Faye Kellerman Books in Order: The Complete Peter Decker & Rina Lazarus Guide
If you’re searching for a Faye Kellerman reading order because you enjoy character-driven police procedurals rather than purely case-of-the-book mysteries, the Decker and Lazarus novels are where you should spend most of your time. Each installment has its own investigation, but Peter and Rina’s marriage, family, religious differences, careers, and changing circumstances continue from book to book, making publication order particularly rewarding.
Peter Decker & Rina Lazarus Books in Order
The Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus series is Faye Kellerman’s signature body of work.
Peter Decker is an LAPD detective whose investigations repeatedly bring him into contact with Rina Lazarus, an Orthodox Jewish woman. Their relationship becomes one of the defining threads of the series, while the mysteries allow Kellerman to explore Los Angeles, Judaism, family life, crime, and the tensions between different communities.
The series began in 1986 and continued through The Hunt, published in 2022. There are 27 main novels in the core sequence.
1. The Ritual Bath (1986)
A rape at an Orthodox Jewish ritual bath brings LAPD detective Peter Decker into an insular religious community, where he meets Rina Lazarus. The investigation introduces not only the series’ central detective but also the cultural and personal world that will shape the books that follow.
This is the essential starting point for anyone new to Faye Kellerman.
2. Sacred and Profane (1987)
Peter’s relationship with Rina deepens when a camping trip takes an unexpected turn after Rina’s young son discovers two burned bodies. The case pulls Peter back into detective work while forcing him to think seriously about his future with Rina.
3. Milk and Honey (1990)
Peter investigates another murder while his relationship with Rina continues to develop. The case brings him into contact with a world where personal loyalties and religious traditions complicate the search for the truth.
4. Day of Atonement (1991)
Peter and Rina’s personal lives become even more important as a missing-child investigation unfolds within an Orthodox Jewish community. The mystery gives Kellerman another opportunity to explore faith, family, and the pressures facing Peter and Rina.
5. False Prophet (1992)
Peter investigates a violent crime connected to a religious community while continuing to navigate the increasingly complicated realities of his relationship and family life.
6. Grievous Sin (1993)
A murder investigation leads Peter into another difficult case involving religion, morality, and secrets. Meanwhile, the Decker-Lazarus relationship continues to evolve.
7. Sanctuary (1994)
Peter becomes involved in a disturbing murder investigation involving a religious sanctuary and a complicated group of suspects. As usual, the case is only part of the story.
8. Justice (1995)
Peter faces another challenging investigation while his family and professional responsibilities continue to change around him.
9. Prayers for the Dead (1996)
A murder brings Peter into a complicated investigation involving a world of faith, money, and personal secrets. The novel further develops the emotional and family elements of the series.
10. Serpent’s Tooth (1997)
Peter investigates another difficult case while the increasingly complicated Decker-Lazarus family remains central to the continuing story.
11. Jupiter’s Bones (1999)
The discovery of human remains leads Peter into a case involving buried secrets and an investigation that reaches into Los Angeles’ past.
12. Stalker (2000)
A dangerous obsession becomes the center of Peter’s latest investigation. This book also gives readers more insight into the Decker family and introduces Cindy Decker, who becomes an important character in the broader series.
13. The Forgotten (2001)
Peter investigates a troubling case involving a forgotten past and a crime that refuses to remain buried.
14. Stone Kiss (2002)
A murder investigation takes Peter into a world of organized crime and personal revenge. The novel combines the procedural elements of the series with a particularly dark criminal underworld.
15. Street Dreams (2003)
This installment continues to expand the world around Peter and Rina while introducing more of Cindy Decker’s perspective and professional development.
16. The Burnt House (2007)
After a four-year gap in the main series, Peter returns to investigate a fire that reveals a much more complicated crime. The case also reflects how much Peter’s personal and professional life has changed.
17. The Mercedes Coffin (2008)
Peter investigates a mysterious murder involving a wealthy family and a Mercedes containing a corpse. The case takes him into a world of money, privilege, and hidden relationships.
Also known as: Cold Case in some listings and editions. The title variation can cause confusion when readers are trying to build a complete Faye Kellerman collection.
18. Blindman’s Bluff (2009)
Peter arrives at the scene of a brutal multiple murder involving a billionaire, his wife, and several employees. What initially appears straightforward quickly raises questions about who could have wanted the entire group dead.
