What do you think?
Rate this book
In a host of consecutive bestsellers, Jonathan Kellerman has kept readers spellbound with the intense, psychologically acute adventures of Dr. Alex Delaware–and with excursions through the raw underside of L.A. and the coldest alleys of the criminal mind. Rage offers a powerful new case in point, as Delaware and LAPD homicide detective Milo Sturgis revisit a horrifying crime from the past that has taken on shocking and deadly new dimensions.
Troy Turner and Rand Duchay were barely teenagers when they kidnapped and murdered a younger child. Troy, a remorseless sociopath, died violently behind bars. But the hulking, slow-witted Rand managed to survive his stretch. Now, at age twenty-one, he’s emerged a haunted, rootless young man with a pressing need: to talk–once again–with psychologist Alex Delaware. But the young killer comes to a brutal end, that conversation never takes place.
Has karma caught up with Rand? Or has someone waited for eight patient years to dine on ice-cold revenge? Both seem strong possibilities to Sturgis, but Delaware’s suspicions run deeper . . . and darker. Because fear in the voice of the grownup Rand Duchay–and his eerie final words to Alex: “I’m not a bad person”–betray untold secrets. Buried revelations so horrendous, and so damning, they’re worth killing for.
As Delaware and Sturgis retrace their steps through a grisly murder case that devastated a community, they discover a chilling legacy of madness, suicide, and multiple killings left in its wake–and even uglier truths waiting to be unearthed. And the nearer they come to understanding an unspeakable crime, the more harrowingly close they get to unmasking a monster hiding in plain sight.
Rage finds Jonathan Kellerman in phenomenal form–orchestrating a relentlessly suspenseful, devilishly unpredictable plot to a finale as stunning and thought-provoking as it is satisfying.
From the Hardcover edition.
Troy Turner and Rand Duchay were barely teenagers when they kidnapped and murdered a younger child. Troy, a remorseless sociopath, died violently behind bars. But the hulking, slow-witted Rand managed to survive his stretch. Now, at age twenty-one, he’s emerged a haunted, rootless young man with a pressing need: to talk–once again–with psychologist Alex Delaware. But the young killer comes to a brutal end, that conversation never takes place.
Has karma caught up with Rand? Or has someone waited for eight patient years to dine on ice-cold revenge? Both seem strong possibilities to Sturgis, but Delaware’s suspicions run deeper . . . and darker. Because fear in the voice of the grownup Rand Duchay–and his eerie final words to Alex: “I’m not a bad person”–betray untold secrets. Buried revelations so horrendous, and so damning, they’re worth killing for.
As Delaware and Sturgis retrace their steps through a grisly murder case that devastated a community, they discover a chilling legacy of madness, suicide, and multiple killings left in its wake–and even uglier truths waiting to be unearthed. And the nearer they come to understanding an unspeakable crime, the more harrowingly close they get to unmasking a monster hiding in plain sight.
Rage finds Jonathan Kellerman in phenomenal form–orchestrating a relentlessly suspenseful, devilishly unpredictable plot to a finale as stunning and thought-provoking as it is satisfying.
From the Hardcover edition.
Audio Cassette
First published May 24, 2005
955 people are currently reading
3346 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Kellerman
203 books5,823 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 484 reviews
May 17, 2019
Good plotting and mystery as always, but the ending wasn’t very satisfying.
January 13, 2026
A bewildering conglomeration of psycho-babble!
Troy Turner and Rand Duchay were barely teenagers, little more than children themselves, when they kidnapped and murdered a young child. Troy, clearly the instigator and an evil sociopath lasts mere weeks in prison and receives his just desserts shanked by a fellow inmate. Rand, a somewhat more pathetic slow-witted dysfunctional creature who appears to have been relentlessly drawn into the deed of kidnapping by bad company somehow survives his incarceration. Upon his release he seeks to talk with psychologist, Alex Delaware, whom he encountered briefly during his trial for the murder eight years earlier. Delaware, who only reluctantly agrees to talk with him, is shocked to find Duchay murdered mere minutes before the planned conversation can take place.
RAGE, an aptly titled psychological thriller, place Delaware and his police colleague, Milo Sturgis, into a complex battle of hide and seek with a brutal, psychopathic serial killer.
