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Alex Delaware #21
Obsession
This edition contains an excerpt from Jonathan Kellerman's Victims.
With scores of millions of books in print, translation into two dozen languages, and one of the most popular heroes in contemporary fiction to his name, #1 New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Kellerman is the unequivocal “master of the psychological thriller” (People). In his newest novel Kellerman delivers a tour de force–poignant, dark, and chilling–that illuminates a shadowy world where impulse rules.
Tanya Bigelow was a solemn little girl when Dr. Alex Delaware successfully treated her obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Now, at nineteen, she still seems older than her years– but her problems go beyond hyper-maturity. Patty Bigelow, Tanya’s aunt and adoptive mother, has made a deathbed confession of murder and urged the young woman to seek Delaware’s help. The doctor recalls Patty as a selfless E.R. nurse struggling to raise a child on her own–a woman seemingly incapable of the “terrible thing” she has admitted. But for Tanya’s peace of mind, Delaware agrees to investigate, and he enlists LAPD detective Milo Sturgis in the search for the phantom victim of a crime that may never have occurred.
Armed with only the vaguest details, psychologist and cop follow a trail twisting from L.A.’s sleaziest low-rent districts to its overblown mansions, retracing Patty and Tanya’s nomadic and increasingly puzzling life to the doorsteps of a sullen heroin addict; a randy real-estate broker; and a brilliant, enigmatic physics student. Suddenly a very real murder tears open a terrifying tunnel into the past, where secrets–and bodies–are buried. As the tension mounts, Delaware and Sturgis uncover a tangled history of desperation, vengeance, and death–a legacy of evil that refuses to die.
Dramatic, action-packed, and filled with the psychological detail that only Jonathan Kellerman can provide, Obsession is a whodunit, a whydunit– and something a did-it-even-happen? This is Kellerman at his heart-racing best.
With scores of millions of books in print, translation into two dozen languages, and one of the most popular heroes in contemporary fiction to his name, #1 New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Kellerman is the unequivocal “master of the psychological thriller” (People). In his newest novel Kellerman delivers a tour de force–poignant, dark, and chilling–that illuminates a shadowy world where impulse rules.
Tanya Bigelow was a solemn little girl when Dr. Alex Delaware successfully treated her obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Now, at nineteen, she still seems older than her years– but her problems go beyond hyper-maturity. Patty Bigelow, Tanya’s aunt and adoptive mother, has made a deathbed confession of murder and urged the young woman to seek Delaware’s help. The doctor recalls Patty as a selfless E.R. nurse struggling to raise a child on her own–a woman seemingly incapable of the “terrible thing” she has admitted. But for Tanya’s peace of mind, Delaware agrees to investigate, and he enlists LAPD detective Milo Sturgis in the search for the phantom victim of a crime that may never have occurred.
Armed with only the vaguest details, psychologist and cop follow a trail twisting from L.A.’s sleaziest low-rent districts to its overblown mansions, retracing Patty and Tanya’s nomadic and increasingly puzzling life to the doorsteps of a sullen heroin addict; a randy real-estate broker; and a brilliant, enigmatic physics student. Suddenly a very real murder tears open a terrifying tunnel into the past, where secrets–and bodies–are buried. As the tension mounts, Delaware and Sturgis uncover a tangled history of desperation, vengeance, and death–a legacy of evil that refuses to die.
Dramatic, action-packed, and filled with the psychological detail that only Jonathan Kellerman can provide, Obsession is a whodunit, a whydunit– and something a did-it-even-happen? This is Kellerman at his heart-racing best.
466 pages, ebook
First published March 27, 2007
705 people are currently reading
3606 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 548 reviews
February 1, 2022
So I gave myself permission to ignore my habitual OCD, which would normally make me read this series in order, and instead to dip into it at random. After all the two main characters do not change much and each book tells a new story so I should be fine.
Obsession follows the story of Tania Bigelow whose adoptive mother has just died after a deathbed confession that she killed someone. Tania calls on Alex and Milo to help her solve this mystery and this unleashes a whole series of murders and other crimes.
