Rating: 
Summary: Death takes a bow!
Review: Dr. Eldon Mate, also known as "Dr. Death", is not a very popular guy. With his "humanitron", he assists those who wish to die achieve their goals in a "humane and dignified manner"...even if sometimes he leaves the bodies in cheap hotel rooms for someone to find. Most would consider it a very good day when Mate's body is found, brutally butchered inside his own van, hooked up to the "humanitron". It is far too obvious to Detective Milo Sturgis and his long-time confidant, Dr. Alex Delaware, that Mate didn't die in the most humane way. Nor did he "off himself" with his own machine. Their investigation leads them down many paths...chasing numerous suspects and cogitating just as many motives.As a long-time fan of Kellerman's "Alex Delaware" series, this reader has analyzed the reasons "Dr. Death", and Kellerman's previous novel, "Monster", don't live up to Kellerman's obvious potential. When Kellerman was writing what he knows, and that is child psychology, his writing shines with knowledge and suspense. Delaware had a personal interest in not only his patients, but the victims of the tragedies that beset them. In more recent novels, Kellerman drifts away from the comfort zone and into areas that are already deluged with stories...most of them better plotted, and well-thought out. While "Dr. Death" has its moments, with some well-spoken phrases and vivid scenes, his stories lack real depth. Where once his passion was his motivation, now it's as if he's just some guy sitting behind a desk thinking up stories. "Dr. Death" is socially relevant to our times, but tends to become a bit preachy, and long-winded in spots. The child characters seem mere cardboard cutouts, gratuitous and out of place in "Dr. Death". Kellerman disappoints with this latest story. It barely held my interest long enough to find out whodunnit.
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Summary: Kellerman Scores Again!
Review: Once again, I must profess my hatred for Jonathan Kellerman--his books are impossible to stop reading once you start! Kellerman's longtime protagonist, Dr. Alex Delaware (who of course I believe is a fictional version of the author himself) is once again assisting his good friend, Milo Sturgis, in a grisly murder investigation, providing valuable psychological insight and, of course, his own unauthorized investigating help. This time, though, there's a twist--one of the suspects in the murder is the father of one of Delaware's patients, a young girl whose mother's death was "assisted" by the murder victim. Alex struggles to reconcile his friendship with Milo and his need for confidentiality for his patients, all the while working his way through a tangled plot. The novel contains all the usual elements of a Kellerman novel--a widely diverse cast of characters, a few surprising plot twists, and, of course, an ending that catches the reader completely by surprise (this reader, anyway). After 15 books, some may call this the same old formula, but my opinion is that if it ain't broke, don't fix it! NOTE: Maybe the most interesting character in the entire book is someone we never meet--Dr. Eldon Mate, the murder victim. His character is developed entirely postmortem, through interviews with relatives, friends, and associates, and through fictional newspaper and journal articles. I think the main purpose of Mate's character was to allow Kellerman to present debate on the topic of assisted suicide. To his credit, Kellerman presents both sides of the debate equally, to the point where I'm not really sure where Kellerman stands on the subject (which may be the point).
Rating:
Summary: Haven't I read this before??
Review: Jonathan Kellerman is a great author, and he tells a good story. Unfortunately, it seems like he's telling the same story over and over again. I think perhaps he needd a new charachter. And personally, I'm sick of reading about euthanasia issues.
Rating: 
Summary: Dr. Death not up to Kellerman's usual quality
Review: The characters were interesting, but no one in the story would I want to live next door to. Otherwise, carelessly plotted, murky in exposition, NO ACTION at all, with the bulk of the story being Stream-of Consciousness psychobabble.
Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyable fast read
Review: If you are a fan of Jonathan Kellerman, you will be happy to see Dr Dellaware back in this book. I enjoyed the fact that this was a fast read ( I read it in one sitting) and that I actually did not guess "whodunnit" until the end. I liked this book better than his last book Billy Straight and better than his last Dr Delaware book. It's not rocket science, but it is fun.
Rating:
Summary: Good solid read!
