The Ghost Orchid is the 39th installment in the Alex Delaware series where we once again find police detective Milo Sturgis teaming up with child psychologist Alex Delaware to solve special cases for the LAPD. Having read every one of the previous books in this series, it’s a bit like meeting up with old friends at this point when encountering a new story. However, this one fell a little flat for me. I of course enjoy the banter between Milo and Alex and appreciate Kellerman’s attention to detail and description. However, I always like hearing more about the character’s personal lives and like when Kellerman digs into a topic or world that I know nothing about. This felt a little procedural, like you could see it on SVU.

I know most police work in real life isn’t guns blazing, bombs strapped to people, etc. and one of the things that I like about this series is that we see all of the boring behind-the-scenes work that leads up to solving the case. You can never tell what little piece of information is going to make it all come together and there are a lot of dead ends. Unfortunately, in the case of The Ghost Orchid, everything fit together a little neatly for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House-Ballentine for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Review - The Ghost Orchid by Jonathan Kellerman (Advance Review TBP 2/24)

The Ghost Orchid is the newest Alex Delaware book by Jonathan Kellerman set to be released in February 2024. This police procedural book continues the bromance of Milo Sturgis and Alex Delaware as they solve crimes in posh suburban Los Angeles. While Kellerman once again proves he can tell a narrative with vivid descriptions at a quick pace, it was just not enough to save this labored and unimaginative story line. This particular murder plot has been done to death (pun intended) and I had correctly guessed the killer before we even met them. Normally Kellerman throws in some quirky characters or interesting twists, but there was nothing surprising in this book except perhaps the title. Sigh . . . I couldn’t even work up a bit of love for Alex’s Frenchie Blanche or his talented artist wife Robin.

I should say I have loved Kellerman’s books in the past and jumped at the chance to read this one for advance review. My advice to readers … don’t waste your money or time on this one. Read one of Kellerman’s older books and enjoy the ride.

I am grateful to the publisher for the opportunity to review this advance copy. This review reflects my opinion and my opinion alone.

I did not know that this book was a part of a series. For that reason and others along that line this ended up not being my cup of tea.

I have read almost all of the books in this series. At this point you can almost follow similar plot lines in terms of when bits of evidence arrives, and when and where Milo will suggest a meal.

While I continue to enjoy that, I miss some of the info on their respective relationships. Yes, we find out what Robin is working on, and a bit about a case Alex has for his work with children (and this was indeed one with a nice resolution) but the heart behind some of the character development is missing.

The plot/mystery of who killed the initial couple was intriguing, and well developed. It ends up being a very sad story, once you realize what has happened in the victim's past.

All in all a decent story in this series. I am kind of looking forward to Alex's and Milo's retirement plans though, where I picture them picking up the odd unsolved case from Sean et al.

Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis are at it again.
This time - a double homicide. But who is the victim> The cheating wife or the Italian shoe magnate? And are there other victims? The search takes them from LA to Texas, to Florida and back again.

400 plus pages later we find out. It was a bumpy, twisty ride to the end. The typical Kellerman flare for description - of everything from streets to food to clothes to room decor, coupled with psychological insights this time from Alex's love Robin, help them solve this case.

Thanks, NetGalley for a sneak peek. As usual, Kellerman's books are fabulous reads.

Psychologist Alex Delaware and Detective Milo Sturgis team up once again to solve a double homicide. Meg is 41 years old and married to Doug, a very wealthy 29-year-old man. She is found with Gio, a young Italian from a wealthy family. Both have been shot through the heart. As Alex and Milo start looking for clues as to who murdered them and why, they have a hard time making any progress; they don’t even know who the target was. It seems both were very nice people, but with troubled pasts.

There were no clues, so I enjoyed their observations and discussions as they searched to even understand who was the target. It wasn’t a robbery, none of her expensive jewelry was taken. So, they basically started with nothing and began to try and build a case. I like how Alex can throw out a single sentence from an observation and Milo will take off with it.

I liked how Meg’s painting of a ghost orchid, with the significance of that flower to her life, was weaved through the story. Doug was an interesting character, so smart when it came to business, but not so good at social interactions. He just seemed lost to find out how little he knew his wife.
A side story about a divorce case involving an adopted son was a nice diversion so the book ended on a happy note.

