JIGSAW

5 stars out of 5

Wow – can it be that this is the 41^st book in this wonderful series? I’ve been there almost from the beginning, though I’ve reviewed only 16 since starting my book blog. And you know what? I enjoyed every single one and looked forward to the next – and this one’s no exception.

The case started out like a slam-dunk; a young woman was found strangled in her own home, and strong evidence pointed to her ex-boyfriend, who was to be rounded up and charged. Until, that is, his hotshot, in-your-face attorney comes to his rescue, insisting he has an iron-clad alibi. So for homicide lieutenant Milo Sturgis, it was back to the drawing board (or should I say the murder board), and he calls in his long-time trusted friend, psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware, who’s a long-standing police consultant.

Just as they’re getting their heads together trying to poke holes in the suspect’s alibi, another murder happens; this one, an elderly woman whose body turned up in the freezer in her garage – appendages disengaged and rearranged. The house itself lends no clues; turns out she’s a big-time hoarder; just moving from room to room poses the threat of an avalanche. Complicating things is that she’s someone Milo used to know, and stuffed in between all that mess are envelopes full of cash – clearly more than a person like her would be likely to earn legitimately.

Then a third dead body turns up, and little by little, clues pile up – eventually suggesting that the cases may be not only related, but connected to a really nasty bad guy. But how? Learning that adds an additional dimension to the investigation, keeping both Milo and Alex busy (which, despite their protestations, means doing what they both love in sunny California and gives Alex’s long-time main squeeze, Robin, time to work on her professional guitar restoration projects. Of course, it all works out in the end – with a bit of a twist that wasn’t obvious along the way. Another winner in my book, for which I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to get up close and personal by way of a pre-release copy. Now bring on the next one!

Jigsaw by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books, February 2026); 256 pp.

COYOTE HILLS

5 stars out of 5

If you're looking for a good mystery series, this father-son team has come up with one I've thoroughly enjoyed (this is the sixth installment). And IMHO, it's the best of the lot so far. For those who don't want to start at the beginning (always my recommendation with any series), this book easily stands on its own.

Private-eye friend Regina Klein calls Clay Edison, a former coroner turned private investigator, to ask for help with a case. Adam Valois, who earlier went missing, has turned up dead in a park in Coyote Hills, California. Apparently, he hit his head and drowned, but especially since he had drugs in his system, the question of accident or murder comes into play. 

Adam's wealthy parents are sure it's not an accident, so Clay goes to work - in between spending time with his wife, Amy, and kids Charlotte and Myles (it was not lost on me that Clay's children have the same names as two of my four grandkitties, not that it matters much on the book review side of things). Digging around turns suspicion on Adam's former girlfriend, Olivia, as well as a sketchy childhood friend, Trevor Vogel, who's a known druggie. But then Clay recalls an old case of his in which the victim died in a similar manner and, more importantly, with the same drug combination in his system at the time of his death. Followed by another, and another. Coincidence? Possibly, but Clay isn't so sure.

The rest of the book follows the investigation, and I while it gets a bit convaluted in spots, the generous heaping of humor sprinkled throughout more than makes up for it (hint: Regina is positively a hoot). Bottom line? Easy to read, easy to love and I'm ready for the next one. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to get in on the action once again by way of a pre-release copy.

Coyote Hills by Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman (Ballantine Books, October 2025); 352 pp.

OPEN SEASON

4 stars out of 5

As always, I loved the characters in this series - this is the 40th, which is hard to believe since I don't think I've missed a single one. On the other hand, the story was more than a little hard to follow and connect the dots.

The whole thing starts when a woman's body is dumped - a wannabe actress who's a caregiver at an elder facility. As is customary, Los Angeles PD lieutenant Milo Sturgis calls his friend, psychologist Alex Delaware, to take a look and share his usual insights. But just when they think they've identified the killer, they get another surprise: the dead body of that suspect. Complicating matters even more is the fact that he was killed sniper-style by a rifle that was used in a previous unsolved murder.

