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Clay Edison #3
Lost Souls
A DETECTIVE UNDER PRESSURE
Deputy Coroner Clay Edison is juggling a new baby who won’t sleep with working the graveyard shift. For once he’s trying to keep things simple.
A HAUNTING DISCOVERY
When infant remains are found by developers demolishing a local park, a devastating cold case is brought back to light.
A DESPERATE SEARCH FOR ANSWERS
Clay has barely begun to investigate when he receives a call from a man who thinks the remains could belong to his sister – who went missing fifty years ago. Now Clay is locked in a relentless search that will unearth a web of violence, secrets and betrayal.
Because in this town, the past isn’t dead. It’s very much alive. And it can kill.
Deputy Coroner Clay Edison is juggling a new baby who won’t sleep with working the graveyard shift. For once he’s trying to keep things simple.
A HAUNTING DISCOVERY
When infant remains are found by developers demolishing a local park, a devastating cold case is brought back to light.
A DESPERATE SEARCH FOR ANSWERS
Clay has barely begun to investigate when he receives a call from a man who thinks the remains could belong to his sister – who went missing fifty years ago. Now Clay is locked in a relentless search that will unearth a web of violence, secrets and betrayal.
Because in this town, the past isn’t dead. It’s very much alive. And it can kill.
356 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 21, 2020
2280 people are currently reading
11948 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Kellerman
201 books5,810 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 612 reviews
August 17, 2020
Disentangle
Lost Souls is an intriguing slow-burn investigative thriller featuring Deputy Coroner Clay Edison in the third instalment of the 'Clay Edison' series. As a new parent Clay and his wife Amy have structured their work-life balance to provide the best care they can to their new-born insomniac daughter while saving for a new home. Meaning that Clay is working the night shift and a call to investigate a discovered body of a child on a contentious building site in Berkley University Park, falls on his lap. I thought this was a little overplayed but it does provide a psychological link to the discovered child and a theme throughout the story. The child’s body is estimated to be about eighteen months old at the time of death and buried for over fifty years.
Clay Edison is a brilliantly drawn character who is very meticulous and persistent in his investigation. As the investigation explores missing infants within the specific age range fifty years ago, several possibilities arise. In addition, Clay has been asked to investigate a child’s disappearance by a man who suspects it is his missing sister. In a plot that places personal and professional concerns on high alert, Clay is driven to discover the truth for the sake of the children and their families. The plot provides a deep delve into material evidence, leads that become belligerent, relationships that portray violence, racism and betrayal, situations that are dangerous, and twists that furnish very compelling surprises.
Lost Souls was my first book from Jonathan Kellerman – an author that I’ve long waited to read, and I can say I’m not disappointed. Unfortunately, I cannot comment on the flow through the first three books of the series but this novel didn’t make me feel like I’d missed something. I look forward to reading more of Kellerman's books and I would recommend reading this novel. I would like to thank Century Books and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in return for an honest review.
Lost Souls is an intriguing slow-burn investigative thriller featuring Deputy Coroner Clay Edison in the third instalment of the 'Clay Edison' series. As a new parent Clay and his wife Amy have structured their work-life balance to provide the best care they can to their new-born insomniac daughter while saving for a new home. Meaning that Clay is working the night shift and a call to investigate a discovered body of a child on a contentious building site in Berkley University Park, falls on his lap. I thought this was a little overplayed but it does provide a psychological link to the discovered child and a theme throughout the story. The child’s body is estimated to be about eighteen months old at the time of death and buried for over fifty years.
Clay Edison is a brilliantly drawn character who is very meticulous and persistent in his investigation. As the investigation explores missing infants within the specific age range fifty years ago, several possibilities arise. In addition, Clay has been asked to investigate a child’s disappearance by a man who suspects it is his missing sister. In a plot that places personal and professional concerns on high alert, Clay is driven to discover the truth for the sake of the children and their families. The plot provides a deep delve into material evidence, leads that become belligerent, relationships that portray violence, racism and betrayal, situations that are dangerous, and twists that furnish very compelling surprises.
Lost Souls was my first book from Jonathan Kellerman – an author that I’ve long waited to read, and I can say I’m not disappointed. Unfortunately, I cannot comment on the flow through the first three books of the series but this novel didn’t make me feel like I’d missed something. I look forward to reading more of Kellerman's books and I would recommend reading this novel. I would like to thank Century Books and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in return for an honest review.
August 16, 2020
Book three of the Clay Edison series by Jonathan Kellerman along and his son Jesse. A vast departure from JK’s Delaware series. And for me, a refreshing change.
When bones are discovered in a controversial excavation site near Berkeley, Deputy Coroner Clay Edison is called in. Early into the investigation he receives a call from a man curious if the
bones could belong to his long-lost sister who died in childhood. Could solving this crime be that easy?
I found the story-line somewhat confusing as Clay attempts to identify the bones and solve the mystery. But I am a fan of Kellerman’s new character - Clay. We get deep insight into both his personal and professional life.
This wasn’t my favorite in the series, but still enjoyed overall and will be looking for the next release.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an ARC to read and review.
When bones are discovered in a controversial excavation site near Berkeley, Deputy Coroner Clay Edison is called in. Early into the investigation he receives a call from a man curious if the
bones could belong to his long-lost sister who died in childhood. Could solving this crime be that easy?
I found the story-line somewhat confusing as Clay attempts to identify the bones and solve the mystery. But I am a fan of Kellerman’s new character - Clay. We get deep insight into both his personal and professional life.
This wasn’t my favorite in the series, but still enjoyed overall and will be looking for the next release.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an ARC to read and review.
July 7, 2020
HALF MOON BAY by Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman is the third book in the Clay Edison mystery series. I am a fan of the Alex Delaware series and I expected this to be just as good. Deputy Coroner Clay Edison is working the graveyard shift and has a new baby that doesn’t sleep. He gets the call when workers demolishing a stage in a park find a child’s skeleton. Who is it? How old is it? A local businessman thinks it could be his sister who went missing fifty years ago.
