing all the time. I've also noticed a tendency to use two words that mean the same thing in the same sentence, which is jarring.
It's official... I've given up.
It's official... I've given up.
July 21, 2020
The best one I've read so far with a very good plot that is fast paced and engrossing
August 19, 2017
about the author
Faye Kellerman was born in St. Louis, Missouri and grew up in Sherman Oaks, California. She earned a BA in mathematics and a doctorate in dentistry at UCLA., and conducted research in oral biology. Kellerman's groundbreaking first novel, THE RITUAL BATH, was published in 1986 to wide critical and commercial acclaim. The winner of the Macavity Award for the Best First Novel from the Mystery Readers of American, THE RITUAL BATH introduced readers to Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus, termed by People Magazine "Hands down, the most refreshing mystery couple around." The New York Times enthused, "This couple's domestic affairs have the haimish warmth of reality, unlike the formulaic lives of so many other genre detectives."
There are well over twenty million copies of Faye Kellerman's novels in print internationally. The Decker/Lazarus thrillers include SACRED AND PROFANE; MILK AND HONEY; DAY OF ATONEMENT; FALSE PROPHET; GRIEVOUS SIN; SANCTUARY; as well as her New York Times Bestsellers, JUSTICE, PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD - listed by the LA Times as one of the best crime novel of 2001; SERPENT'S TOOTH; JUPITER'S BONES, THE FORGOTTEN, STONE KISS, STRAIGHT INTO DARKNESS, THE BURNT HOUSE, THE MERCEDES COFFIN and BLINDMAN'S BLUFF. . The novels, STALKER and STREET DREAMS, introduced Kellerman's newest protagonist, Police Officer Cindy Decker. In addition to her crime series, Kellerman is also the author of New York Time's bestseller MOON MUSIC, a suspense horror novel set in Las Vegas featuring Detective Romulus Poe, as well as an historical novel of intrigue set in Elizabethan England, THE QUALITY OF MERCY. She has also co-authored the New York Times Bestseller DOUBLE HOMICIDE, with her husband and partner in crime, Jonathan Kellerman. She has also written a young adult novel, PRISM, with her daughter, Aliza Kellerman
Faye Kellerman's highly praised short stories and reviews have been anthologized in numerous collections including two volumes of the notable SISTERS IN CRIME SERIES, Sara Paretsky's, A WOMAN'S EYE; THE FIRST ANNUAL YEAR'S FINEST CRIME AND MYSTERY STORIES; THE THIRD ANNUAL BEST MYSTERY STORIES OF THE YEAR; WOMEN OF MYSTERY AND DEADLY ALLIES 11. Her personally annotated collection of her award winning stories, THE GARDEN OF EDEN and OTHER CRIMINAL DELIGHTS, was published in August of 2006. H
Her other hobbies include gardening, sewing and jogging if her back doesn't give out. She is the proud mother of four children, and her eldest son, Jesse, has just published his fourth novel, THE EXECUTOR, from Putnam. She lives in Los Angeles and Santa Fe with her husband, Jonathan, their youngest child, and their French Bulldog, Hugo
book synopsis:
At 8:15 A.M., a small commuter plane carrying forty-seven passengers crashes into an apartment building in Granada Hills, California. Among the dead inside the plane's charred and twisted wreckage are the unidentified bodies of four extra travelers. And there's no sign of an airline employee whose name was on the passengers list.
L.A.P.D. Detective Peter Decker and his wife, Rina, areprofoundly shaken by this terrible "accident" that has occurred frighteningly close to their daughter's school. And an irate call from the unaccounted-for flight attendant's stepfather further tangles an already twisted mystery. The man insists twenty-eight-year-old Roseanne Dresden was never on the doomed flight, but was probably murdered by her abusive, unfaithful husband—a revelation that propels Decker down a path of tragic history and deadly lies toward an unimaginable evil that will challenge his and Rina's cherished beliefs about guilt and innocence and justice.
my rating : 5 stars
Goodreads challenges: none
what did I think of the book:
this was actually the first time I've ever picked up a book by this author and even if its not the first book in the series I loved it, it had every thing I want in a great book, it pulled me in, kept my kept my attention, and had me hooked from the start, there was one little thing that didn't make sense but I'm not going to say what it was because that would be a spoiler and I don't like giving those out, but after a few minutes I didn't give it any thought because the rest of the story just kept me pulled in to it, loved the characters , loved how it ended , while some would say the ending wasn't all at good and didn't make sense I actually loved how it ended, yes there was some questions but I still loved how it ended.