Not satisfied that they're not looking at a serial killer, Milo, Alex and their team start digging into cold cases to find similarities; it takes a while, but slowly, bits and pieces come together that yes, scream that it's a single killer - but anything that connects the murders remains elusive.

Also as is customary, Alex puts his mind on the psychological clues while Milo and the others dig into the facts and figures - and slowly but surely, a whole picture emerges that leads the team in the direction they need to go. All told, it's a familiar (and always welcome) pattern, and as always, I look forward to the 41st adventure. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy of this one.

Open Season by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books, February 2025); 288 pp.

THE LOST COAST

4 stars out of 5

By now, I'm well acquainted with coroner-turned-private-eye Clay Edison - this is the fifth book in the series and I haven't missed a single one. I'd have to say the subject matter of this one isn't something I'm personally very interested in, but the story held my interest just fine. Better yet, Clay meets up with a P.I. "buddy" who turns out to be a hoot.

An old friend calls to say a friend of his is serving as executor for the estate of a recently deceased elderly lady, but "things" just aren't adding up; for one thing, payments have been made for many, many years to an entity known only by an acronym - but what it stands for and what the payments signify have proved elusive. Clay agrees, albeit reluctantly, to look into it - and learns the deceased woman owned a home in a remote area of California with initials similar to those of the payment destination. Could it be one and the same? If it is, trouble could be brewing; after a little digging, Clay finds that several disgruntled property owners have taken their gripes against the remote property owners to court.

Early on, it becomes clear to Clay that he needs to visit the property to see what's going on; turns out it's far more remote than he ever could have imagined. It's also clear that what few residents actually do live there are less than hospitable; in fact, he may well have a target on his back. To get to the truth, Clay must put his best sleuthing skills to the test, his weapons at the ready and his eyes on his newfound enemies. The rest of the story follows the investigation through to the bitter end, with plenty of action and a few surprises along the who-can-you-trust scale. All told, it was both an enjoyable and satisfying adventure for which I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

The Lost Coast by Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman (Ballantine Books, August 2024); 368 pp.

THE GHOST ORCHID

4 stars out of 5

Sometimes, even psychologists get the blues. This, the 39th book in the series, opens with Dr. Alex Delaware not quite sure how to deal with his longtime friend, Los Angeles Police Detective Milo Sturgis. As they worked together on a previous case, Alex was seriously injured, and Milo feels responsible and has been keeping his distance by not calling Alex in to help with investigations as he usually does. That changes a little bit, though, when he does need help at a crime scene in Bel Air; two victims, a man and a woman, have been shot through the heart, and Milo doesn't yet know who to blame.

The man, part of a family that owns a ritzy Italian shoe company, lives here, and the woman - who's married to someone else - lives in an even more oppulent home just down the street. With the bodies found outside and no signs of anything missing from the house, both Milo and Alex suspect that their presumably illicit affair could be a motive. But the husband, a successful businessman who's on the road far more often than at home, insists he knew nothing about the affair.

Little by little, clues pile up that suggest the dead woman might not be who she's been claiming to be - thus raising the possibility of an entirely different motive and an expanded search for the killer. Ferreting out her background, though, is no easy task - and Milo brings in other trusted department colleagues who are familiar to fans of the series to help. In the midst of the investigation, another body turns up - further complicating matters. A major turning point comes when Alex's longtime main squeeze, guitar restorer Robin, identifies an important clue (one that relates to the book title). To that end, I must say it was a treat to see Robin play a bit greater role than usual in this installment - as well as a little less of the descriptions of every street that Milo and Alex drive down (don't get me wrong - I enjoy that part, but sometimes it gets to be a bit much).

Of course, everything works out in the end, as does a potentially nasty situation with one of Alex's private patients that's a secondary thread throughout the latter part of the book. And oh yes, for those who haven't read other books in the series, don't sweat it; this one stands on its own. As for me, I'll just thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me once again to read and review a pre-release copy. Now bring on the next one!

The Ghost Orchid by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books, February 2024); 304 pp.

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.