I really enjoy the relationship between the two main characters and find their dialogue and their police work interesting and entertaining. This author is similar to James Patterson as far as I am concerned. They both provide quick, fun mysteries which are written with the enjoyment of the reader as a priority. Nothing heavy, nothing complicated, just good solid reads to spend a few hours with. And I still have so many more to read!
Obsession follows the story of Tania Bigelow whose adoptive mother has just died after a deathbed confession that she killed someone. Tania calls on Alex and Milo to help her solve this mystery and this unleashes a whole series of murders and other crimes.
I really enjoy the relationship between the two main characters and find their dialogue and their police work interesting and entertaining. This author is similar to James Patterson as far as I am concerned. They both provide quick, fun mysteries which are written with the enjoyment of the reader as a priority. Nothing heavy, nothing complicated, just good solid reads to spend a few hours with. And I still have so many more to read!
March 14, 2008
I hate myself for loving Jonathan Kellerman. He's the literary equvalent of potato chips: addictive, tasty, and with no nutritional value. This is a good exemplar of his work.
April 26, 2021
Un thriller politist foarte bun in care, in mod inedit, cei care ancheteaza sunt un cuplu alcatuit dintre un psiholog si un politist. Personal, imi plac foarte mult cartile in care, pe langa un detectiv, in desfasurarea cazului este implicat si un psiholog, psihiatru, medic legist sau orice alt specialist, chiar si o bunicuta bagacioasa. Consider ca este normal ca un politist sa nu se priceapa la orice si nici nu-mi place ca intreaga putere si responsabilitate sa se concentreze in mana unui singur om, care adesea poate fi corupt sau slab pregatit.
In ceea ce priveste actiunea, o asistenta cumsecade Patty Biggelow ii marturiseste pe patul de moarte fiicei sale adoptive Tanya ca in trecut a omorat pe cineva. Dupa decesul ei, Tanya il contacteaza pe psihologul Alex Delaware pentru a-l ruga sa sape in trecutul mamei sale. Alaturi de el va porni pe acest drum intortocheat al trecutului femeii si detectivul Milo Sturgis. Dupa unele descoperiri crimele incep sa curga si o afacere sordida de multi ani incepe sa fie dezgropata.
Daca cei doi vor reusi sa rezolve aceasta enigma a unei presupuse crime si daca Patty este inger sau de fapt demon ramane sa aflati citind romanul.
Mi-a placut ca se vorbeste despre tulburarea obsesiv-compulsiva si ca psihologul prefera tratamentul cognitiv - comportamental in locul medicamentelor care sporesc fluxul de serotonina catre creier. Desi tratamentul dureaza mai mult acesta nu are efectele secundare ale medicamentelor.
Alt lucru care m-a incantat este faptul ca romanul ofera o foarte buna descriere a Los Angeles-ului si Hollywood-ului amintind de Crescent Heights, Sunset Boulevard, Melrose Place ori Beverly Hills. M-au amuzat in acest sens urmatoarele citate:
"In Los Angeles, luxul inseamna sa te prefaci ca planeta nu mai e locuita de nimeni, in afara de tine."
"Dar eram la Los Angeles, nu?, unde subtilitatea poate fi un mod de a ajunge rapid la obscuritate."
Romanul este interesant si pentru ca are foarte multe trimiteri la personaje celebre precum Batman, Blanche DuBois ("Un tramvai numit dorinta"), Judge Juddy (din reality show-ul omonim), Cruella, Michael Jackson, Philip Marlowe, echipa de fotbal L.A. Rams si biscuitii Oreo.
Ceea ce nu mi-a placut si a costat romanul o stea este faptul ca am intalnit prea mult 'daca' si 'parca' si mi s-a parut ca cititorul este in asa masura aburit incat nu mai stie nici cum il cheama daramite sa urmareasca firul anchetei si sa determine cine este criminalul.
In final atasez si cateva citate, mai mult din sfera psihologiei care mi s-au parut, unele chiar profunde:
"- Optimismul e refuzul realitatii din partea natarailor fara pic de experienta de viata.
- Si pesimismul ce e? am spus.
- Religie fara Dumnezeu."
"Dar, nu-i asa, daca viata ar fi prea usoara, am incepe sa ne inchipuim ca suntem mai mult decat niste maimute naparlite".
