Customer Reviews

Twisted (Jonathan Kellerman)

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

We're long-time Jonathan Kellerman fans, and have generally enjoyed his entire book list. We've noticed his last few books seemed to lack some of the interest and pizzazz of the earlier ones, particularly those featuring his leading man Alex Delaware. Noticing that "Twisted" is his fifth novel published in the last 24 months, counting his somewhat disappointing book co-authored with wife Faye ["Double Homicide"], we didn't have particularly high expectations for a stunning return to form. Surprise! Not only is this a Petra Conner story (her second starring role, plus a few bit parts here and there), but sidekick Isaac Gomez, a genius just barely out of his teens nearing completion of his PhD, is so interesting a character he steals the show, not to mention our hearts! Assigned as an intern to the LAPD, he shows Petra the results of some extensive statistical sampling of homicide case data he has compiled, noting unusual similarities between six cold cases that have never previously been considered connected. Although Petra is officially involved in a high profile shooting investigation, in which she shows very expertly her skills and persistence, she latches on to Isaac's work with great curiosity - and soon a spellbinding hunt for a possible serial killer is on. Some amusing (and sexy) incidents at the research library meanwhile shed some light on the murders, and a nice twist at the end wraps things up in a very cool fashion.

Kellerman's writing crafts have never been in question, but it just seemed lately he might be tiring. However, "Twisted" ranks to us with his best work: a clever plot, an intriguing mystery, some dogged police and amateur investigative work, with plenty of time to identify with and care about the principals, all add up to a most entertaining tale that was difficult to put down. One of the best books we've read this year deserves our high praise and five stars!

Warning #1: Alex Delaware does not appear in this novel; he is only mentioned briefly due to the fact that he has worked with one of the detectives previously.

Warning #2: There are some truly horrific murders described in gruesome and prolonged detail in this story. Normally such violence would disqualify a book for a five star rating from me, and in fact I might not have read the book if I had been aware of their inclusion. However, since in my view this depiction of detailed violence is essential to Kellerman's extremely clever plot, rather than reduce my rating I have chosen simply to warn potential readers that this is a book that has a true psychopath as one of the villains.

This is a police procedural that has it all: murderers to apprehend, character relationships to explore, and the tension of a race against time. Hollywood homicide detective Petra Conner (already known to Kellerman readers) hopes to take it easy after just solving two murders; however, she is awakened by a 1:15 AM call that four teenagers have just been gunned down in the parking lot of the Paradiso Club on Sunset Boulevard. Disappointingly, the eighteen "know-nothing" witnesses provide minimal information, no leads and no motive. In fact, the mystery is compounded by the fact that one of the young victims has no identification and as tare received matching her description. Thus, the department quickly reduces the manpower assigned to the case and it appears that it may end up in the cold casr file.

While Petra (you will also find out why she is called Barbie and what happened to Ken) doggedly continues to search for leads in that case, she is approached by Isaac Gomez, a twenty-one year old who genius who is writing his Ph.D. thesis in epidemiology and biostatistics. While Isaac researches his topic, which involves patterns of LA homicides, he is working as an LAPD intern assigned to Petra by a captain who dislikes her intensely. Isaac's statistical analysis has uncovered a seeming repetitive pattern linking several unsolved murders which previously seemed totally random and unrelated. Worse yet, if Isaac's seemingly bizarre analysis is correct, the serial killer will violently kill another victim in a few short weeks. After some initial skepticism, Petra decides she needs to privately investigate Isaac's thesis even as she hopes that he is wrong.

Juxtaposed against these investigations but extremely central to the plot are the frustrations of Petra's and Isaac's private lives. Due to his Special Forces military background, Eric Stahl, Petra's former partner and current lover, has been sent on a secret mission abroad as part of the new Homeland Security Squad. Meanwhile, Isaac has to handle the dichotomy between his evenings with his poor family in the marginal neighborhood in which they live and the elite world to which his intellect has gained him access.

This plot definitely has more than enough misdirection and action to keep it interesting. Meanwhile, the tight timeline adds considerable suspense as the countdown toward the apparent date of the next murder rapidly proceeds. However, the real charm of this book is due to the expertise of the author as a clinical psychologist; he manages to continually capture the seemingly true to life reactions of the central characters to the unfolding events. In fact, the delineation of the characters was the overwhelming source of the pleasure which I derived from this book. I was especially captivated by Isaac, a precocious young man whose intellectual development had far outpaced his social skills, a fact which leads to many anxious moments and difficult situations. Finally, while there are a few minor errors and one obvious mistake near the conclusion, the author did a better than usual job of tying together almost all the loose ends in a way that actually seemed an integral part of the story rather than just an afterthought. Therefore, this TWISTED tale receives my enthusiastic recommendation despite the gruesome portrayal of violence mentioned at the beginning of this review.

