Search - Prayers for the Dead (Peter Decker, Rina Lazarus #9)

The brutal murder of Dr. Azor Sparks in an alley behind a restaruant is greeted with public outrage and a demand for swift, sure justice. But the investigation into the well-known surgeon's death is raising too many questions and providing too few answers for homicide detective Lieutenant Peter Decker.
Why, for example, would the family of a man so beloved respond to his slaying with more surprise than grief? And what linked a celebrated doctor with strict fundamentalist beliefs to a gang of outlaw bikers? But the most unsettling connection of all is the one that ties the tormented Sparks family to Peter Decker's own-and the secrets shared by a renegade Catholic priest...and Decker's wife Rina Lazarus.
Another great Peter Decker read, just as suspenseful as all the rest. Hard to put down, and always exciting.

Very good murder mystery.

very good

A brutal slaying behind a restaurant of a prominent heart surgeon who is also a researcher gives the L.A. Police Homicide department no clues whatsoever. On its face, there is no one who would want the great man dead but as Lt. Decker (Peter) and his detectives start investigating, things just don't make sense. Dr. Sparks was a fundamentalist Christian who prayed with his patients before surgery; a strict authoritarian with his family including his wife and yet he was riding his motorcycle with an outlaw gang, tolerated a gay physician in his research lab and even tolerated his son, Bram, whom he thought was gay too. There were plenty of clues along the trail but many were duds. The ending was surprising but not, if you know what that means. :) Great story and, as usual, Rina and Peter have some conflict over the case because Bram, the priest, were old, close friends. I always enjoy Ms. Kellerman's books and look forward to reading the next one.

From the book cover, "The brutal murder of Dr. Azor Sparks in an alley behind a restaurant is greeted with public outrage and a demand for swift, sure justice. But the investigation into the well-known surgeon's death is raising too many questions and providing too few answers for homicide detective Lieutenant Peter Decker.

Why, for example, would the family of a man so beloved respond to his slaying with more surprise than grief? And what linked a celebrated doctor with strict fundamentalist beliefs to a gang of outlaw bikers? But the most unsettling connection of all is the one that ties the tormented Sparks family to Peter Decker's own - and the secrets shared by a renegade Catholic priest... and Decker's wife, Rina Lazarus."

mystery