Customer Reviews

Victims: An Alex Delaware Novel

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As I have mentioned in previous reviews of Alex Delaware novels, I am a huge fan of Jonathan Kellerman who has been disappointed by the progressive deterioration in the quality of Alex Delaware novels. The nadir was the previous entry Mystery, which had an absurd and unpleasant plot, conventional gore to shock the reader rather than any chills and characters who had become entirely divorced from reality doing predictable shticks--while the author's main concern seems to be keeping alive plot lines from prior books and planned sequels.

I would not have even picked this one up, except it was available on Vine and I retain enough affection or the earlier and non-Delaware books to give it one more try. I am glad I did. From the first line of the book, "This one was different," it promises and delivers a fresh, exciting mystery, and an education to boot.

I don't know what happened to Mr. Kellerman, but Victims is as crisp and elegant as any books in this series. Milo and Alex are real people again, who can surprise you, and who you can imagine might be real. The plot turns on Kellerman's psychological expertise, both in the setting and the minds of the characters. There's gore aplenty, but the chills are honest and psychological, not pornographic. The plot is logical and compelling. The resolution is a surprise, but one that seems inevitable after it is revealed.

All-in-all, a classic mystery from a master. I'm not ready to say it's as good as my favorites, like When the Bough Breaks or Billy Straight, it takes time to make a judgment like that. But at least it's a candidate, and that is a tremendous pleasure. If you are new to Kellerman, start with his classics, but be sure you get to this one. If you are like me and have been disappointed by some recent books, forget your qualms and buy this one. If you loved the recent Alex Delaware's, I don't understand you enough to have any useful recommendations.

I have read Kellerman's Alex Delaware series since the very first book When the Bough Breaks was published over 25 years ago (actually I've read all his books except his non-fiction). In the beginning he was probably one of my Top 10 favorite writers. Over the last few years, though, the spark seemed to have almost died out of his writing.

Well, it's back! I enjoyed "Victims." It was almost like meeting old friends again. Milo and Alex are back.

While the plot line wasn't a totally original one, Kellerman handled the story with aplomb, building the suspense, dropping clues, peeking inside the minds of monsters - which is really what he does so well.

The story was believable, even though horrifying. We didn't have to spend half a book reading about Alex's marriage problems or Milo's many idiosyncrasies. We got to read about the crimes, the psychology behind them, and the solving of said crimes.

Good job. I'm overjoyed that I got to read this as an Advanced Reading Copy.

Reviewers have been concerned about some of the recent Kellerman novels, believing that JK has stumbled a bit and not been up to his former standard. Not to worry. This is a superb new novel, its success coming from its faithfulness to its core elements.

Those core elements lie in the central conceit: the usefulness of a trained clinical psychologist to a grizzled, gay Robbery/Homicide lieutenant. Alex and Milo seem to be opposites and in many ways they are, but they work together beautifully and almost seamlessly. In Victims we get great dollops of both. This is their case and their story. Robin and her luthier business are far off in the distant background. Puppy dog Blanche makes an appearance or two, but this is not her story either; it's Alex and Milo's.

The plot arc is a sequential investigation--talking to people, checking records, driving from point a to point b, digging up the elusive truth, testing hypotheses, avoiding blind alleys. The body of a middle -aged woman is found. She has been eviscerated in an exotic, violent fashion. Everyone hated her. Suddenly the body of a man is found. He has been eviscerated in the same fashion as the woman. Everyone loved him? What in the world has happened here? And why?

The answers are found in the past and they center on a now-closed hospital for the deeply troubled, including the criminally insane. Alex once interned there and his experience and skills will be of considerable use in the investigation. The hospital also had a `special' wing for `special' treatments. Alex was dissuaded from ever visiting it. Could it still exist, in some form or other?

The investigation is fascinating and the narrative sparkles with great one-liners. I never thought Jonathan Kellerman was gone, but for those who did think so--he's back. And he and Milo are walking down some very mean streets with some very dark inhabitants.

Kellerman uses LA and environs to maximize the threat of the seriously deranged person Milo and Alex are chasing in "Victims." From a first murder in West L.A., a gruesome gutting carried out with a psychopath's precision, to the swanky streets of Beverly Hills and the not-so-swanky neighborhoods in Hollywood, it's a complicated story. At the center is the old psychiatric hospital in Camarillo. How does Alex's internship there link to the murders on the streets of LA? Or does it?

Will Milo die of indigestion before he has a chance to retire?