Tucker Andersen

LA Homicide Detective Petra Connor looks at the corpses of the four dead lying in a dance-club parking following a drive by massacre and wonders what connections beyond the club and death link these victims. A few days later, the girl in pink shoes remains a Jane Doe and the case is going nowhere frustrating Petra

At the same time that Petra struggles with no leads except rumors of a possible witness in hiding, twenty-two years old Ph.D. candidate Isaac Gomez has been analyzing homicide statistical patterns. He believes he has uncovered a trend involving a murderer who murders on June 28th and has for six years in row. No one in LAPD seems interested in the genius' findings writing him off as intellectual civilian and thereby ignoring any connections between these homicides though the MO are the same and none have been resolved. No one that is except Petra who knows that June 28th is coming soon and with the help of this young genius plans to end the serial killing of a twisted genius.

Petra is a strong effective cop as she makes her lead debut after being a minor player as an officer in A COLD HEART. However, she seems overshadowed by Isaac a refreshing character who brings trend analysis into the LAPD (and police procedurals) and struggles with what his family wants of him (not police work that for sure). The two prime cases are cleverly designed and Petra does a solid job, but TWISTED really soars when Isaac is front and center as even his personal life especially in the library is invigorating.

Harriet Klausner

Most of author Jonathon Kellerman's previous novels feature Dr. Alex Delaware, a LA-area psychologist who assists the LAPD in solving homicides. Being a psychologist myself, I've been a big fan of the Delaware series, but I felt that the most recent Delaware novels had grown stale. In his current novel, Twisted, Kellerman takes a character who appeared in two of his past works, Billy Straight and A Cold Heart, and makes her the protangonist, thus breathing new life into his writing.

Like Alex Delaware's friend Milo Sturges, Petra Connor is a homicide detective. At the end of A Cold Heart, we saw her become romantically involved with her enigmatic partner, Eric, but at the start of this book, we learn that Eric has been sent overseas to work in anti-terrorist activities. Petra, left flying solo both professionally and romantically, is assigned to supervise a genius intern working for the department. When the intern, Issac, comes to her to report that six seemingly unconnected homicides share both the same weapon of choice and the same murder date, Petra takes a break from her current case--a mass shooting which left four teenagers dead--to investigate.

This novel has everything that made the earlier Alex Delaware novels so engrossing: several interesting plotlines going on at once, intriguing characters with an air of mystery about them, and superb suspense leading up to a surprising but believable conclusion. Petra is a tough but likeable character, and the glimpses into her and Eric's relationship make them both seem more human. The conclusion left plenty of openings for future novels featuring Petra, Eric, and even Issac; although I'd miss Dr. Delaware, I'll definitely continue to read any future Petra Connor books.

If you're a Kellerman fan who has found the pairing of psychologist Alex Delaware and cop Milo Sturgis growing stale lately, you're in for a treat. Neither makes an appearance in this taut, suspenseful thriller, featuring ambitious L.A. homicide detective Petra Conner (last seen helping Delaware in "A Cold Heart"), and brilliant, but socially immature young intern, Isaac Gomez, who nearly steals the limelight from Conner.

While running down sketchy leads on a drive-by shooting in which four teens are killed and one girl remains unidentified, Petra humors Isaac on a theory he's developed linking six cold cases. Based on a statistical analysis, Isaac believes he's discovered a serial killer.

A poster child for immigrant Hispanic slum kids, Isaac graduated college at 19 and was headed for medical school. But, needing a break, he sidestepped to a Ph.D., and now, at 21, he's doing his thesis on patterns in LA homicides. At first skeptical - the victims have nothing in common but the date and manner of their deaths (blunt force trauma on June 28) - Petra becomes more intrigued as she reviews the old cases.

Meanwhile, she's developing a theory of her own about the drive-by, and letting Isaac trail along on some of the footwork in both cases. Isaac is nearly as smitten by the details of police work as he is by Petra, but she can't always be babysitting him. The prickliness between them works: Petra's got her own complicated life, and she's aware of Isaac's infatuation, while Isaac is painfully shy and conflicted between the lure of the wider world and the pull of his impoverished, close-knit family.

The dynamics of the two cases contribute to the tension (June 28th is looming, but Petra develops a hot lead on the drive-by), as does Isaac's loose-cannon quality. Smart he undeniably is, but he's also impulsive, quick to succumb to temptation, and secretive. The story builds to a nail-biting climax with a satisfying last-minute twist. I predict we haven't seen the last of Isaac Gomez.

