My thanks to Random House U.K. Cornerstone for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Serpentine’ by Jonathan Kellerman in exchange for an honest review.

This is Book 36 in Kellerman’s long-running series of crime thrillers featuring psychologist Alex Delaware. He does provide background information on his characters for readers new to the series.

LAPD homicide lieutenant Milo Sturgis has been assigned a case so cold that he tells his friend Alex Delaware that it’s given him freezer-burns.

Ellie Barker is a self-made millionaire by the age of forty. She has managed to pull a few strings with local politicians to have the police investigation into the death of her mother thirty-six years ago reopened.

Ellie's mother, Dorothy, had been found in a burnt-out Cadillac over the side of a cliff on the treacherous Mulholland Drive. The autopsy had revealed a bullet in her head. However, despite a number of detectives assigned to the case over the years it has remained unsolved. In addition, there is no murder book or physical evidence.

Now Sturgis asks that brilliant psychologist Alex Delaware join him to dig into the case and lift the mists of time. Yet in doing so they uncover a number of threats in the present.

While this novel started off slowly, it soon gained momentum. The title refers to a necklace made of serpentine that was bequeathed to Ellie by Dorothy; though it also describes the complex nature of this case and its many twists and turns.

A very satisfying read.

This is the first of the Alex Delaware series that I have read, and even though there are a staggering 36 of them (where have I been...?!) I felt this read absolutely fine as a stand alone.

This is a wonderfully written book, full of suspense and satire (I’m looking at you, Milo). Superb use of description and characterisation.

Highly engaging, with a good number of suspenseful twists strategically placed throughout. The pace was spot on for me with a cracking ending.

Kellerman’s writing is eloquent and polished, and I definitely will be borrowing some of his character’s hilarious phrases. But the best part about this book is it has opened a door to a massive series for me - which I cannot wait to get started on! Thoroughly recommend.

having enjoyed many of this authors other book, I was sad to say this didn't really have the same impact on me, it was a slow burner and I found the narrative back and fourth to be confusing at times. I did like the plot, I thought is was a good suspense thriller just at a slow speed.

I’ve always loved Jonathan Kellerman’s novels, but as sad as I am to say it, this one was underwhelming.

I found the pace slow, there was a lack of authenticity in the interactions between Milo and the women he interviewed (I also didn’t understand why they were suddenly being so tactile with him either), and it was missing tension at key moments.

One thing I will say is that I really liked the story, but unfortunately I struggled to stay engaged with it.

Thank you as always for the ARC.

Review of eBook

Ellie Barker, hoping to find some answers about the death of her mother, Dorothy Swoboda, some thirty-six years earlier, has a casual conversation with some women at a society function. Soon Los Angeles Police Homicide Lieutenant Milo Sturgis finds himself assigned by Deputy Chief Veronique Martz to investigate the very cold case.

Milo teams up with psychologist Doctor Alex Delaware to investigate the decades-old case. But with no witnesses, no physical evidence, and no idea of a motive, their efforts seem doomed to failure. After all, several other detectives have worked this case in the intervening years, and none of them managed to find any answers.

Milo and Alex begin digging and discover far too many coincidences, far too many facts that don’t stand up under close examination. Will they find a way to bring a murderer to justice? Will they find answers for a daughter seeking the mother she never knew?

Thirty-sixth in the Alex Delaware series [but working well as a standalone], the plot of “Serpentine” twists and turns as the police procedural slowly reveals its secrets. All the expected characters are in place, each well-defined and realistic as are the diverse secondary characters. The friendship between Alex and Milo feels genuine, as do their relationships with the other characters.

Anchored by a strong sense of place [and a Los Angeles many readers will instantly recognize], the compelling narrative is difficult to set aside. Unexpected reveals take the story in surprising directions, but the characters’ ingenuity in tackling the cold case serves them well and keeps the story moving. Humorous bits [mostly involving Milo’s well-documented appetite] and the easy camaraderie between Alex and Milo give the narrative witty moments that are sure to bring smiles to readers’ faces.

Overall, “Serpentine” is an intriguing case that is sure to please fans of the series and newcomers alike.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley
#Serpentine #NetGalley

Now I remember why I’m not a fan of Kellerman’s Alex Delaware series. For one thing, I’m not sure why it’s Delaware’s series when Milo Sturgis seems to take the lead.

That brings me to the second problem I have-I’m never sure who is doing the talking, thinking or narrating. Is it Milo or Alex? I find it difficult to discern.

Thirdly, the other characters are also hard to follow. They’re just too muddled up in my mind.

I know many love this series, just not me. Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and offer my thoughts.

