The Garden of Eden and Other Criminal Delights

by Faye Kellerman

Book Overview

New York Times bestselling author Kellerman delivers a riveting collection of 14 crime and mystery short stories--plus four bonus tales--compiled for the first time in one volume. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0446611492
• Release Date: July 2003
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
• Length: 385 Pages
• Weight: 0.44 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 1.0" x 5.0"

Customer Reviews

Great book!

I enjoyed this book very much - it was a tight, exciting, well-coordinated plot with engaging and life-like characters. Definitely a great read!

Faye Kellerman leaves little to the imagination.

Faye Kellerman, is one of the best authors i have read. Her diversity in this book of short stories, shines through impeccibly. She not only writes about Peter Decker and Rina Lazerus, but other stories, such as a touch on Jack the Ripper, in my opinion!! She puts such detail, in such a small story, that it's not overwhelming. Like many authors, we are left sitting there after reading, thinking and pondering what we have just read. Sometimes we even have to re-read a passage or two. But with Faye Kellerman's novels all you have to do, is sit back, read and enjoy!

A somewhat uneven, mixed bag of stories

Faye Kellerman's novels of crime and psychological turmoil have earned a permanent spot on my reading shelves, albeit I've noticed a general slide towards a flat, repetitive style in the last few novels. But now she is taking a slightly different turn with this collection of short stories from throughout her career. Several of her stories feature her most popular characters, those of Peter Decker, and his wife, Rina Lazarus. Others feature historical figures, characters on the edge, and all sorts of human nature. There isn't any sort of linking theme here, just that they are stories by Kellerman, and several either co-written with or inspired by her children or husband. And as usual with short story collections, several are downright creepy, a few are very good, and one or two fall short of the mark. The Garden of Eden This one, and the next three, are stories that feature the Deckers, a married, Orthodox Jewish couple that are very real, and good to read about. In this one, Rina and Peter have a problem at home when Rina's indoor gardening starts to get out of hand. Mixed in with this is the death of an elderly friend that has hints of foul-play and a stash of money that is missing. How both problems are resolved is done with Kellerman's deft hand at suspense. Open House A dead body turns up in a vacant home, and it's up to Decker and his officers to puzzle out the how and why. It's a sordid little tale of a man who gets caught with his pants down and the girlfriend is getting a little too annoying. While it's a simplistic tale, I was glad to see more of the policemen that Decker gets to work with. Bull's-eye This one features Decker's daughter, Cindy, who is a chip off the old block when it comes to solving crimes. This time, the murder is particularly close when one of Cindy's instructors at the police academy is gunned down in front of witnesses. But the question is who and why. Kellerman kept this one from getting too stale by tucking in a twist or two, and it's a good, tight story, perfect for your coffee break. A Woman of Mystery This is one of the saddest stories that I've read in a long time. Rina has an encounter with a young, troubled woman without a name or past, and it's a tale that will make all of us wonder how far we should visit the sins of the past onto the future. The Stalker For every woman who has been the victim of an abusive relationship, this one is sweet, sweet revenge. While I wouldn't recommend being this drastic, it's certainly soul-satisfying. Mummy and Jack Cowritten with her son, Jesse, Kellerman takes on the old Jack the Ripper story, but this time with a twist or two that makes it unique. And actually, it's not too bad. Bonding Told in first person, this is a tale to make your blood run cold at a teenage girl who's bored with her life, and decides to make mischief. The body count rises, the sins are unthinkable, and it's one of those stories that makes you wish you didn't read it. Not that it's bad, it

A Pleasant Surprise for Fans of the Crime and Suspense Genre

Of the seventeen offerings the only disappointment was "Bonding," a radical departure from Kellerman's usual portrayal of family relationships. The collaborative efforts with her daughters in "The Luck of the Draw" is a delightful story from three points of view on how a lottery win changes family values. "Free Parking" becomes a study of the generation gap as four generations of women gather at the nursing home every week to play Monopoly so the 87 year old great-grandmother of the family can participate. ("It depends on what you want out of the game, Christy. For your grandma and her sisters, it's the process. The game is just an excuse for them to get together and chat.....You'll understand when you get older.") Author Faye Kellerman is a noted crime writer who gives readers an unusual offering of seventeen short stories full of suspense and mayhem in this book. A bit like a gift basket, this veritable sampler of stories is sure to please fans of the prolific Kellerman, and win new readers to her following. An introduction by the author to each story provides the readers insight regarding not only characters and plot, but also often inspiration for the piece. Two of the stories are in collaboration with Kellerman's children, and another two are autobiographical essays. The title piece, "Garden of Eden" portrays a family's greed as daughters fight over their mother's will. Kellerman's famous husband and wife team of Detective Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus appear in this new story that reveals that true treasures are found in unexpected places. In "Bulls Eye," Decker helps his daughter solve the mystery of the assassination of an unpopular police academy drill instructor. Another story, "Discards," avid Kellerman readers will recognize another favorite character, Andrea Darling, Los Angeles Private Investigator. This complex story of murder and mayhem is set in modern California in the shadow of the "beautiful people." All told, there are seventeen original tales, full of suspense and sure to please anyone who likes a good thriller. Kellerman has given readers a delightful compilation of her previously published and new short stories, proving that this author can not only construct the intricate plots of her full length novels but can also deliver silhouettes full of keen observations and humor in the form of short stories and essays. Kellerman has applied her unique formula for producing best-selling crime novels to the short story and The Garden of Eden is the successful result

fabulous crime fiction short story collection

This is a fabulous crime fiction short story collection that includes three Decker family tales ("The Garden of Eden" and "Open House" which focus on Peter and Rina and "Bull's-Eye" starring their daughter Cindy), which are just under a third of the page count. The compilation includes thirteen tales exclusively written by Faye Kellerman mostly in the 1990s, one joint entry with son Jesse ("Mummy and Jack"), and one with daughters Rachel and Ilana ("The Luck of the Draw"). Additionally there are two short autobiographical essays (also from the 1990s) dedicated to her Ms. Kellerman's parents. This is a strong fun anthology that showcases the talent of this writing family's matriarch with a little help from her offspring; only Jonathan is missing. Harriet Klausner