The story line was interesting and had great potential. I thought Clay was a compelling character that I could root for. He had clear goals as well as flaws and virtues and his motivations seemed believable. However, the story seemed to plod along during the middle part of the book. It was not always as engaging as I wanted it to be. The ending had a couple of plot twists that seemed believable, but unexpected. Themes include parenting, racism, kidnapping, protests, arson, and much more.
Overall, this was a slow-burner with two parallel investigations. However, with such an engaging main character, I plan to read more of the series.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine Books, Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman for a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
The story line was interesting and had great potential. I thought Clay was a compelling character that I could root for. He had clear goals as well as flaws and virtues and his motivations seemed believable. However, the story seemed to plod along during the middle part of the book. It was not always as engaging as I wanted it to be. The ending had a couple of plot twists that seemed believable, but unexpected. Themes include parenting, racism, kidnapping, protests, arson, and much more.
Overall, this was a slow-burner with two parallel investigations. However, with such an engaging main character, I plan to read more of the series.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine Books, Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman for a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
August 11, 2020
I received an advanced copy of this book from Net Galley and the publisher in return for an honest review. The release date for this book was 21 July 2020
I found this book to be both very engaging and intriguing. I liked the fact that there were several different storylines woven into the plot and the authors could still keep the pace of the book on track. The main character is likable and you are rooting for him throughout the book to solve the many mysteries thrown his way. Overall a great summer read.
I found this book to be both very engaging and intriguing. I liked the fact that there were several different storylines woven into the plot and the authors could still keep the pace of the book on track. The main character is likable and you are rooting for him throughout the book to solve the many mysteries thrown his way. Overall a great summer read.
August 10, 2020
Returning for another father/son collaboration, Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman present the third novel in their Clay Edison series. Adding depth not only to their protagonist, but to the plot, the Kellermans left me remembering why I enjoy this series and their writing. Father to a young daughter, Coroner Clay Edison is called out to a park in Berkeley after a construction crew unearths the remains of a young child. Edison does what he can in a professional capacity, though this does not appear to be a new body dump, which makes things a little more complicated. After learning that the body dates back over fifty years, Edison takes a personal interest in the case and works it as best he can. Identifying the remains and sifting through some independent media sources from 1969, Edison makes some connections to the parents of the child, paying a visit to a father who has no idea what is going on. However, Edison commits to hashing out the story and continues down many a rabbit hole. What first appears to be an abandoned body soon turns into something a great deal more complicated, which includes an FBI angle that muddies the waters. Torn between this pet project and his own young daughter, Clay Edison will have to do everything he can to put a face to the victim and develop a foundational story to provide the authorities so that it is not another forgotten case left to gather dust. An interesting addition to the series by two accomplished authors in their own rights, which builds on the protagonist to lure in new series fans. Recommended to those who like their crime thrillers that tackle the genre from a different perspective, as well as the reader who is a fan of either (or both) Kellerman authors.
I have a history reading Jesse Kellerman and was pleased to have the chance to see how well he meshes with his father’s style. The two work well together and provide the reader with an interesting approach to crime thrillers that skirt the borders of a police procedural. Clay Edison emerges from this piece with a great deal more emotional connection to the reader, particularly because the central victim and his own daughter were both so young. The reader can see the strains the case has on Edison, who remains strong and focussed on the task at hand. There is a great deal of character development here with little time to look backwards. I enjoyed this, as it kept things moving in a forward direction and left me wanting to know even more. There are other characters who play central roles throughout this piece and help to strengthen the foundation of an already decent story. These influences create a wonderful mix for the Kellermans as they build on a case that spans five decades. The story itself was quite well paced and kept building as the plot thickened. I enjoyed the contrast that Edison is forced to offer between the case and spending time with his daughter, which was a brilliant thing for the authors to do. The action never stops and even when things seem to hit a dead end, there is something there to resurrect them and new pathways are forged to keep the reader hooked. With some social commentary about identity in an era before computers, the authors educate readers while entertaining them throughout. While this was a quick read for me, those who wish to take a little more time will not loose the impact of the story. The mix of chapter lengths can only help create a buzz that will have the reader coming back for more with each page turn. I can only hope that there are more novels in the series to come, as this is surely one I will follow for as long as there are ideas to hash out.
Kudos, Messrs. Kellerman, for a wonderful addition to the series. I am hooked and hope others find this series to their liking as well!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
I have a history reading Jesse Kellerman and was pleased to have the chance to see how well he meshes with his father’s style. The two work well together and provide the reader with an interesting approach to crime thrillers that skirt the borders of a police procedural. Clay Edison emerges from this piece with a great deal more emotional connection to the reader, particularly because the central victim and his own daughter were both so young. The reader can see the strains the case has on Edison, who remains strong and focussed on the task at hand. There is a great deal of character development here with little time to look backwards. I enjoyed this, as it kept things moving in a forward direction and left me wanting to know even more. There are other characters who play central roles throughout this piece and help to strengthen the foundation of an already decent story. These influences create a wonderful mix for the Kellermans as they build on a case that spans five decades. The story itself was quite well paced and kept building as the plot thickened. I enjoyed the contrast that Edison is forced to offer between the case and spending time with his daughter, which was a brilliant thing for the authors to do. The action never stops and even when things seem to hit a dead end, there is something there to resurrect them and new pathways are forged to keep the reader hooked. With some social commentary about identity in an era before computers, the authors educate readers while entertaining them throughout. While this was a quick read for me, those who wish to take a little more time will not loose the impact of the story. The mix of chapter lengths can only help create a buzz that will have the reader coming back for more with each page turn. I can only hope that there are more novels in the series to come, as this is surely one I will follow for as long as there are ideas to hash out.
Kudos, Messrs. Kellerman, for a wonderful addition to the series. I am hooked and hope others find this series to their liking as well!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
July 22, 2020
Deputy Coroner Clay Edison and his wife Amy are the proud but sleep-deprived parents of fourteen week old baby Charlotte. Amy has just gone back to work so Clay now works the graveyard shift so they can be with their bundle of joy around the clock with full-time parenting and also to help save money for a home of their own. One morning Clay is called to the scene at Berkley University park where the remains of an infant have been discovered under the park stage buried in a blue blanket that happens to be at at least fifty years old. Clay receives a call from a man who thinks the baby may have been his sister who he cannot give any information about other than a picture but he is willing to do anything to have Clay investigate the mysterious disappearance of this child that he cannot stop thinking about. Clay's interest is piqued and he now begins the long, arduous journey of trying to uncover the the identity of two infants from two different backgrounds where Clay will encounter hatred, racism, callous indifference, poverty, ignorance, bloodshed and unexpected danger being directed toward his own family as he tries to bring justice for the one particular child who was left unknown and forgotten to the rest of the world for over half of a century.