In marked, almost stark contrast with some of his current best-selling colleagues such as James Patterson, Jonathan Kellerman has chosen to focus his novels on the psychological aspects of crime - motive, character, deviance, emotion, passion - and RAGE takes this approach to story-telling to levels beyond any he has previously attempted. So much so, in fact, that the thrill of the story is mostly buried in a web of convoluted, puzzling dialogue between Sturgis and Delaware in which they simply feed off one another in a stacked series of "what-ifs". One dysfunctional misfit after another is introduced, anaylyzed and set up as the possible mastermind of a series of brutal, evil killings. The conversation becomes so dense and the analysis becomes so complex that ultimately the evil devolves into something almost banal and the story is lost in a thicket of psycho-babble.
RAGE is far from Kellerman's best efforts and ranks as almost boring beside such phenomenal successes as THE MURDER BOOK.
Paul Weiss
Troy Turner and Rand Duchay were barely teenagers, little more than children themselves, when they kidnapped and murdered a young child. Troy, clearly the instigator and an evil sociopath lasts mere weeks in prison and receives his just desserts shanked by a fellow inmate. Rand, a somewhat more pathetic slow-witted dysfunctional creature who appears to have been relentlessly drawn into the deed of kidnapping by bad company somehow survives his incarceration. Upon his release he seeks to talk with psychologist, Alex Delaware, whom he encountered briefly during his trial for the murder eight years earlier. Delaware, who only reluctantly agrees to talk with him, is shocked to find Duchay murdered mere minutes before the planned conversation can take place.
RAGE, an aptly titled psychological thriller, place Delaware and his police colleague, Milo Sturgis, into a complex battle of hide and seek with a brutal, psychopathic serial killer.
In marked, almost stark contrast with some of his current best-selling colleagues such as James Patterson, Jonathan Kellerman has chosen to focus his novels on the psychological aspects of crime - motive, character, deviance, emotion, passion - and RAGE takes this approach to story-telling to levels beyond any he has previously attempted. So much so, in fact, that the thrill of the story is mostly buried in a web of convoluted, puzzling dialogue between Sturgis and Delaware in which they simply feed off one another in a stacked series of "what-ifs". One dysfunctional misfit after another is introduced, anaylyzed and set up as the possible mastermind of a series of brutal, evil killings. The conversation becomes so dense and the analysis becomes so complex that ultimately the evil devolves into something almost banal and the story is lost in a thicket of psycho-babble.
RAGE is far from Kellerman's best efforts and ranks as almost boring beside such phenomenal successes as THE MURDER BOOK.
Paul Weiss
April 14, 2020
Alex Delaware mystery No. 19:
My first excursion to the 'raw underside of L.A. and the coldest alleys of the criminal minc.' world of psychologist Alex Delaware. A pretty good crime thriller. Alex was involved with a case where two 14 yr olds murdered a 5 yr old girl… 8 years later, one of the grown up boys becomes the 4th person involved with the case to die, but this time it is murder. Is someone out for vengeance? A pretty good crime mystery ensues as Alex and co. delve into the past and uncover some startling facts. 6 out of 12.
My first excursion to the 'raw underside of L.A. and the coldest alleys of the criminal minc.' world of psychologist Alex Delaware. A pretty good crime thriller. Alex was involved with a case where two 14 yr olds murdered a 5 yr old girl… 8 years later, one of the grown up boys becomes the 4th person involved with the case to die, but this time it is murder. Is someone out for vengeance? A pretty good crime mystery ensues as Alex and co. delve into the past and uncover some startling facts. 6 out of 12.
April 14, 2017
I love the Alex Delaware books. This one was meh. Not horrible, but it didn't cruise along at fast a pace as previous Alex Delaware novels I've read. Nothing really stood out for me in this novel, other than something Alex said about religion. "Some people are attracted to religion because they're struggling with forbidden impulses." That resonated with me. And it explained a lot about the Bible-thumping perv Drew Daney, whom Alex and his cop pal Milo spent the novel tracking and suspecting. What became of Cherish or Barnett? Who knows. The novel just ended without resolving where they ran off to. This novel started about two teen-agers who killed a toddler, but soon evolved into a pervy foster father who diddled his wards. Was Rand as guilty in the murder of Kristal as Troy? Who knows. Rand was killed before he could talk to Alex. By whom? Again...who knows. Maybe Drew. Maybe Barnett. Was Barnett Kristal's biological father? There's a lot of questions that didn't get answered, but that makes the plot seem like reality. How often do things elude answers in real life? Far too frequently.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2024
Ha sido una lectura entretenida, pero solo para pasar el reto. No es de las cosas más memorables que he leído, pero ha estado bien como descanso entre lecturas más pesadas.