"Vechea teorie a ierarhiei haosului. Nu-i nici o problema sa impusti un coiot, dar daca pudelul vecinului vine si te musca, stai sa te gandesti de doua ori."
"Calitatea de adult e oricum o notiune cam stupida, nu credeti? Oamenii se maturizeaza in nenumarate feluri."
In ceea ce priveste actiunea, o asistenta cumsecade Patty Biggelow ii marturiseste pe patul de moarte fiicei sale adoptive Tanya ca in trecut a omorat pe cineva. Dupa decesul ei, Tanya il contacteaza pe psihologul Alex Delaware pentru a-l ruga sa sape in trecutul mamei sale. Alaturi de el va porni pe acest drum intortocheat al trecutului femeii si detectivul Milo Sturgis. Dupa unele descoperiri crimele incep sa curga si o afacere sordida de multi ani incepe sa fie dezgropata.
Daca cei doi vor reusi sa rezolve aceasta enigma a unei presupuse crime si daca Patty este inger sau de fapt demon ramane sa aflati citind romanul.
Mi-a placut ca se vorbeste despre tulburarea obsesiv-compulsiva si ca psihologul prefera tratamentul cognitiv - comportamental in locul medicamentelor care sporesc fluxul de serotonina catre creier. Desi tratamentul dureaza mai mult acesta nu are efectele secundare ale medicamentelor.
Alt lucru care m-a incantat este faptul ca romanul ofera o foarte buna descriere a Los Angeles-ului si Hollywood-ului amintind de Crescent Heights, Sunset Boulevard, Melrose Place ori Beverly Hills. M-au amuzat in acest sens urmatoarele citate:
"In Los Angeles, luxul inseamna sa te prefaci ca planeta nu mai e locuita de nimeni, in afara de tine."
"Dar eram la Los Angeles, nu?, unde subtilitatea poate fi un mod de a ajunge rapid la obscuritate."
Romanul este interesant si pentru ca are foarte multe trimiteri la personaje celebre precum Batman, Blanche DuBois ("Un tramvai numit dorinta"), Judge Juddy (din reality show-ul omonim), Cruella, Michael Jackson, Philip Marlowe, echipa de fotbal L.A. Rams si biscuitii Oreo.
Ceea ce nu mi-a placut si a costat romanul o stea este faptul ca am intalnit prea mult 'daca' si 'parca' si mi s-a parut ca cititorul este in asa masura aburit incat nu mai stie nici cum il cheama daramite sa urmareasca firul anchetei si sa determine cine este criminalul.
In final atasez si cateva citate, mai mult din sfera psihologiei care mi s-au parut, unele chiar profunde:
"- Optimismul e refuzul realitatii din partea natarailor fara pic de experienta de viata.
- Si pesimismul ce e? am spus.
- Religie fara Dumnezeu."
"Dar, nu-i asa, daca viata ar fi prea usoara, am incepe sa ne inchipuim ca suntem mai mult decat niste maimute naparlite".
"Vechea teorie a ierarhiei haosului. Nu-i nici o problema sa impusti un coiot, dar daca pudelul vecinului vine si te musca, stai sa te gandesti de doua ori."
"Calitatea de adult e oricum o notiune cam stupida, nu credeti? Oamenii se maturizeaza in nenumarate feluri."
October 14, 2008
Meh. Two-and-a-half stars, probably.
It's okay, but only because Kellerman is an accomplished author, and knows how to tell a tale, but his characters are all seeming, well, stale. Nothing is new here. I didn't really guess "who dunnit" but I also didn't care a lot. His villian in this one is just plain gross (which is typical Kellerman) and could have been plucked whole from any other Kellerman novel. The woman that Milo and Alex set out to help is supposed to be this very smart, ultra-mature 20-year-old but who I see as vapid and child-like. And I am tired of Robin and Alex's relationship. It's wierd, it's stagnant, and it's boring.
Hmmmm. I guess I really didn't like this one much after all. Still, I read the whole thing.