19. Hangman (2010)
A new investigation sends Peter into a case involving murder and dangerous secrets while his family life continues to develop alongside his career.
20. Gun Games (2011)
Peter investigates a violent case involving guns, young people, and the consequences of criminal behavior.
Edition note: The book was also published under the title Blood Games in some markets, so readers may encounter both titles when searching for the same installment.
21. The Beast (2013)
Peter confronts a particularly disturbing killer whose crimes have a chilling pattern. The investigation pushes the detective team into dangerous territory.
Edition note: Some listings use the alternate title Predator.
22. Murder 101 (2014)
Peter’s professional world changes as the series moves beyond its original Los Angeles setting. Rina’s academic environment becomes increasingly important as the investigation develops.
23. The Theory of Death (2015)
A suspicious death leads Peter into an investigation involving academia, scientific thinking, and a killer who may be hiding behind an apparently respectable environment.
24. Bone Box (2017)
Human remains discovered in a remote area lead Peter and his colleagues into a complicated investigation involving missing people and long-buried secrets.
25. Walking Shadows (2018)
Peter faces another disturbing case while his relationships and professional life continue to develop. The novel maintains the series’ balance between police investigation and character-driven storytelling.
26. The Lost Boys (2021)
Peter investigates a case involving missing young men, while Rina’s connection to the community becomes increasingly important to the investigation.
27. The Hunt (2022)
The final published Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus novel brings the long-running series to its latest chapter. Peter faces another investigation while the personal histories and relationships developed across decades give the story considerably more weight than a typical standalone crime novel.
Faye Kellerman’s official biography lists The Hunt among her Decker/Lazarus thrillers, and current series catalogs identify it as the 27th main installment.
Is There a Short Story Between the Decker & Lazarus Books?
Yes.
There is a short story called “My Sister’s Keeper”, which appears in the anthology Capital Crimes (2006). Some reading-order databases place it between Street Dreams and The Burnt House because it features characters from the Decker/Lazarus universe.
However, you do not need to read it to follow the main series.
If your goal is simply to read all the main Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus novels, continue from Street Dreams to The Burnt House.
If you’re collecting every piece of Decker/Lazarus fiction, add My Sister’s Keeper as a bonus story.
The Garden of Eden and Other Criminal Delights
The Garden of Eden and Other Criminal Delights (2006) is a short-story collection rather than another full-length Decker/Lazarus novel.
It is particularly interesting for longtime fans because it contains multiple Decker and Rina stories, including “The Garden of Eden,” “Bull’s Eye,” and “A Woman of Mystery.” The collection also contains other crime stories and pieces involving members of Kellerman’s family.
You can read this anthology after Street Dreams if you want to keep your Decker/Lazarus reading roughly aligned with publication history, but it is not necessary for understanding the main novels.
Faye Kellerman Standalone Novels in Order
The Decker/Lazarus series dominates Kellerman’s bibliography, but she has also written several novels outside that universe.
These are standalone stories, so you don’t need to read them in any particular order.
The Quality of Mercy (1989)
A historical novel set in Elizabethan England, this book shows a very different side of Kellerman’s writing. It explores religious conflict, political intrigue, and danger in a period far removed from her modern police procedurals.
Kellerman’s own FAQ identifies The Quality of Mercy as one of her historical novels.
Moon Music (1998)
Set largely in Las Vegas, Moon Music moves into darker psychological suspense and follows a woman whose life becomes entangled with a dangerous mystery.
It is a good choice if you want Kellerman without committing to the Decker/Lazarus series.
Double Homicide (2004)
Written with Kellerman’s husband, bestselling crime novelist Jonathan Kellerman, this book contains two connected murder stories, with each author writing from a different investigative perspective.
It is one of the more notable Kellerman family collaborations.
Straight into Darkness (2005)
This historical thriller moves the action to Europe during the First World War and follows an investigation into a series of brutal crimes.
Like The Quality of Mercy, it demonstrates Kellerman’s interest in historical settings and subjects outside contemporary Los Angeles.
Capital Crimes (2006)
Written with Jonathan Kellerman, Capital Crimes is another collaborative crime novel. The book also contains the Decker/Lazarus short story “My Sister’s Keeper.”
Prism (2009)
Prism is a young adult novel co-written by Faye Kellerman and her daughter Aliza Kellerman.
It is very different from the adult police procedurals, so readers interested only in Faye’s crime novels can safely treat it as a separate part of her bibliography. Faye Kellerman’s official biography confirms the collaboration.
