Bad Love (Alex Delaware, No. 8) [Paperback]

Jonathan Kellerman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2001

An Alex Delaware thriller. With the help of his Los Angeles detective friend, Milo Sturgis, Delaware discovers a seemingly random series of violent deaths that may be linked to a clinic for troubled adolescents. As he delves deeper, the escalating pattern of violence becomes inescapably clear.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The latest Dr. Alex Delaware novel, after Devil's Waltz , follows the child psychologist on an intricately plotted, murder-strewn course that started 20 years earlier when he was on staff at a Los Angeles children's hospital. Recently, Alex has become the target of ominous threats: weird laughter over the phone, a fish from his pond cruelly skewered, a tape of a child's voice repeating the words "bad love . " Initially he ties the threats to his work with two young sisters whose father, in prison for the murder of their mother, is claiming visitation rights. But Alex also remembers the phrase "bad love" was used by a child psychiatrist honored at a 1979 symposium he cosponsored at the hospital. A file search by his LAPD pal Milo Sturgis connects the phrase to two LA murders five and three years ago; inquiries by Alex reveal a surprisingly high death rate among speakers at the symposium. After more murders and harsher threats, the trails converge in a confrontation with a psychotic killer. Kellerman constructs his plot as adeptly as Robin Castagna, Alex's live-in lover, builds her prized guitars, but the decades-past motivation, the tangled connections among victims and Alex's peripheral association with the murderer foster a clinical detachment from the story's events. BOMC selection.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Spine-chilling screams, followed by a childlike chant that includes the words "bad love, bad love," appear on a tape sent anonymously to Alex Delaware, the financially independent, Los Angeles-based child psychologist and amateur sleuth who has starred in seven previous Kellerman novels, beginning with When the Bough Breaks ( LJ 3/1/85). Delaware's pal, LAPD detective Milo Sturgis, recalls that recently a man shouted "bad love" after killing his therapist in a clinic. After some research, the psychologist remembers that he was coerced into serving as cochair of a less-than-successful 1979 conference honoring analyst Andres de Bosch, who espoused a theory of maternal good love/bad love. Starting from these seemingly unrelated past events, the two men pursue one tenuous lead after another to a surprising conclusion. The prolific best-selling author keeps the reader involved through some rather fantastic plot turns. Delaware fans will be looking for this title. BOMC main selection.
- V. Louise Saylor, Eastern Washington Univ. Lib., Cheney
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 533 pages
• Publisher: Chivers; Lrg edition (June 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 075409068X
• ISBN-13: 978-0754090687
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Jonathan Kellerman is one of the world's most popular authors. He has brought his expertise as a clinical psychologist to more than thirty bestselling crime novels, including the Alex Delaware series, The Butcher's Theater, Billy Straight, The Conspiracy Club, Twisted,and True Detectives. With his wife, the novelist Faye Kellerman, he co-authored the bestsellers Double Homicide and Capital Crimes. He is the author of numerous essays, short stories, scientific articles, two children's books, and three volumes of psychology, including Savage Spawn: Reflections on Violent Children, as well as the lavishly illustrated With Strings Attached: The Art and Beauty of Vintage Guitars. He has won the Goldwyn, Edgar, and Anthony awards and has been nominated for a Shamus Award.

Jonathan and Faye Kellerman live in California and New Mexico. Their four children include the novelist Jesse Kellerman.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm hooked on Kellerman!!!!, July 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Bad Love (Alex Delaware Novels) (Mass Market Paperback)

Bad Love was my first Kellerman book. I picked it up at a garage sale a couple of years ago. Needless to say when I was finished with it I was searching the bookcase for more of his. I had a hard time putting it down. I liked the style of writing, it kept my interest. It had a lot of characters and sometimes I had to think on which one was which, but it keeps your mind going. I fell in love with Delawares friendship (Milo), romance (Robin) and his own get up and go. I don't know if I found the book so good due to the fact that is was my first Kellerman or because it got me hooked on him. I think after reading 4 books of his that I picked the right one to read first. I liked Kellerman's style of writing, the introduction, climax and ending were all equal and made it very hard to put down. When I finished it I gave it to a friend and now she is on her 4th book of his, needless to say her hubby is not to happy with me. LOL You will be hooked on Kellerman's books after you read this one!!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Delware entry, May 7, 2003

By 

RachelWalker "RachelW" (England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bad Love (Alex Delaware Novels) (Mass Market Paperback)

The cassette tape arrives one morning in a plain brown wrapper with no return address. Alex Delaware, curious, puts it cautiously into his tape player, and a nightmare opens up before him. There is a long, soul-tearing scream, and then a child chanting the phrase, "Bad love, bad love, don't give me the bad love."

Shortly after, he receives a mysterious phone call, and then confronts a cruel act of vandalism against him, and is forced to admit that someone, for some twisted reason, has him in their sights.

He desperately searches his memory for recognition of the phrase "bad love", and eventually links it to a symposium he attended many years ago, dedicated to the work of child psychologist Andres de Bosch. Puzzled about how this could possibly link back to his taunter, Alex tries to get in contact with some of the other delegates, and discovers a chilling and random series of deaths amongst them.

This is the best Delaware book so far (I am slowly but dedicatedly making my way through the series.) It contains everything that makes Jonathan Kellerman books good. Plenty of psychology, his characters, his probingly analytical writing style (which, I must admit now, doesn't serve actions too well) and possibly the best plot he's dreamt up so far. Existing fans will love it, and newcomers to the series would do well to start at the beginning (When the Bough Breaks) and just look forward to this gem.

Kellerman's plotting is fluid, original, and moves at very good pace. It's also wonderful to witness Alex as he tries to work his way into the twisted and distorted logic of a killer and find even hints of a possible motive. The only times when this book falls down are when, occasionally, his prose seems too detached, and there are a couple too many characters. Otherwise, this is an excellent addition to a good series.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bad Love is a GREAT book!, September 27, 2001

By 

V. VanCamp "lovesbookslovesmusic" (Ithaca, New York USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bad Love (Alex Delaware Novels) (Mass Market Paperback)

'Bad Love' starts off tame enough, but after a few chapters I was engrossed and intrigued. I love Rover/Spike the dog. He is so lovable.

I really enjoy Jonathan Kellerman's books. I am always eager to pick up another one and spend time with Alex, Milo and Robin again. This novel is excellent for the psychology of psychotics. I was burning to find out who was committing all these murders and WHY! The ending of this book was suspenseful, thorough and detailed. I don't believe J. Kellerman left any loose threads.

In this book, Alex is caught up in a whirl of brutal killings and possible murders and he may be the next victim. As he and Milo track the killer(s?)they slowly gather clues and motives.

I really enjoyed this book because the author keeps you guessing for a long time. I also like the friendship between Milo and Alex. Not too many friends like that around.

The extra treat in this book is the dog. What a sweetie!~