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Alex Delaware #25
Deception
Her name is Elise Freeman, and her chilling cry for help comes too late to save her. On a DVD found near her lifeless body, the emotionally and physically battered woman chronicles a long ordeal of abuse at the hands of three sadistic tormentors. But even more shocking is the revelation that the offenders, like their victim, are teachers at one of L.A.’s most prestigious prep schools. Homicide detective Milo Sturgis is assigned to probe the hallowed halls of Windsor Prep Academy, and if ever he could use Dr. Alex Delaware’s psychological prowess, it’s now. As the scandal-conscious elite close ranks around Windsor Prep, Alex and Milo push to expose the dirty secrets festering among society’s manor-born. But while searching for predators among the privileged, Alex and Milo may be walking into a highly polished death trap.
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First published March 30, 2010
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About the author
Jonathan Kellerman
198 books5,795 followersJonathan 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 729 reviews
April 3, 2024
In this 25th book in the 'Alex Delaware' series, a female teacher at an exclusive prep school dies in odd circumstances. The book can be read as a standalone.
*****
Windsor Prep Academy is a pricey, exclusive high school that prides itself on sending many of its graduates to top universities like Princeton, Harvard, Yale, Stanford, etc. - schools that are notoriously hard to get accepted to. So when a Windsor Prep English teacher, Elise Freeman, is found murdered in a bathtub full of dry ice......
......having left behind a videotape accusing three male colleagues of sexual harassment - it's a seismic event to the school's administrators, teachers, parents, and students.
A scandal like this might derail Windsor Prep pupils' chances of going to their preferred colleges! 😨
Detective Milo Sturgis gets the case.....
......and investigates with the help of his friend Alex Delaware - a psychologist who consults for the Los Angeles Police Department.
Unfortunately the sleuths are immediately hamstringed by the Police Chief, whose son attends Windsor Prep. The boy is applying to Yale, and the Chief means for him to get in.
Thus, the top cop practically orders Milo to find a perp who's NOT associated with the school, like Elise's boyfriend.....or some other scumbag.
Of course, no investigation can proceed like this, and Milo largely ignores the Chief's instructions, no matter the blowback. Nevertheless, Milo and Alex make slow progress because the President of Windsor Prep - who's an entitled snob - stonewalls; the teachers are evasive, and the students - many of whom have a snarky, privileged attitude - lie. 👨
Little by little, it becomes clear that Elise Freeman was a sexually aggressive woman with a lot of secrets; her boyfriend is a gambler and grifter; the high school students aren't above reproach; and someone is desperately trying to hide wrongdoing. 😈
The investigation consists mostly of Milo and Alex going around questioning people, along with some data mining online. That's it. There's almost no reference to forensic evidence, fingerprints, DNA, hair - all that stuff you see on CSI. In addition, the author has a tic of describing every character in enormous detail, recounting all aspects of their physical appearance and clothing. (I think Kellerman must troll fashion sites.) This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it slows the story down.
In between police interviews/interrogations there are the obligatory scenes of Milo raiding Alex's refrigerator to make enormous sandwiches; Alex chatting with his longtime girlfriend Robin; people petting/playing with Alex's French bulldog Blanche; and conversations about Milo being gay.
Milo also gets chewed out and lectured by the Police Chief periodically. The unfortunate Chief is in a tough spot: he DOES want the real murderer nailed but he also wants to keep scandal away from Windsor Prep, for his son's sake. (I was hoping the son was the murderer, just for fun....but I can't say of course.)
In the end, the motive for the murder is realistic, but the perp's modus operandi is way out in left field. If all murderers had schemes like this, detectives would make an arrest every time.
Though this isn't among Jonathan's Kellerman's best books, the mystery is reasonably interesting.....and the high schoolers determination to pad their resumés and get good test scores rings true. I'd recommend the book to mystery fans who want a non-taxing read to pass the time.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
June 30, 2024
Reading an Alex Delaware mystery is like settling back for a great conversation with old friends. But instead of kids and jobs, you’re talking murders, sandwiches and getaway cars.