CITY OF THE DEAD

5 stars out of 5

Is it possible to find a book in this series not to love? Of course, some plots are a bit less appealing than others - this is the 37th, after all - but police consultant and psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware and his friend, LAPD police officer Milo Sturgis, never disappoint. And with this entry, nothing's changed.

This time out, Milo and Alex visit a scene at which a moving van appears to have hit a naked man. An accident, perhaps - until one of the neighbors points to a nearby house he believes is being rented by a "suspicious" woman. When Alex and Milo go inside, they get a surprise - a woman inside has been brutally murdered. Alex, though, gets a double whammy: He once tangled with the woman, Cordelia Gannett, who at the time was posing as a psychologist.

Although she got caught, she failed to cease and desist; but as Alex and Milo investigate, they learn her earlier life was far more complicated. From there, several other familiar characters get involved, including Detective Moses Reed, Alex's guitar-repair expert and live-in love, Robin, and even Milo's physician husband Rick (always nice to hear from him, even if it's more of a cameo than a full-blown performance).

The details are what make the story take on a life of its own, but as always, everything gets sorted out in the end. This one, I think, will please most series fans like me. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy of it.

City of the Dead by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books, February 2022); 336 pp.

THE BURNING

4 stars out of 5

Deputy Coroner Clay Edison has led a complicated life, but now that he's married to psychologist Amy and has a young daughter Charlotte, it seems more settled. Then, a nearby California wildfire kicks in, casting a literal cloud on his life and knocking out electric power. Charlotte and Amy have retreated to a still-lit, less smoky part of the state until everything blows over, but she and Clay stay in touch by phone.

His relationship with his ex-felon brother, Luke, remains unstable; once close buddies, they've become for the most part estranged as Luke exited jail and tries to get his life back together. Still, Clay cares about him; and when he's called to a murder scene in an affluent neighborhood and discovers more than a dead body - clues that Luke may somehow have been involved - he tries to track him down. That's not easy, though, because Luke seems to have gone missing; even his hippy dippy wife, with whom he lives off the grid, has no idea why he left or where he's been for several days.

Clay's off-the-record investigation leads to even more suspicions that Luke may have been involved, forcing him - to his way of thinking - to do some cover-up work that threatens his own future. While I concede that blood can be thicker than water, I admit to losing a fair amount of respect for Clay - whom I've come to like as a leading man over the first three books in the series - because of his actions here. That's especially because - to MY way of thinking - everything that came to light in the end would have been discovered by the police had they been allowed unfettered access to all the evidence from the git-go.

But the chase is exciting and dangerous, and it held my attention so well that I polished it off in a single day by pushing back my bedtime by half an hour or so. And while in the end everything isn't coming up roses and a few ends are left untied, all that means to me is that there's plenty of fodder for the next book. I'm already up for it (or these days, should I say I'm down?) As for this one, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy. 

The Burning by Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman (Ballantine Books, September 2021); 304 pp.

SERPENTINE

 5 stars out of 5

Psychologist and police consultant Alex Delaware and LAPD homicide lieutenant Milo Sturgis have been friends for so long they can finish each other's sentences. I've been trailing them around for just as long, enjoying their interaction as they solve sometimes complicated murder cases, that I probably could finish them as well. And this - the 36th book in the Delaware series - doesn't disappoint.

This time, though, it's a cold case that falls - make that is shoved - into the lieutenant's lap. Why now? Apparently, a very wealthy woman is demanding that the case be reopened; she's convinced that a woman who was shot, pushed over a cliff in her car and burned beyond recognition 36 years earlier is the mother she never knew. A couple of subsequent investigations revealed nothing, and the hope is that Milo will work his usual brand of magic and find out what really happened.

Any investigation of this sort means delving into family matters, and it soon becomes clear that one of her dearly loved relatives may have some connection to other suspicious deaths. Also quite clear, though, is that someone living in the present really doesn't want an investigation to proceed. The trail leads over, under, around and through the streets of Los Angeles (with plenty of territorial description and stops to eat along the way) until it comes to a surprising end. 

