Another quality collaboration between Jonathan Kellerman and his son Jesse. I enjoyed their first outing and this book was just as good. The main character, Clay Edison, is a coroner in the SF Bay area and he is called to a death a large party. One of the victims is transgender, and Clay works with the detective to solve her murder.

I was a little confused as to why a coroner was actually solving murders, but the plot was so interesting that in the end, it didn't matter.

I highly recommend this book. Thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As a long time reader of the Kellerman/Delaware books, I always enjoy a different read. I read this book, and kept reading, but it just continued at a steady pace. There was no real suspense, no real surprise. The ending seemed to come out of nowhere, bringing in characters with no backstory, and seemed rushed. While I enjoyed the book, the ending was a disappointment.

Honestly, I don’t know how the Kellerman family keeps up with which books they are working on at any given time! Jonathan, in addition to his own work, also writes with his wife, Faye, and with Jesse, his son. Either way, the books are always well-done, with stories that grab the reader.
Clay Edison, a former star basketball player, is now a deputy coroner who is celebrated for solving a cold case — which somehow or other also managed to get him suspended.
This time, when the phone rings, Clay and his associates are called to a wild party that has ended in gunshots — and several victims.
One victim’s death doesn’t seem to fit in with the scenario, though. Clay is determined to identify this Jane Doe and find her killer, even at his own peril.

This is the second book with the same main character (Clay Edison), and the book grabbed me from the beginning and I was engaged until the end of the book. Character development was good, and I enjoyed the twists and turns in the plot. I hope the Kellerman father and son duo continue with the series!

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

I've been a huge fan of Jonathan Kellerman since his first novel back in the day. The shared authorship he's enjoyed with his son, Jesse, has been hit-or-miss in my book. The first book in this series, "Crime Scene", was a pretty good read. "A Measure of Darkness" just didn't quite hit the mark.

I was a bit disappointed in the suspense portion of the story, mainly because there was little to
none. This is a crime solving, cop fiction story that was quite good. The author has good story to tell and it was engaging and interesting. I loved the old school gum shoeing and great characters they developed. They were unique and varied, which really held the story together.

I also loved the tough to find connection that allowed the crime to be solved. Definitely a plus in the strategy

The problem is that there was no feeling of excitement and no ramp up to a big ending. It just felt a little flat to me. It could be because the crime solving was developed over many months. With no pressing feeling of suspense in the story, it did not leave me overly excited about the story.

Another thing that is interesting to me is the leeway Clay Edison is given in his job. I thought it was quite odd that a deputy coroner could do the things he was doing, yet I still wasn’t sure what he did. So in that aspect, I think you have to read the first book in this series to fully understand who the characters are.

I would be interested in reading more from the author. As I said before, the story is solid and very unique so you get great entertainment. There’s just no drama and excitement to really get you to feel "all in" to the story.

"A Measure of Darkness" is the second book in the Clay Edison series by father and son co-authors, Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman. I did not read the first book in this series but it was pretty easy for me to pick up and follow along with the events in this book. I won't tell anything about the plot as I don't want to give away any potential spoilers.

I am a huge Jonathan Kellerman fan and have devoured the Alex Delaware series over the years. I enjoyed this book but wish there was a tad bit more action. With that being said, the novel kept my interest and I look forward to not only reading book one but as also future books.

** I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**

I read this book out of order but I am not sure that it mattered. I haven't read the first one yet.

In this one, Clay has to investigate a shooting at a mansion where multiple people have died and as he is doing that he comes across another dead body to add to the pile. Now he has to figure out who she is and why she was there as well as what killed her.

He is also dragged into a new drama with his brother who, fresh out of prison, wants Clay to go in with him on a business venture.

