Evidence: An Alex Delaware Novel [Mass Market Paperback]

Jonathan Kellerman (Author)

Book Description

Series: Alex Delaware | Publication Date: February 23, 2010

In a half-built mansion in Los Angeles, a watchman stumbles onto the bodies of a young couple—murdered and left in a gruesome postmortem embrace. Veteran homicide cop Milo Sturgis is shocked at the sight: a twisted crime that only Milo and psychologist Alex Delaware can hope to solve. While the female victim’s identity remains in question, her companion is ID’d as eco-friendly architect Desmond Backer, notorious for his power to seduce women. The deeper Milo and Alex dig for clues, the longer the list of suspects grows. But when the investigation veers suddenly in a startling direction, it’s the investigators who may wind up on the wrong end of a cornered predator’s final fury.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

L.A. police lieutenant Milo Sturgis investigates a double homicide at the site of an unfinished, obscenely large mansion in bestseller Kellerman's nerve-tingling 24th Alex Delaware novel (after Bones). Construction halted on the house two years earlier, and ownership can be traced only to a defunct holding company in Washington, D.C. The male victim is easily identified—Desmond Backer, who worked for an odd little architectural firm—but the female victim's identity isn't immediately apparent. Alex serves as a sounding board while Milo pursues assorted rumors and false leads: the site owners are Arabs, Asians, Muslims; the killings were vengeance; the victims were eco-terrorists; the deaths are linked to the disappearance of a Swedish or Swiss woman years before. Without magic, just steady, inspired police work, including horse-trading with the FBI and skillful interrogations, Milo uncovers the unsavory truth. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

“Jonathan Kellerman’s novels are an obsession; once started it is hard to quit.”—Orlando Sentinel
 
“Kellerman really knows how to keep those pages turning.”—New York Times Book Review
 
“Kellerman doesn’t just write psychological thrillers—he owns the genre.”—Detroit Free Press

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books; Reprint edition (February 23, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345495195
• ISBN-13: 978-0345495198
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (72 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #176,137 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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

98 of 100 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars "Evidence" of the change in Kellerman's style, October 10, 2009

By 

Brian Baker (Santa Clarita, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Evidence: An Alex Delaware Novel (Alex Delaware Novels) (Kindle Edition)

Over the years, Kellerman's style has changed, and this Delaware book is a far cry from the early entries - such as "When the Bough Breaks" - that cemented his place at the top of the psychological thriller genre.

First, though labeled as "An Alex Delaware Novel", buddy Milo Sturgis is really the central character of this book. Delaware is along for the ride, and is primarily merely an observer, adding almost nothing to the actual advancement of the story. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Milo as a character and have liked the couple of books in which he was intended as the lead. But the Delaware character seems to have been subsumed by Sturgis.

Kellerman's style has become very terse and brief, lacking the descriptive elements and insights into Delaware's thoughts and emotions that characterized earlier works. In some ways this stylistic evolution is interesting, as there's a crispness that was lacking in earlier works, but it also seems to me to dehumanize the stories to some extent, and certainly turns Alex into a shadow presence in the story.

This book is, at its essence, much more of a strict police procedural - like an Ed McBain novel - than a psychological thriller. Looked at in that light, it's a pretty good book. But let's be honest: is that what the long-time Delaware fans are really looking for?

Caveat emptor.

73 of 83 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The evidence points to another good thriller from Kellerman, October 7, 2009

By 

Deborah Verlen "Deborah" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Evidence: An Alex Delaware Novel (Alex Delaware Novels) (Hardcover)

The last few books in the Alex Delaware-Milo Sturgis series just haven't done it for me. On a whim I picked this up this morning at a local bookstore and started to read it shortly there after...and continued to read. Had popcorn for lunch while I read. A candy bar for dinner while I read. And finished it a couple of hours ago.

This is one of Kellerman's best. The book opens with a couple found dead by a night watchman in a compromising, artfully arranged position in one of the better neighborhoods in Los Angeles. At first glance they appear to be lovers caught in a tryst, but to Delaware and Sturgis the evidence suggests something darker and more sinister.

As Alex and Milo follow the evidence they experience twists and turns, but what is unique about this book is the focus on Milo rather than Alex. We get to watch him solve the crime and Alex becomes more of a background character. There are a lot of suspects from the dead man's boss to the home's owner, an Arabian prince. As Milo and Alex work their way through the suspects and the evidence, the story remains credible and exciting. Sturgis has some wonderful scenes from battling the FBI to interrogating a suspect.

This book goes a long way to revitalizing the series! Will be looking forward to book #25.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Writing style has changed so much, October 22, 2009

By 

Marilyn Davis - See all my reviews

This review is from: Evidence: An Alex Delaware Novel (Alex Delaware Novels) (Hardcover)

I am so disappointed. The last few of his books have been so dry and terse. There is NO insight into the characters at all. It's like Delaware is just observing, offers no insight into the possible murderer(s). In the end it's still a big mystery as to why whoever killed, did do it. You get no background on the killer. (Don't want to give it away) I hate this new writing style. I think I will go back and reread the 1st few books!