I've always enjoyed reading Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware series and I've read every single one of them. Reading Serpentine is like vising old friends whom I haven't seen for awhile. I've always enjoyed reading the banter between Alex and Milo, their bromance is what kept this series going.

In Serpentine we have a murder-mystery cold case that happened more than 3 decades ago. Ellie Barker, the daughter of the deceased woman wanted answers and this case was given to Milo. Upon receiving the very Cold Case, Milo called upon his buddy Alex for help. Once again Jonathan Kellerman managed to suck me into this story and it ended with a pretty much satisfying read.

Thanks NetGalley for the copy, it was much appreciated. The views above are of my own.

Milo and Alex, what great characters. They seem like real people with all the normal angst and drama of life. I like how they bounce ideas of each other. Milo has caught another cold case that looks like it will go no where. But this is Milo so of course he digs up a hint of a clue. But why all the hush hush? I like this episode of the continuing life of Milo the detective and Alex and doctor. What a great team. I was entertained.

Detective Milos Sturgis and psychologist Alex Delaware work together on a complex case that leads them to a set of bizarre locations and suspicious characters. The cold case soon turns interesting as the team connect the seemingly unbelievable coincidences to discover that most characters are not who they seem.

Jonathan Kellerman features his most prominent writing traits in Serpentine including his excellent ability to paint a picture of a crime scene and lure the reader into a sense of false security as the crime develops into a race against time. This trait is also one of the key highlights in Serpentine and encouraged me to keep reading despite several slower paced parts in the middle.

The two main characters, Milos Sturgis and Alex Delaware, worked well together and I enjoyed the insightful feedback from both the detective's view and psychologist's experience. Whenever one missed an important detail the other would point it out and vice versa and their teamwork was extremely important towards the end when surprising relationships between the characters emerged.

I struggled with the monotonous and matter-of-fact writing style which did not veer far from direct speech and few dispersed descriptions. I realise that this is the preferred style of the author however it didn't suit many of the adrenaline filled scenes and often read too much like a movie or play script.

Serpentine boasts a set of delightful characters and an impressive plot. It kept my interest until the very end with a surprising reveal and promise for more action in the next book in the series.

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
Another great read from Jonathan Kellerman!
I discovered him many moons ago when I read The Butchers Theatre and became a huge fan of his Alex Delaware books. It's always such a treat to start a new 1.
His stories are always well polished and it keeps you guessing. This 1 had some great twists that I didn't see coming!
I love all the characters and I know them so well they feel like family.
This time Alex must help Milo solve a 36-year cold case. There is no murder book, no physical evidence and no DNA. Just another walk in the park for this dynamic duo!

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House and Cornerstone for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

No-one could ever accuse Jonathan Kellerman of not being industrious. It seems like only the other day that I reviewed The Museum of Desire (it was 9th November last year, in fact), but now Dr Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis are back again in the hills and canyons of LA, solving another mystery. A quick bio. for readers new to the series. Delaware is a practicing child psychologist who often (this is the 36th book in the series) helps LAPD detective Milo Sturgis with cases. Delware lives with a woman who repairs stringed instruments, while Sturgis has a partner, and has come through the dark years when being gay was something of a no-no in police ranks. The plot is as wonderfully convoluted and labyrinthine as ever. So (takes a deep breath), here goes.

Sturgis has reluctantly taken on the coldest of cold cases. His orders have come down from some very well-connected people in the political and civic life of LA, and so he has been pulled off all other work. The mystery? What is the truth behind the death of a woman decades earlier, found in the wreckage of her burnt out Cadillac at the bottom of a canyon bordering Mulholland Drive? Careless driving? Might have been, were it not for the fact that she had also been shot in the head.

The woman pulling the strings is Ellie Barker, a millionaire former businesswoman, and daughter of Dorothy Swoboda the lady in the canyon. She was only three at the time, has no recollection of her mother, and never knew her natural father, having been brought up by her stepfather, Stanley Barker.

Anton Des Barres was a wealthy industrialist who made his money manufacturing high quality surgical equipment. After his second wife died, he became something of a womaniser, inviting young women back to his mansion where he and his children still lived. Delaware and Sturgis learn that Dorothy was one of Des Barres’s ‘harem’. They also discover a strange coincidence. Arlette Des Barres, the man’s second wife died after a fall from her horse in the rugged country near where Dorothy died. Stanley Barker was found dead, possibly as a result of a fall, in the same area.

Historic deaths are one thing, but when Ellie Barker’s boyfriend is shot, Delaware and Sturgis are faced with the uncomfortable thought that whatever the truth behind Dorothy’s murder, it is far from being dead and buried. It is alive and well, and extremely dangerous.

