I am always excited to get the next book in this series. We were left with an ailing Alex in the previous book and he’s back, better than ever. The victims’ backgrounds made for an interesting twist as to who was the target. The story line was complicated yet solvable because the the hard work of this wonderful team. If you are a fan, you won’t be disappointed but this is a very good stand alone story as well.

As a huge Alex Delaware/Milo Sturgis fan, I was thrilled to receive an early copy of The Ghost Orchid.

A double homicide in one of LA's wealthiest areas turns up the heat for our friends as two victims were found dead by the pool boy. Who were they?

1. A playboy Italian shoemaker
2. A married and extremely wealthy woman

Working together with little to go off, the two must dig into the past of both entities to find the missing link to the double homicide. What they are able to put together makes this one of the most exciting, riveting, Kellerman books there is!

It is always good to spend some time with Milo and Alex. They really had their work cut out for them as they worked to find the killer of a double homicide. As always, the writing is so good. I feel like I know these characters. The work they put in to solve their crimes is so captivating and it keeps you reading as you wonder what they will discover next. I love this series and am looking forward to what comes next.

I received a free copy from NetGalley. Another great Alex Delaware novel. I think it could stand alone if needed.

The older woman married a younger man. They have an enormous home behind a gate, she gets her hair and nails done, goes to the spa and likes to run. He’s away traveling for the successful real estate company he founded. The woman is having an affair, she and the lover both found shot. Detective Milo Sturgis is called to the scene and it generates more questions than answers. Who was the intended victim - the playboy Italian shoe magnate, the cheating wife, both? What was the motive – jealousy, money, revenge? The oblivious wealthy husband, Doug, wants to know who killed his wife.
Alex is a psychologist treating traumatized kids, victims of accidents and other traumatic events. He has a heartbreaking court case involving a divorcing couple who aren’t battling over custody of an adopted boy, instead neither parent wants him. Milo and Alex enjoy bouncing ideas off each other but this case has them chasing dead ends. To find out who would have wanted either victim dead will involve uncovering layers of secrets. This is a great new addition to the series with suspects and motives everywhere and it will take Milo and Alex old fashioned clues to solve the murders. I liked the attention to detail with the characters and really enjoy following the lives of Milo and Alex.
Thanks to NetGalley for the digital advance reader copy of “The Ghost Orchid” Alex Delaware #39, by Jonathan Kellerman, published by Random House Ballantine. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

Kellerman keeps writing top notch fiction. In this installment Deleware and Sturgis are called to the scene of a double murder. It takes sleuthing to determine which victim was the target and then why that victim was targeted. Milo and Alex are a great pair and here's to hoping for more installments in this mystery cannon.

As a fan of Jonathan Kellerman and his protagonists, Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis, I was excited to receive a chance to read this book and was not disappointed. This story was about a double murder of two lovers found floating in an estate's pool. The story was interesting and gripping, and the plot sped along as Alex and Milo dug into the victims' past and tried to figure out who committed the crime - and why? Things come together a little quickly in the end, but the book was thoroughly enjoyable and I would definitely recommend to others! I wonder if Milo and Alex will ever age in the next books? These great Kellerman books have been written for quite some time and they both must be about 70ish years old now. I can’t help thinking that 65-70 year-old Milo and Alex might have more wisdom and experience and it would have to be a quick jump in the books, but very, very interesting for fans of the stories! Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read and review this book!

This book caught me from the start. The set-up was great. Two bodies, Meagin and Gio, are found dead at Gio's home. Meagin is the wife of a wealthy but inattentive real estate investor. Gio is the son of a wealthy Italian shoe manufacturing family. Psychologist Alex Delaware and detective Milo Sturgis have to find out who killed them without knowing which of the victims was the reason for the murder.

The story was well-plotted. Various characters, mainly family and friends of the victims, were introduced. The ending was not a crazy far-fetched solution that seemed to be pulled out of the air because the author's contractual page length was reached.

Although I don't really understand how a independent psychologist gets involved solving so many murders, I really like the Delaware series. This was no exception.

Jonathan Kellerman has done it once again! While this is the 39th book in the Alex Delaware series, it can be read as a stand alone book. But why would you want to do that? This series is a combination of mystery, crime/police work and psychology/relationships. I received this book 3 days ago and my only complaint is that I couldn’t stop reading it and now it’s done! Please keep writing, Mr. Kellerman! Alex Delaware is a psychologist who often works on tricky cases with his detective friend, Milo Sturgis typically in the Los Angeles area. Ghost Orchid begins with two murders in Bel Air with no apparent clues. It gets complicated and very interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed Ghost Orchid and recommend that this book goes to the top of your “to read” pile. Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing group - Ballantine for the opportunity to read Ghost Orchid.