May 19, 2015
Troy Turner, elfin psychopath who looks 12 but he was a year older, and Rand Duchay, a mentally challenged youth of 14 who looked like a linebacker, decided to kidnap a two-year-old toddler from a mall and kill her for fun. Since they are seen on security videotape, the only question after they are caught is how responsible are they for their actions. Most people care very little about these kids, but the grandstanding defense lawyers have a bigger stake in the outcome than the worthless caretakers of Troy and Rand. Dr. Alex Davenport does an evaluation, but it is obvious the damage had been done when they were still babies. The California social services system for taking care of kids with incompetent or missing parents is often hit and miss, and when it is a miss, these kids only have the choices of rage.
It is 8 years later and Dr. Alex Davenport gets a midnight call. Rand is on the line. Shocked, Alex realizes Rand must have been released from the juvenile facility where he had been held. Rand wants to talk. Davenport agrees to meet him. Rand doesn't show up.
Hours later, Rand's body is found. Milo Sturgis, detective, takes the case, and Alex is riding shotgun. The little girl's parents are first on the suspect list. However, before 24 hours has passed, the list of possible killers is as long as one's arm.
If that wasn't enough mystery, Robin calls. Robin was Alex's girlfriend, but she left several books back in the series, unable to take the sadness of Alex's dark cases. Alex has a new girlfriend, Allison, an earnest honest psychologist, and they've been getting along quite well. However, Robin has Spike, their old dog, and she thinks Alex should drop by to give Spike a tummy rub since Spike is sick. Or something like that. She has split from her recent boyfriend and is all alone except for Spike.
Hmmmmm.
Not able to stop and deal with Allison and Robin, Alex, with Milo, pursue and interview a truckload of wicked mean adults and adults who meant well and failed - but which ones are responsible for what? Not knowing Robin is in the wings waiting as her understudy, Allison is tired of Alex hanging out with Milo and forgetting he is a psychologist and not a cop.
The good doctor has a lot to think about. The only one giving Alex any joy is Milo. Oh oh. Spoke too soon. Milo is tired of his job. He can't remember working on such a depressing case. Alex wonders what Milo is planning - after all, Milo has his minimum 20 years before retirement done.
Don't it make my brown eyes blue....
The author has never written a plot without stretches and holes in the fabric of his plots, and this one isn't any different. The only changes I've noticed throughout the series is Jonathan Kellerman has made Davenport less of an avenging superhero fighting cartoon villains and more of a detective with a psychology doctorate helping Milo understand the crackpots, predict responses after interviews and poke sticks at suspects hoping they will get defensively stupid.
Readers can easily ignore the gaps of story and logic (they aren't that bad, anyway), and settle down for a fun mystery.
It is 8 years later and Dr. Alex Davenport gets a midnight call. Rand is on the line. Shocked, Alex realizes Rand must have been released from the juvenile facility where he had been held. Rand wants to talk. Davenport agrees to meet him. Rand doesn't show up.
Hours later, Rand's body is found. Milo Sturgis, detective, takes the case, and Alex is riding shotgun. The little girl's parents are first on the suspect list. However, before 24 hours has passed, the list of possible killers is as long as one's arm.
If that wasn't enough mystery, Robin calls. Robin was Alex's girlfriend, but she left several books back in the series, unable to take the sadness of Alex's dark cases. Alex has a new girlfriend, Allison, an earnest honest psychologist, and they've been getting along quite well. However, Robin has Spike, their old dog, and she thinks Alex should drop by to give Spike a tummy rub since Spike is sick. Or something like that. She has split from her recent boyfriend and is all alone except for Spike.
Hmmmmm.
