Enjoyed this one very much, another great suspense thriller from author Jonathan Kellerman. Never disappoints, highly recommend!

Book #37 in the excellent Alex Delaware series. If you've not read any of the series, this is probably not the place to start. These two characters have been working investigations together since 1985 and much of their teamwork comes from knowing how the other one works. There are several characters from prior books that work through this story, you'd miss the back stories that brought them together. That being said, this is an award winning series that has millions of fans for a reason. Each book brings the reader directly into the investigation and touches on subjects you'd expect from Los Angeles. I recommend a binge weekend or two and you'll join the rest of us in Jonathan Kellerman's fan club.

CITY OF THE DEAD starts out with a dead body being thrown in front of a moving vehicle to hinder the identification of the victim. But as the investigation begins, a second body, a social media influencer, is discovered and the focus of the investigation shifts. Det Milo Sturgis and his civilian co-worker Alex Delaware have faced far worse cases and will make some surprising discoveries along the way. I enjoy Jonathan Kellerman's books and find them engrossing and entertaining. 5 easy stars.

In Jonathan Kellerman's long-running series involving Alex Delaware, City of the Dead, follows psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware and his friend, LAPD detective Milo Sturgis, as they investigate a gruesome double homicide in Los Angeles. The victims are a young man found dead in the street and a woman brutally murdered in her home. As Delaware and team investigate the case, they uncover a series of dark secrets and hidden connections that lead them through the city's underbelly. The investigation reveals ties to high society, illicit activities, and personal vendettas, making the case increasingly complex and dangerous. Kellerman's City of the Dead, can be characterized by its psychological depth, intricate plotting, and the strong partnership between Delaware and team. It combines elements of psychological thriller and procedural detective work, offering readers a gripping and suspenseful narrative.

I have always enjoyed this authors work and this book continues the adventures and hasn’t lost any of the magic that makes this series endlessly entertaining. Thrilling read and I look forward to more!

City of the Dead is the 37th installment in the Alex Delaware series, featuring the psychologist and his friend, Detective Milo Sturgis, as they investigate a gruesome double murder in Los Angeles. The book is a fast-paced and gripping thriller, with twists and turns that keep the reader guessing until the end. Kellerman masterfully portrays the dark side of the city, where secrets, lies, and violence lurk behind the facade of glamour and success. The characters are well-developed and realistic, especially the complex and troubled relationship between Alex and Cordelia, a fake online psychologist who becomes one of the victims. The book also explores the themes of family, identity, and the power of the internet, as Alex and Milo uncover a shocking and twisted motive behind the killings. City of the Dead is a must-read for fans of the series, and for anyone who enjoys a smart and suspenseful mystery.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of Jonathan Kellerman's latest work. This is a very strong police procedural. I read this one quickly while on a long, long flight. Loved it. I have read others in this series but I don't think that is really necessary. This is definitely strong enough by itself; prior experience with the characters is a plus but not necessary. Any fan of this author's work will love this one. Set in LA, this one grabs you quickly. Well-plotted. Highly recommended.

CITY OF THE DEAD by Jonathan Kellerman
Publication: 2/8/2022 by Random House Publishing
Page Count: 344


This is the 37th book in the Alex Delaware Series. A police procedural melds into a psychological thriller. Although it would be wise to jump into the series with a much earlier entry … this gem however, can still be enjoyed as a standalone … as Kellerman does weave into the narrative a significant amount of backstory. Once again L.A. Police Lieutenant Milo Sturgis teams up with psychologist Alex Delaware to investigate , this time, a double homicide
In order to bring justice. Alex and Milo have been friends for many years and bring different insights to a case in order to reach a resolution.
This case involves a young naked male being found in the street, possibly from a hit-and-run car accident … however, a blood trail leads to a nearby house. Inside the house resides a butchered woman. A linkage is obvious! It soon is noted that Alex knows this woman from previous contact …. A social influencer who previously held herself out to be a psychologist, without the necessary training
Kellerman mastery weaves a complex multi-layered narrative with a multitude of twists and unexpected turns that ratchets up the suspense and intrigue. This page turner escalates into an unexpected and satisfying denouement. This camaradarie between the two protagonists never seems to grow stale. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review.

Super fun read with Alex Delaware investigating. This one adds to the friendship on Alex and Milo. Lots of twists and the ending makes sense.

This long running series featuring Homicide Lt. Detective Milo Sturgis and psychologist Alex Delaware is one more great read from Jonathan Kellerman.

Alex is in the middle of a custody case and trying to decide if the father or mother is the better parent for the child. Milo is handling a double murder and the victims backgrounds end up tying together with the custody case.

There is money, notoriety and the feeling of privilege. Of someone who was no one trying to be someone. All of which are part of this story.

Read carefully as there are a lot of characters and to follow the plot, you need to keep track of who's who.

CITY OF THE DEAD - An Alex Delaware Novel – by Jonathan Kellerman

I love the pairing of an LAPD Homicide Detective with a Psychologist Consultant—the main character of the series. However, my issues with this story stem from the lack of following police procedure regarding death notification (to non-relative interviewees, first) by a seasoned detective—placing assumption of identification before obtaining tangible, biological proof—has me scratching my head.

Later, at one point, the Detective is told by the coroner that DNA on Jane or John Doe (no spoilers) will take twelve to twenty weeks to get back due to an unrelated cold-case serial, which is believable. However, why is it that the DNA results from three perps accused of murder and that of the murder victim—a murder that takes place after Jane or John Doe—comes in immediately??