Faye Kellerman was born in St. Louis, Missouri and grew up in Sherman Oaks, California. She earned a BA in mathematics and a doctorate in dentistry at UCLA., and conducted research in oral biology. Kellerman's groundbreaking first novel, THE RITUAL BATH, was published in 1986 to wide critical and commercial acclaim. The winner of the Macavity Award for the Best First Novel from the Mystery Readers of American, THE RITUAL BATH introduced readers to Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus, termed by People Magazine "Hands down, the most refreshing mystery couple around." The New York Times enthused, "This couple's domestic affairs have the haimish warmth of reality, unlike the formulaic lives of so many other genre detectives."
There are well over twenty million copies of Faye Kellerman's novels in print internationally. The Decker/Lazarus thrillers include SACRED AND PROFANE; MILK AND HONEY; DAY OF ATONEMENT; FALSE PROPHET; GRIEVOUS SIN; SANCTUARY; as well as her New York Times Bestsellers, JUSTICE, PRAYERS FOR THE DEAD - listed by the LA Times as one of the best crime novel of 2001; SERPENT'S TOOTH; JUPITER'S BONES, THE FORGOTTEN, STONE KISS, STRAIGHT INTO DARKNESS, THE BURNT HOUSE, THE MERCEDES COFFIN and BLINDMAN'S BLUFF. . The novels, STALKER and STREET DREAMS, introduced Kellerman's newest protagonist, Police Officer Cindy Decker. In addition to her crime series, Kellerman is also the author of New York Time's bestseller MOON MUSIC, a suspense horror novel set in Las Vegas featuring Detective Romulus Poe, as well as an historical novel of intrigue set in Elizabethan England, THE QUALITY OF MERCY. She has also co-authored the New York Times Bestseller DOUBLE HOMICIDE, with her husband and partner in crime, Jonathan Kellerman. She has also written a young adult novel, PRISM, with her daughter, Aliza Kellerman
Faye Kellerman's highly praised short stories and reviews have been anthologized in numerous collections including two volumes of the notable SISTERS IN CRIME SERIES, Sara Paretsky's, A WOMAN'S EYE; THE FIRST ANNUAL YEAR'S FINEST CRIME AND MYSTERY STORIES; THE THIRD ANNUAL BEST MYSTERY STORIES OF THE YEAR; WOMEN OF MYSTERY AND DEADLY ALLIES 11. Her personally annotated collection of her award winning stories, THE GARDEN OF EDEN and OTHER CRIMINAL DELIGHTS, was published in August of 2006. H
Her other hobbies include gardening, sewing and jogging if her back doesn't give out. She is the proud mother of four children, and her eldest son, Jesse, has just published his fourth novel, THE EXECUTOR, from Putnam. She lives in Los Angeles and Santa Fe with her husband, Jonathan, their youngest child, and their French Bulldog, Hugo
book synopsis:
At 8:15 A.M., a small commuter plane carrying forty-seven passengers crashes into an apartment building in Granada Hills, California. Among the dead inside the plane's charred and twisted wreckage are the unidentified bodies of four extra travelers. And there's no sign of an airline employee whose name was on the passengers list.
L.A.P.D. Detective Peter Decker and his wife, Rina, areprofoundly shaken by this terrible "accident" that has occurred frighteningly close to their daughter's school. And an irate call from the unaccounted-for flight attendant's stepfather further tangles an already twisted mystery. The man insists twenty-eight-year-old Roseanne Dresden was never on the doomed flight, but was probably murdered by her abusive, unfaithful husband—a revelation that propels Decker down a path of tragic history and deadly lies toward an unimaginable evil that will challenge his and Rina's cherished beliefs about guilt and innocence and justice.
my rating : 5 stars
Goodreads challenges: none
what did I think of the book:
this was actually the first time I've ever picked up a book by this author and even if its not the first book in the series I loved it, it had every thing I want in a great book, it pulled me in, kept my kept my attention, and had me hooked from the start, there was one little thing that didn't make sense but I'm not going to say what it was because that would be a spoiler and I don't like giving those out, but after a few minutes I didn't give it any thought because the rest of the story just kept me pulled in to it, loved the characters , loved how it ended , while some would say the ending wasn't all at good and didn't make sense I actually loved how it ended, yes there was some questions but I still loved how it ended.
