Gun Games

A Decker/Lazarus Novel

By: Faye Kellerman

Narrated by: Mitchell Greenberg

Length: 12 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus are back in this gripping mystery involving a secret cabal of some of Los Angeles’ most wealthy - and vicious - teens.

LAPD lieutenant detective Decker and his wife, Rina, have willingly welcomed fifteen-year-old Gabriel Whitman into their home. While the enigmatic teen seems to be adapting easily, Decker knows only too well the secrets adolescents keep - witnessed by the tragic suicide of another teen, Gregory Hesse, a student at Bell and Wakefield, one of the city’s most exclusive prep schools.

Gregory’s mother refuses to believe her son shot himself and convinces Decker to look deeper. What he finds disturbs him. The gun used in the tragedy was stolen - evidence that propels him to launch a full investigation. But the case becomes darkly complicated by the suicide of another Bell and Wakefield student - a death that leads them to uncover an especially nasty group of rich and privileged students with a predilection for guns and violence.

Before it’s over, the case and all its terrifying ramifications will take Decker and his detectives down a dark alley of twisted allegiances and unholy alliances, culminating into a heart-stopping point of no return.

©2012 Plot Line, Inc (P)2012 HarperCollins Publishers

Well told, bit of a departure for Kellerman

Would you consider the audio edition of Gun Games to be better than the print version?

Greenberg IS Peter Decker, and Rina - I didn't care so much for his characterization of Gabe and Yasmin. They sounded juvenile and whiny most of the time. I don't know that that is necessarily Greenberg's fault, it could be the way the characters were written.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I think that Kellerman did a great job with Gabe's character, who was a contradiction of maturity and full-blown male adolescence.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yasmin's fear that she was going to be raped was heart wrenching. The bewilderment she experienced at somehow becoming a target of a group that she was unaware of, and it could cost her her life, made her fear surreal.

Any additional comments?

There wasn't much of Rina Decker in this book, not necessarily a bad thing, but I missed her insights. I was not a fan of the fairly graphic sexual encounters with Gabe and Yasmin, who has to be the whiniest teenager I've ever met, and I've raised my own!

Great book

This is a really good book I'm so happy that I listen to this one because the characters are evolving and it was a very interesting and entertaining book

To Young

What did you like best about Gun Games? What did you like least?

Love Faye Kellerman stories. Did not care for this one even though it was well written as usual.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Do not care for YA books as I left my youth behind 60 years ago.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

Narration was very good. If I only hear the voice subliminaly I consider it great narration.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No

Any additional comments?

Faye Kellermsn is one of my favorite writers. Her characters in this book were far to young for me. I do not read YA books & this was essentially a YA book. If the children had been that bit older I might have felt differently.

A bit forced

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I am a fan of the Decker/Lazarus novels. However, this most recent installment follows the trend of the last few. The story is quite forced and Lazarus has been assigned the role of window dressing. I would recommend this to the dedicated fans but for a new comer, listen to the early books, they are much better.

Young Love

This Decker/Lazarus was refreshing without sacrificing suspense. Gabe is so likable and resourceful. His father Chris can become more and more likable, despite being Mafia. The regulars, Decker, Rina, Marge, Scott, et al. Continue to meet expectations. Cheers for the plot and narration!

Not the best Decker/Lazarus novel.

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would not recommend this book as an introduction to the the Decker/Lazarus series. It doesn't have the depth of character that many of the others do.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I would have downplayed all the adolescent 1st love routines. I found it distracting and anoying... as any parents who have survived raising teenages might. Who needs to be reminded of all the angst!

What about Mitchell Greenberg’s performance did you like?

I liked the narration OK.

Was Gun Games worth the listening time?

It's not a bad listen.

Any additional comments?

I felt that there were too many mixed messages in the story. Faye Kellerman has created much better tales than this story.

Great story telling...

complete with a satisfyingly wicket ending. Am addicted to this series. On to the next book.

loved it!

This is one of my favorite Faye Kellerman books. Chris is absolutely fascinating!!!! More of him please.

Wonderful like all Faye Kellerman's books

I just love all the series. All the characters seems real, credible and familiar. I love the mixture of criminal/police investigations, family interactions and a bit of Jewishness in them.

Yes, Chris is back

Faye Kellerman introduced teenager Chris Donatti in 1995's "Justice," an unusual but fascinating (and surprisingly erotic) entry in the Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus series. Chris resurfaced in 2002 in "Stone Kiss," one of the best books in the series. Chris--a superhandsome, superintelligent, artistically gifted sociopath and mob assassin--had grown up, served time, and become a wealthy businessman operating on the shady side of the law, able to go where stalwart cop Decker cannot tread and with feelings for Rina that are never articulated but come across quite clearly.

Chris showed up again in last year's "Hangman," leaving his son Gabe Whitman in Peter and Rina's care. Gabe, who has inherited his father's good looks, intelligence, and an even more prodigal musical talent, is the focal point of "Gun Games." He's still a kid, and is a teenager-in-love (with a Persian Jewish girl who loves opera?!?). Likeable as he is, good guy Gabe is not the compelling character his father was at his age (why are handsome, dangerous bad guys so exciting?), and there's not a lot of action in "Gun Games" until close to the end. But fans of the series should find this a solid entry, and it seems to set up some interesting possibilities to come.