I enjoyed this psychological mystery. This book is number 37 in the series, but it can be read as a stand alone. It is the only book that I have read by this author. It opens with a naked man hit by a moving van. But a second body is discovered. Psychologist Alex Delaware is called in to consult by LAPD detective Milo Sturgis. They do solve the crimes in a pleasant police procedural.
Two quotes:
"The pancake approach to parenthood. Toss the first batch."
" Not the two handed thing you see hundred pound actresses do in movies. "
I am retired law enforcement. I was taught to use 2 hands when firing my weapon, to ensure a secure grip.
I rate this book 3.5 stars rounded up. Thanks to Ballantine Books and the author for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
#CityoftheDead #NetGalley.

I received a free copy from NetGalley. Alex and Milo are back and they find something odd as usual. They continue to be consistently a good read with interesting twists and turns to keep the pages turning.

A gripping mystery of unsolved murders. The murderer is very sophisticated and leaves no physical evidence. A move into an upscale neighborhood is disrupted when a moving van hits a nude man at 4:00 in the morning. Everything comes to a complete stop as the investigation begins.

A gorgeous young thirty-something is found killed in her property a few houses away! Can these crimes be connected? The moving van operators are completely baffled by the accident and subsequent investigation. The nude body had appeared out of nowhere. At 4:00 in the morning, how is this even possible? Could it have been a fraternity or sorority prank gone terribly wrong?

Jonathan Kellerman keeps the suspense clouded through much of the book. His development of criminal cases dovetailing upon each other without a tangible path is masterful. It took nearly three-fourths of the book to begin to piece together the sequence of events. Meanwhile, dead-end trails were skillfully knit into the narrative to keep me as a reader on the hook.

I would suggest this book to anyone who is a fan of a well-developed who-done-it and enjoys a cunning read. 4.5 stars

One of his best novels, and I have read most of them. His characters are so authentic and relatable. Combining this with intrigue and the problem solving skills of the main characters, makes for a very satisfying book. I enjoyed it tremendously
Thanks to #Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of #City of the Dead

Jonathan Kellerman never disappoints and this 37th novel featuring Alex Delaware is no exception. This one got a bit convoluted in the middle, but all was nicely resolved and dove-tailed in the end.

I was thrilled to receive this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, Random House - Ballantine, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

City of the Dead is an unconventional thriller, but certainly one of the most grounded and classiest police procedurals of the decade. With the charismatic LA backdrop for a slew of murders that may or may not be connected, the narrative is a slow burn but deeply insightful and irresistible.
When a woman is brutally murdered in her apartment along with an unidentifiable young man, Detective Milo Sturgis calls upon the brilliant expertise of Psychologist Alex Delaware to aid the investigation due to the disturbing nature of the crime scene. Starting from scratch, Alex and Milo unearth clues through logical and reasonable deductions that exhibit a true-crime investigation vibe as opposed to a pure fictional one. Both leading characters balance out the proper crime solving essentials, with Milo taking up the charge of hardcore door to door police-work while Alex calls upon his instincts to psychoanalyze the suspects and the crimes, marking a dynamic and memorable crime-solving duo.
Johnathan Kellerman writes an easy-to-follow prose with a kindred sense of relatability that works in perfect harmony with Alex’s first person POV. This is one of the rare few narratives where the setting takes a life of its own. LA’s vibrant and sometimes sinister aura is elegantly described with simple but effective words along with complimenting characters that seem so real and plausible that we begin to truly care for them. The dogged determination of the leads keeps you gripped with the anticipation of the big reveal that hits you like a freight train from the least expected direction.
If you’re yearning for something besides an ordinary thriller with cool tidbits about solving crimes the old-fashioned way and a surprisingly uplifting message, you can’t go wrong with City of the Dead.

