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Book Discussion: The Ritual Bath

This year's series theme is A Mysterious Lens On American Culture, sponsored by the Vermont Humanities Council.

Join us to discuss Faye Kellerman's book The Ritual Bath.

The first of eleven novels in the Peter Decler/Rina Lazarus series, The Ritual Bath, published in 1986, throws the two together for the first time when Decker is assigned to investigate a rape at the mikvah in the Orthodox complex where Rina lives with her two sons, Shumel (Sammy) and Yaakov (Jacob or Jake) . Decker and his partner Marge Dunn are shocked that such a heinous crime could take place at a Yeshiva, Jewtown as the police refer to it. As the novel unfolds and murder comes into play Rina and Peter are drawn to each other. As one would expect their relationship is frowned upon because she's religious, frum, and Peter is considered an outsider. Peter's biological mother was a Jew; but was given up for adoption at birth. Through an adoption agency mix-up he was placed with Baptist parents. He grew up as a Baptist. Magnificent treatment and presentation of Orthodox Jewish lifestyles! Realistic struggles and wonderfully developed relationships along side of the police drama/mystery. Faye begins Peter and Rina's life story here with romance and tenderness while helping Peter to discover his roots and begin to touch his spiritual beliefs. (amazon.com review)

Our scholar from last year, Fran Cerulli, is returning to lead the discussions.

Earlier Event: December 8
Story time & crafts with LN
Later Event: December 13
Poetry People