As always, Milo has some of the best lines and meals, but Alex can always be counted on to properly connect the dots, especially when some are well hidden.
So glad to reacquaint myself with these old buddies, I’m looking to reading another book real soon!!
(Reviewed 2/10/20)
As always, Milo has some of the best lines and meals, but Alex can always be counted on to properly connect the dots, especially when some are well hidden.
So glad to reacquaint myself with these old buddies, I’m looking to reading another book real soon!!
(Reviewed 2/10/20)
April 14, 2011
When a teacher at a very exclusive prep school is found dead in a tub of dry ice, L.A. Homicide Detective Milo Sturgis is assigned to the case. The murdered teacher has left behind a DVD on which she claims that she was subjected to relentless sexual harassment by three other members of the school's staff, whom she names on the video. Because it looks like an interesting case, Milo invites his old pal, Alex Delaware, to tag along during the investigation.
Logically, Milo's investigation should start with the school and the accused staffers. However, the Deputy Chief's son attends the school. The Deputy Chief very much wants his son to be admitted to Yale and fears that any whiff of scandal connected to the school might dim his son's chances. So the D.C. orders Milo to give the school a wide berth, except as a last resort and then only with the D.C.'s permission. The D.C. would prefer that Milo nail the victim's boyfriend for the crime, or anyone else not associated with the school.
Milo pursues the investigation in his own inimitable way, meaning that he will do things as he sees fit, irrespective of what the D.C. or any other Big Cheese might prefer. The faithful Alex will be at his side throughout to drive him, feed him, offer moral support, and occasionally ask the pertinent question. Inevitably there will be lots of twists and turns along the way to the conclusion of the case.
As crime novels go, this is not bad and it's better than a lot of others. My problem with this book, as it was with the last Jonathan Kellerman book that I read, is that it is billed as "An Alex Delaware Novel," when, in fact, Alex is basically just along for the ride, essentially serving as Dr. Watson to Milo's Sherlock Holmes. Even Delaware's domestic situation, which was once fairly interesting, has apparently settled into a bland, run-of-the-mill relationship. As a result, Robin, his girlfriend, gets an obligatory couple of paragraphs, but that's about it--just enough to say, "Hi," 'Bye," and "Have a great time investigating, boys!"
In the beginning, this series was distinguished by the fact that the lead, Alex Delaware, was a brilliant child psychologist. The department asked him to consult on cases that involved children and where he had a legitimate role to play, Inevitably, Alex wound up in the middle of everything and was always the one to solve the case, but he was there for a logical reason--his presence always made sense. In these books, Milo Sturgis was the second banana, there to provide an official police presence as needed.
In the last couple of books or more, Alex has no legitimate reason to be involved whatsoever. He's not officially consulting and in the real world, no citizen would ever be allowed to tag along in an investigation like this. He occasionally does some grunt work for Milo on the computer--usually something that any competent high school kid could do equally well. Alex also occasionally offers some psychological insight about one or another of the suspects, but never anything particularly deep, and certainly nothing that Milo would not be able to observe himself after hanging out with Alex for the better part of twenty friggin' years.
Again, this is a pretty good crime novel, but sooner or later the agency that regulates truth in advertising needs to get involved here. This is really "A Milo Sturgis Novel," and there's no reason at all for Alex Delaware to be involved. This used to be one of the really good crime series out there. The protagonist was interesting and unusual; the cases were different and compelling, and the series stood apart from anything that anyone else was writing. I'm not going to give up on this series, but it would be nice to get a REAL Alex Delaware novel again sometime.
Logically, Milo's investigation should start with the school and the accused staffers. However, the Deputy Chief's son attends the school. The Deputy Chief very much wants his son to be admitted to Yale and fears that any whiff of scandal connected to the school might dim his son's chances. So the D.C. orders Milo to give the school a wide berth, except as a last resort and then only with the D.C.'s permission. The D.C. would prefer that Milo nail the victim's boyfriend for the crime, or anyone else not associated with the school.
