UNNATURAL HISTORY

4 stars out of 5

It's hard to believe this is the 38th book in this series, which has been a favorite of mine from the beginning (as far as I know, I've read - and loved - every single one). In this one, psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware and his longtime friend and colleague Los Angeles Police Detective Milo Sturgis are older, wiser and perhaps a titch more cynical, but otherwise it's pretty much same old, same old - just the way I like it.

This begins with the encountering of the hysterical assistant to a wealthy photographer she's just found in bed, quite dead as a result of three bullets. His latest project involved homeless subjects - people he invited into his studio to dress up as their "dream" person. After he photographed them, he fed them, paid them rather handsomely and sent them back to the streets.

As part of the investigation, Alex and Milo must speak to the victim's family, which turns out to be a challenge. Mostly a loner, the dead guy has several half brothers and sisters with whom he has little contact (and even less in common); the father, it seems, is a serial bridegroom who abdicates both the marriages and the offspring, although he freely shares his wealth. Most of the investigation, though, focuses on the seedy side of town. Could it be that one of the subjects in the victim's photo project liked his or her brush with luxury and returned to grab a bigger share?

As always, the expansive description of characters and settings far surpasses the action, but then that's part of the appeal of the books, at least to me. Loyal readers will be happy with it, I think - certainly I am - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for once again allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

Unnatural History by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books, February 2023); 320 pp.