November 15, 2014
THIS SUMMARY/REVIEW WAS COPIED FROM OTHER SOURCES AND IS USED ONLY AS A REMINDER OF WHAT THE BOOK WAS ABOUT FOR MY PERSONAL INTEREST. ANY PERSONAL NOTATIONS ARE FOR MY RECOLLECTION ONLY
The Burnt House, by Faye Kellerman, A.
Downloaded from audible.com.
This is Kellerman at her best. Peter Decker is called into work for an emergency situation, a small commuter plane with 47 passengers has hit an apartment building and burst into fire. It is unclear at first what caused the plane to crash, and no one expects that anyone on the plane has survived, but Peter and the police are able to rescue many people and animals from their houses and clear the area. Then, Peter begins receiving the calls from hysterical parents and families desperately wanting to know if their loved ones on the plane survived. But one man stands out. A step-father calls daily saying that he doesn’t believe his step-daughter, Roseanne, a flight attendant, was even on the plane. He believes that she has disappeared because she was killed by her husband. At first this seems pretty incredible, but when they have almost finished pulling the bodies out of the destroyed apartment house, they find the body of a young woman who has apparently been under the building for at least 20 years. There is little left of her bone structure, but it appears that she was murdered. When they get ahold of Roseanne’s dental records, they find out it isn’t her. So, who is this second body, and where is Roseanne? Did her husband kill her because she was getting ready to leave him? Did the man she broke up with six months earlier kill her? Or, did she just run away to start another life? This is a wonderful book of forensic thrills in which ultimately both mysteries are solved. It was good to visit with the family again with Hannah starting high school, and Peter’s daughter, Cindy, a cop, married now.
The Burnt House, by Faye Kellerman, A.
Downloaded from audible.com.
This is Kellerman at her best. Peter Decker is called into work for an emergency situation, a small commuter plane with 47 passengers has hit an apartment building and burst into fire. It is unclear at first what caused the plane to crash, and no one expects that anyone on the plane has survived, but Peter and the police are able to rescue many people and animals from their houses and clear the area. Then, Peter begins receiving the calls from hysterical parents and families desperately wanting to know if their loved ones on the plane survived. But one man stands out. A step-father calls daily saying that he doesn’t believe his step-daughter, Roseanne, a flight attendant, was even on the plane. He believes that she has disappeared because she was killed by her husband. At first this seems pretty incredible, but when they have almost finished pulling the bodies out of the destroyed apartment house, they find the body of a young woman who has apparently been under the building for at least 20 years. There is little left of her bone structure, but it appears that she was murdered. When they get ahold of Roseanne’s dental records, they find out it isn’t her. So, who is this second body, and where is Roseanne? Did her husband kill her because she was getting ready to leave him? Did the man she broke up with six months earlier kill her? Or, did she just run away to start another life? This is a wonderful book of forensic thrills in which ultimately both mysteries are solved. It was good to visit with the family again with Hannah starting high school, and Peter’s daughter, Cindy, a cop, married now.
August 25, 2011
Not sure how I picked up this book - I "read" it via audio, so I think I just picked it up at the local library, and I wasn't disappointed. It is a fun who-done-it, not on the order of Agatha Christie fun, but a good story, well written, with a good ending.
The main character is a police detective- Peter Decker, a Jewish, kosher police detective no less. (I thought this was very interesting and would like to know why the author chose those features for this character. As a writer, this makes me curious.) He is thrust into a case by a local plane crash, but it's not as simple as shifting through the charred remains to identify the bodies. There is a body that may or may not have been on the flight, and another dead body that is found amongst the wreckage but ends up not being from the plane.
The story plays out logically and you never really have all the answers until the end - and interestingly enough- all the probably bad guys don't all get their due. I bit a reality here though it doesn't leave you feeling unsatisfied. (Well, maybe just a little.) But it's a good read or a good listen especially when George Guidall (of "The Cat Who..." fame) does the narration. I found myself wanting to drive to work to find out the ending, and that's saying something!
