Through the years the strength of this series has been Faye Kellerman's ability to engage the reader and cause him/her to care about Peter Decker and his family and the victims of the crimes in Decker's police cases. Somehow she fails to do either in this latest book in the series.

The title of the book refers to two murders which occur 15 years apart. In both murders the victim is put in the trunk of a Mercedes-Benz after being shot execution-style. The first victim is a well-liked teacher, Dr. Ben Little, and the second is an unscrupulous music producer named
Primo Ekerling. Decker and his cohorts spend the majority of the book looking into possible connections between the two murders. Scenes in the Decker home are brief and uninspiring with wife Rina's appearances being short and without much substance. Hopefully author Faye Kellerman will rediscover the formula of blending Peter Decker's home and professional life in a way which is more appealing to readers in the future.

As others have said, there are too many characters in this book. Each one is referred to by first name, last name, and often a nickname - sometimes in the same paragraph. There's a Rudy and a Ryan, Melinda and a Marilyn, not to mention Cal and Cal J (a red herring that went nowhere), and so many times I said to myself "Who's Mudd again?" I love the series, but the last two books have gone downhill.

The scene is set, a brutal murder that bares a chilling resemblance to a murder committed almost fifteen years ago. Genoa Greeves is a successful computer entrepreneur who after reading the daily post discovers the brutal scene of Primo Ekerling. Late last night, three shots were fired execution style into the head of the famous music producer and he was left in the trunk of his car. This takes Ms. Greeves on a flashback to the unsolved murder of her school teacher. But unlike last time Ms. Greeves has the wherewithal to make a realistic attempt at solving Ekerling's death and maybe that of her favorite teacher.

Well, when you're throwing around such money, results are a guarantee. Enter Lieutenant Decker. He forms a task force and begins by interrogating members of the police who were on the force for more than fifteen years. But just before this investigation was to be under way, a long standing police officer is murdered. What is going on here? Faye Kellerman does a good job creating this police chiller and all the characters are well developed which is typical for Ms. Kellerman's writings.

When the police see a crime that's unusual, they check their records to see if there are any other similar crimes. When the details match, they often find that the same person was responsible. Career criminals frequently repeat themselves. What's rare, however, is when 15 years separate the two incidents. What does it mean then?

That's the question that Lieutenant Peter Decker faces when the LAPD is offered a large reward for finding the murderer of a well-beloved teacher, Bennett Little (Dr. Ben to many of his students), that occurred 15 years earlier. To make matters a little simpler (or more complicated?), Decker's daughter caught the squeal on the second murder.

From there, the book settles down into a slow-moving police procedural where you have to keep track of all the connections among the various people to make sense of the mystery. Even then, the results may seem a bit speculative until just near the end.

Normally, I like the slow unpeeling of the onion in a police procedural, but this one just didn't do it for me. Several parts of the story didn't ring true, even after thinking about them for a few days after I read the book. The characters who were introduced just for this story didn't always ring true to me either.

If you don't want to take a chance on this book, there's nothing of series significance that happens. So you have the option to skip this one, even if you are a dyed-in-the-wool Faye Kellerman fan.

First and foremost I have to say that I am a big fan of the authors. I have followed this series forever. I was so excited to see a new novel with this cast.

The reality of it is that the only enjoyable part of this book was kind of catching up with the cast.

The whole story dragged and was so confusing with the million and one characters. I found that the story was slow to develop and many times I had to re-read a section just to wrap my mind around the cast of characters. There were just too many names being thrown around. Essentially I would say there were too many threads being pulled on at once. I didn't enjoy the book at all and although I am an avid reader it was like pulling teeth to get myself to finish reading it.

Hopefully she can do better in the next installment.

I especially enjoy reading books when the Author has the main characters the same people in their books.

I generally love these novels...this one just didn't hit the mark for me. Overly long and way too much time between beginning, middle, and end...and the ending was not satisfactory after suffering through the book to get there!

