A more cerebral take on an Alex Delaware mystery.

I have always been a fan of Jonathan Kellerman. I’ve read his books for decades. But it’s been years since I’ve jumped on the Delaware bandwagon. So it was like coming home after a long hiatus to “Unnatural History”.

I’m not sure whether my memory of his writing style has filled, but I felt this story was a far more intellectual and dialogue-heavy adventure than his previous works. More puzzle solving than action, Kellerman spends a lot of time with the characters in conversation rather than in motion. And, while a seemingly different take on the prose approach, it was, nonetheless, enjoyable and interesting.

Maybe not my favorite Delaware tale, but certainly an interesting read.

In the 38th Alex Delaware novel, psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware and Detective Milo Sturgis investigate the murder of a photographer famous for his latest project: images of homeless people in costume and enacting unfulfilled fantasies. Some see the project as exploitation, especially since he avoided his subjects once the photos were taken. Delaware and Sturgis must determine who killed the photographer. Was it a critic or a member of the photographer's bizarre family?

We start with the discovery of the body; Delaware is brought in because the assistant is freaking out so much she can't talk with the police. From there, his gentle manner helps Sturgis look into Donny's life prior to the murder, as he was a minimalist who had grown up isolated from his much older half-siblings. I find this look at the moneyed side of LA fascinating, especially how different it is from the homeless people that he photographed.

We follow the team as they delve into Donny's family, his few connections with other people, and search for the homeless he photographed. As other bodies are found, somewhat tied to Donny's death, we realize that he stumbled into the dregs of another case that had folded years ago. Donny was exceedingly rich but lonely and guilty about the privilege he had, hoping to share that opportunity with others in his own way. It's sad that he had so few connections, that he lost so many people in his life, and his money couldn't give him any of the peace he hoped for. The mystery is solved at the end, so he gets justice, but he and his family are just as distant as they had been from the start.

Unnatural History by Jonathan Kellerman is the next in the Alex Delaware series. I am late to the game as this is only the second of this series I’ve read, but I really like this character. Very quiet, self-deprecating, and living his best life. He is the partner, off the books, to a homicide detective, Milo, who calls him for help when things are weird. This time, it is double-fold: a hysterical young assistant who found the body, as well as the strange circumstances of the murder, itself. A young photographer had been killed in his studio/home. Shot three times in the chest, in bed. He may not have been awake or fully awake. He may have known his killer, hence no fighting back. The investigation widened quickly when it was discovered he had been photographing homeless people. Milo had trouble getting a handle on it. Every one he talked to didn’t seem to be much help, but had interesting personalities. And there were so many homeless people. Then, finally things started to break. It had to do with family, but not really.

Alex is not an officer. Doesn’t carry a gun. Is never in the middle of things, only a consultant. He enjoys it and is helpful. In part, because he knows lot of people in the medical community so he can get reads on professionals before they are interviewed. His significant other, with whom he has lived for years, is totally supportive of this line of endeavor, although I don’t think she loves it. The other detectives respect him and consider him part of the team. He often has interesting insights, not always correct, but usually. Milo is as hard as nails but respects and likes Alex and is careful with him, not wanting him to get hurt. The mystery was a good one, if a little different. Donny’s family was peculiar, to say the least, and never came together until his funeral. They were an interesting bunch. It was a good police procedural, the solution coming together on the basis of good police investigation. Like so many others, I recommend Alex Delaware books.

I was invited to read Unnatural History by Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Ballantine #JonathanKellerman #UnnaturalHistory

I love a good mystery and that’s exactly what this is! Alex is called to help with the case of a photographer found dead, but there’s more to him than meets the eye. Alex and Milo investigate the victim’s latest photo exhibit which leads them to the world of the homeless.

Lots of twists and turns as they victims start to pile up. This is part of a long standing series, but easily read as a standalone.