Alex and Milo are teamed up again! I love this author/series. I find the books to be clean, suspenseful, and realistic. I like how Alex's calm demeanor plays off of Milo's full speed ahead attitude. I would like to see Rick mentioned a bit more.
Spoiler Alert:
I was hoping that Alex & Robin or Milo & Rick would end up adopting Derek, but it did have a happy for him, so all's well.

I read a prepublication copy of this Alex Delaware/Milo Sturgis novel. Jonathan Kellerman always delivers. I’ve been a fan of this series and these characters for years. Reading this one was like catching up with old friends. It is a very engrossing read. The pacing is just right; the dialog and characters are natural and believable; the plot is multi-faceted and complex; and the action flows smoothly, making it easy to follow.

Johathan Kellerman does it again with the latest addition, The Ghost Orchid. Psychologist Alex Delaware and Detective Milo Sturgis are in the zone as they work together to determine who has killed, not one, but two residents in an upscale community. Troubled pasts and complicated presents make for an interesting investigation, moving from the rich side to the dark seedy side. This was a fun read, following the twists and turns to determine who did what and why. It was definitely not a simple, straightforward case to solve. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to review this ARC.

Yet another great Alex Delaware story. Jonathan Kellerman has a knack for delivering a fresh story each time so that reading the series does not seem formulaic. This-is a great story told well it is a page tuner and held my interest in its grip.

It’s always fun to see what Milo and Alex get involved with and how they work through to the end. This one seemed to lack the intensity and depth that I remember in previous stories in this series, but good, nevertheless.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Ballantine Books, for an early readers’ copy in exchange for an honest review.

Alex Delaware and Milo are back in Kellerman’s latest. Their newest mystery takes us cross country trying to determine who killed two seemingly unrelated individuals having a lovers tryst by a pool. This one was truly a who dunit for almost the entire book. After the intense action of Kellerman’s last Delaware novel this book definitely gives him the break he needs while still allowing the duo to crime solve as usual. Still a great Kellerman’s novel with just a little less action than the usual but I was definitely okay with that because that’s real life police work! Definitely enjoyed this one and it kept me guessing right up until the end. Can’t wait for the next one! Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy and give an unbiased review.

I absolutely loved the Ghost Orchid (and coincidently saw a big article about Florida and the Orchids as I was reading it). This series seriously gets better with time. Once I start reading, I cannot but them down. Looking forward to recommending this book in February! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and recommend, 5 stars!!

This is the latest in the Alex Delaware series by Jonathan Kellerman, of which I am a huge fan! I have read all the books in the series as far as I know and this is #39. Once again we are introduced to Alex Delaware, a child psychologist, being called upon by his friend Milo Sturgis, a homicide detective, to assist him in solving a murder case. In this case, two people are found murdered, shot through the heart at close range. As Alex and Milo start, interviewing people related to the deceased, they uncover more and more questions and secrets. I always enjoy the dynamic between Milo and Alex. Alex is called upon to notice things most people would miss and get a read on people. He also has a compulsion to dig deeper into details and often finds out minor details crucial to the investigation. I don’t want to give much of the plot away, I’ll just say this really held my attention and I found it very enjoyable. I love Kellerman’s writing style and I also love the mix of police investigations broken up by some child custody cases and the triggers that cause Alex to reveal a bit more of his own childhood. Kellerman has a wonderful way of describing scenes - the atmosphere , flowers, landscapes, etc, - you feel like you can really picture it. You would think that after 39 books the series would be getting stale, but not so! I’m already looking forward to the next installment! I give this book 5 stars out of 5.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Ghost Orchid is due to be published Feb. 6, 2024.

I'm always excited for another Alex Delaware book. This was an interesting mystery for Alex and Milo to figure out...you won't get it before they do! You are rooting for a character you never get to meet as she shows up dead at her lover's pool...next to his dead body! Quick and enjoyable read.

This is one of the few series that never lets me down. Alex and Milo are like old friends that I get to check in with a few times a year.

Unlike the last book, this gives a little bit more time to the friendships, relationships, and food than last time. Haven’t seen Rick in awhile, how’s he doing? There’s a kitchen scene which shows the strength of the Alex, Milo, Robin (and Blanche) friendship and I really felt the connection between them all. I hope to see more like this in future books.

The main story here is fascinating. I had a feeling that we were going to wind up somewhere in the area that we did, but I was surprised on how we got here. There are a few returns by people from previous books, and a few new characters I hope stick around, like Kathy, Derek, and Doug March. He was such a fun character. Yeah, I said it.

I love the feeling of peace these books have. It’s LA, crime filled and dirty, but the feeling that Alex and Milo go out of their way to create a calm life outside of work is so true to life.

I loved this! Alex and Milo are the two you should never ever skip. Even if you catch Kellerman sneaking a reference to a nonfiction book he wrote into the story


Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, and every single glowing word is my own.

I love the Milo Sturgis/Alex Delaware series. Always great story lines that really develop the characters that tend to evoke many different feelings. A recommended read!

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC.