Customer Reviews

When the Bough Breaks (Alex Delaware, No. 1)

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Child psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware seems to have it all. A beautiful home, a loving woman, a luxurious car, and retirement in his early thirties. There aren't many that can claim the bounties that Dr. Delaware has in his life. However, all is not well with Dr. Delaware. With a psyche still scarred by the horrors brought to his doorstep by a lonely and sick man, Alex finds himself adrift, simply existing and not really living.

That is, until his friend and LAPD detective Milo Sturgis comes to him and asks for help. Milo is working a double homicide case, and the only witness they have at this time is Melody Quinn, a quiet, troubled, 7-year-old girl. Milo wants Alex to dust off his couch and talk to Melody. Little did Alex know that this simple favor would set off a chain of events that would have dire consequences on his life.

This is the first of Jonathan Kellerman's highly popluar Dr. Alex Delaware series, and I can see why this first book has led to many more. Dr. Delaware is an interesting character with several different - and often conflicting - aspects to his personality. Milo Sturgis, the slovenly LAPD Homicide detective with a heart of gold and unique personality foibles all his own is Alex's co-star, and is a fascinating character in his own right.

I enjoyed this book quite a bit, and look forward to reading the further adventures of Dr. Delaware.

If you are looking to start reading the works of Jonathon Kellerman, specifically the Alex Delaware series, then this is a great one to start with. It, like the others, is written in the first person. IF you start with the others, like I did, you may find trouble associating with or understanding Dr. Delaware, the protagonist, and his background. This book sets up the characters, lays the foundation for the following books, and at the same time delivers a great story. Mr. Kellerman does a good job of mixing in numerous characters and plot twists to the extent that the first victim in this book gets "lost" in the middle of the story, but gets tied back in at the end.

This is the first of the series and it is a decent read, but at times looks like a first novel. It drags a bit but like I have said before Kellerman is not capable of writing a bad book. His average one's are better than 50 percent of what is being published today!

Kellerman does a superb job of detailing a 7-year old who is the possible only witness to a crime and her down-and-out mother, who should take parenting classes. I won't give away much, but this shows enough to get u hooked on Kellerman, Delaware (the main character), and Milo (his friend). A worthy debut!

Kellerman exhibits charcterization, smooth storytelling, and fantastic plotting. The only draw-back is lengthy conversations and parts that are a little slow. Nothing to convince u NOT to PURCHASE the BOOK!

Good job, Jon!

This is Jonathan Kellerman's first novel featuring Dr. Alex Delaware, an over-achieving child psychologist who suffered from burnout in his early 30's and dropped out. The novel reads as though Kellerman is just having some fun writing. Fortunately, he takes his readers along for the ride.

Dr. Delaware goes from mild-mannered chid psychologist to psychologist/sleuth to psychologist/action hero as the story progresses.

Not all of the characters are as fully developed as I might have liked, but there were just too many characters to develop them all fully. The characterizations provided, however, were fairly good. Check Kellerman's later works to see how he expands and develops this talent.

The pacing was good, but there was a little too much deux ex machina to make the story truly believable. It's such a good read, however, I didn't really mind.

This was the first book I read by Kellerman, and I still feel it's his best. The author spins a well-woven drama, with important characters and a steady build. It was at times difficult, but really more sad, only because of what happens to a child. The tale is gripping. It got me hooked on Alex Delaware novels. I've read most of them since reading "When The Bough Breaks". If you haven't read any of Kellerman's Alex Delaware novels, and read but one, make it this one. Then you'll find you've made a liar out of yourself. It'll hook you.

This is my first book by Kellerman. And i was very impressed. It's a very good debut novel. The plotting is tight and the writing is sharp. The book is, basically, incredibly fun to read. (As another reviewer has said, you get the sense that all Kellerman was doing was writing for his own amusement and fun, and it really comes across in the writing. Very fun, enjoyable story, despite its focus on child-abuse.)

Alex Delaware is a great character. He is well drawn and realistic. instantly likeable, immediately an everyman who most readers will be able to identify with. He is supported by some other great characters. Milo, his police-detective friend. And Robin, his partner. (A likeable character at first, but if she carries on as she is, she may get a tad annoying in a few books time)

The plotting is clever, and the climax great. I see a strength in the series, available in his ability to portray likeable children very well. Unfortunately, in this book little Melody Quinn (the child in this book) seems to drop out of the story about a quarter of the way through, only to re-appear in a privotal role at the end.

