Sanctuary audiobook

Hmm, a diamond is a girl's best friend? Maybe so, but the wheelings and dealings behind said diamond can be deadly! Another great read by Faye Kellerman, so many characters to learn about, plus the diamond industry and of course Judaism. These books are definitely a learning experience for me. The case starts out in LA, then branches out across the Atlantic to Israel with a glimpse at New York City. Rina plays a bigger role as intepreter and investigator in what is foreign to Decker. Lots of twists and turns, murder and mayhem, still worth sticking to this series (at least for me). 4 stars and 2 thumbs up.From the blurb: A diamond dealer and his entire family have mysteriously disappeared from their sprawling Las Angeles manor, leaving the estate undisturbed and their valuables untouched. Investigating detective Decker is stumped--faced with a perplexing case riddled with dead ends. Then a second dealer is found murdered in Manhattan, catapulting Decker and his wife, Rina, into a heart-stopping maze of murder and intrigue that spans the globe...only to touch down dangerously in their own backyard.

15.1.2023 "We still hunt Nazis, Detective. Because there are things in this world that are so bad that there is no city of refuge. There is no sanctuary for pure evil, you understand?""I understand", Decker said. "But I don't agree. I believe in a system of justice.""And I just believe in justice". My second re-read of this superb novel, and I upgraded the rating to five stars. This was, indeed, a superb thriller. Complex, intricate, suspenseful, filled with fantastic humor, amazing insights, and some of the best characterization and character development in this series. With a fast pace, intelligent twists and turns, and wonderful dialogues, Kellerman shows why she is a master of her craft. One of the best in this wonderful series!

I liked this one a little better because Rina was more of a player. In the last books she's been busy having a baby and being a mother and housekeeper, but that wasn't really the promise of the first book. There appears to be some family pressure for her to be "just" the mother and homemaker, but as a character she's worth more than that and hope Keller doesn't burn her.Interesting story, with a lot of knowledge about diamonds and Israel that I didn't know.

Good read. Peter and Rins’s lives continue. Enjoyed the foray into the diamond business and the travel to Israel. The story line flowed, but too much depended on luck, not evidence.

After reading a very large intense book, I chose Sanctuary as my “in between” read, thinking it would be easy and light. I was pleasantly surprised to have really enjoyed it. In the beginning I thought it was a little hokey with just too much Jewish background, but I soon came to realize it was all an integral part of the entire plot. This murder-mystery deals with the diamond industry, and takes the reader from Los Angeles to Israel. When dealing with billions of dollars, there’s bound to be thievery, cheating, murder, suspense, throw in a little middle-east politics and you have a recipe for a great story. I have only read one other Faye Kellerman book which was years ago so I cannot compare, but Sanctuary can stand on it’s own merits. You don’t have to read any of the other Peter Decker/Rina series to enjoy this one. There are enough plot twists to engage any reader.Having been to Israel and understanding many of the places described in the book was an added bonus. The accurate descriptions of the many different kinds of people from black-hat orthodox, to PLO terrorist, to holocaust survivor, to an L.A. police sergeant – all well done.There was an extensive overuse of Hebrew and Yiddish words throughout the book, which may be off-putting to someone not familiar with those languages. I also felt there was just too many wasted words about Peter and Rina’s baby Hanna. I assume their side story is the common thread that makes these books a series, but I found it distracting and annoying.Mitchell Greenberg the narrator was awesome. He pronounced every one of those Hebrew and Yiddish words perfectly, adding authenticity to the story. He changed his accent so many times to suit the characters; everything from Israeli yeshiva boys, to Orthodox old men, to Israeli women and the list goes on. He did a superb job with the inflections of all the characters.

Stunning story revolved around diamonds... what does religion and diamonds have in common... A lot when you involve the Jewish diamond sellers, buyers and cutters and the country of Israel and South Africa. Brilliant, witty writing from Faye, of course, I learn something new every time I dive into her series with Peter Decker and Rina. Love that I learn about history, religion and crime solving with rich characters. Suspense wrapped up into a package of dynamite when the PLO is involved. The sad thing... the spiritual and emotional dramas are still in play with Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, Hebron, and other landmarks of Christianity. Faye Kellerman makes me, the reader, feel like a scholar as I flip through the pages to learn more about a culture as old as the first story in the Bible. Fascinating, murder mystery that wraps around a devious plot of greed. Peter Decker and Harry Bosch are my all time heros!

Another great entry int the Decker/Lazarus series by Faye Kellerman. Like the first 6, I had to adjust to the reality that this book was written a quarter century ago, and that the technology we take for granted today did not exist at the time of this writing. Nevertheless, it was a very enjoyable read. With each volume I enjoy more and more the insights of Jewish religious and social practice that Kellerman weaves into the story of Peter and Rina.Turning 180 degrees from the last book which focused on their new daughter, this book left the kids pretty much in the background. His partner, Marge, is still part of the story but not to the extent of prior books. Instead, Rina really becomes part of the 'team' as Peter required her assistance in his newest case. Needing to travel to Israel, but not for a hoped-for vacation in the Promised Land, Rina's Hebrew skills and cultural insights prove vital in tracking down missing children as well as unraveling a sinister plot to profit from the diamond trade using terrorist funds from the PLO. A truly international case, this was a new venture for Kellerman in the series, and I appreciated it. I suspect we will find in future volumes that Peter and Rina really become a crime-solving unit working together.Always a delightful read, I am very much looking forward to Volume #8.

In this one, the Deckers both went to Israel at their own expense, as Peter was following his hunch, in search of 2 teen~aged boys whose parents were murdered... Rina was to interpret and aid her clueless but determined husband and Peter was just doing his job. The boys, both Jewish and Americans, sought refuge in separate yeshivas as was instructed by their mother as their contingency plan. A many layered plot that involved 2 sets of Jewish families with different degrees of religiosity... the sparkle of diamonds in the supposedly highly secured Bursa and the impact of a compromised security on the country's diamond trade industry and thus to Israel's economy... exploding bombs or the appearance of terrorists' attacks... the PLO... the peace talks... a Jewish divorce gone bad... and the the Deckers as either heroes or suspects depending on whose perspective. I like it when seemingly unrelated plots all come together and this author most definitely did a very Good job of it... but then she Always does.

This book went from good to even better. I’d read some in this series, but wasn’t a diehard fan. However, this book ranged from LA to NY to Israel, with a great pair of crimes which (of course) turned out to be connected by (who else?) our detecting couple, Rina, and her cop husband, Peter. Enjoyed the descriptions of different Jewish sects, and descriptions of Arab/Jewish relations. Plus the original disappearance of an entire family in LA, and following clues through the diamond business, was interesting. But Kellerman’s gift is also in how she depicts relationships. It is Rina and Peter’s marriage, Peter’s reliance on his partner, Marge, and untangling all the characters’ involvements with each other, which create the heart of the story - and there is heart here.

I really enjoyed this book in the Decker/Lazarus series. More heavily focused on the mystery(ies) and less on Peter and Rina's family, but vivid with portrayal of Israeli culture. I appreciate that Kellerman's stories don't always end up with all of the "bad guys" caught and punished, and I appreciated some of the surprises and twists in the plot. I do think that any pair of detectives as brilliant at surmising the story behind the crime as Peter and Marge should be promoted.

Really became fond of main characters in this series and my first read was out of order, but after enjoying that 1 so much, have restarted at book 1.This story involving more than one behind story within another has not been my favorite. I did enjoy learning more about Israel and middle east happenstance, but it was more all 'over the map' than usual. Looking forward to continue my road to read the rest of series.