We get some time with our favorite French bull dog, Blanche, not so much with our favorite love interest, Robin. Gary is available only in passing. If I have complaints about this work, it is only that--too little time away from the chase.

Nevertheless, this volume reminds me of early Kellerman, with lots of characters who could be our bad guy. They rub shoulders with victims, cops, and witnesses. Which one did it?

A big finish, in Kellerman style. "Victims" reads in a flash.

A very cantankerous woman is found disemboweled in her apartment along with an empty pizza box with a big "?" in it. Milo Sturgis, an LAPD detective, and Alex Delaware, a psychologist and consultant to the LAPD, are assigned to investigate. Did the victim simply get aggressive with the wrong person? If so, why the question mark in the pizza box? When the second disemboweled victim appears, it is clear it isn't an isolated incident and Milo begins to get pressure from the top. But the killer isn't about to make it easy...he is very meticulous, cleaning up thoroughly after each "surgery" and leaving no physical evidence behind. As the body count continues to grow, Alex develops a solid theory on the connection between the murders...now how do they prove it?

Victims is another great book in Jonathan Kellerman's Milo Sturgis/Alex Delaware series. As usual, Kellerman's focus is not on the gore of the crimes but on following the leads and developing theories. If you are already a Kellerman fan, don't miss this one. If you are new to Kellerman, you might want to consider starting at the beginning of the series, but Victim would still be enjoyable if you decide not to.

Lieutenant Milo Sturgis needs help from his friend Dr. Alex Delaware, but he feels guilty calling him to such a gruesome crime scene. The victim was difficult and mean, but she didn't deserve this. Soon, there is another victim murdered in the same grisly way, but Milo and Alex can't find any link between the two victims. The two work together to try to find any possible connection or any piece of information that will help them catch this murderer before he kills again.

The latest in Jonathan Kellerman's popular Alex Delaware series does not disappoint. Alex and Milo make a great team. They've been working together for a long time and their skills complement each other perfectly. Their friend Petra Connor makes an appearance and contributes to the investigation, which is a nice addition to the book. This book focuses on the crimes and not Alex or Milo's personal lives. Milo's partner Rick is mentioned and Alex's girlfriend Robin makes an important observation that helps with the case, but I am glad their relationship takes a backseat to the mystery. It's a pleasure to see the investigation unfold and the book is gripping from beginning to end.

The mystery is interesting and the villain is creepy, but there is more to the case than initially meets the eye. "Victims" is a perfect title because there are many victims in this story, and it's not just the obvious ones. The case is resolved by the end, but it's sad how haunted Alex and Milo remain. It does seem realistic and shows how much they characters care about others, even though Milo often hides his feelings behind a touch façade. I enjoyed this installment and am already looking forward to the next installment in this wonderfully-written series.

I used to be a great fan of Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware series. Each new novel he released was absolutely delightful. Then, however, I felt that Kellerman's creative powers were starting to wane. His most recent three or four novels were really not up to his usual high standards. I was so disappointed with his last novel that I was not even sure that I was going to try the next one.

Still, I read VICTIMS and am happy to report that the Jonathan Kellerman we all know and love is back. This is one of his best novels to date, which is no small feat. The mystery is brilliantly plotted and makes a lot of sense psychologically. The story proceeds very fast and leaves the reader with no opportunity to get bored or distracted. Alex Delaware gets many chances to bring his knowledge of psychology to the search for a serial killer who committed several gruesome murders. Every few pages bring a new stunning revelation. The dialogues are never drawn out and always allow one to maintain one's interest in the story. Robin appears on very few occasions and her presence in the story is minimal, which is always good news, given how boring this character has become.

If you are new to Kellerman's work, I highly recommend that you start with this novel. It showcases the writers talents and will get you hooked on the entirety of his literary output. VICTIMS is a brilliant novel that will keep you reading avidly well into the night. Be forewarned, though, that the novel begins with a very gruesome description of the crime scene. This is not a cozy mystery in any sense of the word. However, if you are into psychological thrillers and are interested in the psychology of serial killers, this is the perfect novel for you.

I hope that this turns into a new and productive stretch in Kellerman's writing.

In her apartment, the victim fifty-six years old Vita Berlin was mutilated with her guts placed like a precious necklace around her neck. The only clue to the horrific murder is a strange note with a question mark on it left inside a pizza box that adds eeriness to an already unnerving homicide. LAPD homicide detective Lieutenant Milo Sturgis leads the investigation. His friend and frequent police consultant psychiatrist Dr. Alex Delaware assists on the inquiry. Both men who have seen too much violence over the years are particularly shook up by this gruesome killing.