This was an enjoyable slow-burn story of a good man trying to find identities and bring justice for two infants who had seemed long forgotten but Clay knows the answers are somewhere if someone (Clay) would dedicate themselves to the process of not giving up on the search. The story was made very entertaining by the day to day struggles and enjoyment that new parents encounter and how one wrong turn can upset the whole day and how new parents worlds are controlled every day by this tiny person who has disrupted all schedules and any type of organization or well thought out planning and also the great joy and satisfaction that comes with loving a human being who is solely dependent on the parents for their total existence. The parallels between these stories can't help but touch a reader's heart. I also enjoyed how the story went back in time with some history of the era of the 60's and early 70's counterculture with free love, peace not war, drugs fighting the man (the system), racism, bigotry etc. which were key factors when these unknown children were born. I am a huge fan of Jonathan Kellerman books especially the Alex Delaware series so I was impressed with Clay Edison and will be looking forward to reading more in this series as well as other books written by both father and son.
I want to thank the publisher " Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine" for the opportunity to read this advanced copy and any thoughts and opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
The publish date for this book is July 21, 2020
I would definitely recommend this book to other readers and especially anyone who enjoys Jonathan Kellerman novels or would like to take some steps back in time to the counter culture of the 60's and early 70's. I have given a rating of 4 Slow-Burning 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Stars!!
This was an enjoyable slow-burn story of a good man trying to find identities and bring justice for two infants who had seemed long forgotten but Clay knows the answers are somewhere if someone (Clay) would dedicate themselves to the process of not giving up on the search. The story was made very entertaining by the day to day struggles and enjoyment that new parents encounter and how one wrong turn can upset the whole day and how new parents worlds are controlled every day by this tiny person who has disrupted all schedules and any type of organization or well thought out planning and also the great joy and satisfaction that comes with loving a human being who is solely dependent on the parents for their total existence. The parallels between these stories can't help but touch a reader's heart. I also enjoyed how the story went back in time with some history of the era of the 60's and early 70's counterculture with free love, peace not war, drugs fighting the man (the system), racism, bigotry etc. which were key factors when these unknown children were born. I am a huge fan of Jonathan Kellerman books especially the Alex Delaware series so I was impressed with Clay Edison and will be looking forward to reading more in this series as well as other books written by both father and son.
I want to thank the publisher " Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine" for the opportunity to read this advanced copy and any thoughts and opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!
The publish date for this book is July 21, 2020
I would definitely recommend this book to other readers and especially anyone who enjoys Jonathan Kellerman novels or would like to take some steps back in time to the counter culture of the 60's and early 70's. I have given a rating of 4 Slow-Burning 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Stars!!
May 17, 2020
A very good thriller with Coroner Clay Edison working on little sleep, with his new baby causing an uproar in the household, when he is called to a park where bones had been found. The park is under demolition but many people in the area, who have called the park home for years, are protesting the action. The bones are of an infant, lovingly swaddled and left alone, although there is a plastic eye that looks to have come from a stuffed animal. Later a blue bear with a missing eye is found, leaving all involved to wonder why this baby was left here. Soon Clay receives a phone call from a man who believes it maybe his sister, but Clay needs more to go on then that!
Clay searches for answers, meeting some tough folks who live in their own area, refusing to deal with others. Things become stranger and harder to handle, disrupting Clay's life with his wife and daughter, and unleashing secrets of the past that unveil evil doings that have never seen the light of day.
A great look into how the past can effect the future, as a man tries to do his job properly despite fear of attack. I would like to Thank Netgalley and PenguinRandomHouse for the chance to read this story.
Clay searches for answers, meeting some tough folks who live in their own area, refusing to deal with others. Things become stranger and harder to handle, disrupting Clay's life with his wife and daughter, and unleashing secrets of the past that unveil evil doings that have never seen the light of day.
A great look into how the past can effect the future, as a man tries to do his job properly despite fear of attack. I would like to Thank Netgalley and PenguinRandomHouse for the chance to read this story.
September 30, 2021
Book Three in the series featuring Alameda County Coroner Clay Edison is a slow piece by piece investigation, not a wild action-packed shootout. Edison lives in Berkeley and the craziness of that place is typified by one of the two parallel stories in this novel. In Berkeley, People's Park s a legend, a vacant piece of land that the university keeps trying to develop despite angry community protests. This time though someone finally figured out to stop progress and building by dumping an infant's corpse in the park. Well, actually, the infant was buried there decades earlier, which makes figuring out who it was and whether he here was foul play nearly impossible to determine. Edison doggedly keeps poking no matter where the faint clues lead him. An, h never quite expected the story that eventually develops.
Th second story he investigates is as a favor to a friend. No this is another Berkeley mystery baby when someone finds photos of their mother with a mystery baby and no clue who the baby was or what happened to her. Again, Edison finds himself poking around in the past and into a story no one suspected.
Good writing carries this story and keeps the reader fascinated.
Many thanks to the publisher for providing a copy for review.
Th second story he investigates is as a favor to a friend. No this is another Berkeley mystery baby when someone finds photos of their mother with a mystery baby and no clue who the baby was or what happened to her. Again, Edison finds himself poking around in the past and into a story no one suspected.
Good writing carries this story and keeps the reader fascinated.
Many thanks to the publisher for providing a copy for review.
August 13, 2020
This is a very convoluted story with a lot (and I mean a lot) of characters so much so I had trouble keeping track of them. It rambles on about this and that with no purpose to whatever plot the authors had in mind.
I got absolutely no sense of the main characters, but I did not read the first two books so maybe that’s partly why I didn’t enjoy this one.
Apart from that I couldn’t make heads or tails of the story line continually interspersed with pages and pages of the main character moaning and groaning about taking care of his baby who wouldn’t go to sleep. I almost went to sleep reading it.
