Rating: 
Summary: We¿re proud to present Monster
Review: Here's some advance praise for MONSTER-Jonathan Kellerman's return to the beloved Alex Delaware series: "In top form . . . Kellerman devises a deviously twisted, contemporary tale that draws pulsing suspense from the ageless relationship between madness and evil. . . . A tense climax in the hills above L.A. brings together all the tautly woven threads as Kellerman delivers another chilling look into the dark corners of the human psyche."-Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Definitely his best yet. . . . The tension is palpable, the plot filled with devilish convolutions, and the sense of impending danger heart-stoppingly tense. And Dr. Alex Delaware is at his brilliantly analytical zenith. . . . Riveting."-Booklist (starred review) "Intelligent, well-drawn characters and the kinds of plot twists that make the best mysteries fun to read. Both fans of the series and readers not familiar with Kellerman's work should enjoy this novel."-Library Journal
Rating: 
Summary: Fast-paced, first-rate suspense
Review: I'm a long-time Kellerman fan, and "Monster" is one of his best. This is a fast-paced novel of contemporary suspense. Albeit there are some loose ends and unlikely plot mechanisms, the suspense is of the old-fashioned nail-biting variety. The cast of characters -- a motley crew of twisted doctors, calculating nurses, amoral rich people, the has-been actress, etc. -- is well crafted and believable. We don't see much of Robin or Spike in this story, while Milo the cop plays second fiddle to Alex without having to fight the rest of the Police Dept. every step of the way. This is Dr. Delaware's mystery to solve, more so than in some of the previous Alex Delaware novels in which he does little more than consult. The alert reader will find himself rooting for the nominal "Monster" as the action picks up. The series of murders is particularly gruesome but, hey, that's the nature of this genre. The ultimate unveiling of the "Monster" is almost anticlimatic if you've been paying attention and catching the clues, but what a hellava good read getting there!
Rating: 
Summary: Plodding and unimaginative
Review: Not a good read. Have not read any other Kellerman but was not bothered by the absence of character development others have complained of. I could not stand, however, his decision to focus on the detail of certain events. One example, why dedicate so many plodding pages to a conversation with security guards at the end which contributed absolutely nothing to the resolution? There are other instances. Thankfully I picked this one up on the bargain table.
Rating: 
Summary: Give me a break
Review: As one implausible scene after another played out (OK they had their moments) I got the nasty feeling that the payoff would be weak and sure enough the ending fizzled like a wet firecracker. A moronic serial killer/movie maker who isn't even detected--let alone pursued or caught--for 15 years? A dabbling psychologist who leads a star LA detective by the nose? A gorgeous girl friend who lets the hero run off at all hours to insane asylums? Two hot, achieving, apparently normal chicks who are attracted to a greasy Ichabod serial killer--one of whom is persuaded to participate in killings? I don't think so. Add to that Kellerman has an an annoying Balzacian habit of obsessing on furniture and clothes. C'mon man it's page 46 and the guy has a moustache, is wearing jeans, and there's a calendar on the wall...let's get on with it! Kellerman is superb when he sticks to Planet Earth scenarios, the gritty LA milieu, and hard-nosed conflict. But sometimes his plotting is just weird. His characters are real enough, but like talented actors caught in a very bad play. You almost expect one to cry out, "where's my motivation?" OK I admit I've read and liked a half dozen of his books and did finish this one, but afterward I felt tricked. I skimmed many scenes and just tossed the book at the end. What a cheat. It reminds me a lot of that "Island of Dr. Moreau" book he wrote, can't remember its name. Gotta give the guy credit for his work ethic though. If it's so boring to read some of these scenes, how much more boring must it be to write them?
Rating:
Summary: Painfully laborious!
Review: In this murder mystery Dr. Alex Deleware is helping his friend Detective Milo determine who has killed a psychologist. What makes it interesting is that this psychologist is one who has worked for only a short time at the states hospital for the criminally insane. She has worked with one of the most "notorious" patients that is in the hospital, known as the "Monster". She seems to have been even making some progress with him until her death. Then there is the mystery as to the similarity of her death to another one that Milo has worked on recently. This thriller will take you on a roller coaster ride through the minds of those who are insane as well as those who treat them. As other deaths that seem to not connect at all start to form a pattern will Milo and Alex figure it all out before it is to late. There are a few surprises in story in this one!
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