Rating: 
Summary: Didn't think it possible JK could produce such a boring nove
Review: Hated it and am not happy I shelled out for the hard copy. Don't waste your money.
Rating: 
Summary: A once-strong series is becoming weak.
Review: Being a psychologist myself, I was excited to discover the Alex Delaware series many years ago. I enjoyed reading many of the earlier books--even those that I read out of order--and eventually, I was reading the new books as soon as they were published. Unfortunately, I've found the last several offerings in the Delaware series to be unsatisfying, and The Murder Book only served to highlight my disappointment.The novel begins with Alex and his long-time (perhaps long-suffering) girlfriend Robin. At the end of the last novel, there seemed to be cause for optimism about their relationship, but that quickly turns around at the start of the new book. Robin has always been a mariginal, one-dimensional character at best, and here, she all but disappears. What we're left with is Alex and Milo working on a new case--actually, an old case of Milo's left unsolved from years before. In earlier books, the chain of events made sense; the reader was able to understand the origins of Alex's conjectures and draw similar conclusions, perhaps even identifying the murderer(s) for themselves before reading the ending (which I was able to do myself at least once). In The Murder Book, however, the solution to the mystery involves such far-fetched, convoluted hypothoses that even Columbo wouldn't have been able to solve this one. Kellerman's writing style is still enjoyable, but his plots are becoming a little too thin for my liking.
Rating: 
Summary: Best in a long time
Review: I am an avid reader and a great fan of both of the Kellermans. This is one of the best books he has written in years, it was refreshing to spend so much of the book with Milo and also the issues between Delaware and his "live in" will help the series move along. Recommend this book strongly
Rating:
Summary: A very Naughties Los Angeles tale
Review: A quiet, introspective book, very much in the style of earlier Alex Delaware books. It really captures a picture of Naughties Los Angeles. There are background details here that really localise it in time and space. So much so that if this book is read 50 years hence, editorial footnotes might be useful. For example, there is a slumlord who is ordered by a judge to live in one of his decrepit flats. Based on an actual case in the 90s. Then there is the city councillor who was caught with narcotics. Again inspired by a recent incident. Plus the LAPD Chief, who is a strict disciplinarian who rose from the ranks. Based on the previous actual Chief, who was replaced in 2002. There are novels which deliberately do not say which year they are in. Typically, these are contemporary novels, and the authors do not want the books to soon appear dated. Think of the original James Bond novels, for example. The most you can say is that they are set in some decade. Well, based on the clues above, this novel can be pinpointed quite accurately. The LAPD Chief in question held that position from 1997 to 2002. So the upper bound is 2002. The lower bound is greater than 1997. Why? Well, cellphones are casually used and pervasive. Likewise, the hero often uses search engines to look for people, and expects to find positive results. 1997 was a little too early for this. Probably 2000 and later. In fact, think of this as the answer to a English assignment question, circa 2050. "WHEN was this novel?"
Rating:
Summary: NOT HIS BEST AND NOT A PAGE TURNER
Review: It is Alex Delaware without Robin and he seems preoccupied with heroff on a concert tour and her "maybe" attitude. But his partnerMilo Sturgis blooms in her absenceand saves what could have ended upwith a 1-2 star rating. The murder book turns out to be a collection of crimes never solved with theemphasis on a young girl brutally murdered, her tortured body dumped at an expressway exit. But the murder is 20 years old, unsolved by Sturgis and his senior partner,Schwinn who was forced into retirement while Milo was transferred to another district.For some reason the case was dropped. Now it is staring Milo right in the face. But why was the murder book sent to Alex andwho sent it? Two problems to solve. Between the two of themworking together and separately,they go back to The Kings Men, a group of rich high school boys dedicated to sex and drugs. More murders, deaths, and ties to the rich men of today are exposed.They interview scads of people with perfect recall of who was with whom and who did what. Oh tobe blessed with such recall! Bythe end everything is neatly tied and bundled with a SOLVED label.However the adventure is marred bytedious conversations, recalls andso-called action that you could lay the book down and come back to it 20 minutes or two days later and pick it up right where you left it with no loss. Too manycharacters with minimal actionslow it down to a trickle at toomany places. Come on, Mr. Kellerman, let us have a reallygood read for our money next time!
