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Killer: An Alex Delaware Novel by Jonathan Kellerman -- Review
* Our review is an accompaniment to An Alex Delaware Novel and not the novel itself. While it will greatly enhance your enjoyment and understanding of the book, it is not intended to stand in its place.*
An Alex Delaware Novel by Jonathan Kellerman, psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware, a consultant on custody cases, finds himself facing a threat from a disappointed client. You can use this review of Killer to follow the multiple plot twists, as Alex worries about the threat to his life; deals with the deaths and disappearances of clients, potential witnesses, and suspects; all while searching for a missing child. Antagonists become victims, friends become enemies, and you are never sure what will happen next as Alex searches for clues with his detective friend, Milo Sturgis.
An Alex Delaware Novel is suspenseful and intense, and this review will help you not only follow the action, but glean information about Alex Delaware if this is your first Kellerman mystery. The setting is Los Angeles, and Kellerman’s familiarity with the southern California landscape and lifestyle lends authenticity to his story. The individuality of each character makes them memorable; we hate the villains, love the heroes, and rejoice when everyone seems to end up with just what they deserve. With a perfect blend of believability and surprise, this novel keeps readers guessing until the very end. Killer is a fast-paced novel with a conclusion that will satisfy Kellerman fans, or any lover of a really good mystery.
An Alex Delaware Novel by Jonathan Kellerman, psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware, a consultant on custody cases, finds himself facing a threat from a disappointed client. You can use this review of Killer to follow the multiple plot twists, as Alex worries about the threat to his life; deals with the deaths and disappearances of clients, potential witnesses, and suspects; all while searching for a missing child. Antagonists become victims, friends become enemies, and you are never sure what will happen next as Alex searches for clues with his detective friend, Milo Sturgis.
An Alex Delaware Novel is suspenseful and intense, and this review will help you not only follow the action, but glean information about Alex Delaware if this is your first Kellerman mystery. The setting is Los Angeles, and Kellerman’s familiarity with the southern California landscape and lifestyle lends authenticity to his story. The individuality of each character makes them memorable; we hate the villains, love the heroes, and rejoice when everyone seems to end up with just what they deserve. With a perfect blend of believability and surprise, this novel keeps readers guessing until the very end. Killer is a fast-paced novel with a conclusion that will satisfy Kellerman fans, or any lover of a really good mystery.
53 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 6, 2014
3 people are currently reading
139 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
September 11, 2014
I always enjoy reading the Alex Delaware novels. Alex, after evaluating, Cherie determines she is a fit parent. Sister, Connie, is very unhappy that she looses the case to retain custody of Cherie's child. She arranges for Alex to be killed, but instead gets herself killed. Police believe that Cherie killed her sister, but Alex is determined to prove he innocent, which he does. A little twist to the ending and who actually is the murderer. Good read. Recommend to anyone who follows Alex Delaware novels.
July 8, 2014
Alex Delaware is back and so is Milo. The explosive duo sets off on a quest to solve a murder. It seems Milo has his mind made up, but Alex is not so sure. Alex is smart, witty and always willing to go with his gut, Milo is more reserved, likes things a certain way, and loves solving cases as much as he loves good food. Fast paced, action packed, this is a good read. Highly recommended to anyone who likes a good mystery with a twist.
May 19, 2022
I haven’t read an Alex Delaware book in a long time. It was a nice revisit!
Alex consults on a child custody case. It seemed like an obvious decision.
Unfortunately, that decision almost costs him his life when the loser of the case takes the loss very personally and threatens to kill him. She ends up dead instead and off we go…….
Alex consults on a child custody case. It seemed like an obvious decision.
Unfortunately, that decision almost costs him his life when the loser of the case takes the loss very personally and threatens to kill him. She ends up dead instead and off we go…….
February 28, 2021
As always Kellerman's Alex Delaware series are a treat.
Read
July 30, 2022Any Kellerman novel is a personal must-read. Killer fit the Alex Delaware mold perfectly.
May 11, 2023
Always an enjoyable time reading his books.Fun and light.
July 12, 2023
Eh....
August 29, 2023
Killer has a twist in it that I definitely did not expect. Surprise! It's good, it's very good.
July 26, 2025
This is a great series and this is a g great book in the series.