Not able to stop and deal with Allison and Robin, Alex, with Milo, pursue and interview a truckload of wicked mean adults and adults who meant well and failed - but which ones are responsible for what? Not knowing Robin is in the wings waiting as her understudy, Allison is tired of Alex hanging out with Milo and forgetting he is a psychologist and not a cop.
The good doctor has a lot to think about. The only one giving Alex any joy is Milo. Oh oh. Spoke too soon. Milo is tired of his job. He can't remember working on such a depressing case. Alex wonders what Milo is planning - after all, Milo has his minimum 20 years before retirement done.
Don't it make my brown eyes blue....
The author has never written a plot without stretches and holes in the fabric of his plots, and this one isn't any different. The only changes I've noticed throughout the series is Jonathan Kellerman has made Davenport less of an avenging superhero fighting cartoon villains and more of a detective with a psychology doctorate helping Milo understand the crackpots, predict responses after interviews and poke sticks at suspects hoping they will get defensively stupid.
Readers can easily ignore the gaps of story and logic (they aren't that bad, anyway), and settle down for a fun mystery.
July 5, 2010
Alex Delaware in great form - brainy thriller for sure!
We're big fans of J. Kellerman, but find that sometimes the Alex Delaware stories drift so far from his child psychology specialty that it's tough to believe either the action or the detective work. But in this latest "intellectual" thriller, we spend much of the time reading dialogue between Alex and cop buddy Milo Sturgis dissecting a variety of perplexing clues; their skills at finding motives and posing possibilities are tasked to the limit. The tale starts with the killing of a toddler by two tough teens. Alex interviews them to help determine whether trials as adults make sense, but a plea bargain puts them both in youth prison without courtroom proceedings. One of the youths is murdered a month later, but the other survives eight years in jail (with scars galore) and comes out wanting to talk to Alex again, presumably with new information about the murder. Before the meet can take place, this youth's murdered body turns up and the race is on to figure out what is going on. Before it's over, the toddler's parents are involved, some "spiritual advisors" and foster parents are involved, and a clever but insidious killer is eventually unearthed. The application of justice at book's end is a fascinating conclusion, even though it seemed the novel ended a bit abruptly considering how totally absorbed we were in reaching the outcome.
Kellerman has crafted an intriguing plot, one that requires plenty of cerebral work on the part of both his leading men and the reader. Unraveling the eventual truth created tremendous suspense, sustained without some of the silly cops and robbers type action of some of the other Delaware stories. Delaware's love life was mostly on vacation as well, although new love interest (and fellow doc) Allison seemed to be losing the spark. Meanwhile, long-time ex-partner Robin has returned to LA, having dumped her singer boy toy, and we're left to wonder might happen there in what is bound to be our author's next release. It sounded like a tiring Milo is having thoughts of "pulling the pin" (retiring) as well -- will he? We're more than happy to recommend "Rage" as Kellerman and Delaware in the very fine form of his earlier works -- enjoy!
We're big fans of J. Kellerman, but find that sometimes the Alex Delaware stories drift so far from his child psychology specialty that it's tough to believe either the action or the detective work. But in this latest "intellectual" thriller, we spend much of the time reading dialogue between Alex and cop buddy Milo Sturgis dissecting a variety of perplexing clues; their skills at finding motives and posing possibilities are tasked to the limit. The tale starts with the killing of a toddler by two tough teens. Alex interviews them to help determine whether trials as adults make sense, but a plea bargain puts them both in youth prison without courtroom proceedings. One of the youths is murdered a month later, but the other survives eight years in jail (with scars galore) and comes out wanting to talk to Alex again, presumably with new information about the murder. Before the meet can take place, this youth's murdered body turns up and the race is on to figure out what is going on. Before it's over, the toddler's parents are involved, some "spiritual advisors" and foster parents are involved, and a clever but insidious killer is eventually unearthed. The application of justice at book's end is a fascinating conclusion, even though it seemed the novel ended a bit abruptly considering how totally absorbed we were in reaching the outcome.