Rating:
Summary: Jonathan Kellerman has made a comeback
Review: I've found that Kellerman's work, over the last several novels, have been perdictable and formulaic....... until now. For the first time, in a very long time, Jonathan Kellerman has written something that kept me spellbound and guessing. I could no longer predict that Alex Delaware was going to do something extremely stupid towards the end of the book, so that was very refreshing. If Kellerman can keep up the newness, as he's done with this novel, there's still life in the Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis characters.
Rating: 
Summary: a good book
Review: this is the first jonathan kellerman book i have ever read, it made me want to read more. i really enjoyed reading about the main character of the series, alex delaware, but this novel is mostly about his best friend milo and a case that he was on 20 years ago. an excellent book, couldn't put it down.
Rating: 
Summary: Tedious and Tasteless
Review: While I enjoyed the fleshing out of the character Milo, I found the story disgusting and tedious. The last few books in this series have been pretty poor attempts at the hard boiled school and this one sinks even lower. The writing and plot are hardly up to the standards set in earlier efforts. Kellerman has lost his way and to say this book is disappointing is an understatement. A repugnent waste of time in which Alex's profession is irrelevannt as there is little that is psychological here. Perhaps the author needs therapy or just a writer's workshop. At any rate, there is certainly something wrong. A session with Dr. Gregory in Boulder might help.
Rating:
Summary: The Underdog
Review: This is a story about Milo, Alex Delaware's trusty partner in crime-solving. We learn that he served in Vietnam as a medic after getting his masters degree. But little did it prepare him for the carnage he experienced as a rookie detective on the streets of LA. One of his early cases went unsolved, the murder of a pretty high school student, sodomized and posed gruesomely by the side of a Hollywood Freeway offramp, pictures of which are sent in a "murder book" to Alex as an indirect message for Milo. Unlike all previous Alex Delaware novels written in the first person from Alex's perspective, this work switches satisfyingly between a third person account of Milo's activities -- and a traditional first person telling by Alex. The young girls in this novel are attractive and seemingly all promiscuous. There's a riveting tale of a female psychologist relating how she was sexually abused while younger and coerced into performing oral sex while working for a home for psychologically challenged rich kids. Alex spends most of the novel trying to come to grips with an estrangement from his girlfriend, Robin, who signs on with a traveling rock concert to escape. The novel ends with the woman psychologist hinting to Alex that a relationship is something she wouldn't mind considering, and we're left hanging until the next novel to find out if Alex is going to bite -- or stay with Robin. Along the way, we're treated to a tale of decit and subterfuge, revealed in layers, which makes Los Angeles seem as rich in political intrigue as any big city east of the Mississippi. What makes this story extra compelling is its emphasis on Milo, Alex's macho gay detective friend, highly competent but discriminated against because of his sexual orientation. He works tirelessly -- to help others and to improve the city he adores -- without the possibility of advancement. He is the ultimate underdog. And we love him. This is definitely one of Jonathan Kellerman's best, and I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Milo And Alex Are An Unbeatable Combination
Review: Kellerman's last few books were a disappointment to me, but he is back on track with this one. Psychologist Alex Delaware and Detective Milo Sturgis have paired up to solve a 20 year old murder. Alex's girlfriend Robin is, thankfully, out of the picture for most of this one. There is just too much angst in their relationship, as far as I am concerned. This mystery is mainly twofold. Who was responsible for the murder 20 years ago and who sent Alex the murder book, which in effect reopens the case. Milo Sturgis is one of my favorite characters and I was pleased to find he played a major role in this story. The frequent and extensive Internet searches were a little tedious, but that might just be me. I detest doing searches. I like a nice, tidy ending, and this one filled the bill, although it did seem a little forced. This story was more like Kellerman's earlier work and a very enjoyable read.
| 