All told, it's another very enjoyable foray into the world of Alex and Milo - made even more enjoyable by occasional appearances of Alex's main squeeze, expert guitar-builder/repairer Robin. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy!

Serpentine by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books, February 2021); 368 pp.

HALF MOON BAY

4 stars out of 5

This is the third in the series featuring deputy coroner Clay Edison, and having read the previous two, I must say I think this is my favorite so far. Clay is not only competent at his job, but totally likable - as is his psychologist wife, Amy; together, they try to navigate job responsibilities around their infant daughter Charlotte, who isn't fond of sleeping - with Clay working the night shift.

At the beginning, Clay is called to a scene right out of the 1960s. On the Berkeley campus is a park that's mostly occupied by the homeless, but now plans call for renovating the property (read: get rid of the homeless) and erecting a building. In that process - which is loudly protested by the locals - one of the workers unearths small human bones. Clay and his partner, Kat Davenport, determine that it's part of a child's skeleton, raising the obvious question of identity as well as from whence, and when, the body was dumped at the site.

As the investigation begins, Clay gets another call, this time from a businessman who suspects the body might be a sister he never saw but always suspected went missing half a century ago. As the evidence builds up and more is learned about the skeleton, the story necessarily splits in two directions - with Clay investigating both (one officially and the other on his own time). While that adds interest and keeps the story moving along, it also makes for a boatload of characters to keep straight (and made me wonder how Clay, who is sleep-deprived as it is, could spare all those additional, and unpaid, hours). Along the way, he manages to get on the bad side of some very nasty people - not the least of whom are the folks protesting the razing of the park.

In the end, I found this to be a very enjoyable book that held my attention throughout (not that I expected anything less by anyone from the Kellerman clan). Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy. Look forward to the next in this series!

Half Moon Bay by Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman (Ballantine Books, July 2020); 368 pp.

THE MUSEUM OF DESIRE

5 stars out of 5

Okay, so my request at NetGalley to read an advance copy of this book was approved. Big whoop. Now I'm finished. Another big whoop!

That first one, which was a literal shout-out that roused my husband from his recliner, came becauseI've been a fan of this series right from the start; I don't recall missing a single one, so of course I was excited. The second shout-out (prior to which I gave my long-suffering hubby a heads-up) came because, like the others, this one is very good.  Main characters Dr. Alex Delaware and LAPD Lt. Milo Sturgis are in fine form with their banter (as well as their obvious respect for each other as they mesh their complementary investigative skills). Alex's main squeeze Robin gets some face time, as does their lovable pooch Blanche.

This one begins with a scene that unsettles just about everyone who views it, including Alex and Milo: Four very dead bodies are found in a limousine; the three passengers, two men and a woman, have been covered with blood (apparently after the fact) and posed in a very suggestive way. Other than the driver, identifying them all takes quite a bit of doing; but accomplishing that is followed by the even bigger challenge of determining the connection among the victims that could unearth a motive and the identity of the killer (or killers).

The nooks-and-crannies investigation, which I'm not about to detail here, takes Alex, Milo and his very capable team into a dark world of art (a nod to the book title) as well as the dark streets of the homeless and forgotten. If I have a "complaint," it's that the cast of characters is a rather large one, making it a little hard for me to keep all the names straight. In the end, though, no matter; this one kept me entertained from the first page to the last. Well done! And please, sir, may I have some more?

The Museum of Desire by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books, February 2020); 368 pp.

THE WEDDING GUEST

4 stars out of 5

Ah, what could be better than another get-together of two of my favorite characters - police consultant and psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware and his curmudgeonly but lovable cohort Milo Sturgis? In this one, their back-and-forths seemed more frequent and provided greater insights into their characters (and their relationship) than usual - for me, much appreciated. Besides that, Alex's long-time love and guitar-maker Robin landed a more featured role - still another plus.