What a disappointing effort by Mr. Kellerman. I feel able to be critical, as I am a longtime fan, and have read all the Alex Delaware novels. At this point, I REALLY do not care which route Dr. Delaware takes to get to crime scenes or other places. We ALL get that Los Angeles traffic is terrible and takes hours to get to our destinations. PLEASE get to the actual story. This stuff is only to add to the word count. And do we always have to have the gay Lieutenant Sturgis ‘come out of his closet’ of an office?

In this 37th novel, we finally get a description of Dr. Delaware’s home, from the front – wow. But where is the koi pond and feeding of the fish? I miss the appearances of little French bulldog Blanche, who does not have her usual number of appearances. And Alex’s partner Robin, some sentences about her, and that’s it? Robin makes a connection for the case to move forward, and she is just relegated to very minor appearance?

Speaking of minor appearances, the police detectives that work for Lt. Sturgis get noticeably short shrift, and not enough description to make me even remember who they are and how they fit into the team Sturgis has built.

The mystery was intriguing, but the story felt rushed to its conclusion. Just at the point where it got really creepy and interesting, boom finished. I feel cheated – this is only half a novel. Usually the crime/mystery of an Alex Delaware novel stays with you. Not this one. I had to re-read portions to even write this review.

Years ago, I went on a Kellerman kick and read all of the Alex Delaware books up until that time. To say I loved the series is an understatement. Dr. Delaware, Milo Sturgis—they were “friends.” Alas, I fell away from the series for several books and am just returning now with City of the Dead. Shame on me for ever leaving. This series continues to shine. A naked guy gets run over by a moving van. Another trail of blood on the scene leads to the gruesome discovery of a woman murdered in a nearby house. A woman, it turns out, masquerading as a psychologist. And Delaware and Milo left to figure out all the pieces. Yes, please. Highly recommended!

another intriguing offering by kellerman. although would have liked to more investigative interaction between alex and milo. seemed to end prematurely

Detective Milo Sturgis and psychologist Alex Delaware are paired up again in the 37th book in the series. They make a great investigative team and I have read several in this series. This one starts off with two men driving a moving truck early in the morning hit and kill a pedestrian. The victim was a young man, naked and unrecognizable. The conscientious moving guys called the police and this seemed a simple accident. Except there's something else - blood is found nearby. Does it belong to the victim? Did something happen to him before the moving truck hit him? What else is going on? This was a complex crime that unfolded slowly as clues turned up. I liked the story, but found it rather slow until about the last 25% of the book. Then it got really interesting. Unfortunately, I this one didn't grab me in that I couldn't seem to connect to any of the characters. Still a good story.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on February 8, 2022.

I am embarrassed to say that, a series now 37 books long, this is my first Dr. Delaware novel! I'm also so very happy that I have now been properly introduced.

What I loved:

Despite missing the first 36 books, I was able to pick up with this novel and though there were a couple references to a character's prior near death experience, I never felt lost. The only minor criticism is that, as a newbie, I read chapter 1 from the perspective of the drivers, then chapters 2&3 from the perspective of the detective, and chapter 4 from Dr. D. For the next several chapters, I expected them to continue rotating. Once I figured out we were staying with Dr. D's narration, I was able to properly devour this book.

The platonic teamwork of the detective and consulting psychologist was a breath of fresh air, as opposed to the overused enemies to lovers trope with detectives and their consultants. The characters have personal lives (I enjoyed meeting Dr. Delaware's wife and dog) but not pulled front and center in a way that distract from the mystery. There was still witty banter but of a friendy familiar vibe.

The mystery itself was well paced and realistic. The case had consistent progress but was also subjected to typical delays (you know, like waiting on DNA, or another body popping up). At no time where we asked to suspend belief which is appreciated.

I definitely plan to read other books in this series both past and future!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Jonathan Kellerman and Ballantine Books for allowing me the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review! Review will be published on Goodreads, Bookstagram, Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

This was one of the best books so far in the series. I loved how a seemingly just interesting subplot ended up being the key to the mystery. Totally unexpected ending!

I always enjoy Alex Delaware books. This one held my interest but it wasn’t my favorite. There were quite a few twists at the end that I had trouble justifying. They came completely out of left field and to me were improbable. Nevertheless I enjoyed the book. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

You can't go wrong with Jonathan Kellerman! Always creative and keeping you guessing, I enjoyed this book. It was a fast read and well written.

This has been one of my favorite authors for many years now. This book is #37 in a series featuring a psychologist Alex and his best friend Milo, a homicide detective. The interaction between these two characters is believable, interesting, and often funny amid a usually brutal murder(s). The setting is L.A. which lends itself to a vast array of characters, suspects, and victims. I thoroughly enjoyed this installment as I have all the others in the series. Kellerman's books are descriptive and well written. Give this author a try if you like police procedurals or you enjoy murder mysteries among the City of Angels.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an e ARC of this book.
I haven't red an Alex Delaware for awhile and I really enjoyed this book. Typical for the series as Alex inserts his wise observations to solve the mystery. Lots of twists and turns with nothing being predictable.

City of the Dead by Jonathan Kellerman brings more than just murder and suspense to the 37th book in the Alex Delaware series. It combines a police procedural with psychology to bring additional insights into the story and people. The books are also tend to be cerebral in nature.

Los Angeles Police Lieutenant Milo Sturgis and psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware team up again when Milo is called to the scene of young naked man hit by a van. But a blood trail leads to a nearby home where a woman has been murdered and any thoughts of accidental death disappear.

Milo and Alex have been friends for years and while they often approach cases from different standpoints, their investigative and cognitive techniques gel as well as their dispositions, and they keep the cases fresh, entertaining and moving along. The way they bounce ideas off of each other feels natural. At this stage of the series, the main characters are well known to this reader and have depth. Some secondary characters from previous books in the series show up to keep things interesting and provide additional awareness of how Milo and his team work together.

The writing style flowed well and I knew I was back with old friends. Kellerman’s writing is polished and appealing, doing a good job of transporting me to the Los Angeles area. Whether they are talking about or experiencing the traffic or food or the people, I was living the events with Milo and Alex. They both want to achieve justice and hold bad people accountable for their actions. The story had several twists and there were a couple of surprises at the end. It was definitely not predictable to me. Will you be shocked by the culprit’s identity?

Overall, this was a story that quickly drew me into Milo and Alex’s world and their latest case. It was an engaging read with a solid mystery to unravel. I also liked the insights into Alex’s work with child custody cases including his approach and his thoughts going into a new case.

Readers that like the series and police procedurals should enjoy this latest novel. I don’t recommend jumping into this series at number 37, though. Start earlier in the series to have the best reading experience. I have read over 20 books in the series and plan to read them all. They’re never disappointing.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine and Jonathan Kellerman via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for February 8, 2022.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of City of the Dead.

With the past few books, I thought Kellerman was losing his touch. But I was wrong. This was a great read: stay up all night guessing who 'done' it. I did think it was a bit unfair that at the 11th hour, new information was given to us, and then we knew. But that's probably more like real life so....

I hope Kellerman keeps up this quality of work.
Meanwhile, enjoy the book

Another complex mystery featuring Milo Sturgis and Alex Delaware!

I’ve read all the books in this series, and one of the things in common is that the author writes a winding story but eventually ties all the strings together into a nice neat package. Guessing the whodunit is usually impossible, no different in this book. Every time I thought I’d figured it out, a new element is introduced, sending it spinning off in a different direction.

What was different in this story is that while Alex was usually present, he didn’t play any pivotal role in solving the case until almost the end, then his expertise brought the investigation home. I won’t write spoilers or recount the plot, so I won’t go into detail, but it was an interesting and very well-written book. Highly recommended for people who like the complex, deep mystery genre.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC, but my opinions are my own.

I can't help myself. I've read all of these and love them. This one is particularly good.

I'm always annoyed by what I think of Kellerman's west side politics, like when he gets all snide about LA's mayor and the city's parks.

"People who don't know write plenty of books."

"Exactly."

Thanks, NetGalley folks, for a chance to read and recommend this good addition to the series.