This is only the second book in my entire life that I have not been able to finish. I have read all of both Faye and Jonathan Kellerman's previous books. I have felt for awhile that Faye was running out of ideas.

There is no emotion in this book at all. The Decker family interactions are all rote at this point. Great opportunities for Hannah as a rebellious teenager don't materialise - at least in the half of the book that I read. Her character Christopher Donatti gives me the creeps, and I am tired of him popping up when there is no logical reason connected to the story for him to do so. After reading page after page of Scott, Marge, and Decker trying to a link a bunch of nothing characters together I gave up. It was just too boring, there was nothing happening that made me want to keep reading to find out whodunit. I am disappointed that I wasted $9.99 to download this. I chose it over Louise Penny's "The Cruelest Month" and I'm sorry I did.

I ended up downloading Thomas L. Friedman's Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution--and How It Can Renew America" and read that instead - it was amazing.

Reviewed by Tina Avon for RebeccasReads (9/08)


I have read all of Faye and Jonathan's novels over the years and have, for the most part, always thoroughly enjoyed them. This most recent book by Faye Kellerman, entitled The Mercedes Coffin, left me both thrilled and confused. As always, Kellerman brings back the familiar characters that we love so much. I have come to feel comforted by the presence of Peter Decker; he just projects an air of efficiency and calmness around him and I love reading him. Of course, the rest of the cast is back again, including Rina Lazarus.

Peter is asked to reopen a fifteen-year old cold case that seems eerily similar to a murder that has just occurred. The murder victims were both found dead in the trunk of their Mercedes. Peter is under the gun to get this resolved as quickly as possible, because someone with money and power is pulling all the strings. Speaking of someone with money, I thought that the character of Genoa was a very nice addition to the storyline and she also ended up being a very interesting character.

The storyline speeds along nicely, and I found myself totally involved and zipping right along until I got through about two thirds of the book. At this point, I felt Kellerman had added so many characters to her storyline that I needed a crib sheet just to follow along. I managed to read through to the satisfying end, but I have to say that I would not be capable of describing all of the characters in this novel, and I would certainly not be able to tell you how each one interacted with the others.

Unfortunately, this novel did get a little bogged down for me towards the end. This did not remove from the bang-up ending, but did remove some of my enjoyment from the storyline. I must say that I was thrilled that Rina's presence was kept to a minimum in this novel. Although I love Faye Kellerman's books, I read them because of the Decker character, NOT because of the Lazarus character, which I often find bossy and somewhat irritating.

This is a good thriller; I do not think that Faye Kellerman is incapable of writing a bad one, but be warned that you will need to really focus and concentrate on this one.

a smart mystery, Kellerman develops her ongoing characters with every outing in this series

I am a big fan of Faye Kellerman's books, with the Peter Decker/Rina Lazuras continuing characters being my favorite.

While this is a fast paced intriguing who done it, I was fascinated with the current day exploration of a case tied to the past. Ms Kellerman's plots and characters are always fresh, with current events tied in appropriately. Her research and authenticity ring true for me. I also find it a real treat to try to get a small glimpse into the beliefs and observances of an orthodox jewish family. And, I enjoy the real family values that these characters portray, especially in this day and age.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a story that is exciting, a bit philosophical and has a great underlying message about the importance of family.

I applaud this effort and greatly appreciated this book.

I have enjoyed the Decker series since the beginning, WHAT HAPPENED? Its as if Faye Kellerman wasn't writing the book! I have enjoyed the characters and learning about the Jewish faith, but something is very wrong. I couldn't keep track of the characters (I thought it was me, until I read another review that said the same thing). I haven't even been able to finish the book although I am trying. Faye we love you, please take note of this and bring back the old format in the next book. Your fans will be back; I hope you are to.

Drug dealing and the underbelly of the music industry set the stage for Faye Kellerman's new thriller, THE MERCEDES COFFIN. Detective Peter Decker finds himself not only in the middle of a case of murder but working simultaneously on a cold case. He also must deal with an eccentric benefactor, the suicide of a retired cop and a dangerous hostage situation. Luckily, he manages to make it home every night to his family --- his teenage daughter, Hannah, and his smart and supportive wife, Rina.