Milo pursues the investigation in his own inimitable way, meaning that he will do things as he sees fit, irrespective of what the D.C. or any other Big Cheese might prefer. The faithful Alex will be at his side throughout to drive him, feed him, offer moral support, and occasionally ask the pertinent question. Inevitably there will be lots of twists and turns along the way to the conclusion of the case.
As crime novels go, this is not bad and it's better than a lot of others. My problem with this book, as it was with the last Jonathan Kellerman book that I read, is that it is billed as "An Alex Delaware Novel," when, in fact, Alex is basically just along for the ride, essentially serving as Dr. Watson to Milo's Sherlock Holmes. Even Delaware's domestic situation, which was once fairly interesting, has apparently settled into a bland, run-of-the-mill relationship. As a result, Robin, his girlfriend, gets an obligatory couple of paragraphs, but that's about it--just enough to say, "Hi," 'Bye," and "Have a great time investigating, boys!"
In the beginning, this series was distinguished by the fact that the lead, Alex Delaware, was a brilliant child psychologist. The department asked him to consult on cases that involved children and where he had a legitimate role to play, Inevitably, Alex wound up in the middle of everything and was always the one to solve the case, but he was there for a logical reason--his presence always made sense. In these books, Milo Sturgis was the second banana, there to provide an official police presence as needed.
In the last couple of books or more, Alex has no legitimate reason to be involved whatsoever. He's not officially consulting and in the real world, no citizen would ever be allowed to tag along in an investigation like this. He occasionally does some grunt work for Milo on the computer--usually something that any competent high school kid could do equally well. Alex also occasionally offers some psychological insight about one or another of the suspects, but never anything particularly deep, and certainly nothing that Milo would not be able to observe himself after hanging out with Alex for the better part of twenty friggin' years.
Again, this is a pretty good crime novel, but sooner or later the agency that regulates truth in advertising needs to get involved here. This is really "A Milo Sturgis Novel," and there's no reason at all for Alex Delaware to be involved. This used to be one of the really good crime series out there. The protagonist was interesting and unusual; the cases were different and compelling, and the series stood apart from anything that anyone else was writing. I'm not going to give up on this series, but it would be nice to get a REAL Alex Delaware novel again sometime.
September 17, 2023
This was a bit better that my previous experiences with Kellerman.
It did keep me guessing until the end and overall was ok.
Three stars.
It did keep me guessing until the end and overall was ok.
Three stars.
February 26, 2023
Deception was the Milo Sturgis show, with Alex Delaware seated at the back of the bus this time.
While Milo is on "hiatus" from the police, he sneakily works a case involving an attractive young prep school teacher found deceased at home in a bathtub full of dry ice. Her apparent suicide note was a recorded video where she alleges constant sexual harassment from 3 colleagues at the school. The entire novel is composed of Sturgis and Delaware driving from one person's house or workplace to interview them, picking up clues, getting a new name to interview next. That's all that happens - interview after interview.
I found this one really dull. For one thing, this series is based on Alex Delaware, a child psychologist. It probably makes me a sicko, but when I pick up one of these I'm expecting a crime involving a child. Not the case in this one (although the prep school is high school level). For another, there was no action - it was just talking to a hundred different people, each of whom dropped the name of someone else Milo should look into for the teacher's murder.
Meh. Just wasn't my cuppa.
While Milo is on "hiatus" from the police, he sneakily works a case involving an attractive young prep school teacher found deceased at home in a bathtub full of dry ice. Her apparent suicide note was a recorded video where she alleges constant sexual harassment from 3 colleagues at the school. The entire novel is composed of Sturgis and Delaware driving from one person's house or workplace to interview them, picking up clues, getting a new name to interview next. That's all that happens - interview after interview.
I found this one really dull. For one thing, this series is based on Alex Delaware, a child psychologist. It probably makes me a sicko, but when I pick up one of these I'm expecting a crime involving a child. Not the case in this one (although the prep school is high school level). For another, there was no action - it was just talking to a hundred different people, each of whom dropped the name of someone else Milo should look into for the teacher's murder.
