Wowser, another excellent addition to the Alex Delaware series. The Ghost Orchid is #39 in the series, top notch, and I've read each and every one of them.

In this offering, Homicide Detective Milo Sturgis rather reluctantly calls Alex Delaware in for a consultation on a new murder case (Alex was pretty badly injured on the last case they worked together). But Dr. Delaware is healing and feeling antsy and is ready to get back to helping Milo.

In this case, a pool boy discovered the naked bodies of a man and woman at a quiet Bel Air house, shot through the hearts. Milo and Alex find that the pair were lovers and immediately suspect the woman's husband but find he's only one of the suspects.

I loved the story. I love Kellerman's writing style. I love Milo and Alex and all the side characters too. This was another twisty psychological murder mystery and I especially enjoyed it. And I liked the custody side story too.

Great book. I highly recommend it whether it's your first Kellerman book or your 39th.

I received this Digital Review Copy from Random House Publishing through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review. This is that review.

An intriguing mystery! Milo and Alex are back at it. The usual cast of characters were involved and have an enjoyable rapport. The murder case in this book unfolded slowly but was an interesting story. The pace was good. The suspense was good. The side story about the custody case that Alex was working on was a great addition. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I read this book so slowly because I just didn’t want it to end. Despite all the murders I really enjoy spending time in Alex’s world. This latest of Mr. Kellman’s amazing series is a winner. It felt just as fresh and interesting as his earlier books. Count me as a lifelong fan!

The Ghost Orchid by Jonathan Kellerman is the 39th book in the Alex Delaware series. The books follow Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis. Milo is a Lieutenant in the Los Angeles police force. He spends his time solving murders and often asks Alex to join him, especially when he feels he would benefit from Alex’s thoughts. Alex is Dr. Alex Delaware, a psychologist who has been associated with the local justice system for a while.

Milo has been given a new case. He was called to a home in the hills where two murders were committed. Both victims were shot directly in the heart. In his investigation, it was discovered that the woman was having an affair with the man and married to another man just a couple of miles away. Milo needed Alex’s help. Each angle they looked at was a dead end. The mystery didn’t seem to have a reason or a solution.

I have always enjoyed this series. I found this book particularly interesting as the mystery was interesting and contained some different situations. I like Milo and Alex together as they are good foils for each other. This mystery’s ending was unexpected, which made it even more enjoyable. The Ghost Orchid by Jonathan Kellerman was a good read.

I have read quite a few in this Alex Delaware series, so of course I had to pick this one up. I always enjoy Jonathan Kellerman's novels.

Description:
Psychologist Alex Delaware and Detective Milo Sturgis are faced with their most perplexing case yet when a double homicide investigation leads them to stolen identities and long-buried secrets worth killing for in this riveting thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author.

Los Angeles is a city of reinvention. Many come to start anew, to strike it big. Many kill the person they once were, the person they left behind. And in turn, someone else can turn around and kill them, too—permanently.

A housekeeper enters a secluded, upscale home and discovers two bodies floating in the The heir of an Italian shoe empire and an unknown woman. The house is untouched, but a "double" in Bel Air certainly makes this case stand out from the usual.

No forced entry means this could have been an inside job. After all, the woman floating in the pool is revealed to be Meagin March, a married neighbor from down the street, who lives in an even more opulent and sprawling mansion. Married woman having an affair? That's a perfect motive.

But not everything is as it seems. At her wedding, Meagin had no family and a tip from Meagin's mother-in-law raises their suspicions. Who was she, exactly?

Learning the truth about this mysterious woman—uncovering her identity and motivations—will take Alex and Milo on one of the most shocking journeys of their careers.

My Thoughts:
This book provided enough history in the course of the read to make it a stand alone and easily read and enjoyed even if you haven't read any of the others in the series (however, they are all good so I recommend that you read them if you get a chance). I enjoy the way Alex and Milo work together. Each of them has different skills that complement each other, which ultimately helps them solve cases. This is a strong police procedural and the investigation is not so much fast-paced as it it thoughtfully followed through. It is well written and kept my interest throughout. I recognized some of the charaters from previous books popping up from time to time. I really like Alex's partner Robin - she is an independent thinker and restores old or broken guitars. The dialog between the characters is enjoyable as they work through the clues and delve further and further into the investigation. I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys police procedurals.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine through Netgalley for an advance copy.