It's okay, but only because Kellerman is an accomplished author, and knows how to tell a tale, but his characters are all seeming, well, stale. Nothing is new here. I didn't really guess "who dunnit" but I also didn't care a lot. His villian in this one is just plain gross (which is typical Kellerman) and could have been plucked whole from any other Kellerman novel. The woman that Milo and Alex set out to help is supposed to be this very smart, ultra-mature 20-year-old but who I see as vapid and child-like. And I am tired of Robin and Alex's relationship. It's wierd, it's stagnant, and it's boring.
Hmmmm. I guess I really didn't like this one much after all. Still, I read the whole thing.
February 18, 2010
I honestly couldn't even finish this book. As a psychology student who likes mystery, I thought this was a sure thing. Unfortunately that wasn't the case. I felt the writing was sub-par, and as a result, I didn't feel very attached to the characters. I haven't completely lost hope. Maybe I'll try a different one of Kellerman's books because it seems like he has fans out there!
October 20, 2020
Somewhere between a 3 and 3.5. I may have been distracted so I’m not going to judge this too harshly. I always enjoy Alex and Milo but I’m not sure about this particular plot. Something seemed a bit too much of a stretch maybe. But overall it was a decent story so I’ll just go with it’s not the book, it’s me. Sometimes there is just too much noise to focus. I kept forgetting who some of the characters were. So not bad but not great either.
December 1, 2007
Jonathan Kellerman has set the bar for psychological thrillers, and he's set it high. Unfortunately, Obsession, the latest in the Alex Delaware series, falls short of his previous achievements.
While the usual elements are there -- a previous client needs help, and Delaware and his detective pal Milo Sturgis jump to the rescue -- things feel a bit stale. Everything is just a bit tepid. Their reason for becoming involved in the mystery (a dying request from Sturgis' lover's co-worker) is tenuous at best. Because there is no immediate crime to investigate, just the suspicion of one, things start off slow. And the character development seems to stagnate. Robin, Delaware's live-in love, is a mere two-dimensional place holder with no personality of her own, and nothing new about Delaware's or Sturgis' personalities is revealed.
The young girl they're interceding on behalf of is annoying and simple (does this college-aged girl REALLY call her mother "Mommy" ALL the time???). I wanted her to be guilty of something, just because she bugged me so much. Bad news when the reader is cheering for culpability on the part of the who's supposed to be protected.
All in all, a decently plotted and written mystery, but that spark of excitement and frisson of fear that accompanies most of Kellerman's books is missing.
While the usual elements are there -- a previous client needs help, and Delaware and his detective pal Milo Sturgis jump to the rescue -- things feel a bit stale. Everything is just a bit tepid. Their reason for becoming involved in the mystery (a dying request from Sturgis' lover's co-worker) is tenuous at best. Because there is no immediate crime to investigate, just the suspicion of one, things start off slow. And the character development seems to stagnate. Robin, Delaware's live-in love, is a mere two-dimensional place holder with no personality of her own, and nothing new about Delaware's or Sturgis' personalities is revealed.
The young girl they're interceding on behalf of is annoying and simple (does this college-aged girl REALLY call her mother "Mommy" ALL the time???). I wanted her to be guilty of something, just because she bugged me so much. Bad news when the reader is cheering for culpability on the part of the who's supposed to be protected.
All in all, a decently plotted and written mystery, but that spark of excitement and frisson of fear that accompanies most of Kellerman's books is missing.
March 24, 2023
“ Las personas con secretos separan en partes lo que quieren que otra gente sepa.”
Fui a la biblioteca y me encontré con este libro thriller y cómo no había leído nada de este autor decidí darle una oportunidad. Cabe destacar que este autor es muy leído en Estados Unidos, tanto que me salió su nombre en un libro que leí recientemente.
Este corresponde al libro de la serie 21 que corresponde al doctor Delaware, un psiquiatra que ayuda a la policía a resolver crímenes.
Todo inicia cuando una chica llamada Tanya se comunica con el doctor, para informarle que su madre adoptiva le confesó antes de morir, que había matado un hombre.
El doctor duda mucho de esa confesión pero para tranquilizar a la joven decide investigar con sus amigos de la policía. Por lo que ronda todos los lugares en que la joven vivió desde su infancia. Para su sorpresa, uno de los viejos vecinos muere en circunstancias sospechosas, después que el doctor lo visitara.