The title of the book refers to a piece of jewellery, which Delaware and Sturgis eventually discover is deeply significant. Actually, the pair make many assumptions about the case, and most of them prove to be wrong, which only adds to the credibility as investigators. They are not super-sleuths; they are mortal, fallible – and consequently completely convincing. It is only in the final pages that they – and we – learn the truth about the life and death of the woman who called herself Dorothy Swoboda, and it is dark stuff indeed.

Cynics might turn up their noses at this book and dismiss it as “formula fiction”. Fair enough, and, as the saying goes, “opinions are like (insert anatomical detail) – everyone has one”. What such critics find hard to cope with, I suggest, is that writers like Kellerman are rather like alchemists, in that they take base metal – cops, bad guys, slick dialogue, zooming around in cars, and turn it into gold – conviction, reading pleasure, empathy with the characters and a sense of “can’t wait for the next novel“. That is pretty impressive, at least in my book.

Serpentine is published by Century, and is out now.

A solid Dr. Delaware and Milo entry. A little disjointed in spots but still like hugging an old friend.

Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Another fantastic suspense from this author. Well written plot with many twists and turns. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a complementary copy of this book. Receiving this ARC did not affect my review in any way.

This is a long-running series that has stood the test of time. There are many series that I started when I was younger that I can't stand to read now (Kay Scarpetta and Stephanie Plum for example) because the same thing happens in each book or the characters have become unlikeable. The Alex Delaware series is still interesting and fresh. Although you are familiar with the characters they have not become annoying or overly predictable. Instead it's like visiting comfortable old friends. The story lines are a bit formulaic but there are enough differences in the mysteries to not feel like the author is recycling the exact same plot each time. In "Serpentine" I thought I knew what was going to happen but the ending was a bit different than the last couple of Alex Delaware books so I was pleasantly surprised. If you like mystery stories, police procedurals or the Alex Delaware series I would recommend this book. It is helpful if you have read others in the series but not completely necessary.

Our two favorite crime partners are back but this time will they be able to find the answers that they need? Ellie Barker lost her mother at three and she wants to know what happened to her and she was able to get in touch with someone who pulled strings and now Milo & Alex are on the way to meet her.
Ellie doesn't know too much about her mother only that she was murdered and that she is looking for answers. But can they really find out anything after the case has been cold for so long? There isn't much to go on but they hoping some of the old detectives can point them in the correct direction.
The more they dig into Dorothy's the more things become stranger and it seems like she wasn't sweet & innocent and that she was involved in hurting others. But how do they share this with Ellie as this will break her heart. But things have just started to get more dangerous as someone doesn't want people digging into the past. Will Mil & Alex be able to find out the truth about Ellie's mom and bring her the peace that she needs?
Another great read always enjoy their energy together.
I was lucky enough to receive a copy via Netgalley & the publishing house in exchange for my honest review.

I must admit that I am not a fan of this type of book. Usually, I want to relax with some love drama with an easy theme that will not burden me, nor will it push me out of my comfort zone. But from time to time, especially when my children have a sleepover somewhere, I want to pick up a book that will keep me on the edge of the chair and nail me from the beginning to the end. This book is just like that. Well plotted and beautifully written, it grabbed my attention and held it right through to the end. And with an interesting mix of satire and irony, the author manages to weave a mind-blowing mystery revolving around a case from over thirty years ago, in which most of the witnesses and suspects are already dead.
The desire to discover the truth about her mother is her driving force. The desire to find out what happened to the mother she didn’t even know takes Ellie Barker to Milo Sturgis. He is excellent in his work, but there are no witnesses, no motive or evidence about the murder that happened thirty years ago. The insight of the brilliant psychologist Alex Delaware is needed. And as their investigation slowly begins, so do twists and turns revealing truths that lead to something much greater. And it is not just that one death, but many more. Is this just a coincidence or is the truth hiding something else? What dangers lie behind each piece of truth revealed?
An intriguing story that with its slow pace and interesting theories reminds of the other books in the series, and yet contains enough novelty and freshness to make reading unique and interesting. The author's writing style is quite eloquent and descriptive, with every perfectly fitted detail and description we have the feeling that we are there, we can visualize every event, every gesture, every subject... The plot is quite intricate with plenty of twists and turns to keep you on the edge through the whole ride and enough suspects to make you question everything. The characters are solidly drawn amid a background of suspense and mystery. And even if the main characters are well-known from the previous books, this can perfectly be read as a stand-alone book.
If you are looking for a brilliant, shocking, and twisty tale, that this one will most certainly blow your mind. If you have read the previous one in the series, you already know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, no worries, this is a perfect start.

