Quintessential Alex Delaware. An enjoyable mystery for Alex and Milo to solve, all while highlighting their friendship. I look forward to very book that comes out!

I felt that this story started really slow. But the author is great at building suspense so I stuck with it to it's surprising ending.

Yet another amazing Jonathan Kellerman book. I feel like I;ve said it before, but these get better with each new installment. Please keep up the series! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. When a photographer is found murdered, it will be detective Milo to figure out. The victim father is rich and dies not get to see him very often. His half brothers and sister have their lives. When other murders occur, Milo will need everything in his playback to figure out who it could be.

Unnatural History is the 38th installment in the Alex Delaware series by Kellerman and it delivers in all the ways that have made it one of my favorites. I have come to count on the same cast of great characters, right down the koi in the pond, and rely on the Alex/Milo dynamic to entertain while chasing leads and solving the case.

I expect Kellerman to open my eyes to new things and here he does that by shining a light on the human side of homelessness. I found myself making assumptions based on bias and being pleasantly surprised to be wrong.

I could have done without a couple of expositions on LA traffic that felt a lot like the SNL skit “The Californians.” However, all in all, a solid novel in a great series.

A big thank you to Random House and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"There is nothing more enticing to a predator than wounded prey." (Courtney Lane)

Unnatural History bears the #38. Don't be put off by the nosebleed high number here. I'll never go back and pick up all these previous novels. I've been in for the latest ones. Jonathan Kellerman fills you in nicely and you hit the road from page one.

We're here in L.A. where crime seems to have a zipcode of its own. Kellerman moves aside and beckons in Homicide Detective Lieutenant Milo Sturgis. Sturgis is one of the first few officers responding to a murder scene. Alongside Sturgis is Dr.Alex Delaware, a psychologist who rides along with Sturgis on occasion.

And its a good thing today. A young woman, Mel Gornick, has just found the body of her boss, Donny Klement. Alex works his magic to stop her intense hyperventilating. Shock will do that. Seems that Klement is a talented photographer whose living quarters are above his studio. Dead Donny lay surrounded in his silk sheets having been taken by surprise. But who had it in for Donny and why?

Mel tells the tale of The Wishers that Donny photographed......homeless people who dreamed an unattainable dream. Donny provided costumes, wigs, and make-up to turn these individuals into doctors, movie stars, and the like. Donny even paid them well for their time. They left with a jolt of self-esteem and some cash in their pockets. Was it one of them who returned for more benefits? Hard to tell......

Jonathan Kellerman creates his crime scene with the cops shaking their heads. Through the character of Dr. Delaware, we are privy to the backstories and the situations befalling homeless individuals on the streets of L.A.. Kellerman builds a panoramic view of these street people and humanizes them through his characters of Jangles and others. We'll experience just how badly the system has let them down and caused them to be victimized by the shifty do-gooders out there.

And we'll meet Donny's father, the elusive kajillionaire, Victor Klement. Victor lives in the shadows of his wealth. There aren't even photos of him. The guy has been married 6 times with numerous children who hardly know their step-siblings. Could there be a connection to Victor? But why?

Unnatural History is Sturgis and Delaware at their best. The snappy dialogue is worth the price of admission alone. Kellerman is brilliant in ponying out his characters with a wide span of wonderment. This is a crafty read with readers trying to connect all the dots and line up the usual suspects. Plugging into a Jonathan Kellerman novel is instant satisfaction and delight.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Random House (Ballantine Books) and to the talented Jonathan Kellerman for the opportunity.

As in all thirty-eight books of Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware series, this one starts with Los Angeles Detective Milo Sturgis calling on Doctor of Psychology Alex Delaware to help with a puzzling case. A wealthy young male is killed in his lavish home. When his younger besotted assistant finds him, she freaks out and Milo knows from experience Delaware will be able to get through to her. The victim is a photographer working on a project that involves photographing homeless people dressed up for their dreams--a pilot, a dancer, or whatever else they used to imagine becoming before life on the streets became their reality. Without any clues suggesting some other involvement, Alex and Sturgis track down the homeless in hopes that somehow, what they share will lead to the killer. That provides one big clue when these homeless begin to show up dead also. The path Alex and Milo follow as always is tricky and Alex's insights become fundamental to unraveling the mystery, hopefully to save lives. The young photographer's family life with an ultra-wealthy father and a passel of step siblings, each by a different mother, adds a level of confusion that Alex and Milo will have to decide did or did not play a part in his death.