While I tend to agree that Jonathan Kellerman's latest Alex Delaware novels (particularly THERAPY) aren't up to par to his earlier works, TWISTED shows his return to form. Using Petra Conner as his main protagonist and with a marvelous new character named Isaac Gomex, Kellerman weaves a complex tale of murder and deceit. Petra is not an easy character to like at times; she seems emotionally void at times, and her loose cannon approach gets frustrating. However, paired with Isaac, she manages to overcome these obstacles and helps Kellerman deliver a fine thriller.
The double plots at first seem clumsy and one has a hard time deciding which one is the main one. However, with the June 28 serial killings still a prominent threat, Kellerman wisely folds up the Paradiso drive-bys, and focuses on the more intricate serial killings.
To Kellerman's credit, the identity of the serial killer is a good surprise, although one can see it coming after Isaac does his chat room search. But it's close enough to the end, you aren't cheated. Petra's romantic involvement continues, although Eric Stahl still remains too enigmatic to care a lot about. The return of Stu Bishop late in the book should provide some interesting sparks in Petra's next novel.
Taut and well written, TWISTED should please Kellerman's fans who feels he's been too prolific lately. New fans shouldn't have any difficulty in reading this one as a standalone.

The writing isn't bad, but the audio book features Lindsay Crouse -- she's a TERRIBLE narrator. I love her as an actress, but she should STAY AWAY from audio books! She rarely changes her inflection, and freqently it's hard to follow the story. I've listened to so many wonderful books, where the readers gave life to the characters. Sorry to say, but Lindsay sucks the life out of them.

In recent years, Jonathan Kellerman has been a rather erratic author. His Alex Delaware books, in particular, have not had the same quality they once did, and his contribution to the collaboration (with his wife Faye) Double Homicide was completely forgettable. His last truly good book was Billy Straight, which featured detective Petra Connor. With Twisted, he brings her back and once again, writes a good book.

In Twisted, Petra is called in to investigate a drive-by shooting that has left several teenagers dead. It doesn't seem like a typical gang slaying and most of the leads go nowhere. This story, however, is merely a subplot. The main story deals with an intern who she is working with; this young genius has found that a series of murders have all taken place on the same day, June 28, with enough similarities to not be mere coincidence.

With another June 28 soon approaching, Petra needs to unofficially investigate this serial killing even as she looks into her main case. Both stories are interesting, but not exactly whodunits; it would be impossible for the reader to figure things out any faster than Petra does.

Why do the Petra Connor stories succeed while the recent Alex Delaware books are hit or miss? Principally, it's because Petra is a more interesting character and she is surrounded by some decent supporting characters. Besides Milo Sturgis, there are no real recurring characters of substance in the Delaware books (for many volumes, his girlfriend Robin had little more than a brief cameo for an obligatory sex scene). Perhaps writing in the third person helps Kellerman with his characterization (and in fact, the best recent Delaware book - The Murder Book - is around 50% third person).

Whatever the case, Twisted is a reminder that Kellerman still can write a good novel. Current Kellerman fans should be pleased with this effort, and those new to this writer will not be disappointed.

Kellerman outdoes himself this time in "Twisted," which this time features engaging detective Petra Connor, whom we've met before in the Alex Delaware novels.

Petra, balancing a new and enigmatic romance with the mysterious Eric (whom we're also met), has enough on her plate when suddenly a driveby shooting in a local Hollywood club parking lot leaves her with a political hot potato. Somebody shot into a bunch of teenaged kids, leaving several dead or injured. No clues, no leads, nothing. It's a case that has the "upstairs" nervous, and everything Petra does is either criticized or ridiculed.

Quietly sitting in the background while Petra frustratedly tries to get some leads is a young hispanic genius, Isaac Gomez, a prodigy who finished high school and college early, is enrolled in med school, and is doing some interning with the police as a learning tool. He's got a crush on Petra--but more than that, he drops in her lap a mathematical theory that may just point to a serial killer on the loose who's about to strike again.

Should Petra ignore the kid? Or should she follow up on what admittedly seems like a red herring in the extreme, but a theory that ties up years of unsolved murders? Petra tries to do both...and gets in way over her head.

The last 30 pages or so of the book had this reader on the edge of her seat. And even better--Kellerman mostly refrained from his endless roadmap of streets, making the story faster, tighter, and much easier to read.

This one's a winner.

Book is a mixed bag:

1) There is a sub-plot that doesn't ever join with the main plot so it was just an extra 80 pages the book didn't need.

2) Information you need to solve the mystery is withheld until 3/4 of the way through. Good mysteries usually parcel out little nuggets along the way.

3) However, the murderer's motives turn out to be pretty good.

4) Kellerman avoids his usual style of "talk, talk, talk" at the end of every novel. It was an "explanation by action" finale.