As the title suggests, this one begins with a wedding guest who didn't appear on the invitation list - not even as a plus one - and who for sure didn't get a great reception. In fact, she turns up dead; murdered with a combination of injected knockout drug and wire garrote reminiscent of a guitar string. No one can come up with an identity, and Milo calls Alex for help with the case. Fairly early on, it is learned that the somewhat unconventional venue used to be a seedy bar known for its equally seedy pole dancers, thus expanding the search beyond the rich and not-so-rich who enjoyed wedding guest-list status.

Despite their denials of anything connected to the victim, the families of the bride and groom - and the bride and groom themselves - remain on the suspect list (some very near the top). That in turn leads Alex and Milo down a number of aisles, most of which don't lead to blissful solutions. Finally, a previous case comes to light that rings bells in harmony, lifting the veil under which the real killer has been hiding.

And that brings me to the part that bothered me just a tiny bit. I can't be specific without spoiling things, but the ending seemed somehow disjointed - as if the usual suspects just weren't cutting it and a new ending was needed to deliver a more effective punch. That said, I enjoyed the book as a whole as always - Alex is in absolutely zero danger of dropping off my Top 10 list of all-time favorite book heroes. Given that this is the 34th in the series (all of which I've read), that's gotta be some kind of record. My undying gratitude goes to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

The Wedding Guest by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books, February 2019); 384 pp.

A MEASURE OF DARKNESS

4 stars out of 5

After I finished the debut book in this series, Crime Scene, last year, I knew I'd keep going. And sure enough - thanks to an advance review copy from the publisher - I got my chance at the follow-up. It is, I believe, better than the first, thus signaling that the father-son author combo may have found its groove. What it lacks in down-and-dirty action is more than compensated for by interesting, likable characters, a good story and expertly turned phrases.

At its heart, though, it's a fairly basic police procedural; the main character, Clay Edison, is a deputy in the Coroner's Bureau. He's got Amy, his live-in love, a wayward just-out-of-jail brother with whom he has a love-hate relationship and, at the start of this one, some dead bodies that went bump in the night.

But one of those bodies is not like the others; she was found elsewhere on the property, was strangled rather than shot and her identity can't be determined. Intrigued, Clay sets out to rectify that latter point, and once accomplished, begins to work on the whodunit and why. That trail leads to the victim's childhood school - a private one that touts total freedom for the students (think Montessori on speed). As all this is unraveling, Clay continues to work on the case of the other victims, one of whom has an identity crisis of his (or her) own. In the middle of it all, here comes his brother Luke - with a rather brash fiance in tow - claiming to be a changed man and offering Clay an investment deal guaranteed to earn a pot of money.

Beyond that, the whole thing is a fairly straightforward look at how all of Clay's professional and personal scenarios are resolved (including his relationship with Amy). Although I'd personally like fewer characters to keep straight, most things get sorted out by the end (leaving, perhaps, one or two little issues unresolved, presumably to be continued in the next adventure. For sure I'll be watching for it!

A Measure of Darkness by Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman (Ballantine Books, July 2018); 352 pp.

NIGHT MOVES

4 stars out of 5

Tempted as I am to give this one 5 stars just because psychologist and LAPD consultant Dr. Alex Delaware has long been near the top of my 10 all-time favorite "heroes," I have to be honest and say this one isn't my pick of the 33-book litter. Do not think I didn't enjoy it, though - it's just that the pace seemed a little slower and the number of characters maybe half a dozen too many for my aging brain to keep straight through a rather complex plot that jumps from suspect to suspect and back again. Also a bit of a disappointment is that Alex's main squeeze, Robin, is noticeably missing for almost all the action (even their lovable dog, Blanche, gets more page time).

Still, Alex remains at the top of his game, and his pal and professional colleague, LAPD homicide detective Milo Sturgis, remains just as curmudgeonly. The story begins when a mutilated male body turns up in an odd place - the home of a family of four, none of whom claims to have a clue as to who the dead guy might be. Milo catches the case, and almost immediately he calls on Alex for help. Clearly, the man was murdered elsewhere - so why would he end up in the home of people he doesn't know? Complicating the case are an obnoxious husband, an even more obnoxious wife, a teenage son with a king-size attitude problem, a sister who might be described generously as three bricks shy of a chimney and a next-door neighbor with hermit tendencies.