Thanks to the publisher for a review copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for an ARC copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This is now only my second novel read by this author, although I know he has written over 30 or so titles. I liked it. It captured my attention more than his previous book that I read. Perhaps it's because I'm getting more familiar with his writing style. Main characters Psychologist Alex Delaware and Lieutenant Milo Sturgis are on the hunt for a murderer who has killed a young, naive, rich photographer who had good intentions but lacked street smarts. This is called a thriller but had very little action except for at the very end when they go to apprehend the killer. I would call this a police procedural. There are a lot of details about finding who killed this young man and others that got in the way of the killer. A lot of time is spent going down a pretty long list of possible suspects and crossing them out along the way until they figure out who the killer is. This is a book that is heavily plot and story driven. I'm actually used to more emotional and character driven stories so perhaps that is why the pacing of the book seemed slower than what I'm used to. That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy this novel. I did. I felt like I was a fly on the wall and shoulder of Lieutenant Milo watching how a real murder case would be handled. So I give this 4 stars and I do recommend it.

Psychologist Alex Delaware and police detective Milo Sturgis are investigating another bizarre death in the Los Angeles sunshine in Unnatural History.

A troubled trust funded photographer is murdered in his bed. Could his murderer be a family member looking to increase their chunk of the family’s future inheritance? Or was the photographer’s latest project with the homeless to blame? Milo and Alex must traverse both the wealthiest and the poorest people in LA to solve this crime.

It’s always a treat to get to hang with Alex and Milo. The unusual mixing of psychology with a police procedural is still fresh after thirty-eight books. The crime was interesting but not as enthralling as their last series entry, City of the Dead. However, it is the realistic friendship between the characters (and their witty banter) that keep bringing me back to this series.

If you are a fan of police procedurals or buddy cop movies like Lethal Weapon, you will also enjoy Unnatural History. 4 stars!

Thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

An unusual main character, to be sure. I only know a handful of the Alex Delaware series, but I am rarely disappointed when I come across them. This is a massive series, but you can follow along just fine without having read them all. Milo Sturgis is a bit of a harder nut to crack for me. I sometimes like the character and sometimes don’t This was a like for me.

Fans of the series will definitely enjoy this installment. Newcomers can jump right in as well, though.

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was fast-paced, fascinating and clever. It held my interest and I didn't want to put it down. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author. This author's books are always fantastic.

Detective Milo Strugis and Doctor Alex Delaware team up again to solve the murder of a young, attractive, wealthy photographer, with the only suspects being homeless people he choose to shoot as part of a series he was working on. In my opinion, Unnatural History is one of Kellermen’s best stories yet. Some of the recent books in this series have been convoluted and confusing, but this was sharp, smart and engaging. I loved the further growth and strength of the relationships developing in this installment including those between Alex/Robin, Alex/Milo, and Milo/his team. Great psychological thriller!

I really enjoyed this story. It was hard to figure out who was murdering people. There were so many suspects to choose from. Mile asks for Alex's help in figuring out who shot a young photographer, whose father is a very wealthy man. They think it might be linked to a series of photographs that he took of some homeless people. When they start finding some of the homeless people dead, they have to look at all the angles. Alex is good at looking at all the angles. Can they find the murderer before more bodies show up? It will take all of the deductive skills to do it.

This is the 38th! book in the Alex Delaware series and they are still as good as ever. I first discovered this series when I was in college and I'm forever a faithful reader.

What I love about these books is that they're a blend of police work and psychology. When a murder is particularly interesting, Detective Milo Sturgis calls on his best friend, Dr. Alex Delaware, to consult and give his insights. Alex usually comes up with some kind of connection or lead that the police haven't even thought to pursue. I really enjoy their relationship and banter as they bounce ideas off each other.

The case in this one starts with a naive rich kid turned photographer found shot to death in bed. There's daddy issues, complicated family dynamics, and a multitude of suspects, as well as commentary about how the wealthy coexist (or don't) with the growing unhoused population. There are also multiple murders and seemingly unrelated storylines, but Kellerman does a great job of stringing them all together into one cohesive and intriguing mystery.