When a punk rock musician turned record producer is found dead, shot execution style in the back of his Mercedes, reclusive billionaire Genoa Greeves finds the crime to be all too familiar. Fifteen years earlier, a teacher at her high school, one of the only people to show the young genius any kindness, was killed in exactly the same way. Greeves cannot imagine what the link was between the teacher, Ben Little, and the musician, Primo Ekerling, but she is willing to pay big bucks for the police to figure it out. With Greeves's promises of money for the police department, they reopen the Little murder case, and Decker is on the job.

At first, there seems to be nothing to connect the two men and the two crimes. But as Decker, along with detectives Marge Dunn and Scott Oliver, begin to work, they find more and more to suggest that there is a connection after all. The investigation takes Decker and the others back into the heyday of the Los Angeles punk scene when Ekerling played with a hard-living and popular band. Drugs, drinks and groupies kept the four band members busy until they all moved on several years later. Going back even further, they find a school drug ring busted by Little, ending in the expulsion of several young men. Where are they now, and did they know Ekerling as well?

With several well-crafted plot twists and a few shifty suspects, Kellerman's latest is an entertaining thriller, although at times it's a bit flat. THE MERCEDES COFFIN is her 17th book featuring Peter Decker, and he remains a likable and intriguing character, even when he isn't --- as in this case --- set in the most exciting story. Rina Lazarus and her children have very little action in this novel, though their presence in the tale is welcome. There are good reasons why Kellerman's books are so popular: interesting characters, baffling crimes, good detective work and the relationship between Decker and Lazarus, to name a few. All of that is present here, although they are not as compelling as they are in many of her other titles. But dedicated readers and those new to her work will find much to admire here as the writing is always sharp and the stories are well thought out.

THE MERCEDES COFFIN is far from her finest work (the earliest Decker and Lazarus novels being the most dynamic and unique), but it is still a solid effort from the talented and original Faye Kellerman.

--- Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman

I'm a fan of Fay Kellerman. I've totally enjoyed her Decker Lazarus books in the past. This one should have come with a map. A real big map. This story grabs you from the beginning, the first third meets and greats the characters. BUT, there are TOO many characters, (sometimes referred to by their first names and sometimes their last that I had trouble keeping them straight) so many plots discussed over and over that I really can't even begin to explain the plot. I wanted to like this book, however I just wanted it to end. Tear out the middle third and you might enjoy it!

I am a huge Faye Kellerman fan, and have read every book in the Peter Decker - Rina Lazarus series, but I have to say that this is probably the last walk I'll take with these characters. After reading the last book, 'The Burnt House,' I held out hope that this next book would be better, but it wasn't. I'm glad I checked it out from the library instead of paying for it.

I was so incredibly disappointed! Definitely not recommended.

I am a huge Faye Kellerman fan, and have read every book in the Peter Decker - Rina Lazarus series, but I have to say that this is probably the last walk I'll take with these characters. The rich backstory that was so carefully built up in the first fifteen novels was almost gone in book #16 (The Burnt House), and in this book, #17 in the series, the essence of what made Peter and Rina such compelling characters is completely missing.

I was so incredibly disappointed! Definitely not recommended.

Sorry to have to be negative. But I have read everything that Faye Kellerman has ever written and she is allowed
to have her off days. This book finishes it for me. I couldn't keep track of all the characters. The family life of Rina and Decker was not flushed out as I used to enjoy (forget the picnic basket contents). It wasn't worth the effort this time and I am beyond disappointed. Seems she is writing to the new generation and I am certainly and happily not one of them. Could not recommend this book. I wonder did she really write it or was it a surrogate???

This book was mildly engaging --yet the logic and characterizations are weak. I continue to be a bit disappointed overall in the quality of the plots as well. Maybe more family interaction would help. My over all impression -- bleh. Wait for the paperback if you are a fan.

