Rating: 
Summary: disappointing - little complexity and few surprises
Review: This was the first book by Jonathan Kellerman that I read, and it will probably be the last. I'm not even sure why I finished the book with the first 200-250 pages being so bad. The last 100-150 were better, and the book might have been better had some of the information at the end been revealed at the beginning. But Kellerman held onto it, wrapping everything up tidily in the last few mini-chapters -- no big surprises, but some background on one of the detectives (who I thought was the most interesting character anyway) that would have been nice to have known up front. Choppy writing with trashy themes and language throughout. Almost entirely dialogue-based with very little narration, so all you know is what the characters are saying to each other. A Cold Heart would make a better late-night made for cable movie than a novel. For serial killer thrillers, I would recommend Mortal Fear by Greg Iles instead.
Rating: 
Summary: A Cold Heart
Review: As usualy Johnathan Kellerman works his magic with his hereos Alex Deleware and Milo. This novel was a little harder to follow than most but it still was an excellent read. I brought the large type hard bound novel and I could not believe the editing mistakes throughout the book. There were so many mis-spellings that even a dummy like me found them distracting. This is not the authors fault but the publisher. I spite of all this I recommend the book.
Rating: 
Summary: Boring
Review: I have read all of Jonathan Kellerman's books and love them all. Except this one- very boring. The story seemed to drag on, was not at all impressed. Disappointing.
Rating:
Summary: Great
Review: This true Kellerman at his best!!! A little drag in a few spots but that also is Kellerman's style-not drag; detail!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Slow-moving novel
Review: Psychologist Alex Delaware is again helping his friend detective Milo Sturgis with some murder cases. Alex sees a connection between the murder of a talented blues player and a budding artist. Rather early on in the book they appear to pin down the murderer, but they are unable to locate him. Interviews with his parents and others who knew him lead them nowhere. Meanwhile there are some scenes between Alex, his current love interest, Allison, and Robin, his ex-girlfriend. Alex and Robin seem to have ambivalent feelings towards each other and these are not completely resolved in this book. Milo's colleague Petra has a new partner whose unusually stoic personality inspires some curiosity on the part of his co-workers. None of these sub-plots are terribly interesting, nor is the murder mystery. This is a slow-moving book which is not up to the others in the series.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting Plot
Review: Either Jonathan Kellerman cut down a bit on his endless Los Angeles road map, or his plot was a cut above the rest, because I really got involved in this book from page 1, and forgot to be annoyed at the endless mention of street names.In this yarn, Dr. Alex Delaware, still raw from his breakup with Robin, is in a new relationship and helping his friend Milo Sturgis in a new case--somebody is murdering people in the art world. And not just painters--It seems the murderer is targeting anybody who has just had a break. Thus, longtime bluesman Baby Boy, in obscurity for decades and suddenly once again in the spotlight, is found gutted in a filthy alleyway. A promising young pianist who finally makes his public debut is found seemingly dispatched. An up-and-coming ballet dancer in Boston is given the same treatment: Is she part of the same picture? And what is going on in the head of the perp? Figuring that out is where Alex comes in, as always. He struggles to put together a viable profile as the murders keep on coming. And in the process, he meets with a whole collection of bizarre people who could only live in Los Angeles. Adding to the pleasure of the read is the return of Petra Connor, Milo's sometime colleague and a primary on this case. Petra's been given a new partner, the silent, spooky "man in black," Eric Stahl. This guy is so weird I spent half the book thinking HE was the murderer. Alex's ex Robin is also part of the plot--she knew Baby Boy--enough to be mentioned on the liner notes of one of his CDs. And then there's Alex's new love interest, the lovely shrink Allison, who has to used all her skills to overcome the feelings Alex still has for his former love. All in all, a satisfying book. I recommend it!
Rating:
Summary: Get here, but don't start here
Review: I enjoy series in this genre, and this book's no disapopintment. A continuing development of Alex Delaware's life in the first person combines with a focus on Detective Petra Connor (and her new partner) adds another link to this chain. If you're new to the series, don't start here. Start waaay back. But by all means, get here. The suspense is worth it.
Rating: 
Summary: Alex Delaware plays 'Connect the Dots'...except.........
Review: it is not a game at all. It's one murder...connected to another
murder..connected to..... A call from Milo Sturgis, his detective buddy, alerts Alex to "a weird one"; the gutting of a quitarist outside the theatre where he is starring in his first comeback performance. His comeback song? A COLD HEART! While working on the first case... another murder, the garroting, with a quitar string, of a painter who has finally made the art scene...and a slaying shortly following of another rising artiste, again garroted with a quitar string; and so the doctor and the detective start to connect the dots in hopes of shaping a picture of this cold, calculating murderer. It was good to meet again Petra O'Connor, a character from Kellerman's novel BILLY STRAIGHT, who joins the two in their quest and we are off on another exciting 'search, chase and capture' scenario. And exciting, it is! As the doctor commandeers his computer expertise to delve into murders of the same ilk in the past; he is surpised and disturbed to learn that they are dealing with a physopathic killer whose own art-form is murder and who indeed has been practicing this art-form for many years. Petra has a new partner: silent, unresponsive, thoughtful; and we are given little teasing glimpses into his past. Eric Stahl is a story within a story and a very good one at that. Milo's character continues to grow (in size also if we believe you are what you eat) maybe that is why he becomes more 'seasoned' in each of Kellerman's books. He is rather endearing and it is a wonderful plus to Kellerman's expertise that he can write 18 Delaware novels and his characters are not static. Old ones too drop out, but new ones take their places. Robyn, his once live-in sweetheart is 'on leave' for what she thinks are greener pastures and is involved in a very clever way to this story line. I miss Spike but I hope that Alex and his no-nonsense, really likable, fully supportive new flame, Allison will find a replacement for the fiesty little bulldog who gave us a smile once in a while. Eighteen novels with the same central character and none of the savory zest and flavor is dulled...in fact,with each new effort of Kellerman's, Dr. Alex Delaware becomes more and more alive and his adventures more thrilling.
Rating:
Summary: Pass it By
Review: The usual Kellerman appeal is absent--this book feels very tired. Not much of a mystery--and nothing new in the relationships of Kellerman's (usually) intriguing characters. Alex, Robin, Milo and Rick deserve better than this.
Rating:
Summary: Too Clever By Half
Review: Even for insightful, brilliant Alex Delaware connecting the first two murders is a stretch. An old bluesman is stabbed in the alley behind a small nightclub. A young artist is bludgeoned in the restroom of a gallery spotlighting her art. The connection is so tenuous, it sounds like Alex has a psychic on his payroll. "Cold Heart" is highly readable. A first-time Kellerman reader would probably be impressed enough to purchase more Alex Delaware novels. For those of us who are long time fans, it is another outing that lacks the punch and logic of his earlier works. The tired subplot of his rocky romance with Robin (now they are on the outs) is almost a joke. Alex has found a new lady Allison who is so awesomely mature and perfect, she brings to mind Robert Parker and Spencer's super-irritating Susan. Wait for this one to come out in paperback.
-sweetmolly-
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