To be sure, there's more to that neighborhood than meets the eye, but nobody's talking (except perhaps that obnoxious husband, who just can't seem to shut up). The trail leads Alex and Milo to a few other oddball characters in nearby parts of the state and back again, with driving time interspersed with enough musings, psychological insights and banter between the old friends to keep things interesting until all the trails begin to merge.

Bottom line? Another solid book - just not exciting enough that I was willing to miss the final round of Olympics ice dancing to finish the final three chapters. It was, however, the first free-time task I tackled the following morning.

Night Moves by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books, February 2018); 416 pp.

CRIME SCENE

4 stars out of 5

If the name Kellerman is on it, it's a pretty sure bet I'll like it. Over many years, I've devoured just about every book by Jonathan, his wife Faye, and their son Jesse. I've also learned, though, that collaborations don't always live up to their hype, and sometimes the first book in a series falls flat. But neither am I one to look a gift horse in the mouth: Pass up an opportunity to read an advance copy of anything written by favorite authors in exchange for an honest review? Just ain't gonna happen.

And honestly? I enjoyed it thoroughly. Perhaps most importantly, I really love the new character, Clay Edison, a deputy in the Coroner's Bureau (a bit of a twist on the standard-issue police detective). He comes with a few flaws - his brother is in jail, a serious knee injury put the kibosh on a possible superstar career in basketball, and he's got a shaky relationship with his parents. There's also no main squeeze, thus paving the way for him to be at the mercy of any gorgeous female character he meets. On the other side, while his degree in psychology doesn't put him anywhere near the big leagues, it does give him a leg up when it comes to reading people, whether they be co-workers (like his hypochondriac partner Zaragoza), victims or perpetrators.

As this one begins, reclusive former psychology professor Walter Rennert  is found dead by his daughter Tatiana (cue in that gorgeous female character). It appears that daddy simply fell down the stairs, but Tatiana insists her father was murdered. She continues to believe that even after the evidence reveals that his history of drinking and a bad heart are to blame. Clay, of course, is intrigued with Tatiana and agrees to take a closer look, to the dismay of his superiors who want the case closed.

As he digs deeper, he learns that Rennert resigned in disgrace when a coed was murdered by a mentally unstable participant in one of the professor's experiments. A few other clues throw more suspicion on the circumstances surrounding Rennert's death; and the deeper Clay digs, the more he wants to know about that experiment and precisely what went wrong. That, in turn, means Clay must call on one of Kellerman Senior's best-known characters, Dr. Alex Delaware, for help. The psychologist and LAPD consultant, it seems, had offered expert testimony at the trial of the young man who confessed to the coed's murder, who has since been released from jail. 

As an aside, Dr. Delaware has long been on my Top 10 list of favorite male characters, so I was happy to see him show up here. But I must say I thought he came across a bit snarky during his meeting with Clay, even allowing for the constraints of doctor-patient privilege. Then again, maybe it was just me; as I was reading that part, I realized I'd been so engrossed that I'd kept reading more than an hour past my usual dinnertime. 

In the end, as I said at the beginning, this is a very well written book with interesting, well-developed characters (especially Clay). Already, I'm looking forward to his next appearance.

Crime Scene by Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman (Ballantine Books, August 2017); 400 pp.

HEARTBREAK HOTEL

5 stars out of 5

Ah, it's great to welcome an old friend to my Kindle again. Actually, make that two old friends; after all these years (and something like 30-plus books), I've come to know both child psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware and Los Angeles Police Department detective Milo Sturgis pretty doggone well. Not nearly as well as they know each other, though; Alex is a fairly frequent consultant to the LAPD, mostly with cases Milo is honchoing - and they're now at the point at which meaningful conversation happens with just a shrug of a shoulder or lift of an eyebrow.