Kellerman has crafted an intriguing plot, one that requires plenty of cerebral work on the part of both his leading men and the reader. Unraveling the eventual truth created tremendous suspense, sustained without some of the silly cops and robbers type action of some of the other Delaware stories. Delaware's love life was mostly on vacation as well, although new love interest (and fellow doc) Allison seemed to be losing the spark. Meanwhile, long-time ex-partner Robin has returned to LA, having dumped her singer boy toy, and we're left to wonder might happen there in what is bound to be our author's next release. It sounded like a tiring Milo is having thoughts of "pulling the pin" (retiring) as well -- will he? We're more than happy to recommend "Rage" as Kellerman and Delaware in the very fine form of his earlier works -- enjoy!
July 10, 2020
Just got tired of hearing "Kristal's daddy" Alex's short responses and Nina Balquin/Balquist typos.
March 16, 2020
Over 20 years ago, I never missed the opportunity to read the newest Alex Delaware. Then, for some reason I just kinda quit. So after a long hiatus, I'm back and glad I am. I have missed Kellerman's writing and the likes of Alex and Milo.
In Rage, Delaware receives a phone call from a troubled young man who 8 years previously with another kid, kidnapped and killed a toddler. Having just been released the young man, Rand, wants to meet and talk with Delaware who consulted on the earlier murder case. Delaware agrees only to be stood up. Later he finds out from Milo that the young man was killed that night.
Flashbacks to the earlier time as well as the new investigation moving forward dominate the story line.
Once Milo and Alex start digging, things just start to not add up and there are more questions than answers that stretch back to the original murder. Through sheer perseverance and much hypothesizing, the duo begin to make sense of the convoluted timeline and come to realize that there well may be a serial killer on the loose. Thrown into the mix is Alex's relationship with another Psychiatrist as well as the possible reemergence of Robyn, and things are getting interesting.
Looking forward to reestablishing my relationship with these two.
In Rage, Delaware receives a phone call from a troubled young man who 8 years previously with another kid, kidnapped and killed a toddler. Having just been released the young man, Rand, wants to meet and talk with Delaware who consulted on the earlier murder case. Delaware agrees only to be stood up. Later he finds out from Milo that the young man was killed that night.
Flashbacks to the earlier time as well as the new investigation moving forward dominate the story line.
Once Milo and Alex start digging, things just start to not add up and there are more questions than answers that stretch back to the original murder. Through sheer perseverance and much hypothesizing, the duo begin to make sense of the convoluted timeline and come to realize that there well may be a serial killer on the loose. Thrown into the mix is Alex's relationship with another Psychiatrist as well as the possible reemergence of Robyn, and things are getting interesting.
Looking forward to reestablishing my relationship with these two.
October 26, 2021
Topic 🙅🏻♀️🙅🏻♀️🙅🏻♀️🙅🏻♀️
January 23, 2025
Συμπαθές θρίλερ της σειράς του Κέλερμαν με τον Delaware.
Ένα αγόρι "μειωμένου καταλογισμού" (βλ. σχεδόν ηλίθιο) βγαίνει από τη φυλακή, αφότου έχει εκτίσει την ποινή του για τη δολοφονία ενός δίχρονου κοριτσιού και τηλεφωνεί στον ψυχολόγο (Delaware) που είχε γνωρίσει την εποχή της δίκης. "Είμαι καλό παιδί" του λέει και του δίνει ραντεβού για να μιλήσουν. Λίγες ώρες μετά είναι νεκρός.
Ο Delaware σκαλίζοντας ανακαλύπτει ότι και ο σατανικός (επίσης) ανήλικος συνεργός του παιδιού είναι νεκρός (πάνω από 7 χρόνια) έχοντας σφαγιαστεί στη φυλακή από έναν άλλο (δε θα το πιστέψετε) ανήλικο, ο οποίος... επίσης (μαντέψτε...) είναι νεκρός. Και είμαστε ακόμα στην αρχή...
Με πολύ καλό ρυθμό, ο Kellerman δημιουργεί ένα γαϊτανάκι αποκαλύψεων και ανατροπών, αποφέυγοντας το πολύ φορσέ (κάτι που εκτιμώ ιδιαίτερα σε αυτού του είδους τα βιβλία), μέχρι την τελική λύση της υπόθεσης αλλά... και ενός διαχρονικού δράματος που υποβόσκει.