The main character is a police detective- Peter Decker, a Jewish, kosher police detective no less. (I thought this was very interesting and would like to know why the author chose those features for this character. As a writer, this makes me curious.) He is thrust into a case by a local plane crash, but it's not as simple as shifting through the charred remains to identify the bodies. There is a body that may or may not have been on the flight, and another dead body that is found amongst the wreckage but ends up not being from the plane.
The story plays out logically and you never really have all the answers until the end - and interestingly enough- all the probably bad guys don't all get their due. I bit a reality here though it doesn't leave you feeling unsatisfied. (Well, maybe just a little.) But it's a good read or a good listen especially when George Guidall (of "The Cat Who..." fame) does the narration. I found myself wanting to drive to work to find out the ending, and that's saying something!
November 3, 2008
The Burnt House was a great read. Decker & Lazarus, long-time working duo of the series quickly become old friends and acquaintances to this first time reader. The book is so well-written, combining police procedure with family life, that I felt completely at home with the characters.
The story starts off with a literal BANG!! as a commuter plane crashes into an apartment building. So many twists and turns begin when a search for the remains of one flight attendant purported to have been on the plane, becomes more complex with the appearance of another body in the rubble. Police procedure and how their families must cope became more real to me in this book than similar books I have read in the past. Just when I thought I had it all figured out (as did the team of investigators), it spun around in a completely different direction. I found the book at once believable yet surprising, and intricately woven. I am certainly going to search out more of the many earlier books featuring this duo.
The story starts off with a literal BANG!! as a commuter plane crashes into an apartment building. So many twists and turns begin when a search for the remains of one flight attendant purported to have been on the plane, becomes more complex with the appearance of another body in the rubble. Police procedure and how their families must cope became more real to me in this book than similar books I have read in the past. Just when I thought I had it all figured out (as did the team of investigators), it spun around in a completely different direction. I found the book at once believable yet surprising, and intricately woven. I am certainly going to search out more of the many earlier books featuring this duo.
September 7, 2009
I have been following the Decker/Lazarus novels since the first one and I enjoy watching the changes in the characters over time. That continuity and depth of characters is the advantage of the mystery series genre for me. the plot here is not as interesting as the character development. In fact, the plot is pretty unbelievable and contrived. an airplane accident causes a disastrous loss of life for the travelers and the residents of the house the plane hit. A body is found that opens up a case decades old. Kellerman spends a lot of time describing techno crime detection methods that have no interest for me.
January 23, 2008
Burnt House was a good fast read. The author does a nice job of tying together two seemingly unrelated homicides. I was kept guessing "who done it" till the end. It was also refreshing to have a cast of characters with primary influences on the plot versus the traditional lead heroine/hero. The interaction between the characters was well written. I look forward to reading more Faye Kellerman books.
January 4, 2021
I picked this book up on a whim... I'm a reader that if it his a Series that I read the book in order. Even though this is book is #16, I decided to read it anyway. I have so many books that I decided just to read this book with intent on not purchasing anymore of this New Author... This book was an an Incredible Story to the point I didn't want to put the book down till I was done.. Guess what? I am going to purchase more books by Faye Kellerman :-)
August 13, 2018
This is the first book I've read by Faye Kellerman and I like her style of writing. I will be looking into her other books. It was obvious that she does her research for her books, I liked the details explained about both investigations and how much time and energy it took the detectives to solve each murder.
January 12, 2022
Picked an old copy at the library at Mela Koti, a wonderful lodge (https://www.chambalsafari.com/lodge.php) for those travelling to the Chambal River Valley. The books in such places are left behind by other travellers and can be had freely. I only wish I had come with a book or two to leave.
Wasn't gripped by the mystery but liked the book. That's because I could see where the plot was going. The characters though are likeable and this novel (my first one by Faye Kellerman) was new to me for two reasons: one, it's a 'Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus' mystery. Rina is Peter's wife (he is a police Lt.) and doesn't as such have an active role in this book. I'm assuming she has a more active role in other novels featuring the duo. But I liked that this was a family-centred bunch of characters. Two, there's quite a bit of Judaism/Jewish commentary in the book, which I appreciated because there are so few mysteries that have them.