This is only the second book in the series that I've read. It was good but moved a little slow for my taste. The mystery was interesting and had a lot of potential suspects and avenues to investigate. Alex and Milo have a good dynamic. The ending was satisfying but felt a little rushed. All in all, it was good, but not great. I would still be open to reading more from this author in this series. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

“Unnatural History” by Jonathan Kellerman, Ballantine Books, 320 pages, Feb. 7, 2023.

Los Angeles Homicide Lt. Milo Sturgis asks psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware to come to the scene of a murder. Sturgis doesn’t give Delaware any details ahead of time, but wants him to talk with Melissa Gornick.

Gornick arrived at her job as personal assistant to photographer Donny Klement and found he had been shot three times. His father is Victor Klement, a billionaire, who was married six times and had one child with each wife. The adult children barely know each other.

The victim had recently received media attention for his latest project: images of homeless people in their personal “dream” situations, elaborately costumed and enacting unfulfilled fantasies.

There are some, however, who view the whole thing as nothing more than exploitation, citing reported $100 payments and Klement’s avoidance of any long-term relationships with his subjects.

Sturgis wonders if a homeless person killed Klement or did a half-sibling lash out? Then there are more murders related to the case. As Sturgis says, “This case is like running through a house of mirrors.”

This is the 38th in the series. You’d think that Kellerman would be out of ideas, but the plots are fresh. The characters, even minor ones, are well-defined. The issues of mental illness and drug and alcohol abuse among the homeless are handled with tact. This is a good installment in the series and can be read as a stand-alone book.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

This is the 38th book in the series and it still remains fresh. I really love the relationship between Alex and Milo.

One morning a young assistant shows up for work and when she brings coffee to her boss, Donny, who is an aspiring photographer, she founds him shot to death in bed. There are all sorts of interesting characters ranging from the assistant to the victim's family. There were lots of clues and I kept trying to figure who the killer was but no luck. Caught me by surprise.

I would recommend this book and this series to anyone.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Ballantine for providing me with a digital copy.

Alex and Milo together again. Nothing is better than this unlikely pair of friends posing hypotheticals as they ponder who of friends, family, and a motley crew of models might have killed a wealthy photographer. Violence leads to an excess of victims and the end of the pursuit of a killer brings with it unanticipated threats to Alex’s continued good health and well-being. Once again a satisfying briskly based novel played out over the vast territory that is Los Angeles county. Plenty good reading.

The dynamic duo of psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware and Detective Milo Sturgis are called to the scene of a violent homicide. Melissande Gornick is the new assistant to Donny Klement, and she finds his body riddled with bullet holes. Donny is a wealthy photographer, and Alex and Milo soon learn his family history. He is the son of the enigmatic billionaire Victor Klement. Victor has made a career out of marriage and scattering children to the ends of the earth.

As they delve further into this investigation they find that Donny had started a project that he called The Wishers project. He picked up homeless people to play "dress up" for the camera, but his intentions were good. A direct quote from the book - "He said he was trying to raise their expectations by expanding their vistas." He wanted them to project in photos what they aspired to be. When other bodies start pilling up, the mystery deepens.

You will be taken into the world of homelessness, drug addiction and mental health issues in the Los Angeles area. I thought that Kellerman did a great of handling these issues with grace when describing these people. It made me introspective as they interviewed some of the homeless people as you realize some of these people are just down on their luck or have mental health issues, but they are highly intelligent. They should not be dismissed as less than human. The mystery was interesting and as you peel back the layers of the family dynamics of the Klement family, you see a very dysfunctional family. Money definitely did not buy happiness in this case.

Kellerman never disappoints with this series, especially if you enjoy a good police procedural. The characters of Milo and Alex are likable and easy to relate to. Kellerman is very descriptive in his writing, so you can almost feel as if you are present in each scene.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballatine for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Unnatural History by Jonathan Kellerman is the newest (38th) of the Alex Delaware series.  