Χάνει (όπως πολλά αυτής της κατηγορίας) το τέταρτο αστεράκι εξαιτίας του μάλλον σπασμωδικού φινάλε, που, δεν ικανοποιεί απόλυτα και της μάλλον υπερβολικής "άρσης δυσπιστίας" που απαιτεί από τον αναγνώστη η τόσο ενεργή και άμεση εμπλοκή "στο πεδίο" (μιλάμε για εξιχνίαση εγκλημάτων) ενός ψυχολόγου που συνεργάζεται με την αστυνομία.
Ένα αγόρι "μειωμένου καταλογισμού" (βλ. σχεδόν ηλίθιο) βγαίνει από τη φυλακή, αφότου έχει εκτίσει την ποινή του για τη δολοφονία ενός δίχρονου κοριτσιού και τηλεφωνεί στον ψυχολόγο (Delaware) που είχε γνωρίσει την εποχή της δίκης. "Είμαι καλό παιδί" του λέει και του δίνει ραντεβού για να μιλήσουν. Λίγες ώρες μετά είναι νεκρός.
Ο Delaware σκαλίζοντας ανακαλύπτει ότι και ο σατανικός (επίσης) ανήλικος συνεργός του παιδιού είναι νεκρός (πάνω από 7 χρόνια) έχοντας σφαγιαστεί στη φυλακή από έναν άλλο (δε θα το πιστέψετε) ανήλικο, ο οποίος... επίσης (μαντέψτε...) είναι νεκρός. Και είμαστε ακόμα στην αρχή...
Με πολύ καλό ρυθμό, ο Kellerman δημιουργεί ένα γαϊτανάκι αποκαλύψεων και ανατροπών, αποφέυγοντας το πολύ φορσέ (κάτι που εκτιμώ ιδιαίτερα σε αυτού του είδους τα βιβλία), μέχρι την τελική λύση της υπόθεσης αλλά... και ενός διαχρονικού δράματος που υποβόσκει.
Χάνει (όπως πολλά αυτής της κατηγορίας) το τέταρτο αστεράκι εξαιτίας του μάλλον σπασμωδικού φινάλε, που, δεν ικανοποιεί απόλυτα και της μάλλον υπερβολικής "άρσης δυσπιστίας" που απαιτεί από τον αναγνώστη η τόσο ενεργή και άμεση εμπλοκή "στο πεδίο" (μιλάμε για εξιχνίαση εγκλημάτων) ενός ψυχολόγου που συνεργάζεται με την αστυνομία.
January 1, 2021
This might be in the top 5 best stories in the Alex Delaware series; especially as it represents the perfect blend between Alex Delaware's specific field of knowledge, which is psychology, and Milo Sturgis' expertise of investigating crimes. The story-line was particularly captivating and poignant, but also very disturbing. Indeed, how could such young teenagers commit such an horrendous crime? I will not go into details.
For me this story was a mix of being confronted with a very sad reality, and giving the reader hope of capturing who the real responsible was.
All in all, entertaining still.
For me this story was a mix of being confronted with a very sad reality, and giving the reader hope of capturing who the real responsible was.
All in all, entertaining still.
Read
December 26, 2015Another good Kellerman book. I really enjoy his writing and sometimes complex stories he devises. And Delaware and Sturgis are such a good team for solving mysteries. I'm not sure what is going to happen next in Delawares love life. I've read some of Kellermans later books, and am filling in with the ones I missed. So, I don't think it's absolutely necessary to read them in order. Still I usually do,and feel as though I'm following a good friend.
August 18, 2020
Pre-review thoughts
Again Jonathan Kellerman gives us a brutal, winner of a thriller. It opens with a classic line where Alex, while watching a baseball game, gets a call from a murderer who has been released. Juveniles when they committed the crime of killing a 2 year old child, the mystery starts after the fact when the boy (now a man) is found dead. The story keeps adding on more horrors, and more victims, in a truly sick psychopathic villain who stands out unique in the many ways he's really sick (and it's more than straightforward murder, blech). A different ending with this type where the two aren't always in the pursuit of law if justice has been served already. It's a good mystery with many layers; the villain is known for awhile, but more investigating and leads are covered for awhile before the ending.