El doctor Delaware junto a sus amigos deben descubrir quién está detrás de este asesinato y la conexión que tiene con la confesión de la madre de Tanya.
El libro personalmente no me gustó, le faltó más acción y me aburrí bastante. Creo que personas que les gusta el thriller psicológico puede que les agrade.
Fui a la biblioteca y me encontré con este libro thriller y cómo no había leído nada de este autor decidí darle una oportunidad. Cabe destacar que este autor es muy leído en Estados Unidos, tanto que me salió su nombre en un libro que leí recientemente.
Este corresponde al libro de la serie 21 que corresponde al doctor Delaware, un psiquiatra que ayuda a la policía a resolver crímenes.
Todo inicia cuando una chica llamada Tanya se comunica con el doctor, para informarle que su madre adoptiva le confesó antes de morir, que había matado un hombre.
El doctor duda mucho de esa confesión pero para tranquilizar a la joven decide investigar con sus amigos de la policía. Por lo que ronda todos los lugares en que la joven vivió desde su infancia. Para su sorpresa, uno de los viejos vecinos muere en circunstancias sospechosas, después que el doctor lo visitara.
El doctor Delaware junto a sus amigos deben descubrir quién está detrás de este asesinato y la conexión que tiene con la confesión de la madre de Tanya.
El libro personalmente no me gustó, le faltó más acción y me aburrí bastante. Creo que personas que les gusta el thriller psicológico puede que les agrade.
February 4, 2020
Τα βιβλία των εκδόσεων Bell είναι για εμένα μια λιγάκι ένοχη απόλαυση. Ξέρω ότι θα μπορούσα να διαβάζω κάτι καλύτερο, ξέρω ότι δεν πρόκειται για το απαύγασμα του φιλοσοφικού στοχασμού του σύγχρονου κόσμου, αλλά τα απολαμβάνω και δεν μετανιώνω ποτέ που τα διαβάζω.
Αν έχετε όρεξη για κάτι που είναι ευχάριστο κι ενδιαφέρον, αλλά είστε πρόθυμοι να αναλάβετε το ρίσκο να μην σας απορροφήσει ποτέ με το μυστήριό του, εδώ είστε.
Αν έχετε όρεξη για κάτι που είναι ευχάριστο κι ενδιαφέρον, αλλά είστε πρόθυμοι να αναλάβετε το ρίσκο να μην σας απορροφήσει ποτέ με το μυστήριό του, εδώ είστε.
April 10, 2008
I really didn't like this book very much. It moved slowly and had more characters than I could manage. I continue to love Alex Delaware and like following his relationships with Robin and his friend Sturgis. This book introduces a new puppy in their household. A french bulldog named Blanche.
November 24, 2019
Like the title of this installment of the Delaware series, I have a tiny bit of obsession too; mine is with the audio-books of this series narrated by John Rubinstein. Of course the quality of the writing makes that all possible, but still - For me these books are so wonderful to listen to while I'm doing house-chores, cleaning, vacuuming, rearranging closets, and whatnot. There's no better way to pass the time than in the company of Milo Sturgis and Alex Delaware and the cast of other habitual peripheral detectives, who are all mostly devoted professional LEOs, with very distinct personalities, which I truly can enjoy.
I hope these Delaware series never end and stay on level, quality & story-wise. Fingers crossed.
I hope these Delaware series never end and stay on level, quality & story-wise. Fingers crossed.
June 13, 2021
I started enjoying the book about midway. For me, there were too many shallow characters, and too many abbreviations, so the first half was too much work.
I don’t think this book will have lasting power because of the many trendy expressions used by the characters. Some of them have already come and gone out of style. (What is a “soul patch”?)
I enjoyed the psychological insights of the protagonist, Dr. Delaware.
I don’t think this book will have lasting power because of the many trendy expressions used by the characters. Some of them have already come and gone out of style. (What is a “soul patch”?)
I enjoyed the psychological insights of the protagonist, Dr. Delaware.