It's been a number of years since I have read any of the Alex Delaware series and whilst there have been a number of books since, I found it very easy to get back into the characters..

This starts off as a lost parent case for Milo Sturgis, and he brings in Alex for a consult as the case is over 30 years old and needs the psychological assistance with the lady who requested the case be re-opened.

The good thing about these books is there is little "psycho-babble" and therefore makes it an easy read, but still gets you thinking whodunnit!

Would recommend the book as it is another great addition to the series, and has made me think about going back and reading the ones I've missed over the last few years.

I was provided a free ARC in return for a honest review.

Serpentine
By Jonathan Kellerman


Interesting Story and Intriguing Writing

⭐️⭐️⭐️

SUMMARY

Milo Sturgis is a temperamental LAPD homicide detective with a near-perfect solve rate. He often teams up with his best friend and psychologist Alex Delaware. Milo calls Alex in on the cases that are unusual. He needs him now…it’s a decades old cold case, that has been worked by other dectiectives numerous times before. But now Ellie Barker, the wealthy and influential young daughter of the deceased woman, the mother she never knew, wants the case reopened.

Thirty-six years ago. a woman was found with a bullet in her head in a torched Cadillac that has overturned on a treacherous part of Mulholland Drive. The woman’s name is Dorthy Swoboda. There is no physical evidence, no witnesses, and no apparent motive. And the case file is missing. As Delaware and Sturgis begin digging, to many coincidences occur as they fight the traffic from one end of LA to the other. It’s become apparent that someone doesn’t want this case solved.

REVIEW
Serpentine is the thirty-six novel in the Alex Delaware mystery series. The case is reopened by Ellie’s chance encounter at a fundraising dinner with someone who knew someone in the police department. Money talks! The story is interesting and quite involved.

Alex’s character was delightful and charming, while Milo vacillated between grumpy and generous. The writing is intriguing, but the traffic and food descriptions were overly done. The female characters left a little to be desired, several being portrayed as overly emotional and needy. The were a large number of characters and if you are not a frequent reader of the series you may want to keep a list.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Publisher Ballantine Books
Published February 4, 2021
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

This is an excellent thriller full of twists and surprising humor.

Above all, I like the tone in which this book is written. This sarcastic, ironic humor adds some really unique vibe. I like this type of humor very much, and I think it gives some lightness and brightness to the story. Makes it quick and easy to read.

I also like when a story, as here, starts right away on the first pages of a book. Needless to say, it's a very good story. As for the fact that Milo and Alex are solving a case from over thirty years ago, in which most of the witnesses and suspects are already dead, the action is very dynamic and really full of unexpected twists and turns. This is an exquisitely tangled case, full of questions and suspects that keep coming up. Discovering new aspects of this mystery with Milo and Alex is really fascinating. I had a great time.

Also, thanks to the main characters - Alex and Milo and their unique friendship. I had only read one book with Alex before, many years ago, and I don't remember much of it, but I immediately became attached to both main characters. Their deep and true friendship is not without a little spite, it's a very cool dynamics that adds a fun dimension to this story. But there are also some other interesting and expressive characters - both among the victims and among the witnesses. All this together with the plot creates a very neat package.

Although it is already the 36th(!) book in the series, you can easily read it as a standalone and it will not take away any entertainment from this story. I definitely recommend it, not only to fans of solving cold cases.

Ellie Barker is a self-made millionaire by the age of forty, and is obsessed with reopening the coldest of cases: the decades-old death of the mother she never knew. She hires LAPD homicide lieutenant Milo Sturgis to help.

Twenty-five years ago, Ellie's mother was found with a bullet in her head in a torched Cadillac that has overturned on infamously treacherous Mulholland Drive. No physical evidence, no witnesses, no apparent motive. And a slew of detectives have already worked the job and failed.

This is a case that calls for the insight of brilliant psychologist Alex Delaware. And as he and Sturgis begin digging, the mist begins to lift. There are too many coincidences. Facts turn out to be anything but. And as they soon discover, very real threats are lurking in the present...

Although this is book number 36 in the series, it is my first Alex Delaware book and I could still read it as a standalone without having read any of the previous books.

This was definitely a slow-paced plot but it was quite intriguing. The investigation carried out by Milo and Alex is meticulous, even though there is not much evidence due to the passage of time, they leave no stone unturned.

There were lot of characters involved and a detailed description of the surroundings, which left me slightly lost in between. But there were some twists at regular intervals to keep me interested and read on till the end. And the ending was not what I was expecting, so it was actually a surprise!

Overall, an okay read.

Thank You NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for this ARC!