For those of you that gave a few thumbs down to the past 2 or 3 books by this author, don't give up! This is the "old" Faye Kellerman with lots of action and what ifs in it. This was a very good read and I recommend it. The storyline was quite realistic in this day and time. Hannah is a teenager with all the angst that goes with it. Cindy is a detective and "helps" Peter with a "cold case" that he was assigned.

I have loved all of the Faye Kellerman books--except this one. The characters were flat and the plot even flatter. It's as if she had to put this one out in a hurry. It took me 8 days to read it--I kept waiting for the plot to get interesting--it never did.

this book is boring, i had to skip to the end because it seemed there was so much filler. do not recommend.

Fifteen years ago, Dr Ben Little, a very popular school VP, was murdered execution style and found in the trunk of his Mercedes. The crime was never solved. One of the students whose life he touched is now a very wealthy woman. When she reads a current article in the newspaper about another man found dead in the trunk of his Mercedes, she believes the two crimes are somehow related. She offers a million dollars to the LAPD to take another look at the cold case.

The story follows Lt Peter Decker who is assigned the task of finding Dr Ben's killer through a maze of relationships that tie known associates to both of the murdered men. The story contains a lot of layers as the puzzle pieces come together.

This is the first book I've read by the author. I very much appreciated the mystery aspect of the story which was well thought out, and was surprised at the outcome. I also appreciated that triggers were pointed out to us during questioning of various people, giving us a better idea of what the detective got out of it, instead of having it explained to us afterwards.

I have read all of Faye Kellerman's books. This is the first one that I found boring. I thought that it was way too complicated and couldn't follow the characters and plot. I missed the family connections and traditions that were in her other books.
I thought the novel was too drawn out and had to push myself to finish it.
I was very disappointed.

Faye Kellerman's 17th Peter and Rina outing seemed uneven to me too, but not just because there wasn't enough about the family we have all come to love. I didn't mind the "talkiness" of this particular book; as a matter of fact, I rather liked the in depth coverage of the detectives' thought processes. What I didn't like was the sloppy way the case played out. We weren't given enough information about one character in particular - the murderer. Was he really what he seemed, or was he just acting the part? Did he know what he was doing, or was he really deranged? He was just polished off summarily without ever having been given the opportunity to "speak" for himself. That was sloppy writing. The climax was not a revelation; it was only a rather quick ending that left me confused and unsatisfied. The only bright spot I found was my own projection of the foreshadowing for the next book. I hope it will be about the whole Decker extended family going on their cruise together and being involved, as a family in a sort of "locked ship" mystery, with the whole family pitching in to solve a crime. Are you listening, Faye ? And by the way, the title was irrelevant !

Faye Kellerman's detective Peter Decker seems more like a woman with every new book. A likable and competent woman.

The male/female contrast that we saw in the earlier novels is lacking. Rina's presence in this book is slight, and it's okay because we don't have any need to balance Peter. He has gone over to our side.

I have been a long-time fan of Faye Kellerman. Peter and Rina and their family have been familiar characters for many years through many books. This one started out with a compelling mystery--two men were killed 15 years apart in a very similar manner. Both of them were found dead in the trunks of their Mercedes automobiles. Peter Decker tries to solve the two murders. About half-way through the book, the endless talking of the characters starts. The detectives were working very hard trying to come up with viable suspects who had a motive to kill both men. There were so many names to discuss--where they went to school, how they knew the murdered men, where they were when the crimes were comitted, what they were doing now, etc. For the last half of the book, that's all they did--discuss. I was so glad to see the end of the book, that I'm not sure I could even tell you how these different characters were involved. To quote the book, the author said on page 331, "That was detective work: hours of mind-numbing tedium followed by that compensatory, glory-hallelujah, once-in-a-blue-moon, shot-in-the-veins adrenaline rush." I never got beyond the mind-numbing tedium.

