The Murder Book (Alex Delaware, No. 16) (Mass Market Paperback)

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Key Phrases: murder book, Achievement House, Willie Burns, Janie Ingalls (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

When L.A. psychologist Alex Delaware receives an elaborate album filled with gruesome crime-scene police photos of a series of apparently unconnected killings, he's stymied. He's also in the midst of a personal crisis--Robin, his long-suffering partner, has made it clear that it's up to Alex to heal the breach in their relationship that's been caused by his over-involvement in criminal investigations. The pictures mean nothing to him, but one image gets his policeman pal Milo Sturgis's immediate attention--the victim was one of his rookie cases, and her murder was never solved, perhaps because someone much higher up in the department didn't want it to be. Was the anonymous mailer attempting to reach Milo through Alex? If so, the package has the desired effect, as the two men team up to find the connection between the cases highlighted in the murder book and whoever sent it. The trail leads to a retired cop, an old mentor of Alex's, and a wealthy, powerful family that will stop at nothing to keep its secrets and its victims buried forever. Kellerman pays more attention to Alex's midlife blues than he needs to, but his focus on Milo's experiences as a gay cop in a homophobic department fits seamlessly into both plot and narrative. --Jane Adams --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly

Bestseller Kellerman's 16th Alex Delaware novel is a hoot of a whodunit, a classic puzzler to keep the most staid traditionalist gleefully scratching his or her head until the wee hours. It's also a noir of gothic proportions, a descent into a California hell, in which Delaware shares the spotlight with his longtime friend and colleague, Det. Milo Sturgis. When somebody sends Alex a three-ring binder full of grisly police photographs of crime scenes with "The Murder Book" in gold letters on the front cover, Milo is stunned to discover a picture of the mutilated body of Janie Ingalls, a Hollywood High sophomore, whose vicious murder he investigated 20 years before. Milo was just a rookie detective then, partnered with a hard-nosed veteran, Pierce Schwinn. The pair made some progress with the case, but were pulled off it and split up because Schwinn stepped on some big toes. Milo suspects the book has come from Schwinn, an invitation to take up the old case that has haunted them both for years. He and Alex begin to follow a trail that will lead them high up the social ladder and down among the dregs of society. It is a step-by-step, clue-by-clue process beloved of mystery fans, and Kellerman handles it masterfully. By the end there are an awful lot of characters to keep track of, and the biff-boom-bang finale seems too much, but no one's perfect. This may be the best Kellerman in years.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 624 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (May 20, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345508548
• ISBN-13: 978-0345508546
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 4.1 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (96 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #277,652 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This is item 16 in The Jonathan Kellerman: Alex Delaware Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

58 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kellerman got BACK!, October 1, 2002

By	Lori L. Graham "yose" (Whittier, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Murder Book (Hardcover)

Kellerman has been in a bit of a rut lately-- rich, good-looking doctor with attractive and accomplished girlfriend gets into the down-and-dirty blah blah blah. In The Murder Book, Kellerman not only shakes up Alex's life (with Robin's new gig [new life?] chief among the changes), but we finally get, in essence, a real Milo story-- much of the book is from Milo's point of view. By doing this, Kellerman drops not only the first-person but subtly alters his writing style to evoke a more Milo-ish tone. The story is made more involving by having a greater emphasis on fallibility than evil, thus making it more accessible and-- dare I say it?-- realistic.

So by combining an involving story with new character twists, more grey areas between good and evil, and the fresh perspective of Milo Sturgis, we get one of Kellerman's best books in years. Enjoy!

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Probably the best in the series., October 14, 2002

By	Nick Gonnella - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: The Murder Book (Hardcover)

Alex Delaware has seen his share of violent crimes but none like the collection he receives in the mail.

Alex receives an anonymous book in the mail. The book is called "The Murder Book", and in it are graphic pictures of various murders. The murders are all random, not connected, and stretch back many years. Alex has no idea why he has received this, or who sent it to him so it does the only logical thing he can...he turns it over to his lifelong friend, homicide detective Milo Sturgis.

Milo begins looking through the horrifying book only to be shocked by photos of a young woman tortured, strangled, and dumped by a freeway. Milo immediately recognizes the crime photos, it was the first case he ever worked on.

Milo has tried to forget the case he could not solve, but now many years later someone has opened a Pandora's Box bringing the past to the present, forcing Milo on an endless journey for answers. A journey that will take him to the darkest corners of L.A. exposing secrets kept for many years.

Can Milo and Alex solve the crime, and bring closure to a young woman nobody cared about?

`The Murder Book' is classic Kellerman storytelling; fast-paced, exciting, well written, and very suspenseful. The Alex Delaware series continues full steam ahead with, probably, the best entry in several years. Readers will be drawn in from the first chapter, and kept in a spell of shocks, and twists with every turn of the page.

Jonathan Kellerman writes the kind yarns that grab you by the throat, and keep you captive until the last page has been turned. Although this is a typical good versus evil story Mr. Kellerman makes it anything but typical by adding his masterful plot twists, healthy doses of action, and almost un-bearable suspense.

Longtime fans of the Delaware series will love this, and new readers will run out and by the earlier novels.

A MUST read for series fans, and thriller fans alike.

Nick Gonnella

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delaware Discovers his Dark Side....., November 1, 2002

By	Archmaker (California) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Murder Book (Hardcover)

After a few years of Jonathan Kellerman experimenting with form, trying to expand the Delaware horizons, and exploring specific themes with some mixed results, he seemed to be getting back to basics in his last outing, Flesh & Blood, and has really regained his stride with this offering, The Murder Book.

The 16th in the Alex Delaware series, and Kellerman has caught his second wind and this story is a real page-turner and barn- burner! Kellerman is still playing with form, this time alternating between Alex Delaware's 1st person narrative, and a major portion of the book a 3rd person telling from his pal, Det. Milo Sturgis', point-of-view. He thereby gives us a deeper look at both Milo and Alex as we see Delaware from his friend's perspective.

Nice to see an author's interest and invigoration in a book so far down the line in a series. AND, the mystery and plot is a corker with Alex and Milo working a 20 year old case and uncovering really rotten people in the Hills of Beverly and Belair. Plenty of evil and fireworks.

Alex Delaware finally realizes what we have known all along. He isn't a police "consultant" because he likes to exercise his apptitude and training in psychology. He does it because he is an adrenaline junky and gets off on the danger! His beloved Robin has realized this and she has split. Permanently? More will be revealed.

Having hooked in to Kellerman many years ago, I had found several of the later books interesting, but lacking the bite and visceral grab of the earlier works. Well, Jonathan is back, full stroke, and I can't wait for the next Delaware novel. Five stars for this one, for Kellerman fans, of course.