The Voiceless (2016)
This is a short digital original rather than a conventional full-length novel.
The story imagines a future in which computers speak for humans, giving Kellerman a chance to explore science fiction rather than her usual police procedural territory. Hachette lists it as a 48-page digital original published in April 2016.
Killing Season (2017)
Killing Season is a standalone suspense novel centered on a teenage boy investigating the murder of his older sister.
Ben Vicksburg refuses to accept the official explanation of his sister’s death and begins connecting her case to other unsolved murders. His investigation puts him directly in the path of a dangerous killer. The novel was published by William Morrow in 2017.
Faye Kellerman Books by Type
If you’re deciding what to read next, her bibliography becomes much easier to navigate when divided by reading experience.
For a long-running police procedural:
Start with The Ritual Bath and follow Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus through The Hunt.
For a standalone mystery:
Try Moon Music.
For historical suspense:
Choose The Quality of Mercy or Straight into Darkness.
For a family collaboration:
Try Double Homicide with Jonathan Kellerman.
For short crime fiction:
Pick up The Garden of Eden and Other Criminal Delights.
For YA fiction:
Try Prism, co-written with Aliza Kellerman.
For a darker standalone thriller:
Try Killing Season.
Do You Need to Read the Peter Decker & Rina Lazarus Books in Order?
I strongly recommend it.
Technically, you can pick up almost any book and follow its individual murder investigation. But the personal story is much more rewarding when experienced chronologically.
Peter and Rina’s relationship changes substantially over the course of the series. Their marriage, children, careers, religious differences, friendships, and wider family relationships all develop over time.
That is particularly important because Kellerman deliberately treats her recurring characters as evolving people rather than resetting them at the beginning of every novel. In her own FAQ, she explains that she likes writing series characters because they change over the years, much like members of a real family.
What Is the Best Faye Kellerman Book to Start With?
For most readers, the answer is The Ritual Bath.
It isn’t simply the first book chronologically. It establishes the central relationship between Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus and introduces the combination of crime investigation, Jewish culture, family, and personal conflict that defines much of Kellerman’s work.
If you prefer a standalone, Killing Season is a good modern entry point.
If historical mysteries are more your thing, try The Quality of Mercy.
And if you’re already a fan of Jonathan Kellerman, Double Homicide is an obvious choice because it lets you experience both authors in one book.
What Makes the Decker & Lazarus Series Different?
The series stands out because the mystery isn’t the only thing developing.
Peter is a police detective, while Rina comes from an Orthodox Jewish background. Their relationship creates a natural meeting point between criminal investigation, religion, family, culture, and everyday life.
That gives the books a different texture from many police procedurals where the detective’s personal life exists mainly in the background.
The setting also changes as the series progresses. What begins as a Los Angeles-centered story eventually expands into new communities and circumstances, while Peter and Rina remain the emotional anchor.
What Is Faye Kellerman’s Latest Book?
The latest main Faye Kellerman novel currently listed in the Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus series is The Hunt, published in 2022. Current bibliographic sources identify it as the 27th main book in the series.
There does not appear to be a newer full-length Faye Kellerman novel after The Hunt in the current major bibliographic listings.
Are Faye Kellerman and Jonathan Kellerman Related?
Yes. They are married to each other.
Both are bestselling crime writers, and they have collaborated on books including Double Homicide and Capital Crimes. Faye has also collaborated with her daughter Aliza Kellerman on Prism.
Their family connection can make the bibliography confusing because some books associated with the Kellerman name are written by Jonathan, Faye, or their children.
If you’re specifically looking for Faye Kellerman books, make sure you check the author credit before adding a title to your reading list.
Final Thoughts
Faye Kellerman’s bibliography is really two reading experiences in one.
On one side, you have the expansive Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus series, where the murder cases are important but the evolving lives of the characters are just as compelling. On the other, you have a smaller collection of standalone mysteries, historical thrillers, short fiction, and family collaborations that show how much broader Kellerman’s interests are than one detective series.
For a first-time reader, don’t overthink it: begin with The Ritual Bath and let Peter and Rina’s story develop naturally. Once you’ve worked your way through the series, The Quality of Mercy, Moon Music, Straight into Darkness, and Killing Season offer a chance to see what Kellerman can do outside the world of Decker and Lazarus.
The result is a bibliography that rewards both kinds of readers—those who love settling into a long-running detective series and those who prefer picking up a completely different mystery whenever the mood strikes.
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