March 26, 2015
4.5/5 ***s
KELLERMAN' s latest thriller, KILLER, is one you won't want to miss. Alex Delaware, psychological consultant to the LA area police forces and court system, is called in to give his professional opinion on an odd custody case. Sisters Bree and Connie are fighting for custody of baby Rambla. Connie, having offered to care for the baby as she encouraged (and paid for) her younger sister to take a once-in-a-lifetime vacation, now claims Bree abandoned the baby. Not having put her career on hold when she could have had a child of her own, she devised a plot to slander her sister, and sue for custody of Rambla.
What seems to be an open and shut case after the verdict is rendered quickly becomes a confusing mess (I'll leave out the spoilers). Alex is led to question his judgment of character as he learns more about Bree, wondering what led her to flee town with her baby after being granted full custody by the judge.
This is one series of endings you won't see coming, and a thriller with well-developed characters you'll be driven to continue following until the puzzle is complete. Alex Delaware is one of the most refreshing characters I've come across in a while, and I'm already searching for my next adventure with him in one of KELLERMAN' s previous installments in this excellent series. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Doc Aloha Reviews
3/25/2015
KELLERMAN' s latest thriller, KILLER, is one you won't want to miss. Alex Delaware, psychological consultant to the LA area police forces and court system, is called in to give his professional opinion on an odd custody case. Sisters Bree and Connie are fighting for custody of baby Rambla. Connie, having offered to care for the baby as she encouraged (and paid for) her younger sister to take a once-in-a-lifetime vacation, now claims Bree abandoned the baby. Not having put her career on hold when she could have had a child of her own, she devised a plot to slander her sister, and sue for custody of Rambla.
What seems to be an open and shut case after the verdict is rendered quickly becomes a confusing mess (I'll leave out the spoilers). Alex is led to question his judgment of character as he learns more about Bree, wondering what led her to flee town with her baby after being granted full custody by the judge.
This is one series of endings you won't see coming, and a thriller with well-developed characters you'll be driven to continue following until the puzzle is complete. Alex Delaware is one of the most refreshing characters I've come across in a while, and I'm already searching for my next adventure with him in one of KELLERMAN' s previous installments in this excellent series. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Doc Aloha Reviews
3/25/2015
September 4, 2014
This one of Kellerman's stories featuring psychoanalyst Alex Delaware. I've read a few of the others and I like the character.
Alex is asked to provide an expert opinion about a young woman named Cherie, whose sister, Connie, is suing for custody of Cherie's child and accusing Cherie of being an incompetent mother. Alex visits Cherie's home and finds nothing to indicate that she is a bad mother. The child appears to be happy and healthy.
When Connie loses the case because of Alex's testimony, she vows to keep fighting, and says she will never give up until she has the child.
Then someone murders her. And Cherie checks out of her apartment without giving notice.
Concerned that his professional opinion about Cherie may have been totally wrong, Alex works with his friend, Detective Milo Sturgis, to hunt her down and uncover the truth.
If you like suspense thrillers, you will enjoy this one, but I think the reason it has a fairly low rating (for a best selling author) is that I was able to guess who the real killer was before he revealed it.
Alex is asked to provide an expert opinion about a young woman named Cherie, whose sister, Connie, is suing for custody of Cherie's child and accusing Cherie of being an incompetent mother. Alex visits Cherie's home and finds nothing to indicate that she is a bad mother. The child appears to be happy and healthy.
When Connie loses the case because of Alex's testimony, she vows to keep fighting, and says she will never give up until she has the child.
Then someone murders her. And Cherie checks out of her apartment without giving notice.
Concerned that his professional opinion about Cherie may have been totally wrong, Alex works with his friend, Detective Milo Sturgis, to hunt her down and uncover the truth.
If you like suspense thrillers, you will enjoy this one, but I think the reason it has a fairly low rating (for a best selling author) is that I was able to guess who the real killer was before he revealed it.
September 13, 2016
One of my favorite mystery series and always well worth it. For me it's more about the relationship and banter between Dr. Alex Delaware and police detective Lt. Milo Sturgis than it is whatever murder or mayhem they are investigating.
This time out Alex is asked to evaluate the parties in a child custody dispute between sisters. When it doesn't go the way one of them likes she decides to hire a hitman to take out the person she holds responsible, namely Dr. Delaware. Fortunately, for Alex a former patient learns of the plot and reveals it to the police who are able to prevent the crime. When the woman who plotted the murder is found dead it looks like an open and shut case to Milo who believes the surviving sister is to blame. As the body count rises and the living sister disappears it's up to Alex and Milo to find her before another possible homicide takes place.