Again Jonathan Kellerman gives us a brutal, winner of a thriller. It opens with a classic line where Alex, while watching a baseball game, gets a call from a murderer who has been released. Juveniles when they committed the crime of killing a 2 year old child, the mystery starts after the fact when the boy (now a man) is found dead. The story keeps adding on more horrors, and more victims, in a truly sick psychopathic villain who stands out unique in the many ways he's really sick (and it's more than straightforward murder, blech). A different ending with this type where the two aren't always in the pursuit of law if justice has been served already. It's a good mystery with many layers; the villain is known for awhile, but more investigating and leads are covered for awhile before the ending.
April 6, 2020
Put your detective thinking cap on for this adventure...2 youths, one little girl, homicide, years of deaths, deceit, twists and turns, deception, sex, and of course the detectives who can solve this puzzle. WOW.
February 4, 2023
Crime thriller with a mixture of psychology and investigating the murders - many characters but easy to follow - some parts spent too much time describing what people were wearing, etc..... held my interest to the end......
November 12, 2020
4...Oh it's getting better!!! Loved the case, and the lull wasn't as long as the last few books...Really didn't step away, just read straight through...Nicely done!
September 4, 2013
"I Find it a Bit Strange with Alex Deleware..."
The Alex Delaware series is still one that the 'jury is out on' for me at least, but does anyone else find it strange that this psychologist, no matter how decorated in the field he may be, just because he's friends with a higher up can just tag along for an initial raid into a potentially dangerous environment? I mean its one thing to bring in an expert once all said & done to look at evidence, talk to people, etc... but Alex is following Sturgis into a house that is unclear & could have an armed suspect in it & Milo is like 'Come on' like he's some sort of backup. He isn't even armed, is he gonna throw a show? honestly? who throws a shoe?
So, I've been cherry picking the series according to reviews as 'side candy' while my main dish of 'The Great Gatsby' is just like going thru school again, trying to see the metaphors, looking up words etc... This kind of book is perfect to put in between when the other gets too intense. Many other series may start somewhat slow (except Mitch Rapp) as the character is built, Davenport, Reacher, Harvath, even Robicheaux, perhaps its not the best sign I'm jumping around because the reviews are really hot & cold. But this particular one was pretty good involving real life issues that plague our foster homes & oversight of a pretty lucrative setting if u aren't in it for the children but purely business, I know about billing codes & trying to get the best of ur patients visit but if this is how children are also dealt with, I'm a bit unnerved.
Either way, its an entertaining read albeit I still have a serious misgiving that a place like L.A. would allow a psychologist to follow another cop, LT. or not around potentially dangerous, armed & dangerous felons like its a field trip without some training & being armed but... suspension of disbelief... once again, a story that doesn't take much of my mind to read or listen to while I digest, 'The Great Gatsby', a book that is like a 7 course gourmet meal..
The Alex Delaware series is still one that the 'jury is out on' for me at least, but does anyone else find it strange that this psychologist, no matter how decorated in the field he may be, just because he's friends with a higher up can just tag along for an initial raid into a potentially dangerous environment? I mean its one thing to bring in an expert once all said & done to look at evidence, talk to people, etc... but Alex is following Sturgis into a house that is unclear & could have an armed suspect in it & Milo is like 'Come on' like he's some sort of backup. He isn't even armed, is he gonna throw a show? honestly? who throws a shoe?
So, I've been cherry picking the series according to reviews as 'side candy' while my main dish of 'The Great Gatsby' is just like going thru school again, trying to see the metaphors, looking up words etc... This kind of book is perfect to put in between when the other gets too intense. Many other series may start somewhat slow (except Mitch Rapp) as the character is built, Davenport, Reacher, Harvath, even Robicheaux, perhaps its not the best sign I'm jumping around because the reviews are really hot & cold. But this particular one was pretty good involving real life issues that plague our foster homes & oversight of a pretty lucrative setting if u aren't in it for the children but purely business, I know about billing codes & trying to get the best of ur patients visit but if this is how children are also dealt with, I'm a bit unnerved.
Either way, its an entertaining read albeit I still have a serious misgiving that a place like L.A. would allow a psychologist to follow another cop, LT. or not around potentially dangerous, armed & dangerous felons like its a field trip without some training & being armed but... suspension of disbelief... once again, a story that doesn't take much of my mind to read or listen to while I digest, 'The Great Gatsby', a book that is like a 7 course gourmet meal..