Reading an Alex Delaware novel is like reconnecting with an old friend.

After a near fatal accident on their previous case, Milo suffers from remorse and an unwillingness to bring his friend into another case. Relenting and bringing Alex into a double homicide. However, as they investigate they continue to have more question than answers as lead after lead falls through.

It isn't until they begin to search into one of the victims backgrounds that they begin to piece together what may have happened., while another seemingly unrelated murder serves as the connecting point that they need to bring things together.

I have read the Alex Delaware novels for years, and have always enjoyed the rhythm between the two characters. Milo has never been the standard homicide detective and Alex's insight has worked to provide insight that Milo sometimes misses. I also liked Milo's makeshift 'team' and how they respect Milo and his investigative process.

This story wrapped up nicely, although a little from left field. However, as the investigation went on, the explanation made sense and provided the closure needed. I can't wait for the next installment of the series.

Although it was well received, I did not enjoy Jonathan's last book, Unnatural History; my fear was that after writing so many books with the same characters, he had run out of things to say. After all 38 is a lot of books about the same two main sleuths.
I am happy to say that Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis are back and as good as ever. Alex Delaware is a child psychologist married to an artist, Robin, and Milo Sturgis is an LAPD detective who happens to be gay. They investigate murders together. As the book opens, Alex is recovering from an illness and Milo has some trepidation about his friend investigating another murder, but another one comes up that they, of course, cannot resist. Two people were killed, a man and woman having a tryst, and Alex and Milo do not know at the outset, which one of them was the target of the murder. The rest of the book takes them through the whodunit, revealing little things about the protagonists and their relationship along the way. While this is a series, they can be read out of order and not all of them need to be read; I have not read them all. I do like having read some since I felt like I had the inside track on the characters, though.
I imagine it must be hard to come up with 39 novels about the same two characters who are always doing similar things in their books but Kellerman manages to do so, engaging the reader's interest. It was a solid four star read. I think there are some places where the prose and/or the dialogue can be tightened up and I would love to see a little more character change over the series. However, I will definitely look out for the next book in the series and when I have time, I may go back and read some earlier ones.
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved this book! The Alex Delaware series is one of my all time faves! This is a great detective mystery and I could not put it down. Alex & Milo for the win!!

Thanks to NetGalley, Jonathan Kellerman & Ballantine Books for the opportunity read this ARC!!

After being injured while helping Milo, Alex Delaware and the Lieutenant's relationship is strained. Milo is still kicking himself, and won't ask Alex for help. And Alex is just plain bored. With a teeny push from Robin, Milo calls Alex out for a double murder in Bel-Air, only a few miles from his house. The crime scene looks fairly typical (i.e. not in his purview), but Alex just wants the challenge of helping Milo like he has for years. A man and a woman, both shot in the hearts, lying out by the pool. All her expensive jewelry is still present, and nothing has been taken from the house. As they begin to look deeper, it doesn't appear that Meagin, the deceased woman, existed before she met her husband a couple years before. Who is this mystery woman, and was she the intended target and her poor acquaintance collateral damage?

It's really no secret that I love these books. Milo and Alex's relationship is great. The investigations seem real - you are not going to guess whodunit because the person doesn't even make an appearance until later in the book, more like a true police investigation. The writing is well done, and the stories are always well-crafted. It's just a shame I only get one new Alex Delaware story a year when I read them in 2 days...

Another year, another great buddy police/psychologist procedural for Milo and Alex. I look forward to reading this series and The Ghost Orchid is another great entry.

