The Web

by Jonathan Kellerman

* This is an updated cover of this Kindle edition. *Psychologist Alex Delaware finds terror in the heart of paradise in this relentlessly disturbing novel by the bestselling author of Self-Defense. When Alex accepts an invitation to the tiny island of Aruk--all expenses paid--to help a revered scientist/philanthropist organize his papers for publication, he finds himself in the midst of sinister--and dangerous--activities.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Suspense

305 pages, Hardcover

Published November 25, 1995

About the author

Jonathan Kellerman was born in New York City in 1949 and grew up in Los Angeles. He helped work his way through UCLA as an editorial cartoonist, columnist, editor and freelance musician. As a senior, at the age of 22, he won a Samuel Goldwyn Writing Award for fiction.

Like his fictional protagonist, Alex Delaware, Jonathan received at Ph.D. in psychology at the age of 24, with a specialty in the treatment of children. He served internships in clinical psychology and pediatric psychology at Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles and was a post-doctoral HEW Fellow in Psychology and Human Development at CHLA.

IN 1975, Jonathan was asked by the hospital to conduct research into the psychological effects of extreme isolation (plastic bubble units) on children with cancer, and to coordinate care for these kids and their families. The success of that venture led to the establishment, in 1977 of the Psychosocial Program, Division of Oncology, the first comprehensive approach to the emotional aspects of pediatric cancer anywhere in the world. Jonathan was asked to be founding director and, along with his team, published extensively in the area of behavioral medicine. Decades later, the program, under the tutelage of one of Jonathan's former students, continues to break ground.

Jonathan's first published book was a medical text, PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF CHILDHOOD CANCER, 1980. One year later, came a book for parents, HELPING THE FEARFUL CHILD.

In 1985, Jonathan's first novel, WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS, was published to enormous critical and commercial success and became a New York Times bestseller. BOUGH was also produced as a t.v. movie and won the Edgar Allan Poe and Anthony Boucher Awards for Best First Novel. Since then, Jonathan has published a best-selling crime novel every year, and occasionally, two a year. In addition, he has written and illustrated two books for children and a nonfiction volume on childhood violence, SAVAGE SPAWN (1999.) Though no longer active as a psychotherapist, he is a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics and Psychology at University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine.

Jonathan is married to bestselling novelist Faye Kellerman and they have four children.

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! So different with so many different unexpected twists. I loved the island setting and suspense. A page-turner and excellent psychological thriller from one of my favorite authors.

[Jjean · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not find this one of Kellerman's best stories - characters are interesting but get "bogged" down with so much description - story is interesting with murder, a radiation explosion from years past, a mysterious Dr. trying to rebuild a remote island -

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book takes place on a small fictional island called Aruk. Alex Delaware and his steadfast and curly-haired partner Robin go out there to visit an aging doctor who asks for Alex's input on his years and years of records. Once they arrive, things get bad quickly and events and people aren't always what or who they seem.

I found this to be a very slow and meandering story. It almost seemed as though Kellerman had more fun creating the island and its people than in coming up with a good compelling mystery. All that stuff in the beginning with the Pickers was unnecessary and then you hear all about Alex's and Robin's surfing and snorkeling adventures. It wasn't until around page 180 that things got interesting. Dr. Lyman Picker goes down in a plane accident, but that didn't really have much bearing on the events that unfolded. It's when Ben is accused of murdering Betty Aguilar that this becomes a more interesting mystery tale, a slightly larger version of a cozy since the island is so remote.

Ultimately, Dr. Moreland's zoo of creepy invertebrates that we tour in one of the first chapters is important to the story. Moreland disappears one rainy night while Ben is in jail, and Alex and Robin follow a scavenger hunt to find him, clues being left in the spider's cage and under the centipede's glass cell. Once they find him in a secret tunnel under his mansion, Robin and Alex also discover 6 survivors of a particularly deadly and horrible vaccination gone wrong in the 1960's. Moreland was the one who administered the shots and he discovered that it wasn't a cure at all but rather killed every adult who received it. Most of the vaccinated babies survived, though, and so out of guilt and a sense of responsibility, he's been taking care of these "soft" people since they were babies underground. This drive and focus explains his exhaustion as well as his detachment from his biological daughter, Pam, who is also an MD on Aruk after splitting from her husband.