I've read all of Faye kellerman's books and I must say that this one left me disappointed. First, with the plot and then with the stereotypes and poor generalizations of African Americans. Her use of Ebonics was totally unreal and she even referred to a character's gloomy humor as "black." I also thought that she really highlighted that the suspects were very ignorant by italicizing all of their conversation and dropping the verb "be" in all of the sentences. She didn't even use the correct slang for "You know what I'm saying." As a person who delves into the Jewish religion via Rina, I would think that Faye would treat all people and religions with respect and not trivialize them or their norms. Her abuse and poor grasp of slang was almost a slur in my eyes.

As far as the plot, I thought the ending didn't quite mesh. I finished the book and had to go back in memory to determine the motivation behind the murders. I also thought the ending wasn't believeable. One last thing, speaking of her portrayal of African Americans -- Decker's daughter is married to an Ethiopian, and he is portrayed as a positive mix in their family. I just wish she gave the same consideration to all characters even those who are punks, thieves and crooks.

I, too am somewhat disappointed. I would have like more involvement from the usual cast of characters and found this book to be somewhat disjointed. I also felt the ending to be poorly done -- just quickly wrapped up and never really solved. Was the publisher breathing down Faye's neck? However, it was still far and above most of the rest of the genre out there and I will still buy both Faye's and Jonathan's books as soon as they are published.


Give your fans more of what they have come to expect next time, well thought out plots, plausible endings and more of the family -- we all love the Decker family.

I was thrilled to get my hands on this book as soon as it came out, as I anxiously await each new installment of Rina and Peter's saga. Frankly, I would love a book about them that is character-driven, and not be annoyed by the mystery. That said, I found the story intriguing and enjoyed it, but there were some continuity problems as previous reviews have stated. The biggest beef I have, is picayune yet relentlessly annoying: On page 264, why did Rina scold Peter that she "can't believe how little disregard for your loved ones and yourself." Shouldn't he have little disregard? Doesn't she mean little "regard?" Also, I would have liked more than a passing mention of the boys, some mention and interaction with Rina's parents (lots of the action took place in their neighborhood of Beverly Hills!) and a cease and desist of name dropping from previous cases that have nothing to do with the current story. (ie Hersh Schwartz -- even Chris Donatti who had a place in the plot but even that was unnecessary) That said, it was still worth the read and I will still be as anxious to get her new one. Hopefully, it will come out next summer if not before.

Faye Kellerman's latest novel features the engaging Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus duo she created in The Ritual Bath. Pete's challenge in this novel is a fifteen year old very cold case revived by an eccentric billionaire, Genoa Greeves. Money talks, and the department snaps to attention to work on the execution-style slaying of the only teacher who gave words of encouragement to the awkward nerd during her high school years. Genoa was struck by the similarity of a current case to the one that took the life of her teacher. Initially the cases don't appear to be related, but as the novel progresses, the relationship between the cases grows and fades and grows as Peter, his crack team of Marge Dunn and Scott Oliver, and his daughter Cindy Kutick, follow the clues through a forest of music producers, gamblers, former detectives and rappers to solve the crime. Along the way, the detectives working the current case and Peter and his team clash over territory, with Cindy, the newly minted detective, caught in the middle.
The mystery is well-crafted, but the relationships of Rina, Peter, Cindy and Hannah don't receive as much attention as in prior novels. Rina, in particular, has been relegated to a supportive wife role rather than the active part she has played on occasion in the past. Hannah is growing up, learning to drive and plays a minor role in the novel. Cindy receives more attention since she works with the detectives assigned to the current case and provides information to help her Dad sort out the connections with the cold case. Although the character of Genoa Greeves spurs the plot into action, she only appears a couple of times later in the book after being featured in the first chapter.
Kellerman captures the sound and the rhythm of the rappers speaking in her dialogue, and differentiates the voices. The characters are very diverse and well developed, and range from a gambling ex-wife, a street kid rescued by his grandmother, a former detective that "eats his gun" and more. It's a great read for the beach!