I love seeing Alex work through clues, research facts, and figure how they do or don't fit. I highly recommend this novel for those who love a good mystery and have enjoyed the chemistry between these two professionals.

Another all star hit from the author. As always, filled with page turning mystery and suspense. Each book in this series gets better and better. Already awaiting the next in this series.

I love Jonathan Kellerman books and his Alex Delaware series. If you love thrillers you will love this book!

Yet another treat from Jonathan Kellerman - #38 to feature Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis. Any of the novels with those two on the hunt will be a winner, and this one is no different.

This story, like most of Kellerman’s, is set in Los Angeles and its surrounding areas. Not being from that part of the country, I enjoy reading about it and learning little snippets of history and current life there. The focus of this tale involved the homeless there and various attempts to redirect them.

Sturgis is steady as a rock in his police work and Delaware, as always, is reading between the lines. I love the way they work together and together with the others in law enforcement.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Random House-Ballantine, for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

I can’t believe Jonathan Kellerman is actually up to book #38 with the famous “Dr. Alex Delaware.” And wherever we find Alex, you know we will find his best friend, long time compadre Milo Sturgis. What would an Alex Delaware novel be without these two?

In Unnatural History, once again we have Milo bringing a case to Alex. Only this time it is a case about a wealthy young photographer named Donny Klement, who is murdered in his home. The last known project Donny was working on was, “The Wishers project. Donny with help, would take homeless people off the street. He would give them plenty of food and drink, even pay them accordingly, to pose for him as people they wish they could be, if they were famous. All the while he took pictures of them. Next thing you know, Donny ends up dead.

As Milo and Alex begin to uncover who Donny may have wronged. They begin with his illustrious family, starting with his father, Adonis Klement. Adonis Klement is a reclusive billionaire who was married 6 times. None of the half siblings knew each other, and the ones who knew “of” each other, barely knew each other well enough.

SO! It is down to what Milo and Alex do best. Alex goes off to his study and looks at the crime scene alone, while Milo goes and stakes out someone.
The case goes through many twists and turns ala Kellerman style, the way only he knows how.
As usual, the culprit will not get taken down until the very end. Just the way Kellerman is famous for holding out to the very last page.

Unnatural History is another one of Kellermans finest imaginative endeavors, super suspenseful, will have you hanging on the edge of your seat.

This is why Kellerman has been amongst the best for so many years.

No doubt you will not want to put this down, until you are finished reading it.

Donny and his family will leave your head spinning. Just enough for Alex and Milo to dive in and use their expertise to solve the crime.

LOVE KELLERMAN!!!

ANOTHER HOMER FOR JONATHAN KELLERMAN!!!

UNTIL HIS NEXT BOOK!

Thank You NetGalley/Jonathan Kellerman/ Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine.Ballantine Books.
For this amazing wish listed eARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own volition.

Kellerman has the knack of giving all his characters depth with just a few lines. You can actually picture the scene and feel you have met the person. In this case it was almost a disadvantage because I came to feel as if I knew the victim and felt bad for the loss. The investigation is solid, step by step police work instead of lucky guesses, which is refreshing. There's plenty of action and interesting characters so there's never a dull moment. There are a few coincidences which are a bit of a stretch but so what? It's an enjoyable adventure together with some mental exercise.

Alex and Milo are back with one of the most confounding cases yet. I love this series and this book is a great example of why. The pacing is excellent. The procedural parts are interesting. The characters are beloved. The mystery is challenging. After all these years and books each story is fresh. Excellent read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Alex Delaware books are on my short list of series that I am fully caught up with and read new entries ASAP. I have been lucky to read the last 3 as ARCs and loved them - and this one continues that streak.

