The Clinic

Rating:
Summary: IS THE DOCTOR IN?
Review: This is a very riveting, compelling mystery. Alex Delaware is called in to determine the psychological aspects of the murder of author Hope Devane. A veteran of the talk show circuit, brilliant psychologist and scholar, Hope Devane was the survivor of maternal abuse. Married to a remote, aloof scholar who is not too different in temperament from herself, Devane continues teaching, writing and appearing on talk shows.

One of Devane's latest capers may have been the catalyst for her murder. She created a kangaroo court in a local college ostensibly to protect women from date rape. She badgers the girls to come forward and one stupid girl named Cindy protects and declares love for her attacker, one Ken Storm, Jr. He threatens her, pushes her out of his car and forces her to fend for herself one night. Even after Storm becomes involved with prostitutes and other violent behavior, silly Cindy defends him. The other women involved in the kangaroo court hearings demand that the men in question be prosecuted. In reading the transcrips of the hearings, one can't help noticing how Devane and her panel of "kangaroos" press the women to press charges and show an antagonism towards men in general.

Delaware probes deeper, and, like a carbuncle, discovers many festering layers beneath the surface. He uncovers an abortion clinic, shady family connections, murder, extortion and theft. Each mystery is a segue to the next and the multiple conclusions are always several steps ahead of the reader.

I thought this was an excellent thriller.

Rating:
Summary: some bright spots but ultimately overwhelmed by loose ends
Review: This is my first Kellerman and I will say that I will go on reading others. As a graduate student at UCLA , I delight at some of Kellerman's dry humor and attitudes towards the strange/ twisted life in the academia and life in the tinsel town LA that I am familiar with. Oh plus I am interested in child psychology, i.e. probing into how childhood experiences may affect adult life, so I like that aspect in Delaware's investigation. The plot has promises and it is resolved quite adequately, but I am a sucker for a tight plot with NO loose ends so in that sense THE CLINIC still falls short of my standards. I think Kellerman introduces too many characters and plots that do not have anything to do with the main solution. So the phletora of facts and characters end up looking contrived, as if they are add-ons to "throw" the reader away from the main clues. Having said all that, I would definitely vote for this one effort of Kellerman rather as opposed to any of Cornwell's mysteries combined (Now, SHE is the real Queen of Mess and Tangles). Well, onto the next book...

Rating:
Summary: Very Shallow
Review: This is the first Kellerman book I've read. If it is representative of his other works, which the other reviewers appear to indicate that it is, perhaps it will be my last. Kellerman's characters are shallow and are cardboard cut outs. We really don't know anything about Alex Delaware or Milo Sturgis or even care. Some characterization is given to the victim and suspects, but not much there either. Kellerman attempts to move the plot along with some crime witness interviews and speculation by Delaware -- unfortunately, neither creates suspense or excitement. His description of places and things sometimes have more depth than his characters. At times I forced myself to keep reading and turning the pages just so I could get to the end. Unfortunately, even there, the ending was completely improbable and not worth the wait. This is one of those "mindless" books and stories that is okay, if you don't have anything else to read or do. The book is certainly not "great" even for its genre (or even close to it). I think that Patricia Cornwell tells a much better story with characters who have a lot more depth. Although not all of her books are 5 star material either, to me her books are more compelling than The Clinic.

Rating:
Summary: Not well-crafted
Review: This novel is atrocious. The characters are shallow and drawn poorly, the plot is choppy and badly paced, the exposition ill-described, and the denouement lacks excitement. It's like going on a boring date with an ugly girl. If this novel is representative of Kellerman's work - which my friends who are Alex Delaware fans assure me it is - then I recommend you skip his novels altogether and head straight for the Agatha Christie section. Her novels are much more tightly written and come to taut, gripping conclusions.

Long live the dame of detective fiction!

Rating:
Summary: good mystery, abrupt ending
Review: This was my first JK novel, and it won't be my last. I found this book hard to put down, mostly because I was interested in the scenario of how a pop psychologist related to the world around her (as a hero to some, as a teacher, as a daytime TV phenomenon, etc....). It is a little hard for me to believe though that a serious scholar and teacher would be able to morph so comfortably into the role of pop psychologist. The ending was almost uncomfortably abrupt and left a lot to the imagination, which I imagine would not suit many readers. I was surprised at the loose end but not too disappointed after Muscadine's Iago-style confession. I'll keep reading Kellerman.

Rating:
Summary: Take My Breath Away
Review: This was the 5th Delaware book I read and I am more hooked then ever. This book is a total mind bogler. When I was done reading it, it reminded me of trying to untangle a rope. You get the little knots done along the way and when you think you have it under control and know what you are doing you get to the huge, many knots in one to untangle. This book makes your mind think constantly, you are reading along and then here comes another clue on a person that you had read about earlier and you have to think back on which one it was. Warning, there are a lot of suspects in this book and you need to keep each of their stories connected with their name. The resoning behind why the person committed the murder just blew my mind, I had no idea. You will enjoy this book to the fullest. Another no sleep till the final page.

Rating:
Summary: Suspenseful
Review: This was the first Kellerman book that I read and I found it to be suspenseful and well written. Even though the plot was somewhat far fetched, he did an excellant job of pulling the story and the characters together. I enjoyed reading this book.