This is the first Faye Kellerman that I have been able to put down.
This is the first time that, upon picking it up, I cannot find the spot
where I stopped reading - it's all talk, all the time.
She needs a Milo. That would spark things. I miss the family connection,
the dynamics at home that inspire Peter Decker, and I miss Rina's considerable (Torah driven) insights into various investigations. It's just, somehow, heartbreakingly, flat and uninspired.
I love Faye's novels as much as Jonathan's, and anxiously await publication. His keep me up all night on arrival. This one, hers, is a true soporific. And a "Milo" would lighten up all that talking, keeping things in perspective.
More disturbing to me, having watched Scott Oliver through ALL the books, I had the feeling he was "a kid", mentored by Marge, relegated to the scut work - now he's apparently a grandfather?? When did that happen? Feels as if I missed half a dozen volumes in the middle somewhere, but I did not.
Never mind, Faye Kellerman's fans will love it unconditionally. I am quite likely the only disappointed reader out here.

Wealthy computer guru Genoa Greeves reads in the paper that someone murdered music producer Primo Ekerling. The description is what shakes Genoa. Someone executed Ekerling with three bullets to the head before leaving him in the trunk of his car. Fifteen years ago when Genoa was a high school geek her favorite teacher, Dr. Ben Little was murdered in the same manner; his case was never solved but the influential Genoa feels strongly she can "bribe" LAPD with opening he cold case with a seven digit "donation".

That type of money is taken seriously so the brass assigns Lieutenant Peter Decker to investigate the homicide of the history teacher as well as the current homicide to see if there is a link. After a review of the official police file, Decker and his associates, police detectives Marge Dunn and Scott Oliver, arrange to interview the cops on the older case. However, to their shock one detective still on the force commits suicide. They struggle to solve either murder, especially the one fifteen years old as memories have faded.

This is an engaging police procedural as the investigation into the two similar murders is fun to follow especially the nebulous older case. The scenes in which Decker spends with his Orthodox Jewish wife Rina and their children are fun to follow as they bring him needed respites from the difficult cases; though those interludes do not go as deep into her beliefs and their efforts to find common ground as earlier tales did. Still the whodunit is well written and exciting to follow team Decker investigate.

Harriet Klausner

In the gene re of detective/police novels I think that Faye Kellerman is the best.
Ms. Kellerman writes elegantly and she does a thorough resereach of her subject matter.
In The Mercedes Coffin you get the feel for the life and language of the Hip Hop crowd.
I entertained my teenagers with some of the words that are used in the story, my favorite is
"nomasayin?'
It is Sit At The Edge Of your Chair kind of book, the ending is very surprising, I won't tell you more, buy the book and ENJOY

The Mercedes Coffin by Faye Kellerman is the seventeenth Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus mystery. Having read most of the preceding mysteries, this is like visiting with old friends and very enjoyable.

Peter Decker is asked to investigate a fifteen year old murder that is now a cold case, that of a very popular guidance counselor from a Los Angeles school who was found in the trunk of his Mercedes shot in the back of the head execution style. Interest in the case has been raised because someone else has been murdered in the same fashion and found in the trunk of their Mercedes.

Faye Kellerman always writes a well plotted, interesting mystery and The Mercedes Coffin is no exception. I enjoy reading about the Decker and Lazarus family as much as I enjoy the mystery. The only fault I found with this book is that Rina Lazarus did not play as important a role in this book as she has in others I've read. But that said, I enjoyed The Mercedes Coffin very much and it kept me turning pages until the end. Highly recommended to mystery lovers

The scene is set, a brutal murder that bares a chilling resemblance to a murder committed almost fifteen years ago. Genoa Greeves is a successful computer entrepreneur who after reading the daily post discovers the brutal scene of Primo Ekerling. Late last night, three shots were fired execution style into the head of the famous music producer and he was left in the trunk of his car. This takes Ms. Greeves on a flashback to the unsolved murder of her school teacher. But unlike last time Ms. Greeves has the wherewithal to make a realistic attempt at solving Ekerling's death and maybe that of her favorite teacher.