Wasn't gripped by the mystery but liked the book. That's because I could see where the plot was going. The characters though are likeable and this novel (my first one by Faye Kellerman) was new to me for two reasons: one, it's a 'Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus' mystery. Rina is Peter's wife (he is a police Lt.) and doesn't as such have an active role in this book. I'm assuming she has a more active role in other novels featuring the duo. But I liked that this was a family-centred bunch of characters. Two, there's quite a bit of Judaism/Jewish commentary in the book, which I appreciated because there are so few mysteries that have them.
August 17, 2024
The narration saved this one for me. Had I been reading the print version, I'm not sure I would have finished. Slow, plodding police procedural solving a mystery - - two murders, decades apart, with the common element being a fatal plane crash into an apartment building.
However, this is not a bad novel - and it's carefully constructed and peppered with enough dialogue and interactions between characters to keep it interesting. It just seemed a bit formulaic to me, and I think I would have put it aside had I been reading it and not listening during a long highway trip.
However, this is not a bad novel - and it's carefully constructed and peppered with enough dialogue and interactions between characters to keep it interesting. It just seemed a bit formulaic to me, and I think I would have put it aside had I been reading it and not listening during a long highway trip.
February 5, 2025
A decent book that held my interest but I knocked off a star because of the huge, ridiculous coincidence. I can't say what it is without spoilers but it's insane. What are the chances?!?! It really ruined an otherwise fun read for me.
April 14, 2019
Very gripping a must read if you like thriller novels
June 7, 2025
This is my second Faye Kellerman read, and it was similar to the first. But this one annoyed me more than Stalker.
You’ve got pages of the most mundane dialogue I think I’ve ever read. There’s a full two page spread where Decker and her daughter Cindy talk about the washing machine.
You’ve got Rina (yes, that Rina, the Rina of the A PETER DECKER AND RINA LAZARUS THRILLER headline on the book cover) doing nothing but whipping up big meals for hungry hubby. Yeah real ‘thrilling’ Rina, nice one. She reads like the male fantasy of the perfect wife, except the author’s a woman. In fact, every time there’s a section about family life: a house reno, a dinner, a child needing advice, it was so saccharine, like a scene plucked from the 50s. Too perfect and too boring. Similar to how it depicts faith - every time the book talks about Judaism I feel like it was trying to convert me.
What I did like about the last book I read by Kellerman was the actual mystery itself, which had me pretty gripped. This time less so, although the mystery was still the strongest part, especially up front. But the way it wrapped up just felt rushed and inconsequential.
I also got sick of Decker’s eternal patience. Every day the victim’s father calls him to berate him for not solving the case yet, while Decker sits there and takes it. Thinks to himself things like ‘as a loving father and husband, I’d be mad too.’ Wouldn’t it be more interesting if he lost his patience one time? Cracked it? Yelled at him?
The book is like crime mystery meets ‘perfect family’ fan fiction, and I don’t like it.
You’ve got pages of the most mundane dialogue I think I’ve ever read. There’s a full two page spread where Decker and her daughter Cindy talk about the washing machine.
You’ve got Rina (yes, that Rina, the Rina of the A PETER DECKER AND RINA LAZARUS THRILLER headline on the book cover) doing nothing but whipping up big meals for hungry hubby. Yeah real ‘thrilling’ Rina, nice one. She reads like the male fantasy of the perfect wife, except the author’s a woman. In fact, every time there’s a section about family life: a house reno, a dinner, a child needing advice, it was so saccharine, like a scene plucked from the 50s. Too perfect and too boring. Similar to how it depicts faith - every time the book talks about Judaism I feel like it was trying to convert me.
What I did like about the last book I read by Kellerman was the actual mystery itself, which had me pretty gripped. This time less so, although the mystery was still the strongest part, especially up front. But the way it wrapped up just felt rushed and inconsequential.
I also got sick of Decker’s eternal patience. Every day the victim’s father calls him to berate him for not solving the case yet, while Decker sits there and takes it. Thinks to himself things like ‘as a loving father and husband, I’d be mad too.’ Wouldn’t it be more interesting if he lost his patience one time? Cracked it? Yelled at him?
The book is like crime mystery meets ‘perfect family’ fan fiction, and I don’t like it.