Thank you to Random House/Ballantine and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy. This my honest review.

The latest Alex Delaware mystery is coming out in early February - it's time to get your preorder in. Ghost Orchid is #39 in the series, and I've been reading them since When the Bough Breaks came out in 1985. Fans will gobble this up - it's like spending a day with old friends.

So, I enjoyed the check-in with Milo and Alex, but I have to say the books have become somewhat formulaic. We no longer see any development of the characters' backstories. I miss this aspect of the older books in the series. The plot in Ghost Orchid is okay - basic police procedural- but there aren't any good twists and turns, and the conclusion was kind of "eh." I'll keep reading as long as Kellerman keeps writing, but this volume didn't reflect the effort I've experienced with other books in the series.

Thanks to NetGally for providing me with an ebook ARC in exchange for a review.

Kellerman continues the Dr. Alex Delaware series by Milo inviting Alex to observe and to engage in helping solve a double homicide. Alex, still recovering from injuries, in the last book entry, is ready to get back to world of work. This new case has so much beneath the surface--who would kill a woman and her lover? What was the woman hiding when searches about her identity find little or nothing. Why does no one really care about her death? As Alex researches the case, he finds himself also engulfed in a child custody case where a young boy is not wanted by either parent. The story continues with strong characterization and a good plot line. Thanks to Net Galley for the arc.

Fans of the Alex Delaware series by bestselling author Jonathan Kellerman, will be excited about the 39th installment of the popular series, The Ghost Orchid. Detective Milo Sturgis, is called to the scene of a double murder where the victims, laying on deck chairs by the pool, are each found with a shot through the heart. One victim is a beautiful 41 year old woman, Meagin March, the wife of a millionaire businessman, and the other is 29 year old Gio Aggiunta, heir to an Italian shoe empire. Sturgis calls his best friend, Alex Delaware, to help him with the psychological aspects of the case. Alex and Milo aren’t sure which was the target, and as they investigate and uncover clues, they become more and more mystified as to motive. Meagin’s husband is a suspect, but the clues aren’t adding up.

While a few of the previous books in the series haven’t been up to par, this novel is excellent and reminiscent of the earlier novels that are always spellbinding and well-written. The Ghost Orchid is a edge-of-seat thriller that will be very difficult to put down. Readers will be happy to know that Kellerman’s excellent story-telling ability is back. As usual, Sturgis and Delaware are well developed, however, it’s always best to read the previous novels to get to know these and the supporting characters. Most readers who have followed this series will be well acquainted with them and happy to know that their beloved characters are back to normal.

This is an excellent novel and highly recommended.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

I found this to be an engaging read. While it does follow a formula, I don’t find this to be a deterrent. The plot moved along, although I admit that I was surprised at the end (not a twist so much as a surprise). The interaction between Milo & Alex is interesting as they come at the same problem from different viewpoints. In this book, it seemed that Alex & Milo were quite stumped but the various pieces all tied together nicely at the end. I learned something new – what a ghost orchid is. I look forward to the next installment in the series!

Awesome! Great read! Another Alex Delaware mystery/police procedural. It is easily read as a stand alone novel. Read the jacket cover for details,no book report or spoilers from me. It will keep you turning pages and you will not be disappointed. I was provided an advanced reader copy at my request and was under no obligation to write a review. The opinions expressed are my own. Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. Looking forward to the next one! Read and enjoy!

3.5 stars for this novel.

To begin, a shout out/thank you to both Random House Publishing-Ballantine and Netgalley.com for an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoy reading the Delaware/Sturgis series that Jonathan Kellerman has put together over the years. The Ghost Orchid is another installment in this thriller series. If you have not read a previous book in this series, you will not be lost - but I have really enjoyed reading how the relationship between Milo Sturgis (the LAPD homicide detective) and his friend Alex Delaware (psychologist) have grown. The Ghost Orchid follows that typical Kellerman script - Alex Delaware is contacted by Milo Sturgis regarding a double homicide in the Bel Air area of Los Angeles. Sturgis has loads of questions and zero leads as to "who-done-it", and leans on Delaware to offer some psychological insight onto the case. The story has some twists and turns to keep the reader going, and in the end the murderer is caught. I enjoyed this story, and it was interesting to hear what the "Ghost Orchid" really is and how it ties in to the story.

Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis are interesting characters. Getting a chance to read about them is always a pleasure. I learn something new in each of their stories. The Ghost Orchid came up rather far into the story. You will need to read the book to find out what it means and how it affects the plot. A double homicide has Milo asking Alex to join him in solving the crime. The question of who was the intended target and who was just in the wrong place at the wrong time is a great start to this mystery. How they managed to figure this out carried through to a satisfying ending.

I received an advanced readers copy from Random House through NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion about this book.
#TheGhostOrchid #NetGalley aa

Excellent crime story. As usual, the emphasis is on thorough police work instead of CSI stuff and it makes for an absorbing tale. We get to know the victims, their friends and family and eventually the necessary circumstances leading to the solution. The characters all have substance so that they are interesting and you care about them. Gritty and fairly realistic, we are dealing with smart, competent people doing their jobs, so it's not a solution the reader will see coming.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing, Ballantine Books, and the author, Jonathan Kellerman for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Jonathan Kellerman has been my favorite author since I started reading the Alex Delaware series in high school. I was very excited for the chance to read The Ghost Orchid as an ARC for the 39th Alec Delaware novel that I have read.

This novel continues the stories of Alex Delaware and his best friend, Lieutenant Milo Sturgis. After the ending of the last novel I was anxious to see how their teamwork would continue.

I love the camaraderie that these two have. They work so well together coming up with different ideas about what might have led to the murders and who might be a potential suspect.

This novel does not disappoint. A woman with a mysterious past ends up part of a double homicide and Alex and Milo work together to determine who the villain is.

For those who love Jonathan Kellerman, make sure to read this one. It ticks all the boxes for me.

Milo allows Alex to come back to help just looking like an easy case. As they get further into it it looks like they won’t solve the case. With help from a surprise person bringing some evidence they get started back on the right track and then you find out why the title makes sense. Another great book!

Another rollicking murder mystery, this time around two good looking people killed at close range in a posh house in the Bel Air hills above Los Angeles. If you are a fan of the Dr. Delaware series this one will be another great read as the good doctor unwinds the twisty journey of who did the deed and why and how the various pieces of the puzzle fit together. If this is your first time out, have no fear: Kellerman does a great job of laying these pieces out and driving the narrative as Delaware works his way through the case and the odd series of circumstances that led to the death of both victims. Along the way there are plenty of bad parenting and bad spouses to focus our attention on and enjoy. Highly recommended.

Yet again Jonathan Kellerman delivers another bestseller the “Ghost Orchid”. Milo and Alex are back to solve a riveting murder mystery that takes place in the wealthy Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles. This book is part of a series but I really feel it stands beautifully on its own for anyone who hasn’t read Kellerman before. It is an intelligent, sexy, exciting read, and I highly recommend it to all lovers of detective stories.

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine and Jonathan Kellerman for the ARC of this book.

Great book by a trusted author. All you would expect from Kellerman and more. Gripping from start to finish and I can assure you he has lost none of his touch since I first started reading.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballentine Books/Random House publishing for granting my "wish" for a copy of this book.
The Ghost Orchid is yet another wonderful addition to the beloved Alex Delaware series. This mystery seems to be just a series of dead ends until Alex and Milo, in their most tenacious way, are determined to solve it and, along with Milo's team, start opening doors off their own leading to a sad, but satisfying conclusion.
The book opens with Alex ruminating on horrible injuries that he had suffered that Milo feels responsible for. As a result of this guilt, Milo hasn't been really present in Alex's life for several months. Then he gets a call about a new case that Milo would like him to look into. Alex realizes that he has missed the thrill of the hunt and off they go. Great character development and sense of place is always amazing from Mr. Kellerman.
NO spoilers from me - I think this is one of the best in the series and it's a definite 5-star read as always when Jonathan Kellerman writes a book. Don't miss this one for sure!