For those who have not read one of these wonderful books, the synopsis of characters’ involvement follows.  Milo Sturgis is a homicide detective in Los Angeles.  He is a man who always continually digs and asks questions and doesn’t let a case go.  The top brass might not like him, but he doesn’t care.  What he does care about is his job!  When things get a little too squirrely for him he calls his friend, Alex Delaware to come help.  Dr. Alex Delaware is a psychologist who specializes in working with children in the court system.  He finds the cases with Sturgis interesting and likes to help solve the crime.  Together they are unstoppable.  

This time the case is a little on the different side of life.  A wealthy photographer is found dead in bed with three bullet holes in his chest.  Nothing is stolen.  His all around helper found him and is unconsolable.  Alex has to calm her down to find out even the smallest details.  It seems that the photographer has started a new series of prints;  Homeless people dressed up like their wildest fantasy and paid for their time.  Why would this cause murder?  

The family of the deceased is equally as confusing.  Every sibling is born to a different mother and only as an adult had any relationship with each other.  They all have a white card which gives them access to any amount of money they need.  That means the family probably wouldn’t have a reason to kill him, right?

Alex and Milo work the angles of the murder with the help of some other police (recurring characters) and slowly edge back the layers.  Each one seems to spring another dead body on them.  Which adds another layer to the crime and confusion.

Once again, Jonathan Kellerman brings us into the story so completely that you lose all sense of time reading the novel. Unnatural History by Jonathan Kellerman is another great read.

Milo and Alex are at it again. This time they are investigating a dysfunctional family and the associated vulnerability and deaths of the homeless. This was the perfect read. The pace kept me engaged. I love the friendship and quirks between these two. I have read all of Kellerman's book in this series and they do not disappoint.

What's it about (in a nutshell):
A photography assistant in Los Angeles finds her rich and famous boss murdered in his bed. His latest project is called The Wishers, where homeless people dress up in elaborate costumes representing their dream selves for a photo session. Could this project have anything to do with his murder? Milo Sturgis and Dr. Alex Delaware go into homeless encampments to try and figure out the connection, but what they come away with could be as deadly for them as it was for the original victim.

Actual Reading Experience:

I love the aspects that make this mystery series different from all the others. Dr. Alex Delaware is a psychologist who has a practice out of his home. He is the first-person narrator and approaches cases in an almost Holmesian manner using his intellect and unusually keen observational skills. And paired with Milo, they make an incredible team of fascinating police work and an outsider looking in, providing a look into the minds of all those involved. Since Alex is a psychologist and not a detective, this difference in professions provides a speck of a cozy mystery feel with all the over-the-top characters, red herrings, and focus that go along with that sub-genre. It is not a cozy mystery, and I would never classify it as such. It just has a delightful little piece of that style of mystery.

I also appreciated how the social issues of homelessness, mental health disorders, and the connection between the two are highlighted and handled perfectly, with professionalism and compassion. and I loved that this series’ pace is pretty quick, aided by concise chapters.

Read if you like:
• A mystery that is a bit police procedural and a bit Holmesian
• A pair of detectives that will quickly feel like old friends.
• Relevant social issues are tackled with professionalism and compassion.

Lieutenant Milo Sturgis and Dr Alex Delaware were once again searching the streets of Los Angeles for a killer. Donny had been murdered - three gunshots to the chest - and uncovering a motive was proving a challenge. Searching back through Donny's family uncovered a myriad of strangeness, all stemming from Donny's father. Donny was a kind, gentle man who tried to help people, and in this case it was the homeless. Could it have been one of them who had done this to Donny?

Gradually, slowly, information was uncovered. But Milo couldn't pin what his thoughts were to any one person. Alex was helpful - yin and yang - but would it prove positive? After more murders, thoughts were cemented. But was there a result in there somewhere?

Unnatural History is #38 in the long-running Alex Delaware series and this wasn't one of Jonathan Kellerman's best in my opinion. Checking back to my previous ratings, it wasn't until #25 that I gave 5 stars. It was good to catch up with Milo and Alex, as well as Robin and Blanche and their koi pond. I'm not sure if I'll continue this series - wait and see :)

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.