The DNA issues and a couple of bumps aside, my curiosity for this whodunit and why they dun-it still had my interest piqued…so I read on to the end, and I’m glad I did—I Loved It! I did not see that ending coming!

It is important to note that the version I read for this review is an uncorrected proof—a review that admittedly is long overdue—my hope is corrections were made in the final copy.

Because my review is based on the version I read, I will give this one a three-star rating.

Will I continue reading Jonathan Kellerman’s books a chance?

Of Course! I want to start from the beginning of the series and learn more about Alex Delaware and his working relationship with the LAPD.

I’m from Cali. baby, what can I say. ;)

Thank You, NetGalley and Ballantine Books (Random House), for providing me with an eBook of CITY OF THE DEAD at the request of an honest review.

Kellerman always crafts a solid thriller. I lost touch with his books for a number of years and glad to tap back into his series.

City of The Dead is book #37 in the Alex Delaware series. This was my first book by Kellerman.m so I am new to the series. I was not disappointed it was a good police procedural with a great psychological twist. There is a vast cast of characters and world building but does well as a stand alone. If you like police procedurals this book would interest you give it a try.

A moving van is driving slowly down a quiet residential street in a good neighborhood when the driver hears and feels a thump, but sees nothing. After getting out of the van he finds a naked, male body on the street and signs of damage on his van. The detective responding to the scene can see that the van didn't hit the body, the body hit the van.

After receiving a tip from a neighbor, the detective visited another neighbor's home. He receives no answer at the front so goes to the back yard where he observes blood on the ground. Time to call his boss, Homicide Lt. Detective Milo Sturgis

Psychologist Alex Delaware gets an early morning call from his good friend, Milo Sturgis who is at the scene of a double murder that presents more questions than answers. He's asking Alex to come to the scene to help him understand the psychological side of the crimes.

Alex and Milo combine their knowledge and experience to solve a very complicated case. Was the naked man or the woman inside the home the main target? They start by identifying and researching the victims, which leads to so much more.

I love how Kellerman allows the facts of the case to evolve. It's how I imagine a real case would be, one lead leading to the next. We get some answers throughout, but all answers are revealed at the end.

I honestly reviewed an unedited digital arc provided by NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Homicide Lt. Detective Milo Sturgis always calls his friend, psychologist Alex Delaware, for help with unusual cases. A naked young man is found dead in the street, with a blood trail to a nearby house. The dead woman in the house is no stranger to Alex, as Cordelia Gannett was an internet influencer who’d gotten into legal troubles by passing herself off as a psychologist during a case with which Alex involved. As Milo and Alex start their investigation, Cordelia seemed the likely target, but what will they uncover?

I have read every book in this series, so the formulaic plot and familiar characters are more like an old pair of slippers to me. Yes, they fit, but they are starting to unravel slowly. I miss the format of the books at the beginning of the series, with Alex performing his child psychologist duties. City of the Dead is really no different than the last few books that have come before and I am starting to grow tired of the same old story. Readers new to the series should start at the beginning, as those novels are gems.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy by NetGalley and the publisher. The decision to read and review this novel was entirely my own.

Yay, I purchased the book, and it worked. The city of the Dead is the 37th Alex Delaware procedural mystery by Jonathan Kellerman.
As always, I loved Jonathan Kellerman's books. Alex Delaware was again brilliantly written. So, sorry for not being able to review it as it was downloaded as a free book for review, but it was as always great.

Book #37 in the Alex Delaware series. This was my introduction to the character and the world created for him by Kellerman. The book is a good police procedural with a nice psychological touch. There are lots of characters to try and sort through and decide which are important to remember. The book is a stand alone and first time readers
will be fine, although familiarity with the main characters and their back story is always a bonus.

This has all of the elements of a superb Alex Delaware novel. It has interesting characters and excellent dialogue. It nails the L.A. ethos and is realistic concerning drive-times. It has strong procedural elements and it is very Milo forward. It involves a great deal of interesting material with regard to human psychology (as one would expect,
The plot is also strong, but one has the feeling that JK has painted himself into a corner but did he?

I have enjoyed all of the books I have read in the Alex Delaware series. The author does a great job of bringing you into the story and keeping your attention. The friendship between Alex and Detective Milo Sturgis is enhanced by their investigative techniques. In typical Jonathan Kellerman style, the murder mystery is set up well, the suspects are fleshed out well, and the ending builds to a well-crafted conclusion. One suggestion … I would not start the series with this book. Go back further so you get a well-formed view of Alex and Milo.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

This novel featuring Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis is the latest in a long-running procedural series, but it’s easy for a newcomer to jump in without having read the rest of the books. Alex and Milo investigate what looks like a vehicular manslaughter case with a strange twist—the victim was start naked—when it turns out that there’s a brutally murdered woman in one of the houses nearby. The victim is recognized by the investigators as someone who, falsely claiming to be a doctor, had presented herself as expert witness in a previous child custody case. The characters are intelligent and well-established partners who respond immediately to new developments in the case without a lot of unnecessary waffling. The decisive action creates a sense of progress that moves things along. The result is a solid procedural that shows off the individual skills and insightful deductions of its appealing investigative team.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for a digital advance review copy.

This is my first read of Jonathan Kellerman. I gave me a cop show feeling. I was a little confused because the characters weren’t introduced it was like you already knew them, then I realized that it was number 37 of a series. It can definitely still be read as a standalone though and was still very good