This is the first book that I have read by father and son. I researched Jesse Kellerman and learned he has been nominated for a number of prizes and won a few. I was looking forward to reading this book. The first thing I learned is that it takes place in Oakland, Ca, my hometown. Immediately that endeared the book to my heart. It is the second book that Clay Edison, from the Coroner's office, is the main 'detective'. And like Alex Delaware of father Kellerman's many books, he is not a detective but has the itch to set things right. And like Delaware, he manages to make friends with the police and not piss them off.

This book was advertised as a thriller. It is definitely not a thriller. It is a mystery but only because Edison makes it so. He is called, in the middle of the night, to the site of a raucous party with a number of dead bodies. The final count is six bodies, one of them is a 6 year boy who got caught in the cross fire. One got dragged under a car after her custom got caught and one was a strangling. Edison, from the beginning, thought the strangling did not belong with the other murders. He does his job but his mind is often on solving the case of who strangled Jane Doe.

I wish the Oakland PD was half as efficient as the PD in this book. I noticed in his acknowledgements that none of the officers was from Oakland. The incident is very Oakland, killings happen far too often and for random reasons.
He really grasped the flavour of that part of Oakland. But it was not thrilling. I read to the end because the writing is good and I wanted to know the same things Edison wanted to know.. There is nothing page-turner about it or compelling. It is simply a good story written by two good authors.

So to publicise it as a thriller does the book harm, I believe. Then again, readers expect a certain level of thrills from Jonathan Kellerman so perhaps it's a useless suggestion.

This reader enjoyed the book and as a number of people said the first Clay Edison book is very good, I will look for that to read.

Alameda County Coroner's Deputy Clay Edison caught a busy night as an attempt at neighborhood gentrification goes awry, leaving mayhem and disaster enough to shock even the hardest souls. This is a slow, quiet, methodical story about how Clay and the rest of law enforcement attempt to piece together what the hell happened and who it happened to. Especially difficult is the family notifications for people without the identification and who weren't born the way they now present themselves. To top it off, hostility and suspicion fill the neighborhood. It's definitely the East Bay and it's Bay Area weirdness with nonconformity being the rule not the exception, down to the school based on no rules and complete freedom to new communities based on confidentiality and a break with the past. An easy writing style to read. So absorbing you almost forget there's little in the way of bang bang shoot em up action.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book thanks to Net Galley and the publisher. I have long been a huge fan of Jonathan Kellerman, especially his Alex Delaware series. When this series he co wrote with his son first came out I could not wait to read #1 Crime Scene and I loved it and looked forward to this one. However I have to honestly say although I enjoyed it I did not love it as much as the first one. I'm not sure why but it was harder for me to get into it but I do like this series and the character of Clay Edison and will definitely read any future installments. This one just seemed a bit dry and slow.

This is one of the few Kellerman novels that I've read lately. The story involves Clay Edison, a deputy coroner, who was called to the scene of a shooting late at night. The plot continues as the police investigate the shooting and Edison follows the forensic evidence. The twists and turns in the plot are relieved by Edison's personal intrigues.

Without reading the dust cover or the earlier novel (I didn't read either), identifying Edison and his profession takes a while, and this is an interesting way to start the mystery.  The novel does a good job of describing the job of a coroner while omitting many of the more gruesome details. In addition, both Edison's girlfriend and his ex-con brother provide personal interest. I enjoyed reading this book, and I highly recommend it.

Many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for providing a copy of this books for review.

I have read previous books by the Kellermans, but this one did not do anything for me. I found the storyline difficult to follow and it did not seem to flow.
Deputy Coroner Clay Edison tries to solve a crime that has taken place outside an old Victorian home in Oakland. There was a wild party and then gunshots and chaos and bodies, but one body in particular did not seem to fit in with the other carnage. Clay goes to great lengths to find out who this person is and to be able to inform the family of the deceased. He follows many leads, but just seems to get more embroiled in the mystery.
I had to keep re-reading previous pages to try and keep up with the plot.