Review: Dr. Death by Jonathan Kellerman Random House 2000 Dr. Alex Deleware is called in by his friend Milo Sturgis to help in the investigation of the murder of the assisted suicide specialist, Dr. Eldon Mate, Dr. Death. Alex had just recently been called in to help Stacy Doss, the daughter of one of Dr. Mate's suspected victims and feels compelled to declare a conflict of interest but is persuaded by both parties to continue his help. Alex discovers a very dysfunctional family while treating Stacy finds that Richard Doss, the father had a pathological hatred of Dr. Death and his son Richard has never handled his mothers satisfactorily. The suspects in Dr. Death's murder are limited as most of the families of Dr. Death' victims do not seem displeased with him. Then an FBI agent shows up with documentation that seems to indicate that a serial murder has been active in the area and there are a number of things about Dr. Death's murder which are similar. The case gets even more complex when Richard Doss is charged with hiring someone to kill Dr. Death and it is discovered that the FBI agent's daughter was a victim of the serial killer. Alex works through these facts to solve the puzzle and in the end also discovers the story behind the Doss's dysfunctionality. This is a very good read. The characters are well developed and the story intriguing and suspenseful. I would recommend it to all mystery fans.
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Summary: Best of Both Worlds
Review: I really enjoyed this psychological thriller primarily because of the skill Kellerman uses to develop the plot and to describe the characters and their motivations, beliefs, behaviors... their personalities. He provides the best of both worlds. He presents a crime and works toward its solution by using Milo Sturgis and standard police techniques. He also creates characters, both victims and suspects, and allows the reader to see them through the unique psychological perspective of Alex Delaware. We are privy to Delaware's impressions about the psychological dynamics of the characters: of Dr. Eldon Mate, the man who killed dying patients and is now a murder victim; and several suspects, especially Eric and Stacy Doss, tormented children of a woman who appears to have been one of Dr. Death's victims. The reader is able to sit in on psychotherapy sessions and listen to Delaware as he helps clients face their fears as he explores their pathology. We also follow him as he reviews the files of a serial killer and develops his own ideas of who killed Dr. Death and why. Jonathan Kellerman expertly educates and entertains the reader in the worlds of crime and psychology. He has advanced the police procedural by adding the interesting but often misunderstood applied field of psychology,i.e. psychotherapy. Dr. Death may not be his best but it still very good and definitely worth reading.
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Summary: Exciting Read
Review: Jonathan Kellerman has done it again! I enjoyed the rich storytelling way in which he wrote this book. I found myself several times getting caught up in the characters lives. It is a book I'd definitely read again. Dr. Death depicts the psychological thrillers Kellerman is known for. It's suspenseful twists and turns, sends readers in to a whirlwind of demonic mazes, stealth bound hills, and unseen hallways of the psychopathic mind. I'd definitely recommend it for anyone who could stomach the suspense riddled plots born only in Kellerman's mind, through Dr. Death.
Rating: 
Summary: A waste of time and waste of money
Review: Jonathan Kellerman has almost always been a sure thing in terms of writing an interesting mystery. With Dr. Death he somehow lost his touch. It almost seems as if he's playing around with a sort of Philip Marlow/ 40's detective writing style in the beginning of the book and then he abruptly goes back to his typical writing style. Kellerman also throws in an obligatory and really boring love scene with Alex Delawares annoying and self abosorbed live in girlfriend Robin. The problem with Dr. Death is the barely fleshed out characters (other than Delaware and Milo and the dog) and that it tries to be a commentary on euthanasia and the movement that surround it. Kellerman should stick to writing what he writes best. All mystery-no social commentary, and most of all no Robin-it's time for a new love interest---Petra perhaps?
Rating:
Summary: dr. delaware's death rattle?
Review: after over a dozen alex delaware novels, the fine series seems exhausted, dependent on its past popularity for life support. it is probably time for this gifted author to move on and let delaware die with dignity. billy straight was a tour de force in character portrayal. more is expected from such a major talent. baldacci has shown that a switch of genres can be made smoothly and successfully.
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