The child-abuse is depicted well, the plotting is strong and realistic. The effects of the child abuse are also described well. Peadophillia is dealt with tactfully, and this book does not sensationalise it. In the end, the villains all get their commupeance, and Milo Strugis really shows his true colours.

This is a very good debut novel. A fast paced pageturner, with an addictive writing style, i fairly raced through this book. I am hugely looking forward to getting my teeth into other books by Kellerman.

Kellerman spins a pretty good yarn in the inaugural novel to the "Alex Delware/Milo Sturgis series." It's no wonder the series has gone on to become one of the most popular mystery/psychological series in fiction today.

In this one, the two cross paths for the very first time when Deleware, the psychologist, does some counseling for victims of a child molester, as part of city (L.A.) grant. Sturgis is a detective who was on the case about the child molester.

The mental stress of being a psychologist eventually drives Deleware to early retirement (he's only 33!); luckily, he's got enough money saved up to last him a while until he figures out what his next career move will be. Shortly after that, Sturgis asks for his help in a new case, because it involves a little girl who may have witnessed a double murder, but she's not saying much. Sturgis thinks that Deleware could be the right man to get something out of the girl, and suggests that Deleware work as a special psychological consultant to the LAPD. And a team is born!

The girl still doesn't say much, but other clues lead Deleware to a very disturbing discovery. His connections in the psychiatric community of L.A. and knowledge of certain psychiatric practices prove very useful, so useful he does most of the work. He finds the murders to be linked to some other recent murders in very curious ways.

I don't want to reveal to much about the ending, let's just say there are a lot of suprises, and Deleware's discoveries will shock the city of L.A., and bring down some of the city's most powerful: judges, doctors, lawyers, and more.

The last three or four chapters were very good, I think that's what a book should do: save the best for last, build to a climax with some suprises along the way.

His characterizations of some of the more evil people were strong. It may not be the best you've ever read but will likely hold your attention!

This mystery starts and ends as a very neatly tied bow on the package. There are no loose ends.

Psychologist Alex Delaware and his sidekick, Officer Milo Sturgis crack their first cases together as a sleuthing duo. A Dr. Morton Handler is killed and the only person with keys to unlock that first mystery is 7-year-old Melody Quinn. An overmedicated child, Melody lives with her single mother in a run down apartment with a ban on children. Fearful of being evicted, Melody's mother feeds her tranquilizers and reduces Melody into a druggy stupor.

Dr. Delaware is called in to consult with Melody and take the first step in cracking a Chinese box of mysteries. His detective trail takes him from Southern California to Washington State. He and Sturgis discover a child-porn ring, murder, deception and extortion. The end is a tad anticlimatic because all the loose ends are neatly tied up with a perfect bow.

I didn't care for Dr. Delaware's live in girlfriend, Robin. An accomplished luthier, Robin is described as fiercely independent. She does some pretty inane things, though. I didn't like it when she wore a picture of Lassie around her neck to atone for offending Alex. I thought that was stupid. I never really cared for Robin in the first place.

Note the names: Handler, for the psychiatrist. Handler of psyches and in his case, matters less than wholesome or above board.

This is the first novel featuring Alex Delaware, child psychologist and it is a stunner. I don't know why I have resisted reading Jonathan Kellerman for so long, but I sure do regret it. When Dr. Morton Handler and Elena Gutierrez are found mutilated in Handler's apartment, Det. Milo Sturgis recruits Dr. Delaware to help unlock the mind of the only witness, 7 year old Melody Quinn. As Dr. Delaware tries to help this child, he unwittingly unlocks a deeper secret, one that has existed for over 40 years. This novel is a fine debut for Jonathan Kellerman. We now know he goes on to write many more Dr. Delaware novels and I will be reading all of them

This book is so engrosing that you can't put it down! The characters are real, and you just can't wait to find out what happens to them! I am so glad Kellerman made this a series! Great writing! Fun! Interresting! Exciting! Alex and Milo's relationship is cool! You totally feel for the kid in the book.