I am such a fan of Jonathan Kellerman books!! Then found the wife and now the son. I will never stop reading any of their books. Then to have another book written by Jonathan and Jesse, just wow.
This book drew me in from the very beginning! It was a seamless read, very well written, unstoppable once I started. The details in this book is what makes it shine. They pull you in from page one and don’t let you go even at the end!! Bravo to the two of you!! Can’t wait fir many more to come!
I voluntarily reviewed an reader copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

I've been reading Jonathan Kellermans books for years now. Unlike some authors he never fails to be engaging. I'm thrilled with these new characters and reading about their experiences.

A Measure of Darkness is a very apt title for this 2 Kellerman (Jonathan and Jesse) book because this story includes some dark subjects, such as race relations and family relations. I really appreciate the twists and turns throughout the story, and even though I saw most (but not all) of them coming, I still loved this book. I have not read the first Clay Edison book, but I will now. The Alex Delaware series is still my favorite Kellerman series, but maybe if I had read the original Clay Edison book first, I would like this series as much. The Delaware series is a lot to live up to, but I think fans of Alex Delaware will love Clay Edison too. It’s a page turner, never slow and worth the read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Meet Clay Edison. He works as a Deputy for the coroners office. A tough and sometimes gruesome job. But someone’s got to do it. And the icing on the cake? It typically means being called up at all hours of the night to investigate yet another tragedy somewhere in the Bay Area.
Clay is an extremely likable character that gives you full access into both his personal and professional life.

Wheeee! A late night neighborhood party! Invites via social media to all who are connected through their feed. Only this party ends with a bang! Literally.

Clay is called out to sort through the mayhem for the coroners office. Hard enough on a good day. But add to that, his duties also include the heart-breaking task of notifying the victims and their families.

I love the writing of both Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman. I’ve been reading books by Johnathan for as long as I can remember! And an added bonus with this read? – we’re also treated to a cameo from his most popular character!!

There is an easy flow to this book, taking you on a journey through their story.
My one drawback - the number of characters and apparent victims that were being sorted out. I felt it lacked direction...or maybe it was just me that couldn’t keep up.🤷🏻‍♀️ Despite that, it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of this book.

If you’re a fan of one or both of these authors then this is a must read for you.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine and Jonathan & Jesse Kellerman for an ARC to read in exchange for an honest review

I have read previous books by the author and really enjoyed them but this one not so much. Maybe the collaboration forced the story to be a little disjointed. A little slow in the beginning but it picks ups bit. An OK book for me. Thank you Netgalley, Random
House publishing and Ballantine books for the ARC in exchange for my review.

I enjoyed this book. The characters were real and believable. The plot interesting, learned some things about a culture I'm not really familiar with so that was an added bonus! I look forward to the next book. Thanks for the opportunity to read this book.

Father and son team Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman are the authors of the bestselling Clay Edison series. Edison is a deputy coroner and works closely with the police on crimes involving murder. In this second installment of the series, A Measure of Darkness, Clay is called to a party where there are gunshots fired and the dead body of a young girl is found that doesn’t seem to be connected to the party or the gunshots; she was in fact, strangled. As Clay investigates and interviews witnesses and others connected to the case, he finds inconsistencies that don’t add up.

Clay is a likeable character, and this series promises to be popular. Both Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman are excellent storytellers, and the book is well-written and well-organized. Besides his job, Clay is engaged to be married to his long-time girlfriend, and his brother is just out of prison, and causes some family havoc as he becomes engaged and involved in some financial schemes that Clay shuns. The human/family element adds to the story and makes it believable since almost everyone has family issues that come up in addition to their jobs.

Clay and the other characters are well-developed, and are believable; the scenarios are also believable and are things that could really happen. While Clay isn’t as beloved as Jonathan’s character, Alex Delaware, he may become so as the series develops in subsequent novels. This is definitely a series to watch and enjoy. It is highly recommended for thriller aficionados and also for those readers who like a bit of suspense without a lot of graphic violence.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

I enjoyed this book. I always enjoy a story where you feel like you really get to know the characters. They draw you into the story and keep you reading.