I don’t even know why the book’s title is “Half Moon Bay”, it doesn’t even appear until page 300.
I got absolutely no sense of the main characters, but I did not read the first two books so maybe that’s partly why I didn’t enjoy this one.
Apart from that I couldn’t make heads or tails of the story line continually interspersed with pages and pages of the main character moaning and groaning about taking care of his baby who wouldn’t go to sleep. I almost went to sleep reading it.
I don’t even know why the book’s title is “Half Moon Bay”, it doesn’t even appear until page 300.
August 11, 2020
I found this book to be both very engaging and intriguing. I liked the fact that there were several different storylines woven into the plot and the authors could still keep the pace of the book on track. The main character is likable and you are rooting for him throughout the book to solve the many mysteries thrown his way. Overall a great summer read.
June 21, 2020
Lots of twists in this one.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I love that the authors chose to create a main character with a unique point of view as a coroner. The fact that he does some side work as a matter of intrigue makes him even more interesting and the stories more appealing.
Set in the Bay Area of California, this murder mystery takes wild twist with its setting in the infamous Peoples Park in Berkeley. The authors add so much detail and unique twists that it is almost like peeling an onion.
Layers upon layers of evidence must be opened and examined, leads traced, and tense situations defused. Clay’s calming presence does help but his persistence to follow every avenue is what finally gets the case solved.
With plenty of twists to this remarkable story you will find yourself wondering how it will all come together in the end. I did find myself lost in the family names a bit as Clay scrapes away at the evidence. But hang in there. The windup and the ending is so real, it could be right from the headlines today!
* Copy received for review consideration
Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/half-moon-ba...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I love that the authors chose to create a main character with a unique point of view as a coroner. The fact that he does some side work as a matter of intrigue makes him even more interesting and the stories more appealing.
Set in the Bay Area of California, this murder mystery takes wild twist with its setting in the infamous Peoples Park in Berkeley. The authors add so much detail and unique twists that it is almost like peeling an onion.
Layers upon layers of evidence must be opened and examined, leads traced, and tense situations defused. Clay’s calming presence does help but his persistence to follow every avenue is what finally gets the case solved.
With plenty of twists to this remarkable story you will find yourself wondering how it will all come together in the end. I did find myself lost in the family names a bit as Clay scrapes away at the evidence. But hang in there. The windup and the ending is so real, it could be right from the headlines today!
* Copy received for review consideration
Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/half-moon-ba...
Want to read
January 20, 2021Deputy Coroner Clay Edison and his wife Amy are the proud but sleep-deprived parents of fourteen week old baby Charlotte. Amy has just gone back to work so Clay now works the graveyard shift so they can be with their bundle of joy around the clock with full-time parenting and also to help save money for a home of their own. One morning Clay is called to the scene at Berkley University park where the remains of an infant have been discovered under the park stage buried in a blue blanket that happens to be at at least fifty years old. Clay receives a call from a man who thinks the baby may have been his sister who he cannot give any information about other than a picture but he is willing to do anything to have Clay investigate the mysterious disappearance of this child that he cannot stop thinking about. Clay's interest is piqued and he now begins the long, arduous journey of trying to uncover the the identity of two infants from two different backgrounds where Clay will encounter hatred, racism, callous indifference, poverty, ignorance, bloodshed and unexpected danger being directed toward his own family as he tries to bring justice for the one particular child who was left unknown and forgotten to the rest of the world for over half of a century.
This was an enjoyable slow-burn story of a good man trying to find identities and bring justice for two infants who had seemed long forgotten but Clay knows the answers are somewhere if someone (Clay) would dedicate themselves to the process of not giving up on the search. The story was made very entertaining by the day to day struggles and enjoyment that new parents encounter and how one wrong turn can upset the whole day and how new parents worlds are controlled every day by this tiny person who has disrupted all schedules and any type of organization or well thought out planning and also the great joy and satisfaction that comes with loving a human being who is solely dependent on the parents for their total existence. The parallels between these stories can't help but touch a reader's heart. I also enjoyed how the story went back in time with some history of the era of the 60's and early 70's counterculture with free love, peace not war, drugs fighting the man (the system), racism, bigotry etc. which were key factors when these unknown children were born. I am a huge fan of Jonathan Kellerman books especially the Alex Delaware series so I was impressed with Clay Edison and will be looking forward to reading more in this series as well as other books written by both father and son.
I have used the same review from the title "Half Moon Bay" side they are the same book except with different titles and publishers!
I want to thank the publisher " Random House UK, Cornerstone" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this copy and any thoughts and opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone! The publish date for this book is July 23, 2020 I would definitely recommend this book to other readers and especially anyone who enjoys Jonathan Kellerman novels or would like to take some steps back in time to the counter culture of the 60's and early 70's. I have given a rating of 4 Slow-Burning 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Stars!!
This was an enjoyable slow-burn story of a good man trying to find identities and bring justice for two infants who had seemed long forgotten but Clay knows the answers are somewhere if someone (Clay) would dedicate themselves to the process of not giving up on the search. The story was made very entertaining by the day to day struggles and enjoyment that new parents encounter and how one wrong turn can upset the whole day and how new parents worlds are controlled every day by this tiny person who has disrupted all schedules and any type of organization or well thought out planning and also the great joy and satisfaction that comes with loving a human being who is solely dependent on the parents for their total existence. The parallels between these stories can't help but touch a reader's heart. I also enjoyed how the story went back in time with some history of the era of the 60's and early 70's counterculture with free love, peace not war, drugs fighting the man (the system), racism, bigotry etc. which were key factors when these unknown children were born. I am a huge fan of Jonathan Kellerman books especially the Alex Delaware series so I was impressed with Clay Edison and will be looking forward to reading more in this series as well as other books written by both father and son.
I have used the same review from the title "Half Moon Bay" side they are the same book except with different titles and publishers!
I want to thank the publisher " Random House UK, Cornerstone" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this copy and any thoughts and opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone! The publish date for this book is July 23, 2020 I would definitely recommend this book to other readers and especially anyone who enjoys Jonathan Kellerman novels or would like to take some steps back in time to the counter culture of the 60's and early 70's. I have given a rating of 4 Slow-Burning 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Stars!!