Meh. Just wasn't my cuppa.
May 7, 2011
This and the one before it were both more like Milo Sturgis novels than Alex Delaware ones. The psychological part of the books have completely been sidelined, and we barely see any of Alex doing his doctorly thing anymore, or any of his relationship with Robin. Getting to be your typical "whodunit" novels instead of the interesting psychological thrillers they were. Two stars, because I am still interested in who did it and I am usually surprised by the reveal. Although in this book, the reveal was so out of left field, I didn't even care. Shame.
February 10, 2011
A teacher from a private school is found dead in a tub of dry ice. She leaves behind a DVD that names possible suspects should something ever happen to her. As Alex and Milo discover, the teacher had a of secrets. So do the people around her. Another good Delaware/Sturgis novel.
March 26, 2012
We gave up on Kellerman’s Alex Delaware series quite a few books back when it became clear Delaware’s “justification” as a consulting psychologist to the police, especially the very interesting Detective Milo Sturgis, had evolved into little more than being a sidekick. “Deception” isn’t much different, as Alex spends most of the book doing little more that narrating the story for us. OK, at least we didn’t have to put up with his live-in girlfriend Robin – that relationship turned silly many books ago. Best of all, the plot was reasonably interesting and reasonably suspenseful – a part-time teacher and tutor to a Prep school for the wealthy has turned up murdered (presumably), discovered in her bathroom resting atop a tubful of dry ice! The police chief’s son is a senior at Prep, and awaiting fancy college acceptance letters, so the chief wants no bad publicity to draw unwanted attention to Prep. So with one hand tied behind his back, Milo (with Delaware tagging along for some reason) starts digging into it, with all manner of red herrings sending the pair down one false trail after another until they finally start to latch onto the where, why, how, and who. So – a fairly satisfying mystery, but with nowhere near the level of intrigue representative in the early books in the set.
December 12, 2014
Alex and Milo are thrown into a crime involving acadamia at an exclusive private school for entitled rich kids.
August 1, 2016
I loved this installment of the Alex Delaware series. The whodunit kept me guessing and interested until the end. The book was Alex and Milo at their best.
January 21, 2019
This was a good book, but it was slow in a few places. There were a few twists and turns. Overall, a decent read that kept me interested.
March 6, 2019
4 Stars. More a Milo Sturgis outing than an Alex Delaware novel. Though Seinfeld would add, "Not that there's anything wrong with that." Alex seems to be along for the ride until the very end when an astonishing development forces the reader to revise some of his or her initial understanding of the later chapters. You'll see. A substitute teacher, Elise Freeman, is discovered, by her sleazy boyfriend Sal Fidella, dead in her bathtub on a bed of dry ice - frozen CO2. She has left behind a CD accusing three of the teachers at Windsor Prep Academy, one of the most prestigious private schools in L.A., of harassment. If you think elected politics is a swamp, it's nothing like this. Even the Chief's son Charlie attends "Prep" in his last year before, hopefully, qualifying for admission to Yale. Working through the suspects is like pealing an onion; there's always another layer. And each one, to a man or woman, seems to have something to hide, to have reason to misdirect Milo and Alex. I'd go for 5 Stars except there's one aspect of that astonishing development I thought readers should have known about as it was happening, not later. You'll see. (January 2019)
January 3, 2024
Oi, negaliu, kaip man patinka šitų knygų įskaitytojas!
Ir vėl maloniai susiklausęs detektyvas – "prep school" korepetitorė randama negyva, įdėta tarp sauso ledo. Tarp jos daiktų – DVD (koks reliktas dabar atrodo!), kuriame ji kaltina kolegas seksualine prievarta. Detektyvas ir psichoterapeutas pradeda kapstytis ir ima aiškėti, kad viskas gali būti ne taip, kaip atrodo.