It's Alex who gets the ball rolling here. He gets an out-of-the-blue call from Thalia Mars, who says she's 99 years old and wants a consultation. No, she says, she's not concerned that his work is primarily with patients decades younger. A bit reluctant but intrigued, Alex agrees to meet her at her long-time home, a stand-alone cabin at a luxury hotel complex. She seems totally lucid and more than willing to part with a substantial retainer, but the questions she asks deal more with criminal behavior than her personal life. Promising to provide Alex with more details at the next visit, they agree on a follow-up visit the next morning.

But alas, it never happens. When Alex shows up, he finds an extremely upset housekeeper who found the nonagenerian lying in her bed quite dead. Nothing appears to have been stolen, and at first blush, it appears she may have died of natural causes. But further examination of the body tells another story - murder - and Milo is called in. 

The case goes nowhere fast; the old lady has no apparent heirs nor apparent enemies, and her considerable estate is being left entirely to charity. So who on earth would want to kill a woman who most likely wouldn't make it past another year or two at most? Clues lead all over the map - literally - as well as to long-closed cases and ages-old relationships that may or may not be connected. Finding out the truth, then, will put the investigative skills of Milo and Alex to the test.

Quite honestly, I enjoyed this one even more than the last two or three books. I will say, though, that while this one stands alone, there's not much background explanation on the characters - and I'm sure at least part of my enjoyment comes from being privvy to that. So if you've never read any of the books in this series before, you might want to go back a half-dozen or so to start. Hey, I'll bet you'll make a couple of friends you'll look forward to reading about, too.

Heartbreak Hotel by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books, February 2017); 368 pp.

BREAKDOWN

4 stars out of 5

Lately, I've been caught up in moving to a new home (well, new to me and my husband) and trying to keep on top of reviews of books I've received at no cost from publishers in exchange for reviews. So far, those books have been nothing short of stellar, but I admit it's more than a teeny bit stressful knowing I've got to pay close attention so as to render a review that's both honest and fair.

So it was that I looked forward to the time when I could turn to a favorite author - one I know won't disappoint. I've followed Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware series from the beginning, prompted early on by a love of psychology (my undergraduate degree) and murder mysteries. Many were absolutely outstanding, and those that were a bit less so were enjoyable as well.

This one falls into the latter category. As always, the writing is stellar; but for the first half or so, I wondered when the action would begin. Alex is called in by an elderly psychologist to evaluate Ovid, the five-year-old son of TV actress Zelda Chase (who clearly has mental issues). A few years later, Zelda is committed to a psychiatric facility - and not long after she's released, she turns up dead. Primarily concerned about Zelda's son - whose whereabouts at this point are unknown - Alex turns to his longtime friend, LAPD Lieutenant Milo Sturgis, for help with solving the murder and locating the child.

The tracking-down process, though, is tedious almost to the point of boring.  Both Alex and Milo seem a bit subdued, and Alex's love Robin doesn't contribute much beyond trying to cheer Alex up by running her fingers through his hair.

But then, things started to pick up, and all the details revealed (slowly)  in the first part begin to come together and the suspense builds up. It's not that I didn't enjoy the book - I did - but at the same time it didn't quite have the zing of others in the series. All told, it may not be my favorite in the series - hence the four-star rating - but it's still well worth reading.

Breakdown by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books, February 2016); 369 pp.

THE MURDERER'S DAUGHTER

5 stars out of 5

In many ways - none of which I can specify without spoiling it for others - this book was disturbing to me (not that there's anything wrong with that). Put another way, it's twisted just enough that I enjoyed it thoroughly.

For those who don't already know, this one "stars" a psychologist, but it's not the author's popular Dr. Alex Delaware (although he does get a few mentions here). Instead, this stand-alone novel is about Dr. Grace Blades, a child prodigy who watched her parents die in a murder-suicide when she was just 5 years old. That, and living through a foster care system notorious for undesirables, left her with emotional scars that never healed even after she finally found loving adoptive parents. Thanks to her intelligence, drive and well-honed survival instincts, she accomplishes her goal of becoming a much sought-after psychologist capable of treating the most troubled of patients with success.