November 3, 2014
As a long time fan of both Jonathan Kellerman and Alex Delaware, OBSESSION does not disappoint. As I was immersed once again into another case of past meeting present, I was reminded of how much I love these characters!
When Dr. Delaware is contacted by a former patient after her mother dies, a very strange story unfolds. The girl's mother was a "saint," a nurse who kept the E.R. running smoothly with her tenacity and talents. The fact that she died after a brief illness, and after confessing to having committed a terrible deed, leads her daughter to seek Alex's help. The fact that her mother's boss was Rick Silverman, Milo Sturgis' significant other, only adds to the creative layers of this case.
Tanya Bigelow, now nineteen, once suffered from OCD, and thanks Dr. Delaware for "curing" her. Although Alex has his doubts about the state of Tanya's condition, more stressing matters are on his mind when bodies start piling up, and the "terrible deed" and possible murder that Patty Bigelow confessed to on her deathbed is only the beginning.
OBSESSION is a must-read for all Delaware fans, and for readers who really love a good thriller/mystery. I promise, you won't be disappointed -- although you will be wondering when the next Alex Delaware novel will be published!
When Dr. Delaware is contacted by a former patient after her mother dies, a very strange story unfolds. The girl's mother was a "saint," a nurse who kept the E.R. running smoothly with her tenacity and talents. The fact that she died after a brief illness, and after confessing to having committed a terrible deed, leads her daughter to seek Alex's help. The fact that her mother's boss was Rick Silverman, Milo Sturgis' significant other, only adds to the creative layers of this case.
Tanya Bigelow, now nineteen, once suffered from OCD, and thanks Dr. Delaware for "curing" her. Although Alex has his doubts about the state of Tanya's condition, more stressing matters are on his mind when bodies start piling up, and the "terrible deed" and possible murder that Patty Bigelow confessed to on her deathbed is only the beginning.
OBSESSION is a must-read for all Delaware fans, and for readers who really love a good thriller/mystery. I promise, you won't be disappointed -- although you will be wondering when the next Alex Delaware novel will be published!
February 22, 2015
This book started out as a general run of the mill mystery. The author seemed to have a formula for writing that obviously the publishers like but which read to me like a screen play. Start the scene with an exact time and place, give a rundown of what clothes the characters are wearing right down to their socks, have a conversation such as "this person asks this question, this person responds". I found it almost comical how predictable the pattern became. I would even venture to guess the publisher came back and said something like we need to see more description of the characters. I imagine Kellerman going to his most fashion conscious friend and giving them the task of dressing each character each time the scene changes. This was a bit annoying but even so I would have given this book 3 stars. Then came about chapter 30. The nature of the crimes was disgusting! Nobody wants to think about disgusting perverted people doing disgusted perverted things! Gross. And it is introduced at nearly the end of the book, making me feel tricked that I had invested so much time only to find out it wasn't what I thought it was. There are so many millions of books to read that I won't waste my time reading Kellerman again.
March 31, 2017
When one of Dr. Delaware's former patients contacts him with a mystery- her dying adoptive mother confessed to a terrible deed, and both he and the daughter can't believe she'd be the type to commit a crime. So, Alex and Milo work together to solve the mystery, which of course leads to a deeper conspiracy. This book was an unremarkable thriller.
Starting at Book 18, author Jonathan Kellerman started giving his books one word titles that most often were meaningless. Thinking back I couldn't remember what the plots were, for they were formalistic and the titles didn't clue me in to the story. These next books all run together in my mind.
Starting at Book 18, author Jonathan Kellerman started giving his books one word titles that most often were meaningless. Thinking back I couldn't remember what the plots were, for they were formalistic and the titles didn't clue me in to the story. These next books all run together in my mind.
August 9, 2020
I like Alex and Milo, but this story was uninteresting, and formulaic. The only thing that rescues it is the familiar characters that I still like.
July 28, 2022
This was definitely a really good story.