Somehow the Alex and Milo formula does not feel stale, even after 38 books. The story grabbed me from the opening scene and the plot raises a great question about where the line is between exploitation and support of a homeless population. Lots of twists and turns as clues are uncovered and more bodies start showing up.

If you like the series, you will love this book. I would imagine it would hold up as a standalone as well. If you have never read an Alex Delaware book before, you are in for a treat!

Definitely one of, if not THE BEST, Alex Delaware book to date. Lots of intrigue and hilarious one-liners from Milo with a surprising conclusion. I have been in a bit of reading slump lately but this book I devoured. I was actually disappointed when it ended. There was a bit where the series got a little flat but is definitely regaining momentum. Kellerman's prose is unparalleled and his plot twists are often shocking. Definitely a must read for Delaware fans or psychological thriller lovers!

This is far from my first Kellerman novel. While I am still reading it (my library gave me a new book which I have to read quickly) I am thoroughly enjoying this latest Alex Delaware offering. Keller egan keeps his characters fresh and evolving. A really good read

The murder of an award-winning photographer is the newest case for ace detective Milo Sturgis and his BFF Alex Delaware.

When the body of Adonis K. is found by his ridiculously over-emotional assistant, Milo and Ales start investigating and find a strange family of ex-wives and step-siblings, Medicare fraud, and a series of homeless people murders.

Told in his customary witty, urbane, and descriptive style, Kellerman has once again given us a murder mystery laced with normative social issues relevant to this day. As a society, what are we doing about the homeless? Why are they considered less-than? What makes a family? Is wealth a universal corruptor, or a situation desired by most but enjoyed by few?

The story weaves in and out of possible plots much the way Kellerman weaves the city of Los Angeles and its surrounding into the story. I’ve always felt there are 3 main characters in his works: Delaware, the staunch, brilliant shrink; Sturgis, the openly gay and grumpy police lieutenant, and the city of angels, where murder is high and people are forgotten.

Another winner from this talented writer. Thanks, Netgalley for the sneak peek. My score: A solid 5 stars!

Very good

I was a big fan of the author, then there were a couple that I didn't enjoy all that much. I am happy to say that this was very good. Sure, I still kind of wonder why a psychologist who specializes in children gets to ride around in his police officer best friend's car, but I get over it.

This is set on coastal Los Angeles. The photographer son of a very wealthy man is killed after working on a series of photos of homeless people. The subjects of the photos are suspects, but then they start getting killed, too.

I felt the tragedy of homelessness was handled well, as was the incidence of mentally ill people needing police call-outs.

The plot was good, although it required a pretty big coincidence to pull off. But I guess coincidences happen.

Wow! This is one of the few series that gets better as it goes on. This book rewards people who have read the series by showing a lot more of Alex’s past with his father in how he deals with physical pain later in the book. It also works as a standalone, but read them all, they’re so worth it.

The story in this one was full of little side mysteries, mostly psychological, and very very good. I’d love a whole book on what makes Victor Klement tick. I always take a shot at who I think the killer is and out of 38 books, I’ve been right 3 times. This book wasn’t one of the times. The characters in this one, like Mel, seemed so cold held against the other character like LaBelle, but maybe that was the point.

Except for the page eating descriptions of traffic, this book is amazing. I do wonder about the restaurants and food that the traffic reports replaced. How did the people at Milo’s Indian place do during the pandemic? Do Alex and Robin add extra groceries to their order in case Milo comes by? I want to hear about that, traffic is boring.

Read the book, love the book, go and read all the others. Kellerman never ever disappoints.

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me enjoy this early!

I confess, no matter what else I am reading, I drop everything when I get a new Jon Kellerman. After all these years, I have figured out his program, and this book is no different. I hate to say it, but it seems as if he has phoned this one in.
A wealthy if naive photographer is found shot in his bed, with a distraught but distant girlfriend gives Milo and Alex some good direction. They follow the threads and after meeting a series of interesting people, they figure out who did it. and why.

Even when the story is uninspired, I admit I enjoy each of these and read them as soon as they come out.
Kind of like a franchise, nice to know what you will get, even if not the most inspiring stuff.