Struktūra ir vėl – policijos interviu, judėjimas nuo vieno įtariamojo prie kito, tamsioji prestižinių mokyklų pusė, nejudinti mokyklos prašantis policijos viršininkas... Jau klasikiniais virtę elementai, bet labai gerai suveikė.
Ir vėl maloniai susiklausęs detektyvas – "prep school" korepetitorė randama negyva, įdėta tarp sauso ledo. Tarp jos daiktų – DVD (koks reliktas dabar atrodo!), kuriame ji kaltina kolegas seksualine prievarta. Detektyvas ir psichoterapeutas pradeda kapstytis ir ima aiškėti, kad viskas gali būti ne taip, kaip atrodo.
Struktūra ir vėl – policijos interviu, judėjimas nuo vieno įtariamojo prie kito, tamsioji prestižinių mokyklų pusė, nejudinti mokyklos prašantis policijos viršininkas... Jau klasikiniais virtę elementai, bet labai gerai suveikė.
September 7, 2014
In the 25th installment of the Alex Delaware mystery series, Deception dealt with the death of Elise Freeman, a prep school teacher, who was tortured and killed by her tormentors. It was up to Alex and Milo to discover what remained behind closed doors of the well-esteemed prep school. They later learned her killers were also killers at the same school, too. While the school close ranked against the scandal, they unearthed some rather disturbing and shocking dirty secrets. When they were ready to apprehend her killers, they might step into the halls of a booby-trapped death trap in the school. There were many twists and turns to take you on a wild ride. This is another fine page-turner for sure. You'll love it.
November 7, 2010
Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis are back yet again. This time a substitute teacher for a toney L.A. prep school is murdered, where the police chief's son attends so reputational issues are used to deter the investigation. Bodies start piling up and the suspect list keeps morphing. If you like Kellerman, you'll like this one too.
December 29, 2013
"Deception" continues my Kellerman mini-marathon (brainless entertainment for the holidays). In terms of the premise, plot, and literary value the novel is weaker than "Twisted", which I finished two days ago. Still, it is a relatively good read, interesting and more twisted than "Twisted".
A teacher from a super-exclusive prep school in Los Angeles is found dead, along with a DVD in which she accuses three fellow teachers of sexual harassment. The police chief's son is about to graduate from the school and the chief want Lt. Sturgis to work the case with utter discretion so that the junior's chances of being admitted to Yale are not jeopardized.
There is some good stuff in the book, for instance the sharp insights about personnel politics of police departments and utter amorality of the top guys. The chief's hypocritical and self-serving monologues are priceless. The idiocy of SAT-driven "education" is exposed as well as the misguided and backfiring efforts to achieve diversity. The very ending of the novel is surprisingly nice. My favorite is the bit where Myspace is searched before Facebook. No wonder, Myspace had so much better user interface so it was doomed to fail.
Unfortunately, bad stuff dominates. Good Doctor Delaware's smugness is a given. Dialogues between Alex and Milo fill about half of the book. Horrid. Milo's buying "word on the street" from a homeless person is painfully ridiculous. Implausibility of the premise and some bad writing (interviews with students on campus) are atypical for Mr. Kellerman.
One more Kellerman to go in 2013 and then let's hope for real literature in the New Year.
Two and a quarter stars.
A teacher from a super-exclusive prep school in Los Angeles is found dead, along with a DVD in which she accuses three fellow teachers of sexual harassment. The police chief's son is about to graduate from the school and the chief want Lt. Sturgis to work the case with utter discretion so that the junior's chances of being admitted to Yale are not jeopardized.
There is some good stuff in the book, for instance the sharp insights about personnel politics of police departments and utter amorality of the top guys. The chief's hypocritical and self-serving monologues are priceless. The idiocy of SAT-driven "education" is exposed as well as the misguided and backfiring efforts to achieve diversity. The very ending of the novel is surprisingly nice. My favorite is the bit where Myspace is searched before Facebook. No wonder, Myspace had so much better user interface so it was doomed to fail.