But then, she opens her office door to a man with whom she quite recently had a brief encounter in a parking deck. He really needs her help, but  Grace decides that because of that encounter, she must say no and turns him away. Shortly thereafter, the man is found murdered. Curious and feeling a little guilty for not agreeing to take him on as a patient (inasmuch as she's able to have feelings for anyone or anything), she temporarily shuts down her office and sets out on an investigation of her own. 

Once she ferrets out the almost-patient's real name, she realizes there's more to their connection than the parking deck meetup - a dark connection that requires her to bring to the forefront the childhood experiences she's compartmentalized in her mind over the years. Her sleuthing does seem to yield results faster and with less to go on than seems realistic for the average human, but after all, she's been way ahead of the intelligence game since she was a toddler.

As I said at the beginning, I really enjoyed this book. But I will add this: If you're expecting to "connect" with any of the seriously flawed characters here, it's likely you'll be disappointed. Not a single one - not even Grace herself - exhibits anything close to a warm and fuzzy personality. But IMHO, for the purpose of this story, that's exactly as it should be. 

The Murderer's Daughter by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books, August 2015); 384 pp.

THE RIGHT THING TO DO

5 stars out of 5

This short story lays the foundation for Jonathan Kellerman's upcoming book, The Murderer's Daughter, set for release in mid-August 2015. Although I've been vocal about not being a fan of the so-called "prequels," I caved in this time simply because it's written by an author at the Top 3 of my favorites list.

At just 47 pages it took only half an hour or so to read, and I'm happy to say it's excellent. The story stands alone, but - as I'm sure is the intent - the ending left me wondering what will happen next.  No doubt I'll forget everything I read by the time I get the full book on my Kindle Fire, though (one of the reasons I avoid prequels), so I'll write a quick review that I can use to refresh my memory before I dive into the real thing.

The story begins in 1965 (put in my perspective, at that time our son would have been two years old and I was a stay-at-home mom), when a young man named Malcolm Bluestone takes a break between finishing a Harvard degree and starting law school to visit his older brother Steve in California. The two are far enough apart in age that they've never been close, but Malcolm admires Steve and his free-wheeling lifestyle as a movie "star."

So far, Malcolm has walked the more conventional path favored by his elderly parents - Jewish immigrants who fled Germany to escape the wrath of Hitler's regime - but he's also harbored a desire to veer off course and create his own walkway. While visiting his brother's movie set and witnessing an incident that shocks him to the core, he makes the decision to do exactly that: After all, it's the right thing to do.

The Right Thing to Do (short story, Kindle Single) by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books, July 2015); 47 pp.

MOTIVE: AN ALEX DELAWARE NOVEL

4 stars out of 5

Like the previous two books in the author's series featuring psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware - I believe this is the 30th - Motive falls a bit short of a 5-star rating in my book. Mostly, I attribute that to a few too many characters who seem to be included just for the heck of it (to throw readers off track, perhaps?) and an abrupt, somewhat unsatisfying ending. Ah yes, and one other thing: So many run-on sentences that I lost count in the first two chapters. I admit to being picky when it comes to grammar, but God made semicolons and dashes for a good reason.

But on the plus side, it's still Kellerman - and chalk up another better-than-decent one that brings together the good doctor, a consultant to the LAPD, and his good friend, police lieutenant Milo Sturgis. The latter calls Alex to help when a young woman is found murdered in her home. That murder is followed by the gunning down of a gorgeous and successful woman who's been in the process of divorcing her business partner husband for the past three years. 

The plot thickens when it appears that the killer may have set up fake dinners for two at the victims' homes after the fact, leading the investigators to a suspect who's a chef with a fiery temper (whoa, Nelly, what a concept!) who also dated one of the victims. New suspects pop up all over the place, from the chef to the ex-husband to the respective divorce attorneys, but solid evidence does not; perhaps that explains why the usual gruff but go-get-'em Sturgis seems to adopt an almost ho-hum attitude. Even his usually super-healthy appetite is a bit more subdued than usual.

Not the best I've read in the series (which includes every single one, as far as I know) but definitely worth a shot.

Motive: An Alex Delaware Novel by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books, February 2015); 353 pp.