March 14, 2019
This Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis gem was published in 2005. I have no idea how I missed it. But wandering around the library the other day, I came upon it. It did not look familiar. Who knew? It wasn't! It is now in it's place in my mind of the lives of these friends, erma, I mean characters. Couple of guys could be the bad guy. I went back and forth between them almost through the whole book. I won't give it away here, because you know, I never do. I sure missed Robin and Spike in this one. It's good though, good plot twists. Hey get it. Read it.
January 16, 2020
Jonathon Kellerman is one of my favourite authors, his son Jesse is another. I have come into the middle of this series with Alex Delaware and I enjoyed it very much. Alex is a warm and intelligent character which is a relief after all the hardened, damaged characters one reads about in detective stories. He is balanced by his detective mate Milo Sturgis who is untidy and constantly hungry. I love that Milo is gay and this is never mentioned. Good on Mr Kellerman for that. This story involves a couple of awful crimes that draw together pedophilia, infanticide, murder and child abuse but the conversations between Alex, Milo and others lighten the horror. They are a terrific team and the story is well written.
February 12, 2019
I like Johnathan Kellerman's voice and main characters in the Alex Delaware series. Being a former Police Detective I find the Milo Sturgis character spot on for my kind of sleuth. I'm a bit skeptical about the amount of involvement with Dr. Delaware but the work is fiction.
I've enjoyed a couple other novels in this series, but in my opinion this one fell flat about half way through. The back and forth interaction between the protagonists was loaded with a lot of opinions and guesswork and conjecture that seems to go in circles, slowing the pace and confusing the plot.
The story was descent but I found the ending anti-climatic.
I've enjoyed a couple other novels in this series, but in my opinion this one fell flat about half way through. The back and forth interaction between the protagonists was loaded with a lot of opinions and guesswork and conjecture that seems to go in circles, slowing the pace and confusing the plot.
The story was descent but I found the ending anti-climatic.
January 12, 2023
This book was all Jonathan Kellerman. His writing is predictable. This is a story of a young child's murder by young teenage boys. One of whom dies shortly after being incarcerated. The other is mentally challenged somewhat, and after years of incarceration reaches out to Dr. Alexander. Thus, begins an in depth investigation into a cold case that had been thought to be solved. It is a good book well worth reading.
January 26, 2022
Interesting mystery that started with a missing child in a mall that led to a whole different issue involving foster children. Alex’s work is putting his love life on the rocks again and Milo is his usual self.
February 2, 2019
always enjoy the Alex Delaware character book. Enjoyable read...not quite the ending I expected
August 9, 2021
I have not kept up with Jonathan Kellerman so there were some points that confused me in this book.
February 21, 2024
A really good plot idea; just not pulled off very well. It WAS a 3-star read; but the weak, inconclusive ending dropped it down to 2 stars.
December 1, 2023
Another excellent Kellerman story. Love the main characters, including all of their foibles. A rather complex plot with lots of twists and turns and characters. The ending left me a bit wanting more.. But, was understandable.
July 17, 2022
Read in 2005. Delaware must re-visit the past to solve two grisly murders. One of my favorites that year.
March 6, 2019
Slow . . . not a recommendation
February 26, 2017
Alex Delaware is a child psychologist -- intelligent, calm and empathetic. Milo Sturgis is a dogged, gruff and sarcastic homicide detective. Alex is intuitive; Milo is calculated. Alex is confident; Milo is cocksure. Alex is a handsome, educated man. Milo is a massive, gluttonous man. Together they find themselves solving crimes using their unique personality traits. The best books of this series allow the differences of these two men to be amplified and to cause hilarity and tension. The best of these books do not stray from the initial premise, where they solve crimes involving children. In recent volumes it seemed that Delaware changed his specialization. Here he is back and I liked it.
A minor concern: I still do not like the relationship with Allison. She bores me, and although she is meant to be a very smart and educated woman, I find her to be submissive. She is too nice.
A minor concern: I still do not like the relationship with Allison. She bores me, and although she is meant to be a very smart and educated woman, I find her to be submissive. She is too nice.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 484 reviews