False Prophet (1992)

Peter Decker's new case brings him into the glamorous Hollywood world when a celebrity is assaulted, but things are not as they initially seem and seediness turns out to be as prevalent amongst the rich as amongst the poor. As in other installments of the series, the mystery is taut and the stakes are high for Peter as well as for Rina when the victim decides that Peter should be her next conquest. Some of the characters are more than unlikely and their actions hardly probable, but it's forgivable if you're a follower of the series. The pacing is good and the standard characters are as interesting as ever. ( )

Fifth book in the series. Good as always.

Back Cover Blurb:
Even to case-hardened Detective Sergeant Pete Decker the brutal rape of Lilah Brecht, the exquisite daughter of an aged Hollywood movie queen, is a disturbing act of violence. The only indication of the attacker's identity comes from the victim's own description: a lead soon shattered when it emerges that Lilah, the highly intelligent owner of a glamorous Los Angeles health farm, did not physically see her rapist. Though blindfolded, Lilah explains that, aided by her gift of second sight, she was able to 'image' her attacker and proclaims that Decker, sympathetic, reassuring and an expert in sexual and child-related crime, is the only policeman who can truly help and understand her.
Decker, whose wife Rina is heavily pregnant with their first child and who is anxious to protect her from Lilah's alternately seductive and hysterical phone calls, is not so sure. And he is sceptical when, based on no evidence except her own unique perceptions, Lilah insists her attacker is threatening her - and her family - once more. But when Decker himself sees Lilah almost killed in a bizarre and horrifying accident, he begins to think he may have judged her too harshly. ( )

From Kirkus Reviews
When LAPD detective Peter Decker arrives at the Valley Canyon Spa Resort, its beautiful owner, Lilah, the daughter of Hollywood legend Davida Eversong, appears to have been beaten and raped, and her mother's jewels and late father's unpublished memoirs are missing from her safe. To thwart Lilah's growing obsession with him, Peter shunts her off on his partner Margie while he concentrates on possible perps, including her three doctor brothers, a slow-witted stablehand, and one of the spa's aerobic instructors. Two deaths later, Peter is convinced that Lilah staged the rape and hid the gems, but then who stole the memoirs, and why? Lilah's ex-husband leads him to a former Eversong employee who knows many family secrets, and Peter uncovers another identity brouhaha. Eventually, with some psychological input from his rabbi and his pregnant wife Rina, Peter sorts through a tangle of viperous relationships to close the case. Histrionic plot, not helped much by Kellerman's B-movie prose. Like Day of Atonement, Milk and Honey, etc., this comes to life only when discussing Judaica, which takes a backseat here to adoption procedures and assorted sexual preferences. -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. ( )

Peter Decker is trying to keep his wife Rina happy while she is pregnant--not always easy. Escpecially when the women he is helping in his latest case, Lilah, becomes overly attached to him, even showing up at his home in the middle of the night. Still, Peter must figure out who raped her and stole her family jewels and her father's memoirs. Lilah's family and the staff at her spa create quite a cast of kooky characters, topped off by Lilah herself who claims to have prophetic visions and that she "imaged" her attackers (saw them despite being blindfolded). As Decker tracks down the truth he has the ever present family problems to deal with, as he struggles to fit in his newfound life as an orthodox Jew to the demands of his job.
While I have enjoyed this series, this one just seemed mediocre to me. The supporting characters didn't seem real enough. The end had a twist, but it was easy to figure out where things were heading. If you are a fan of the series you'll want to read it, but otherwise it's just an average mystery. ( )

False Prophet by Faye Kellerman is part of the Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus series. A wealthy spa owner, daughter of a famous actress, is found near death. Her home has been robbed and she has been raped. A dysfunctional set of family members and a large cast of staff muddy this situation which soon includes a dead horse and two dead humans.

I don't know why I keep reading these books; they aren't that great. One of the other books in the series is Serpents Tooth the title gives away the mystery!