Two naked bodies are found murdered in a middle-class backyard in the LA adjacent and mega-wealthy Bel Air enclave. Which one was the intended victim, and which was collateral damage? The man is a playboy wastrel from a rich Italian family. The woman is a rich man’s wife from down the street. The woman’s husband was out-of-town, but could he have hired someone to kill his cheating wife? Did the man have enemies incensed enough to kill him? Psychologist Alex and detective Milo must unravel the tangled secrets of both victims’ lives.

The characters are the best part of this book. I feel like they are old friends now after reading the 39 (39!) books in this series. As usual, Alex also has a couple of unrelated court cases to bring a bit more psychological meat to the book. The Ghost Orchid can be read as a standalone novel. However, I guarantee that you will be hooked on the characters and will begin reading the entire series after reading this one. 5 stars!

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

I haven’t read an Alex Delaware novel for many years and had forgotten how much I enjoy them. This was a solid mystery with a good mix of psychology and old fashioned police work. Alex and Milo have perhaps mellowed a bit over the years, but I was happy to see that they were still very much the same. I need to go back and catch up on all that I’ve missed!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Alex is recovering from a near death experience and his friend Detective Milo hasn't called him to consult on a case in months. When Milo does call it's for a double murder in an exclusive neighborhood. After long days of investigating that go nowhere, they finally get some useful information. This leads them to long ago abuse, assaults and even murder before they can connect this case to one more new one and several old cases spread across the country.

Another great mystery by Kellerman. This kept me guessing, and I enjoyed the writing style. This book is part of a large series but can be read as a standalone. I have read others in this series, and the author does not disappoint. Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. 4 stars!

Another really good mystery. Milo called Alex in on a double murder that took place not far from Alex's home. A man and woman were relaxing beside the pool when someone shot both of them through the heart. Turns out the woman was married, and the man was from Italy. Could this be the work of a jealous husband? The woman's husband was out of town, but did he hire someone to kill her? The man was known to be attracted to older women and he really didn't care if they were married. The more Alex and Milo investigate the murkier the clues become. The woman isn't who she presented to the world. Could it be someone from her past who killed them? As they keep looking, they come across similar crimes, but those crimes had robbery involved. The killer didn't take anything from the man and woman. Who was this woman? Certainly not the person her husband thought she was.

Alex and Milo are back and this is a tough one. It's twisted and keeps you second guessing everything. Picking up a book in this series feels like checking in on old friends. The author manages to make each book fresh. I honestly had no clue where he was going with this one and that made for an exciting mystery read.

Sensational another terrific Jonathan Kellerman novel as Delaware and Sturgis solve two murders with a cast of characters without many redeeming features but you can't put it down when it ends it makes you want to read the next book immediately

This is the 39th book in the Alex Delaware series, but it can be read as a standalone novel. However, a greater appreciation for the storyline, overall, can be gained by reading prior books. Kellerman is a master of descriptions and suspense, all while creating well-developed characters. This installment is no exception. Psychologist Alex Delaware and Detective Milo Sturgis make a great investigative team. If you're looking for an entertaining read, this is one to check out.

Loved this book ! I’ve ready every book in the series and this was a great addition, I loved the complexities of the case and the police procedurals. Such a great series.

I love reading the back and forth between Alex and Milo. The Ghost Orchid continues their friendship spent solving crimes. It really feels like you are in the police car trying to figure out who could of committed such a heinous crime and why. Along the way you get to peek into life in California and into Alex’s life as a child psychologist. Alex and Milo are the good guys and I love seeing the good guys win.

A double murder kicks off an investigation where motives are unclear, and the personal pasts of the victims even more elusive. In tackling the case, as usual, Alex Delaware’s psychological insights complement the investigative skills of Milo Sturgis, the detective assigned the case and a long-standing, ever-hungry friend. Alex and Milo are great characters. They have little in common, but share a strong camaraderie that withstands the test of time. The main plot was well-paced, with twists and turns as Milo and Alex unearth sad truths rooted in the past of the primary victim. The book’s title, and the nature of the Ghost Orchid itself, were particularly well suited to the story. A great addition to the series, sure to please fans of murder mysteries and thrillers.