October 13, 2020
Oh, my, does this one go on and on and on! It may be the slowest procedural in fiction history, but it gets there eventually. Detective Peter Decker is confronted with two potential victims: one in an aircraft disaster that opens the book, the other a woman’s body discovered in the wreckage who didn’t fly with the crashed aircraft. Decker and his team take their time solving the problem of the missing “victim,” Roseanne Dresden. Her father insists that Roseanne’s husband killed her. There is evidence they quarreled in recent days and she is known to have had a lover in San Jose, but there is nothing definitive and Roseanne’s body cannot be found in the wreckage. The body that is discovered is in bad shape, so burned that removing it tends to wreck it. Through a long section on computer realization of bodies and objects the cops are able to construct a model accurate enough that someone recognizes it. If you are saying: “Aren’t there a lot of coincidences in this?” you are correct. The body discovered is connected to the Roseanne search and the lover and the husband. The coincidences are mind-boggling, as are the powers of the detectives to intuit much of the evidence. Decker being Jewish, there are extended passages on kosher eating habits, the nature of belief and other extraneous matters that only serve to extend the narrative beyond the tolerance level necessary for police procedurals in general. Decker constantly needs food or sleep or both, which gives Kellerman a chance to discuss Jewish kosher food laws even more, with no greater service to her story. For 438 pages we are expected to follow this mishmash of plots but when the eventual murderer comes out of nowhere, the feelings of having wasted a lot of time is palpable. I have read novels by this author before and have not objected to them, but this one I raced to finish. There are far better choices in detective fiction available. Take one of them.
September 24, 2020
#16 in the L.A.P.D. Lieutenant Peter Decker and wife Rina Lazarus mystery series. This is basically a police procedural mystery as the story slogs through all the nitty gritty investigative work police do to gather the evidence to solve the mystery. Rina Lazarus is not Decker's investigate police partner, she is a loving, intelligent, understanding, supportive wife who provides foundation for him and manages a Kosher household and the strains put on it by Decker's heavy involvement away from home police work.
It begins with a small commuter plane crashes into an apartment building just after take off from Burbank, CA killing all on board plus people on the ground. Things take a turn when concern parents argue that their daughter wasn't on the plane (though she is listed on the passenger list) and that her husband murdered her instead. Two months after the crash, her body has not been found at the crash site. Rather the body of an unidentified female not on the flight and who may have died, murdered?, 30 years earlier. Suddenly Decker and his detectives find themselves with two murder cases.
It begins with a small commuter plane crashes into an apartment building just after take off from Burbank, CA killing all on board plus people on the ground. Things take a turn when concern parents argue that their daughter wasn't on the plane (though she is listed on the passenger list) and that her husband murdered her instead. Two months after the crash, her body has not been found at the crash site. Rather the body of an unidentified female not on the flight and who may have died, murdered?, 30 years earlier. Suddenly Decker and his detectives find themselves with two murder cases.
February 17, 2017
Faye Kellerman has a real knack for storytelling, for portraying the human side of tragedy and for highlighting the love of family. "The Burnt House" begins with a horrific plane crash, with loss of life from the airliner as well as from tenants living in the apartment complex where the plane crashed.
Lieutenant Pete Decker is initially pulled in to help contain the crash area and to try to identify potential victims. But he's then contacted by the family of a flight attendant who has been missing since the accident but whose family does not believe she was on the flight. While investigating the missing flight attendant, Decker discovers the body of a woman murdered more than 30 years ago who was buried in the crawl space of the doomed apartment building. What happened to the flight attendant? Who murdered the young woman three decades ago? It's a long, winding path to uncover clues, evidence and suspects in both cases. The book is fast-paced and captivating. Yet it's also very moving. Kellerman is at her best with "The Burnt House".
Lieutenant Pete Decker is initially pulled in to help contain the crash area and to try to identify potential victims. But he's then contacted by the family of a flight attendant who has been missing since the accident but whose family does not believe she was on the flight. While investigating the missing flight attendant, Decker discovers the body of a woman murdered more than 30 years ago who was buried in the crawl space of the doomed apartment building. What happened to the flight attendant? Who murdered the young woman three decades ago? It's a long, winding path to uncover clues, evidence and suspects in both cases. The book is fast-paced and captivating. Yet it's also very moving. Kellerman is at her best with "The Burnt House".