May 30, 2020
This is the third in the series featuring deputy coroner Clay Edison, and having read the previous two, I must say I think this is my favorite so far. Clay is not only competent at his job, but totally likable - as is his psychologist wife, Amy; together, they try to navigate job responsibilities around their infant daughter Charlotte, who isn't fond of sleeping - with Clay working the night shift.
At the beginning, Clay is called to a scene right out of the 1960s. On the Berkeley campus is a park that's mostly occupied by the homeless, but now plans call for renovating the property (read: get rid of the homeless) and erecting a building. In that process - which is loudly protested by the locals - one of the workers unearths small human bones. Clay and his partner, Kat Davenport, determine that it's part of a child's skeleton, raising the obvious question of identity as well as from whence, and when, the body was dumped at the site.
As the investigation begins, Clay gets another call, this time from a businessman who suspects the body might be a sister he never saw but always suspected went missing half a century ago. As the evidence builds up and more is learned about the skeleton, the story necessarily splits in two directions - with Clay investigating both (one officially and the other on his own time). While that adds interest and keeps the story moving along, it also makes for a boatload of characters to keep straight (and made me wonder how Clay, who is sleep-deprived as it is, could spare all those additional, and unpaid, hours). Along the way, he manages to get on the bad side of some very nasty people - not the least of whom are the folks protesting the razing of the park.
In the end, I found this to be a very enjoyable book that held my attention throughout (not that I expected anything less by anyone from the Kellerman clan). Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy. Look forward to the next in this series!
At the beginning, Clay is called to a scene right out of the 1960s. On the Berkeley campus is a park that's mostly occupied by the homeless, but now plans call for renovating the property (read: get rid of the homeless) and erecting a building. In that process - which is loudly protested by the locals - one of the workers unearths small human bones. Clay and his partner, Kat Davenport, determine that it's part of a child's skeleton, raising the obvious question of identity as well as from whence, and when, the body was dumped at the site.
As the investigation begins, Clay gets another call, this time from a businessman who suspects the body might be a sister he never saw but always suspected went missing half a century ago. As the evidence builds up and more is learned about the skeleton, the story necessarily splits in two directions - with Clay investigating both (one officially and the other on his own time). While that adds interest and keeps the story moving along, it also makes for a boatload of characters to keep straight (and made me wonder how Clay, who is sleep-deprived as it is, could spare all those additional, and unpaid, hours). Along the way, he manages to get on the bad side of some very nasty people - not the least of whom are the folks protesting the razing of the park.
In the end, I found this to be a very enjoyable book that held my attention throughout (not that I expected anything less by anyone from the Kellerman clan). Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy. Look forward to the next in this series!
August 4, 2020
Deputy Coroner Clay Edison is doing double duty in this new thriller. He has a new baby in the house and he's working the night shift.
He's called in to take a look when decades-old bones are found buried in a local park. And it's the body of a child. Then he receives a call from a local businessman wondering if the bones belong to his sister who disappeared 50 years ago. Or so he thinks.
BOOK BLURB: Clay’s relentless search for answers will unearth a history of violence and secrets, revolution and betrayal. Because in this town, the past isn’t dead. It’s very much alive. And it can be murderous.
I have long read Kellerman's books, so I was surprised that this one was not the least bit interesting. It's very slow in some spots, and there are many, varied story lines and characters ... too many to get a good hold of. The plot was convoluted and hard to follow. While not happy with this one, I will still take a chance on the next book. Hopefully this one was an anomaly.
Many thanks to the authors / Random House Publishing - Ballantine / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction mystery. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
He's called in to take a look when decades-old bones are found buried in a local park. And it's the body of a child. Then he receives a call from a local businessman wondering if the bones belong to his sister who disappeared 50 years ago. Or so he thinks.
BOOK BLURB: Clay’s relentless search for answers will unearth a history of violence and secrets, revolution and betrayal. Because in this town, the past isn’t dead. It’s very much alive. And it can be murderous.
I have long read Kellerman's books, so I was surprised that this one was not the least bit interesting. It's very slow in some spots, and there are many, varied story lines and characters ... too many to get a good hold of. The plot was convoluted and hard to follow. While not happy with this one, I will still take a chance on the next book. Hopefully this one was an anomaly.
Many thanks to the authors / Random House Publishing - Ballantine / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction mystery. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
June 27, 2020
Deputy Coroner Clay Edison is juggling a new baby who won’t sleep with working the graveyard shift. For once he’s trying to keep things simple.
When infant remains are found by developers demolishing a local park, a devastating cold case is brought back to light. Clay has barely begun to investigate when he receives a call from a man who thinks the remains could belong to his sister – who went missing fifty years ago. Now Clay is locked in a relentless search that will unearth a web of violence, secrets and betrayal.
This was my first book by Jonathan Kellerman and it definitely wont be my last!
What I liked the most about this book was that it had two stories going on at the same time but it did not get confusing at all. In fact, it kept me more engrossed in the story.
It was a quick read for me. Though there were a lot of characters involved, I was hooked on right till the end. Even the suspense in the murder mystery investigation was good.
Overall a very satisfying read! Looking forward to more books by this author.
Thank You to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for this ARC!!
When infant remains are found by developers demolishing a local park, a devastating cold case is brought back to light. Clay has barely begun to investigate when he receives a call from a man who thinks the remains could belong to his sister – who went missing fifty years ago. Now Clay is locked in a relentless search that will unearth a web of violence, secrets and betrayal.
This was my first book by Jonathan Kellerman and it definitely wont be my last!
What I liked the most about this book was that it had two stories going on at the same time but it did not get confusing at all. In fact, it kept me more engrossed in the story.
It was a quick read for me. Though there were a lot of characters involved, I was hooked on right till the end. Even the suspense in the murder mystery investigation was good.
Overall a very satisfying read! Looking forward to more books by this author.
Thank You to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for this ARC!!
December 23, 2023
I love that the authors chose to create a main character with a unique point of view as a coroner.
The fact that he does some side work as a matter of intrigue makes him even more interesting and the stories more appealing.
To be honest, I had grown weary of the Kellerman characters and plotlines.