Unfortunately, bad stuff dominates. Good Doctor Delaware's smugness is a given. Dialogues between Alex and Milo fill about half of the book. Horrid. Milo's buying "word on the street" from a homeless person is painfully ridiculous. Implausibility of the premise and some bad writing (interviews with students on campus) are atypical for Mr. Kellerman.
One more Kellerman to go in 2013 and then let's hope for real literature in the New Year.
Two and a quarter stars.
March 26, 2011
Not bad, the best Alex Deleware book in a while, but makes me wistful for the older Kellerman books that had a lot more detail and focused more on psychology and Alex's life outside of working with Milo, like Silent Partner or Devil's Waltz. Still a good read that flowed well and kept me interested.
November 5, 2022
What a choppy writing! I did not even finish this one. Simple plot but the language is full of Non-Universal metaphors, Old American sayings and words. I got tired looking them up.
Also, I have Never in real life and in my many years in the States Ever heard Anyone speak like the characters in this book speak.
What a disappointment.
Also, I have Never in real life and in my many years in the States Ever heard Anyone speak like the characters in this book speak.
What a disappointment.
August 6, 2020
Definitely not one of his best books. Starts out okay but really drags through the middle. Not much action. Very slow
April 14, 2017
I've been hooked on Kellerman's Alex Delaware stories for many years. This book was more of a crime procedural as Delaware and his detective friend and colleague, Milo Sturgis, work to find the killer of a young female teacher, Elise Freeman, who is a substitute and a tutor at a posh private school.
While I moved quickly through this one, I prefer those in which Delaware needs to not only look for the psychological elements in a crime but also look at himself and how his past affects his conclusions in the present.
As they add and eliminate suspects in what is a politically charged situation, it is entertaining to listen to each of their ideas about the suspect or suspects. When eventually captured, the identity of the killers is not a surprise. That it took so long to find them is.
The ending is satisfying and ties all the loose ends together. I recommend this book but not as your first introduction to Alex Delaware.
While I moved quickly through this one, I prefer those in which Delaware needs to not only look for the psychological elements in a crime but also look at himself and how his past affects his conclusions in the present.
As they add and eliminate suspects in what is a politically charged situation, it is entertaining to listen to each of their ideas about the suspect or suspects. When eventually captured, the identity of the killers is not a surprise. That it took so long to find them is.
The ending is satisfying and ties all the loose ends together. I recommend this book but not as your first introduction to Alex Delaware.
June 21, 2011
This was not Kellerman's best work. Usually he adds more about Dr. Delaware's home life, and his dog and his girlfriend, and he usually even manages to come up with more plausible reasons for Dr. Delaware to be tagging along with his detective friend, but here, it seems like he let that go. We hardly heard at all about Robyn and the dog, and he ended up tagging along with Miles not only for the arrest of two violent killers, for no good reason, he also ended up in the interrogation room with them, also for no obvious reason execpt to act as a narrator. The plot was interesting, with lots of false perps that seemed plausible. About murder and deception at a tony private school in L.A.
July 11, 2010
Kellerman has finally wrestled the series back on track. His last two or three have been both lackluster and bizzare, full of completely repellent characters and bizzare motivations. I worried that Kellerman was heading down the same Path to Crazy as Patricia Cornwell seems to have galloped.) Apparently not -- I was relieved to read a nice, solid mystery, with sensible suspects, the bad guy(s) are only "normally" repulsive, no inexplicable plot turns, Milo and Alex and back in their cop-buddy groove, and best of all, Robin is back to a mere cameo. Yes!
August 5, 2014
An above-average story.. The theme was original-corruption in entrance exams,the qualms of students and parents over it and the problems originating from the same. But,the author failed in presenting it in an enjoyable manner.. The story seemed to be dragging at most places. Alex Delaware's abilities aren't brought into much utility. The obstacles placed by superiors at every point of progress seemed boring after the first few instances. This is not my first read of Kellerman and so,my expectations were a bit high. Hope my next read of him will be a better one.
December 7, 2023
A teacher from an elite school is murdered and put on display in a bathtub full of dry ice. On a dvd found among her belongings she accuses three fellow teachers of sexual harassment...