November 11, 2017
Obsession is an Dr Alex Delaware and LA Detective Milo Sturgis novel. I have read several in this series but this one didn't appeal to me as much as others in the series. The communication between Alex and Milo is short on words and long on meaning. I would have rather this depth be further explored. These two characters are like an old married couple that know each other so well that they know what the other is saying before the sentence is finished. With this in mind, I found the story failed to take me, the reader, into the depths of the story and there were opportunities to do so as they tried to determine what a dying woman's last words meant. The premise of trying to determine if a crime had actually occurred years ago when all you have is an unknown victim, only a guess at possible locations, and one supposed perpetrator was interesting. The more Alex and Milo delved into the past the more questions were raised and long ago connections would lead them to the truth.
December 12, 2019
“Obsession” is the 21st in the long-running (currently 34) child psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware series, featuring LAPD detective Milo Sturgis. This rather routine entry in the set involves two former patients of the doc, the older of whom confesses to the younger, her daughter, a deathbed statement that she killed someone “close by”. With no more than that shred of a clue to pursue, Alex and Milo compile a list of the women’s former residences and begin the hunt, pretty nice of them. After a while, another murdered body or two crop up; and now the case goes into full swing with policewoman Petra Connor, a sometime character in the series, helping with the police machinations.
The plot was slowly paced and somewhat complicated, which tried our patience quite a bit (as does gf Robin routinely), but things wrapped up in positive style.
After abandoning this set for a long time, we decided to resume – but we’re in no rush to polish them off “obsessively” given this outing!
The plot was slowly paced and somewhat complicated, which tried our patience quite a bit (as does gf Robin routinely), but things wrapped up in positive style.
After abandoning this set for a long time, we decided to resume – but we’re in no rush to polish them off “obsessively” given this outing!
August 6, 2018
This is my first Kellerman book. Honestly I felt it was a little too drawn out and predictable to be hailed dramatic and action packed as a psychological thriller should be. There were also too many characters to keep up with. All-in-all it was an okay read and I've read some of the reviews that state this is not one of his better books so I will most likely give this author another try sometime.
April 12, 2021
This may be my last Alex Delaware, at least for a while. The mystery itself wasn't that interesting, and the amount of speculation that Alex and Milo do (and are actually right about!) was unbelievable. Alex gets a call from Tanya, a former patient who is now a medical student herself, after her mom Patty dies. On her death bed, Patty says to Tanya, "Killed him. Close by. Know it." Tanya wants to know what Patty is admitting to. So Alex and Milo unearth a trail that eventually leads them to what really happened. I did enjoy Blanche the bulldog, who loves everyone and is adorable. But certain choices like having the first chapter be from Patty's perspective 17 years ago seemed redundant.
April 5, 2009
Part of the Alex Delaware series, this volume is somewhere in the middle in terms of quality and readability.
With his trusty side-kick, Milo Sturgis, a gay LA PD detective, Alex takes on the search for the meaning of a deathbed confession by Patty Bigelow, an ER nurse who has died, unexpectedly, from aggressive pancreatic cancer.
The connection to Delaware is that he had treated her adopted daughter, Tanya for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), a condition Patty also suffered from.
As the story unfolds, Alex and Milo keep uncovering layers and layers of the past as it affects the present until they finally figure out who the real villain is and wrap the case up.
As always with Kellerman's books, the plot is complicated and interesting. The characters are deeply drawn and fascinating. The biggest drawback is that the story drags in spots as time is spent on fairly long psychological descriptions of minor characters. Maybe this is to be expected since Kellerman was, at one time, a practicing child psychologist.
While there are some references to previous books, this volume can be read as a stand-alone introduction to the series.
With his trusty side-kick, Milo Sturgis, a gay LA PD detective, Alex takes on the search for the meaning of a deathbed confession by Patty Bigelow, an ER nurse who has died, unexpectedly, from aggressive pancreatic cancer.
The connection to Delaware is that he had treated her adopted daughter, Tanya for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), a condition Patty also suffered from.
As the story unfolds, Alex and Milo keep uncovering layers and layers of the past as it affects the present until they finally figure out who the real villain is and wrap the case up.
As always with Kellerman's books, the plot is complicated and interesting. The characters are deeply drawn and fascinating. The biggest drawback is that the story drags in spots as time is spent on fairly long psychological descriptions of minor characters. Maybe this is to be expected since Kellerman was, at one time, a practicing child psychologist.
While there are some references to previous books, this volume can be read as a stand-alone introduction to the series.