Not the most difficult case the duo has tackled but it is hard to figure out just who can be trusted on either side of the law. Another fun read for fans of Kellerman.
This time out Alex is asked to evaluate the parties in a child custody dispute between sisters. When it doesn't go the way one of them likes she decides to hire a hitman to take out the person she holds responsible, namely Dr. Delaware. Fortunately, for Alex a former patient learns of the plot and reveals it to the police who are able to prevent the crime. When the woman who plotted the murder is found dead it looks like an open and shut case to Milo who believes the surviving sister is to blame. As the body count rises and the living sister disappears it's up to Alex and Milo to find her before another possible homicide takes place.
Not the most difficult case the duo has tackled but it is hard to figure out just who can be trusted on either side of the law. Another fun read for fans of Kellerman.
June 29, 2014
One of the things I like best about Jonathan Kellerman is that his books never disappoint. Each one is thoughtfully outlined and written, with crisp writing and characters that spring to life. He's a master at weaving the story and providing some clues, but never enough that you can completely figure it out. I thought I knew what was really going on, but was way off. From the first line, the book grabs you and makes it nearly impossible to stop reading. I love how Alex Delaware has grown and mellowed, yet still remains true to how his character was originally written years ago. If you're a Kellerman fan, this is a must read. If you've been living on a desert island and for some reason have never read a Kellerman book, you've been missing out on one of the best suspense writers around.
December 16, 2015
Jonathan Kellerman has rewarded Alex Delaware fans with another hit. This time the crime-solving hero tackles child custody between a former hippie and her controlling sister. The rich, but socially awkward sister has been found murdered, so the race to solve the whodunit begins. Was it the baby's mother who left her daughter in her sister's company while she "toured" with a decaying rock band? Was the baby's unknown father? Or was it someone with a grudge against the victim? Kellerman keeps readers tensely awaiting the next page as Delaware and his detective sidekick delve into the mystery and its unexpected ending. Way to write, Kellerman!
June 6, 2014
Another excellent Alex Delaware mystery. Always well-written, this one was really good. I didn't see the solution coming until it was there, and the denouement was excellent. I like the fact that the characters were well-rounded, perhaps with the exception of the perpetrators, who were a bit one-dimensional.
The fact that I could feel empathy and sadness for a gangbanger like Efren showed Kellerman's ability to make characters real. A very good read.
The fact that I could feel empathy and sadness for a gangbanger like Efren showed Kellerman's ability to make characters real. A very good read.
May 23, 2014
Good storyline but a little too much non-essential dialogue. I listened to this book on CD. The narrator is a man but when he has to talk like a woman, he just sounds ridiculous. He does the voice for Milo Sturgis well and for Alex also, but the women..... ugh!
May 2, 2014
Dr. Delaware fans will not be disappointed. Kellerman has not lost his touch in writing a fast paced mystery. The ending comes a little out of right field but still good.
May 25, 2014
Not my favorite in the series, but never sorry that I've read the latest I. This series unlike series by other writers.
May 29, 2014
I don;t know how many Alex Delaware novels there are but as long as Jonathan Kellerman wants to write about him I will keep reading them.
June 10, 2014
It was an interesting story. I always enjoy reading details about the characters, and Kellerman does a great job of providing those.
June 7, 2014
Good discussion of type 1 diabetes in adolescence.
July 22, 2021
I was surprised at the ending.
it was puzzling.
it was puzzling.
July 9, 2014
just ok.
July 18, 2014
One of the best Alex Deleware adventures yet. Loved it
Read
July 19, 2014I'm am glad I love my sister. The two in this book were horrible. And the baby's father?
August 12, 2014
I've been reading Mr. Kellerman's books for years and I so appreciate how reliable his stories are. I can always count on him to tell a good tale well. This one is no exception!
August 15, 2014
I really like Kellerman's characters and appreciate the psychological insights. What I find annoying are his solutions that sometimes seem to really come out of left field.
August 24, 2014
The was my first Kelllerman book. Will read more. Guessed the culprit half way through. Only merits 3 stars, but do recommend reading. Quick read.
August 24, 2014
Kellerman is very good at these twisted plots.
September 4, 2014
An entertaining read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews