Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Ritual Bath | 1986 | Decker and Lazarus | Buy |
| 2 | Sacred and Profane | 1987 | Decker and Lazarus | Buy |
| 3 | Milk and Honey | 1990 | Decker and Lazarus | Buy |
| 4 | Day of Atonement | 1991 | Decker and Lazarus | Buy |
| 5 | False Prophet | 1992 | Decker and Lazarus | Buy |
| 6 | Grievous Sin | 1993 | Decker and Lazarus | Buy |
| 7 | Sanctuary | 1994 | Decker and Lazarus | Buy |
| 8 | Justice | 1995 | Decker and Lazarus | Buy |
| 9 | Prayers for the Dead | 1996 | Decker and Lazarus | Buy |
| 10 | Serpent’s Tooth | 1997 | Decker and Lazarus | Buy |
| 11 | Jupiter’s Bones | 1999 | Decker and Lazarus | Buy |
| 12 | Stalker | 2000 | Decker and Lazarus | Buy |
| 13 | The Forgotten | 2001 | Decker and Lazarus | Buy |
| 14 | Stone Kiss | 2002 | Decker and Lazarus | Buy |
| 15 | Street Dreams | 2003 | Decker and Lazarus | Buy |
| 16 | The Burnt House | 2007 | Decker and Lazarus | Buy |
| 17 | The Mercedes Coffin / Cold Case | 2008 | Decker and Lazarus | Buy |
| 18 | Blindman’s Bluff | 2009 | Decker and Lazarus | Buy |
| 19 | Hangman | 2010 | Decker and Lazarus | Buy |
| 20 | Gun Games / Blood Games | 2011 | Decker and Lazarus | Buy |
| 21 | The Beast / Predator | 2013 | Decker and Lazarus | Buy |
| 22 | Murder 101 | 2014 | Decker and Lazarus | Buy |
| 23 | The Theory of Death | 2015 | Decker and Lazarus | Buy |
| 24 | Bone Box | 2017 | Decker and Lazarus | Buy |
| 25 | Walking Shadows | 2018 | Decker and Lazarus | Buy |
| 26 | The Lost Boys | 2021 | Decker and Lazarus | Buy |
| 27 | The Hunt | 2022 | Decker and Lazarus | Buy |
The Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus series began with The Ritual Bath in 1986 and ran for 27 books through The Hunt in 2022. The series follows Peter Decker, a Vietnam veteran turned LAPD detective, and Rina Lazarus, a young Orthodox Jewish widow, from their first awkward meeting through decades of marriage and crime-solving.
Early books in the series focus on Decker’s work with the LAPD while his relationship with Rina develops. The mysteries often involve crimes within various communities, including Orthodox Jewish enclaves, giving the books a cultural specificity that sets them apart from other police procedurals. As the series progresses, their children grow up, Decker’s career evolves, and the couple eventually relocates, providing fresh settings for later installments.
The later books, including Walking Shadows, The Lost Boys, and The Hunt, find Decker in a new phase of life, still drawn to cases but operating with the accumulated experience of decades in law enforcement. The series rewards long-term readers with character continuity while keeping each mystery accessible to newcomers.