To me, I felt they had become too formulaic.
But this story was worth it from beginning to end.
The fact that he does some side work as a matter of intrigue makes him even more interesting and the stories more appealing.
To be honest, I had grown weary of the Kellerman characters and plotlines.
To me, I felt they had become too formulaic.
But this story was worth it from beginning to end.
September 26, 2020
I am a big fan of Jonathan Kellerman, but this book is just okay. The two main storylines are just not that interesting and the writing seems herky-jerky. There are too many characters and the story is sometimes difficult to follow. The chapter where the birth mother tells her backstory is by far the best chapter in the book. Recommended only to Kellerman enthusiasts.
September 12, 2020
Confusing, muddled plot lines, and way too much soapbox preaching.
August 9, 2020
The University of Berkeley is demolishing a three acre park to build a dorm. In the excavation, a baby's skeleton is unearthed. Deputy Coroner Clay Edison is called to the scene. With all the publicity, protests begin at the site. Clay is trying to identify the baby plus he's looking for another person who has been missing for many years.
Whew, that was a whole lot of characters to keep up with. Clay interviews a bunch of folks and I had problems with all the dialogue. Obviously, I should have taken notes of all the names to keep the family tree and everyone else straight. I have liked Clay from the start of the series but I didn't find this story very interesting. Maybe I've been seeing too much current happenings with violent protests and white supremacy thrown into the mix. Nevertheless, I'll be watching for the next one in this series.
Whew, that was a whole lot of characters to keep up with. Clay interviews a bunch of folks and I had problems with all the dialogue. Obviously, I should have taken notes of all the names to keep the family tree and everyone else straight. I have liked Clay from the start of the series but I didn't find this story very interesting. Maybe I've been seeing too much current happenings with violent protests and white supremacy thrown into the mix. Nevertheless, I'll be watching for the next one in this series.
August 8, 2020
“Half Moon Bay” is a first person narrative by Clay Edison. He lives in Berkeley and works in the Alameda County Coroner’s Bureau. He shares his thoughts, concerns, and insecurities with readers. He talks about the world around him and surviving bedlam in the midst of normality. Edison and his wife Amy balance the demands of their jobs with the demands of their baby, Charlotte. The narrative has three distinct styles; Edison is exacting and professional when working, friendly and casual with friends, and panicked and nervous about being a dad. He comments about the world, and he talks to himself a lot.
Edison is called to a construction site on the Berkeley campus when the bones of a child are unearthed. Berkley is always in the midst of one protest or another, and this intensifies the demonstrations. Events unfold in a linear progression with a few flashbacks to fill in details. Edison is steady, systematic, and detailed as he searches for answers, meanwhile, projects halt, protests grow, and people hide secrets. The narrative is strengthened by vivid and exquisite descriptions of everything and everybody.
“The sun sent up a death knell flare. Pale strip of hard-baked dirt ran toward the encroaching dusk.”
“Half Moon Bay” is the location where all the pieces start to fall into place. Edison always seems to be on the edge of chaos; however, this book is not anxiety inducing or traumatizing even though bad things happen. It is easy to follow Edison as he tries to do the best he can with wife, baby, and complex job. “Half Moon Bay” is book three in the series, but it is not necessary to have read the previous books to enjoy this one. I received a copy of “Half Moon Bay” from Jonathan Kellerman, Jesse Kellerman, Random House Publishing Group, and Ballantine Books.
Edison is called to a construction site on the Berkeley campus when the bones of a child are unearthed. Berkley is always in the midst of one protest or another, and this intensifies the demonstrations. Events unfold in a linear progression with a few flashbacks to fill in details. Edison is steady, systematic, and detailed as he searches for answers, meanwhile, projects halt, protests grow, and people hide secrets. The narrative is strengthened by vivid and exquisite descriptions of everything and everybody.
“The sun sent up a death knell flare. Pale strip of hard-baked dirt ran toward the encroaching dusk.”
“Half Moon Bay” is the location where all the pieces start to fall into place. Edison always seems to be on the edge of chaos; however, this book is not anxiety inducing or traumatizing even though bad things happen. It is easy to follow Edison as he tries to do the best he can with wife, baby, and complex job. “Half Moon Bay” is book three in the series, but it is not necessary to have read the previous books to enjoy this one. I received a copy of “Half Moon Bay” from Jonathan Kellerman, Jesse Kellerman, Random House Publishing Group, and Ballantine Books.
May 15, 2020
I'm so disappointed! I'm such a fan of Jonathan Kellerman and would read anything he has written, so, I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to preview this, written in collaboration and I think it shows and not in a good way.
Some bones are found in a park in California. The description of the area is very much written as if known by the reader and in my case, it isn't. This made for some hard going from the start. The story then meanders along and feels clunky and disjointed. There are parts I really enjoyed such as the building of the lead character and his family but there was just too much going on and too many characters to maintain any thread.
It's not a bad read and if you go into it knowing that it's complicated and almost a build of a number of stories, you'll likely enjoy. For me it's a 2* OK read.
Some bones are found in a park in California. The description of the area is very much written as if known by the reader and in my case, it isn't. This made for some hard going from the start. The story then meanders along and feels clunky and disjointed. There are parts I really enjoyed such as the building of the lead character and his family but there was just too much going on and too many characters to maintain any thread.
It's not a bad read and if you go into it knowing that it's complicated and almost a build of a number of stories, you'll likely enjoy. For me it's a 2* OK read.
July 30, 2020
Half Moon Bay by Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman
For me this book had a lot going on and it took a while to get there. Good fleshed out characters but none that I really had an affinity for, it moved slow. I like these authors so I believe it was me and the story just did not grab me. It wasn't a bad story just not for me. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this and leave my opinion.
For me this book had a lot going on and it took a while to get there. Good fleshed out characters but none that I really had an affinity for, it moved slow. I like these authors so I believe it was me and the story just did not grab me. It wasn't a bad story just not for me. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this and leave my opinion.