July 27, 2014
I may read more of her books, but may not. By the reviews , I take it she has some better. I liked this book because it stuck to the mystery. I did not like a few points, but it was minimum and not used enough to distract from the story. I like a rather deeper mystery, but this was great lighter reading to keep balanced.
December 6, 2017
It was a nice story, but to me it wasnt a thriller or fast paced. It was kind of slow and steady. But I did like the story and getting to know the detectives. I might read another one of Detective Decker adventure.
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August 20, 2018Interesting story with many possiblities for 'who done it'.
March 19, 2019
3.5 Stars. This was definitely one of the better books in this series. Five years have passed since the end of the last book. Rina's boys are now in their 20's and away at college. Cindy, now almost 30, is happily married and working as a grand theft auto detective. And "baby" Hannah is now 14 and excelling at school.
Still working as a lieutenant, Decker is called to the scene of a small commuter plane crash, which is ultimately ruled to be accidental. An open and shut case - until the stepfather of one of the victims calls the precinct a couple of months later insisting his stepdaughter was not on the plane and her husband killed her. The recovery effort is still going on and the woman in question, Roseanne, has not yet been recovered lending credence to her stepfather's claims.
When the remains of Roseanne are finally found, Decker is relieved to be able to give her parents closure. However, the remains turn out not to be Roseanne but those of a 30+ year old cold case victim.
This book was rather engrossing as Decker and his detectives tried to resolve whether or not Roseanne was on the doomed flight - as a flight attendant for the airline, if she was on it, she was flying without a ticket - and at the same time trying to identify Jane Doe to give her family closure. It was easy to keep straight which case they were working on, but it was also great for them to confuse each other with which woman they were talking about as that could easily happen in real life. I loved hearing about the technology they were able to use to help identify Jane Doe despite the delicate nature of her bones. The ending wrapped things up nicely for one case but not the other; again, the conflict felt by the family of the not as resolved case is something that could be true to real life.
I really enjoyed listening to this book and love this series in general. I would have easily given this book 4 stars, but I do feel there were places in which Kellerman repeated herself. Once I could have overlooked but I said "we've already established that" or "didn't Oliver/Marge/Whoever just say that?!" a few too many times - not quite to the point of it being irritating, but it was getting close! Still, a very satisfying book in this series with not one but two great mysteries to be solved.
Still working as a lieutenant, Decker is called to the scene of a small commuter plane crash, which is ultimately ruled to be accidental. An open and shut case - until the stepfather of one of the victims calls the precinct a couple of months later insisting his stepdaughter was not on the plane and her husband killed her. The recovery effort is still going on and the woman in question, Roseanne, has not yet been recovered lending credence to her stepfather's claims.
When the remains of Roseanne are finally found, Decker is relieved to be able to give her parents closure. However, the remains turn out not to be Roseanne but those of a 30+ year old cold case victim.
This book was rather engrossing as Decker and his detectives tried to resolve whether or not Roseanne was on the doomed flight - as a flight attendant for the airline, if she was on it, she was flying without a ticket - and at the same time trying to identify Jane Doe to give her family closure. It was easy to keep straight which case they were working on, but it was also great for them to confuse each other with which woman they were talking about as that could easily happen in real life. I loved hearing about the technology they were able to use to help identify Jane Doe despite the delicate nature of her bones. The ending wrapped things up nicely for one case but not the other; again, the conflict felt by the family of the not as resolved case is something that could be true to real life.
I really enjoyed listening to this book and love this series in general. I would have easily given this book 4 stars, but I do feel there were places in which Kellerman repeated herself. Once I could have overlooked but I said "we've already established that" or "didn't Oliver/Marge/Whoever just say that?!" a few too many times - not quite to the point of it being irritating, but it was getting close! Still, a very satisfying book in this series with not one but two great mysteries to be solved.
August 31, 2024
This is another outstanding installation in the series, with a few things that are mildly irritating. It's not a five-star book, but it's at least four, and that's a good thing.
Peter and Rina have just sent their 16-year-old daughter, Hannah, to school when the explosion happens. They aren't sure what it is, but it's something nasty because the power goes out around the neighborhood. They learn that a commuter airline crashed into an apartment complex near Hannah's school. Naturally, Peter is instantly on the job, and Rina goes to pick the girl up from school. The crash made it hard to breathe for blocks around the place. Cops initially worry that the crash is evidence of terrorism, and the arduous process of identifying bodies both in the airliner and inside the ill-fated apartment building begins.