As they work the case, several additional similar murders occur. They find a link at the mothballed Ventura State Hospital; a place that at one time housed mentally troubled people with the worst head cases locked away in the Specialized Care Unit. Alex interviews psychiatrists who worked with the victims, but all hide behind a wall of privacy.

The latest Delaware-Sturgis police procedural is an entreating serial killer thriller as mildly mocking Miles is off his feed bag with this case. The storyline is fast-paced with a deep spotlight shining on when the mental health care system fails. Although the ending feels off kilter and Delaware has worked vicious serial killing cases with and without Sturgis (see The Butcher's Theater), fans will enjoy the latest buddies' whodunit as their usual quipping is subdued by the brutal homicides.

Harriet Klausner

What I love best about Kellerman's books -- and I've read all the thrillers -- is his ability to make us care about the characters, even just minor bit part players. But in this book, while the mystery itself is sound and pretty interesting, I found myself not really giving a hoot whether the "bad guy" was caught or not. The victims were, as a whole, a fairly unappealing bunch. From a bully to an unscrupulous surgeon to a creepy street person... no one engendered much sympathy.

All the same, the mystery was an interesting intellectual exercise, and all the regular characters were there, from Blanche to Robin to Milo and Petra. WRitten in a smooth Kellerman style, the writing is impeccable and the story moves along at a rapid pace.

All in all, not a bad book, but not one of my favorites.

I have read all of the books in Jonathan Kellerman's long-running series featuring Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis. Alex is a psychologist, a consultant with the Los Angeles police department. His experience has been with children, both as victims of abuse and as abusers who victimize others. Milo is a lieutenant in the homicide division. The two have become close friends through all the years of looking at the worst human beings can do to each other.

"Something I need you to see, Alex. Here's the address." Vita Berlin is a woman in her fifties. Her neck has been broken and, post mortem, she has been eviscerated. Her body was found by her landlord so no difficulty in making an identification. But according to the landlord's description of Vita as a person, the list of people with whom she had problems includes just about everyone she ever met. " 'Maybe she's got some family who will mourn...but no one who has had anything to do with her is going to say thy miss her.'" Vita's home was neat in the extreme; there was nothing to reveal her pe3rsonality. The only thing in her apartment of interest to the police is a pizza delivery box. There are twenty-eight independent pizza delivery businesses within easy distance of Vita's apartment. Milo checked them all, including the chains. None used the boxes. Nothing on the outside of the box suggests that food had been in it. When it is dusted for prints and then unsealed, Milo and Alex find a piece of white paper taped to the bottom on it is a ?.

Marlon Quigg is victim #2. He is found on a wooded path frequently used by dog walkers. He is a successful accountant, happily married, the father of two daughters. He is killed in the same way as Vita Berlin. Gloria "got back down near the body, started rolling it. Stopped and reached under and drew something out. Piece of paper, folded into a packet, corners perfectly square. She photographed it closed, then spread a sterile cloth under it and spread it open. White, standard letter size. In the center, a simple message: ?

Three more bodies are discovered, all killed in the same way. There are no witnesses but as the police repeat interviews with people who were familiar with the victims, one detail emerges. The victims were stalked over the course of a few weeks before they were killed. A man wearing a hevy coat lined with shearling is described as being in each area. This is Los Angeles; most people don't own a heavy coat. For lack of a name, the suspect is named for the only thing they know about, his coat. They have no idea who "Shearling" is.

The victims range from a medical doctor to a homeless man. They seem to have nothing in common. At first, the police feared the suspect was choosing his victims randomly but as the investigation moves on the police believe that he is working from a list. The only positive element of that conclusion is that they don;t have to consider the entire population of greater Los Angeles as potential victims. But knowing there is a list doesn't get them closer to knowing who is on it.

VICTIMS is the twenty-seventh book in the Alex Delaware/Milo Sturgis series. These are police procedurals and in this book Alex's girlfriend, Robin, has a couple of small scenes. Milo's partner, Rick, is only mentioned. This story belongs to Alex, Milo, and "Shearling". Kellerman's books may be described as formulaic but with Kellerman that isn't a bad thing. In each book Alex deals with people who have been victimized when they were young and who carry the damage into the lives of others. Kellerman addresses one of the most tragic of society's problems, the inability to protect the most vulnerable. Some of the author's books have been on the New York Times Best Seller list. Kellerman has found a formula that always works.