It also turns out that though Alex suspects that Jo Picker is a bad guy, she's actually an investigator with the Dept of Defense fighting the corrupt developer Stasher-Layman from building a prison on the island and forcing all the natives and inhabitants elsewhere. Stasher has a senator in its pocket with ties to Aruk from his days in the army, and they have paid off a few people living on Aruk to make things appear bad so they can move in (it's two of these guys are who are actually guilty of Betty's murder as well as killing and pretending to eat another native woman 6 months before).

Dr. Moreland wanted Alex and Robin to take over care of his "kids" once he passed away, but they end up showing up at court to show visual evidence of the senator's evil doings, and readers should assume they are being well taken care of after the book ends.

So yeah - it's a little all over the place in terms of different events and motivations, but the last half was definitely better than the first.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been reading Jonathan Kellerman for quite a few years and at one time being my favorite has moved down on my list. I am still reading his books sparingly in order as I have bought most of his in the Alex Delaware series and try to mix them in with some of my other favorite authors that I read more often. The last two books this one included and Self Defense were read with some difficulty. Not that I didn't find them somewhat enjoyable, but at times the intensity and complexity can get you lost in the book. This one fits the title "The Web" as it involves Kellerman's main character Alex Delaware (phycologist/detective) and his love interest Robin, as they happily embark on what they think of as a job organizing medical files to help a fellow Dr. Woodrow Wilson Mooreland, that is loaded with fringe benefits on a paradise Island of Aruk which they see as a tropical vacation. Soon they find there is much more to this Island and the people that they are sharing it with. Trully a Web loaded with many deep characters and all of whom seem to carry personal baggage that we as readers are left to sort out. At times the book bogs down with too many unanswered questions and with too much previously mentioned baggage. Sometimes the story flows well, then at times frustrated you want answers, also at times the book slows and you wish you could just get through it. Determined I finally made it to the final page, not a quick read, but still worth it to get the answers to the mystery.

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I first saw some of the ratings on this book thought it would be not just so so but might be really be bad. Well the first couple of chapters did not do much to disagree with some of the negative reviews. However as the story built it improved. Admittedly this is not the typical Jonathan Kellerman book or story but I enjoyed it for what it is; an interesting yarn by a psychologist who stepped outside of his normal comfort zone.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't realize that I had read this some years ago. When I realized it, I just plowed on and re-read it. A lot of it is unrealistic and it's very involved, but it definitely holds one's interest. This is one of his earlier books and was published in 1996 at around the birth of the internet. The island of Aruk has very little contact with computers or the internet so it is believable. I like the ones with Milo in them much more.

[Rock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delaware working almost entirely without Milo was an interesting twist in the series.
It got a little rushed near the end, leaving me with alot more questions than answers, which is not typical for this series.

The second half I felt like I was reading an Agent Pendergast novel at times.
I think Delaware and Pendergast would work well together and I'd like to see that someday ;-)

[Jackie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Either my taste in psychological mystery is changing or I totally don’t get it!! Too much gore and “for shock” element s for my enjoyment, I should have quit reading it (wasted time. I have a few more of his books and not sure Ill read them.

[Poietes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow. Hmm. I honestly don't know if I like or loathe this book. It seems that Kellerman is really reaching for plots with each new Delaware novel.
With his other books, there so much a need to suspend disbelief. That is definitely the case here.

[Jacy Carroll-Bussman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read of Jonathan Kellerman's that Milo was not a major character. However, Robin seems to have taken over his role in the book. It is a little strange but I really enjoyed it!!!

[Jeffrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was pretty weak for me. I am starting to loose a little bit of interest in the series. I will read the next one and see where it leads.

[Sue Kozlowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely one of his better stories. Alex and Robin go to an island - Aruk. The guy on the island loves spiders. They discover that he is hiding deformed kids underground.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only really gets going about half-way through, and in the end it's just kind of...silly.

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up this book randomly at the library. I had not read any other books in the series prior to this. I think I would have enjoyed it more had I been familiar with the characters.

[David Vanness · Rating 4 out of 5]

my hb is 305 pages. Enjoyed the south seas adventure. I read & listened together. time well spent.

[Whitney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started off really slow and ended too quickly!

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really amazing book. What an imagination!