July 13, 2016
Action packed non-stop suspense! I absolutely loved this psychological thriller! The story line is imaginative; I felt compassion for Tanya immediately, loved Dr. Delaware, and either found most of the other characters amusing, downright weird, or instantly hated them. The perfect book! The narration by Rubinstein was done excellently as well, an all-around great listen! I would like to add; both my husband and I loved Obsession, so this is a good one for your next road trip too. Definitely a 5 Boundless Star book!...Beth
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June 23, 2021
The plot was slowly paced and somewhat complicated, which tried our patience quite a bit (as does gf Robin routinely), but things wrapped up in positive style.
After abandoning this set for a long time, we decided to resume – but we’re in no rush to polish them off “obsessively” given this outing!
After abandoning this set for a long time, we decided to resume – but we’re in no rush to polish them off “obsessively” given this outing!
January 20, 2020
Dr Delaware shows his more nurturing side in this mystery- nothing new but very enjoyable and engaging, as ever.
March 30, 2020
Really enjoying catching up with Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis. Just fun, easy reads.
In Obsession, Alex reacquaints himself with a former patient that he had as a child. Tanya Bigelow. Tanya's step mom, Patty, has died of cancer but before she died, she told Tanya that she had done a terrible thing. Unable to reconcile this with what she knew as the best mom a girl could have as well as a stellar nurse who served with Milo's significant other, Rick Silverman, it is out of character as well.
To put the girl's mind at ease, Milo starts doing some digginbg around the places where Tanya grew up as a child with interesting consequences. People start dying and sordid details emerge from around one of the neighborhood's that Patty and Tanya lived. Did Patty really do something? Through a series of twists and turns and innuendo, clarity emerges and it is not what anyone would have thought.
Very good book.
In Obsession, Alex reacquaints himself with a former patient that he had as a child. Tanya Bigelow. Tanya's step mom, Patty, has died of cancer but before she died, she told Tanya that she had done a terrible thing. Unable to reconcile this with what she knew as the best mom a girl could have as well as a stellar nurse who served with Milo's significant other, Rick Silverman, it is out of character as well.
To put the girl's mind at ease, Milo starts doing some digginbg around the places where Tanya grew up as a child with interesting consequences. People start dying and sordid details emerge from around one of the neighborhood's that Patty and Tanya lived. Did Patty really do something? Through a series of twists and turns and innuendo, clarity emerges and it is not what anyone would have thought.
Very good book.
September 7, 2024
This is one of those books where people with no involvement in police work become involved and team up with a detective to solve a crime. In this case, it's a psychologist. One of his patients dies, leaves her daughter a cryptic message and the psychologist draws inhis police friend to investigate.
It's an interesting plot with numerous complications that weave together to maintain interest, but only just. I frequently forgot who the characters were and found myself referring backwards to try and work out what was going on. I suppoose that's because it's number 21 in a series so, had I read the other 20, I'd know who was who.
That aside, an enjoyable read
It's an interesting plot with numerous complications that weave together to maintain interest, but only just. I frequently forgot who the characters were and found myself referring backwards to try and work out what was going on. I suppoose that's because it's number 21 in a series so, had I read the other 20, I'd know who was who.
That aside, an enjoyable read
December 14, 2021
I do enjoy reading about Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis. There were interesting psychological aspects to this book, and I liked almost all the “good” characters. However, there were so many criminal types that I had trouble keeping track of them. After a while I did not bother differentiating them.
I did like Milo’s quote: “Optimism is denial for chumps with no life experience” while pessimism is “Religion without God.”
I did like Milo’s quote: “Optimism is denial for chumps with no life experience” while pessimism is “Religion without God.”
November 7, 2017
Same as usual (I don't know why I continue to torture myself) Alex and Milo are great characters, the case is interesting but it is about 150 pages too long. I should get them on CD, the abridged version!
October 30, 2021
This doesn’t really deserve 2 stars, but I’m not sure I can give it 3 either. 🤷🏻♀️ I did quite like that there was a bit more of a psychology focus in this one, but there were a couple parts that made me feel ill, and I considered putting this on hold because of it 🤢.
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