September 3, 2020
I have read Jonathan Kellerman’s Alex Delaware series for more years than I care to think about…and absolutely loved the characters and the series. I was hesitant to start this new series with new characters to learn to like or dislike but I am really glad that I did. The character of Clay Edison is just as interesting as Alex and his friend, police detective Milo Sturgis and as coroner he is presented with the opportunity to add more information about the dead that he works with. This one though, I found to be stretching the imagination a bit. Clay did things that a coroner not only wouldn’t do but wouldn’t have the authority to do. As fascinated as I am with forensics…I found a lot of the information just boring…slow moving and a bit hard to follow with way too many side stories. I’m wondering if the additional author Jesse, his son, could account for the difference in Jonathan’s usual style of writing. I’ll continue with the series but hope that Clay gets back on track soon.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Random House Publishing in exchange for an honest opinion. The views expressed by this reviewer are entirely my own.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Random House Publishing in exchange for an honest opinion. The views expressed by this reviewer are entirely my own.
May 2, 2020
368 pages
5 stars
Clay Edison and his wife Amy now have an infant daughter named Charlotte. They are struggling with being exhausted all of the time.
Clay gets a call about a possible body at a construction site. It is a skeleton. It is a baby, an infant. At the same time, protestors are causing trouble at the work site.
Clay is contacted by a Peter Franchette who says the infant might be his sister. Well, he's not exactly sure...This sets Clay on the trail of the Franchette family and he learns much about Bev, Peter's mother and the volatile Gene her husband. Clay, of course, gets sucked into investigating not only the identity of the baby, but Peter's claims.
The book takes off in two different directions. The baby is a boy and Peter is looking for his sister. Clay pursues these two lines of inquiry. The baby's DNA comes back and a surprise is in store, not only for Clay, but also for the father of the child. Now, he needs to find a relative who might be willing to pay funeral costs for the baby.
Clay's investigation into Peter's story takes him to many places. He meets with many people before he is able to put together the clues. The answer surprised this reader. I was sure that the story would have turned out differently.
Meanwhile the protestors are getting more rowdy and causing damage to construction equipment and to the very park they are supposed to be “protecting.”
Clay, Amy and baby Charlotte have a brush with danger.
This is a very well written and plotted novel. I enjoyed it immensely. The two parallel investigations caught my interest quickly, although at times I became slightly confused. The book reads very quickly. I devoured it in one sitting. It made perfect logical sense, one event follows another apace. I liked Clay and Amy and Charlotte was a gem. It made me harken back to my son when he was that age. And I loved the altered “Stop” signs.
I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine/Ballantine Books for forwarding to me a copy of this most excellent book for me to read, enjoy and review.
5 stars
Clay Edison and his wife Amy now have an infant daughter named Charlotte. They are struggling with being exhausted all of the time.
Clay gets a call about a possible body at a construction site. It is a skeleton. It is a baby, an infant. At the same time, protestors are causing trouble at the work site.
Clay is contacted by a Peter Franchette who says the infant might be his sister. Well, he's not exactly sure...This sets Clay on the trail of the Franchette family and he learns much about Bev, Peter's mother and the volatile Gene her husband. Clay, of course, gets sucked into investigating not only the identity of the baby, but Peter's claims.
The book takes off in two different directions. The baby is a boy and Peter is looking for his sister. Clay pursues these two lines of inquiry. The baby's DNA comes back and a surprise is in store, not only for Clay, but also for the father of the child. Now, he needs to find a relative who might be willing to pay funeral costs for the baby.
Clay's investigation into Peter's story takes him to many places. He meets with many people before he is able to put together the clues. The answer surprised this reader. I was sure that the story would have turned out differently.
Meanwhile the protestors are getting more rowdy and causing damage to construction equipment and to the very park they are supposed to be “protecting.”
Clay, Amy and baby Charlotte have a brush with danger.
This is a very well written and plotted novel. I enjoyed it immensely. The two parallel investigations caught my interest quickly, although at times I became slightly confused. The book reads very quickly. I devoured it in one sitting. It made perfect logical sense, one event follows another apace. I liked Clay and Amy and Charlotte was a gem. It made me harken back to my son when he was that age. And I loved the altered “Stop” signs.
I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine/Ballantine Books for forwarding to me a copy of this most excellent book for me to read, enjoy and review.
April 18, 2022
Half Moon Bay by Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman is the 3rd in the Clay Edison series.
Series Background: (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
Clay Edison is a Deputy Sheriff, working for the Alameda Coroner's office in California. His job is mainly to determine the identity of victims and inform their next of kin. But he often takes things a little further than his job description allows, and finds their murderer. He majored in psychology, and has a bum knee that ruined his basketball career. His boss is Night Shift Sergeant Brad Moffett. His brother has recently gotten out of jail.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Clay is called to the People's Park, (part of the university) where a demolition has un-earthed bones. They are that of a child, and they have been there for decades. It will take Clay a long time to determine who this child was, and how his bones could have ended up in this site. Even when he finds the father, the mother is a mystery.
Clay gets a call from a local businessman who thinks the bones may belong to his missing sister, who has been missing for 50 years. Now Clay has more questions.
Meanwhile, Clay has recently become a father, and his little girl doesn't like to sleep....so neither Amy nor Clay are sleeping either.
My Opinions:
This continues to be an entertaining series, because Clay's position isn't always based on the police aspect of the investigation.
I like the relationship between Clay and Amy, and how they are both trying so hard to be good parents, while both retaining their careers. This whole book is centered around families.
As always, the plot was good, but there were a LOT of characters, and since Clay was actually working on two cases, sometimes I got confused as to which case each person belonged to. I just realized I had this problem with the last book in this series too. As well, I think there was too much information on the protests (past and present), and hence I found myself skimming. Again, I skimmed in the last book too. I see a pattern developing.... Although the book was good, I did feel that it moved rather slowly, no real excitement.
The overall plot, however, was very interesting, and I certainly can't complain about the writing. Although the title didn't appear in the book until over 80% read, and I kept wondering.....
On to the next....in a month or two.
For a more complete review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, as well as author information and contact details), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
November 14, 2020
At a controversial development on the UC Berkeley grounds, the skeletal remains of a baby are found. Clay Edison is on the nightshift as a deputy coroner and has to determine whose bones these are. They’re not native but fairly ‘recent’, from the early seventies and belong to a male infant between 6 and 18 months. By law, Clay has the duty to inform the family of the deceased but first, he has to find out who the child is. The UC detective designed to the case is lazy and none too bright and of very little help.