Apparently, one of the dead passengers is Flight Attendant Roseanne Dresden. Even the airline says she worked that shift. But her obnoxious stepfather insists that she didn’t. Instead, he believes her adulterous husband killed her. His lap-dancing bills needed immediate payment.
They find a body they initially believe is Roseanne, but it’s not. It’s the body of a woman who died in 1976. And what a fascinating mystery that one is. So, you have two excellent plotlines running here. Both mysteries are intriguing, and the endings are strong in one case and a bit less so in the other.
I got a bit tired of reading about what everyone wore. I don’t need a fashion show with my mystery. But aside from that, this is well worth your time. You’ll like this better if you’ve read the earlier books because you’ll be more invested in these characters, and they’re worth getting invested in.
Peter and Rina have just sent their 16-year-old daughter, Hannah, to school when the explosion happens. They aren't sure what it is, but it's something nasty because the power goes out around the neighborhood. They learn that a commuter airline crashed into an apartment complex near Hannah's school. Naturally, Peter is instantly on the job, and Rina goes to pick the girl up from school. The crash made it hard to breathe for blocks around the place. Cops initially worry that the crash is evidence of terrorism, and the arduous process of identifying bodies both in the airliner and inside the ill-fated apartment building begins.
Apparently, one of the dead passengers is Flight Attendant Roseanne Dresden. Even the airline says she worked that shift. But her obnoxious stepfather insists that she didn’t. Instead, he believes her adulterous husband killed her. His lap-dancing bills needed immediate payment.
They find a body they initially believe is Roseanne, but it’s not. It’s the body of a woman who died in 1976. And what a fascinating mystery that one is. So, you have two excellent plotlines running here. Both mysteries are intriguing, and the endings are strong in one case and a bit less so in the other.
I got a bit tired of reading about what everyone wore. I don’t need a fashion show with my mystery. But aside from that, this is well worth your time. You’ll like this better if you’ve read the earlier books because you’ll be more invested in these characters, and they’re worth getting invested in.
November 23, 2024
The book takes its title from the Burnt House Museum archeological site in the Old City of Jerusalem. There the ruins of the house of a priestly family are found as a result of the Roman siege in the year 70. Just as this house gives up clues as to what life was like in that era, so too the ruins of an apartment building decimated in an airplane crash gives up its clues as to two possible murders.
The first suspected murder involves Roseanne Dresden, an airline stewardess, whose remains are unaccounted for the rubble of the crash. This leads Lt. Peter Decker and his team to suspect the husband of murder. The second case involves the 30-year-old remains of an unidentified woman found under the rubble.
The investigations follow a leisurely pace with side excursions into Decker’s home life. The plot doesn’t get interesting until the second half of the book, where it is revealed that the two possible murders are connected. The narrative involves conflicting accounts and changes in identity. It amazes me that the L.A.P.D. can devote these resources on a 30-year-old cold case and the remote chance that the stewardess who was presumed to die in the crash was actually murdered.
One clue leads to the musical duo, Priscilla and the Major. I believe that this is an homage to the 70s group, the Captain and Tennille. I love the way Kellerman presents Decker’s family of Orthodox Jews without need of explanation or definition of terms.
The first suspected murder involves Roseanne Dresden, an airline stewardess, whose remains are unaccounted for the rubble of the crash. This leads Lt. Peter Decker and his team to suspect the husband of murder. The second case involves the 30-year-old remains of an unidentified woman found under the rubble.
The investigations follow a leisurely pace with side excursions into Decker’s home life. The plot doesn’t get interesting until the second half of the book, where it is revealed that the two possible murders are connected. The narrative involves conflicting accounts and changes in identity. It amazes me that the L.A.P.D. can devote these resources on a 30-year-old cold case and the remote chance that the stewardess who was presumed to die in the crash was actually murdered.
One clue leads to the musical duo, Priscilla and the Major. I believe that this is an homage to the 70s group, the Captain and Tennille. I love the way Kellerman presents Decker’s family of Orthodox Jews without need of explanation or definition of terms.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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