Alex and Milo are fun characters to follow around while they try to solve this case. Having read a lot of Kellerman novels by now it feels like catching up with old acquaintances.
Kellerman has a deft hand with descriptions, bringing people to life with a few sentences. Sometimes his mysteries are too convoluted for their own good, but this one managed to walk the line nicely.
Alex and Milo are fun characters to follow around while they try to solve this case. Having read a lot of Kellerman novels by now it feels like catching up with old acquaintances.
Kellerman has a deft hand with descriptions, bringing people to life with a few sentences. Sometimes his mysteries are too convoluted for their own good, but this one managed to walk the line nicely.
May 26, 2015
When a substitute teacher at the Chief's son's elite prep school turns up dead in a tub of dry ice, Milo is called in to investigate on the DL.
When one of the "poor" students that the school paid Elise to tutor goes missing he becomes Milo's cheif suspect. But soon Alex and Milo begin to suspect that Martin Mendoza is being framed and every new murder brings them one step closer to the motive (a test taking scheme) and the true killers.
When one of the "poor" students that the school paid Elise to tutor goes missing he becomes Milo's cheif suspect. But soon Alex and Milo begin to suspect that Martin Mendoza is being framed and every new murder brings them one step closer to the motive (a test taking scheme) and the true killers.
April 14, 2012
Another rivetting Alex Delaware novel! Had lots of twists and turns in the plot, making it hard to work out who was the 'bad guy' until close to the finish! Love it when I think I have it solved, then I'm oh, so wrong... Johathan Kellerman makes it easy to keep following Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis with each new mystery.
May 30, 2012
I was so glad to finish this book. What a chore. All that wordy chapters just to get to the five pages worth reading...Milo and Dr. Delaware solve a murder in a Prep School for rich brats...and I think I may have struggled thru this one before...
April 17, 2019
I think I've read all Kellerman's books by now and I tried to read his latest, The Wedding Guest but I found the premise boring and didn't finish it. So this premise sounded more interesting, and it was.
I enjoyed it, it had it's twist and turns but I didn't love it and I don't think it was the author's fault. I think it was a solid mystery. I just think I'm suffering from burn out, after all this time I think I'm just tired of the format. Or maybe I'm tired of mysteries, or maybe I was just in an impatient mood. Anyway, it gets three and a half stars but not four and I get the impression I'm not giving it it's due. Not a bad book to start with if you're new to the series as it gives you an idea of the main characters personality at least a little.
It felt like being on a tour where you just sit there and the tour director points out things here and there. I guess I just felt detached, just didn't get into it. At least I liked the ending, it was interesting, a nice touch.
I enjoyed it, it had it's twist and turns but I didn't love it and I don't think it was the author's fault. I think it was a solid mystery. I just think I'm suffering from burn out, after all this time I think I'm just tired of the format. Or maybe I'm tired of mysteries, or maybe I was just in an impatient mood. Anyway, it gets three and a half stars but not four and I get the impression I'm not giving it it's due. Not a bad book to start with if you're new to the series as it gives you an idea of the main characters personality at least a little.
It felt like being on a tour where you just sit there and the tour director points out things here and there. I guess I just felt detached, just didn't get into it. At least I liked the ending, it was interesting, a nice touch.
January 4, 2023
Really good page turner. I gave it four stars which means very good. Last year I gave out so many five star ratings that I felt I needed to rethink how I rated books, so this year I am reserving the five stars for those exceptional books that stand out.
In this book, a substitute teacher at an elite prep school is found murdered. The investigation into her death brings out many hidden secrets going on behind the doors of the elite world these students live in.
In this book, a substitute teacher at an elite prep school is found murdered. The investigation into her death brings out many hidden secrets going on behind the doors of the elite world these students live in.
December 29, 2021
I’m a bit conflicted on whether to give this 2 or 3 overall stars. It was interesting enough, but it did feel more like a Milo Sturgis novel, than an Alex Delaware one. It felt like Alex was just there 🤷🏻♀️
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