Clay receives a strange phone call from Peter Franchette who believes the bones might belong to his missing sister. He has an old photo from his mother with a baby girl about whom his parents never spoke. Clay decides to help the man in his free time. So first of, all they must find out if there ever was an older sister before they can start to, determine what could have happened to her.
That both cases are about babies is close to home for Clay who’s a new dad of an insomniac new-born. I’m sure that some educators will have lots of comments on the choices Clay makes when it comes to working and babysitters but no harm is done, so what?
I’m a huge fan of Kellerman’s ‘Alex Delaware’ stories and I was curious how this new series would turn out. I needn’t worry about it; the quality is just as high as ever and even the style of writing and story development are very similar. There’s no life-threatening heroics by superheroes, but hard work and slowly evolving theories as the result of many interviews with a long list of people that may have knowledge about either mystery.
This is the 3rd book in this series and the supporting characters are well fleshed out and the family dynamics already established. Clay Edison hasn’t yet made a lasting impression, but I’m sure that with more stories he’ll find the way to my heart as well.
The 2 investigations both involve infants and extensive families with many siblings and other relatives. Sometimes it was a little bit confusing to remember which family belongs to which baby and investigation. You have to keep your mind with you at all times.
The fighting about the development and digging between contractors, university, and protesters continues for the whole book and is responsible for some very funny scenes. It’s very realistic when it comes to the politics and mechanics of protest organisations. They’re a bit ridiculed in this story and I must admit that I don’t see much ground or reason for their protests myself.
The ending contains an interesting dilemma of how to react to newfound information about historical crimes.
I thank Netgalley and Random House for the free ARC they provided me with and this is my honest, unbiased review of it.
Clay receives a strange phone call from Peter Franchette who believes the bones might belong to his missing sister. He has an old photo from his mother with a baby girl about whom his parents never spoke. Clay decides to help the man in his free time. So first of, all they must find out if there ever was an older sister before they can start to, determine what could have happened to her.
That both cases are about babies is close to home for Clay who’s a new dad of an insomniac new-born. I’m sure that some educators will have lots of comments on the choices Clay makes when it comes to working and babysitters but no harm is done, so what?
I’m a huge fan of Kellerman’s ‘Alex Delaware’ stories and I was curious how this new series would turn out. I needn’t worry about it; the quality is just as high as ever and even the style of writing and story development are very similar. There’s no life-threatening heroics by superheroes, but hard work and slowly evolving theories as the result of many interviews with a long list of people that may have knowledge about either mystery.
This is the 3rd book in this series and the supporting characters are well fleshed out and the family dynamics already established. Clay Edison hasn’t yet made a lasting impression, but I’m sure that with more stories he’ll find the way to my heart as well.
The 2 investigations both involve infants and extensive families with many siblings and other relatives. Sometimes it was a little bit confusing to remember which family belongs to which baby and investigation. You have to keep your mind with you at all times.
The fighting about the development and digging between contractors, university, and protesters continues for the whole book and is responsible for some very funny scenes. It’s very realistic when it comes to the politics and mechanics of protest organisations. They’re a bit ridiculed in this story and I must admit that I don’t see much ground or reason for their protests myself.
The ending contains an interesting dilemma of how to react to newfound information about historical crimes.
I thank Netgalley and Random House for the free ARC they provided me with and this is my honest, unbiased review of it.
July 22, 2020
I found this book a little confusing and difficult to follow at times, which is unusual for me. There were a lot of characters and I kept forgetting who was connected to which part of the story - the bones of the baby found in the park or the missing sister from years ago that the main character was helping to look for. I liked the main characters as they seemed very real and relatable. The writing seemed a bit disjointed at times although the story was a good one and I liked the ending.
August 25, 2020
Not my favorite Jonathan Kellerman. Like the Alex Delaware series more. This book felt disjointed and all over the place.
Read
August 6, 2020If you've read anything by the Kellermans (and I think I've read them all) then you know you will find many quirky characters and red herrings that will keep your head spinning until the end! Clay is a coroner and a new father, which of course means he is sleep-deprived as well as worried about keeping his job. When the remains of a young infant are unearthed at the site of what could be sacred native land, he has little to go on. And when he gets a call from a man asking help with his little sister who went missing years ago, Clay wonders if there is any connection. So get ready for this latest roller-coaster ride of a book! They never disappoint!
And on an (un)related note, I met Jesse Kellerman years ago at the L.A Festival of books. He was at a booth sitting next to Harlan Coben. Starstruck, I swooned and apparently my brains fell out of my ears because I walked up to him and the first words out of my mouth were, "Oh my God, you're 10 years old!" And instead of calling me on my incredibly rude behavior, he smiled graciously and said, "Why yes I am." He then proceeded to sign our books and take a picture with us. Yes, I did apologize!
In my defense, he did look really young but that's no excuse for my behavior!
And on an (un)related note, I met Jesse Kellerman years ago at the L.A Festival of books. He was at a booth sitting next to Harlan Coben. Starstruck, I swooned and apparently my brains fell out of my ears because I walked up to him and the first words out of my mouth were, "Oh my God, you're 10 years old!" And instead of calling me on my incredibly rude behavior, he smiled graciously and said, "Why yes I am." He then proceeded to sign our books and take a picture with us. Yes, I did apologize!
In my defense, he did look really young but that's no excuse for my behavior!
April 20, 2021
One of the things I liked about this book is how long it took to solve both crimes, roughly around six months. So often crimes are fast paced and solved within a week so the slower pace was interesting. The story around the remains is heart-breaking. I got a little confused around the missing sister towards the end and had to read some of it a second time mostly because a few too many secondary characters were introduced very quickly at the end, none of who really mattered and it threw me. I also got confused around the many different law enforcements but that’s not particularly the authors fault; I often get confused by the many different American forces but character-wise I liked Clay and the people he worked with. Apparently this is a series but I can’t find anything on the blurb as to whether it’s a first book or further on. as a first it sets the scene quite well, if it isn’t I don’t feel like I missed out on anything. I will however look out for any further books in this series as I really enjoyed it.
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