Well, when you're throwing around such money, results are a guarantee. Enter Lieutenant Decker. He forms a task force and begins by interrogating members of the police who were on the force for more than fifteen years. But just before this investigation was to be under way, a long standing police officer is murdered. What is going on here? Faye Kellerman does a magnificent job creating this police chiller and all the characters are well developed which is typical for Ms. Kellerman's writings.

Editor of the highly recommended novel: Fates by Georgiou, Tino Fates (2nd Edition)

Money can't buy everything, but a billionaire can try. When she reads about a murder, Genoa Greeves is reminded about her high school guidance counselor who suffered death by the same MO fifteen years earlier, and she is prompted to do something about it. So she makes a deal with the LAPD, offering a million-dollar endowment if the original case is revived and solved. Who can resist such an offer? Certainly not the cash-strapped police department.

So, the stage is set for another Peter Decker-Rina Lazarus novel. And a marvelous tale it is, complete with the customary references to the couple's orthodox Jewish beliefs and culinary tastes. Lt. Detective Peter Decker is assigned to the task, and he quickly becomes involved in both cases (with a little assistance from his detective daughter Cindy). The task becomes complicated with additional murders, especially those of one of the original detectives.

As entertaining as the novel is, it is intriguing in its composition, keeping the reader perplexed amid the lies, deceptions and relationships among the cast of characters. It is an exciting read, among the series' best. And the twist at the end is as tasty as a raisin challa. Highly recommended.

Old unsolved murder cases seem to have caught the public's imagination during the past few years, as evidenced by the success of the television series Cold Case on CBS and a spate of recent novels by Stephen White, Edna Buchanan, and others. The genre benefits from the current forensics craze started by bestselling novelist Patricia Cornwell, in that forensics is often involved in closing old crime files. Like archaeology of a lost civilization, cold cases can reveal a lot of evidence without providing the essential pieces needed for a solid conclusion, and it is this aspect that makes them such rich pallets for the writer's art.

Now comes Faye Kellerman. In her newest novel, The Mercedes Coffin, the 15-year-old homicide of a beloved high-school teacher is reopened at the behest of a former student who, having grown up to become a highly successful entrepreneur, offers the Los Angeles Police Department a large monetary donation on the condition that they solve the case. As cold cases go, the evidence is stale, and those involved have moved on--some to the graveyard themselves.

The case lands on the desk of Lieutenant Peter Decker, a character familiar to Faye Kellerman fans. Decker and his team begin collecting as much information as they can by reviewing the case files and interviewing the variety of people involved first hand: the original detectives, the family and acquaintances of the victim, and anyone who might have had a beef with him. This, of course, is what you'd expect from such a story, but Kellerman breathes life into the aged police-procedural genre by engaging the reader in the thinking process. She places you in the squad room, the squad car, and anyplace where the detectives mull over what they know, what they don't know, and their various speculations over what might have happened; thus, the story unfolds clue by clue, allowing you to solve the case with the cops. And if that isn't enough to hold your attention, the slew of daft characters--the beautiful widow with a grubby past, bad-boy musicians, sleazy music producers, burnt-out cops, and an assortment of lowlifes--compels you to turn the page to see what's next. (Kellerman fans should be aware, however, that although the book is billed as a Decker and Lazarus novel, the character Rina Lazarus, Decker's wife, has only a low-key supporting role in this go-around.)

As much as I liked the story, two structural flaws annoyed me a bit: The character Genoa Greeves, the former student of the victim who induces the police to reopen the case, is described in great detail, given the whole of the first chapter, but contributes nothing of substance after that. She's brought back in at the middle of the story and again at the end, but manages only to stall the plot. Her function is that of a prime mover, and would have fulfilled that role better by being relegated to a brief prologue without further involvement in the story. Secondly, this is one of those novels in which the narrative ends without revealing whodunit, and is wrapped up in the last chapter with a conversation between two of the characters. I've always felt that resolving a story in this way lacks skill, and I suspect the technique stems more from deadline desperation than literary considerations. Neither is a fatal flaw, however, and I expect this book to be well received. I found The Mercedes Coffin an enjoyable read.