Kellerman is in fine form in this latest in the long (and gosh I've read them all) running series that's will be just as entertaining as a standalone. This time out, Alex Delaware is working with Lt. Milo Sturgis on the double murder of Gio, an Italian man and Meghin, a married woman- both killed with a shot to the heart beside Gio's pool. What secrets do they hold? Meghin is especially challenging as no one seems to know much about her, not even her pretty awful husband. And then someone else connected to Meghin is killed the same way. As always, Delaware provides insight and assists in questioning but he's not the one who figures out part of the key to the mystery of Meghin. It's nicely twisty. While it's kind of superfluous to the plot, don't pass off Delaware's commitment to the teen whose parents are divorcing. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. No spoilers from me. This is a terrific read.

4.5 stars rounded upward. My thanks go to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for the review copy. This book will be available to the public February 6, 2024.

The Ghost Orchid marks the thirty-ninth entry in the Alex Delaware series, one of the longest series in publication. It’s easy to see why it’s lasted so long. The protagonist and side characters are engaging, and the dialogue never loses its sparkle. In this one, Alex has been recovering from a savage beating that he took at the hands of the murderer in our last mystery. Milo, his BFF, is a homicide cop who often hires him to assist the LAPD with cases where a psychologist is needed, but now Milo is so mired in guilt that he can hardly look at his friend. Finally, with a nudge from Delaware’s longtime (and slightly boring) girlfriend, Milo includes him in another case, and we find snappy dialogue that never fails to entertain.

This time it’s a double homicide in Bel Air. The man and woman are found by the pool, naked and dead. The investigation reveals that he is the son of a mega rich European shoe magnate; she is the wife of another rich man, a young, socially awkward member of the ruling elite who isn’t pleased to learn what his wife has been doing when he’s away on business. But then we learn that she was using an assumed name, and so the whole thing is even more mysterious. Who is this dead woman, and who killed her?

At the same time, Alex is engaged to interview a child in his early teens whose adoptive parents have decided to bail. They are divorcing; neither of them wants the kid.

The main storyline is a lot of fun. Everyone enjoys seeing the super-rich suffer. With wealth of this magnitude, there’s no chance any of Kellerman’s readers will identify with the male murder victim or the husband of the female victim, either. The way it’s resolved is believable, and it’s done without any of the prurient or kinky sex that Kellerman inexplicably included for a handful of books in this series a few years back. The half star is withheld from my rating because the other storyline, the one about the teenager, sort of fizzles without going anywhere, and it’s hard to see why he included it in the first place. Kellerman’s career, and this series, were originally launched around crimes where kids were involved, often as witnesses, and those initial books are fascinating. I’d love to see the author return to his roots, write some more episodes that incorporate his credentials and experience in child psychology.

You can read it as a stand alone novel if you choose, but you’ll want to read the others afterward.

Nevertheless, if you are looking for a fast, fun whodunit, this book is a hard one to beat. I highly recommend it to those that love the genre.

Detective Milo Sturgis and Alex Delaware are back in another mystery/thriller by Jonathan Kellerman.

Two people are found murdered in the pool of a home in a wealthy neighborhood. Both are wealthy people, one of which was married and having an affair with the other. Meagin March and Gio Aggiunta were somehow murdered by a culprit who left behind no evidence at the scene. Who had motive to do them in? Was it Meagin's husband? Was it one of Gio's relatives after his fortune?

This book grabbed me and hooked me into the story right away. Both of the murder victims had secrets in their pasts that led to some interesting detective work. The more of the story that was uncovered, the more the tension built up in the story. As a reader, I didn't want to put the book down until I found out what the truth was. I like how the author introduces a red herring too, when one character disappears.

I like the interplay between the two detectives and how they bounce ideas off each other. I think they make a great team. There are lots of other books featuring these two characters. As a long-time reader, I enjoy each one. The series is excellent. The Ghost Orchid is a great new entry to the series and I recommend it.

I love this series although I have not read all of the installments. This one was edge of your seat fantastic, but more along a psychological level. I enjoyed all of the old characters and they all brought something to the table. A great police procedural.
Many thanks to Ransom House and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

received an ARC through "NetGalley" and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

The story begins with ALEX bored at home since he hasn't been asked by Milo for assistance for a while. This is due to the fact that the last case Alex worked with Milo, Alex almost died and Milo felt responsible. As luck would have it, a few weeks later Alex finally gets a call asking for assistance. The case involves two individuals who have been shot. Evidence at the scene was lacking so they did not have a lot to go on. The first thing they did was look into the families of both victims. Gio, they discovered had issues before he came to America and Meagin had very little information related to her past. Meagin was married and her husband was not around most of the time. The live-in maids did have a lot that to reveal as well.

Using Meagin's phone records, they found a couple of girlfriends as well as an individual who worked at a church doing books. Milo and Alex were able to gain some information from the girlfriend, but when they went to get in touch with the individual. they learned he had been killed and the MO looked like the two found earlier.

Read along and discover what steps they took to finally come to a possible conclusion. Learn how an item they received from a lawyer and what they discover from it as well as what the final clue was, then you need to read the book. The ending answers all of your questions.

The Ghost Orchid by Jonathan Kellerman has Psychologist Alex Delaware and LAPD Homicide Detective Milo Sturgis return to solve a perplexing double homicide. It is a very highly recommended procedural and marks the 39th Alex Delaware novel. Newcomers to the series who enjoy well-written procedurals can easily enjoy The Ghost Orchid as a standalone novel, but once started you will want to delve deeper and read more novels in the series.

Alex has recovered from a previous injury so when Milo calls he is eager to assist him on another case. Two bodies are found by the pool at a house in Bel Air. The residence is that of male victim, Gio Aggiunta, the wealthy heir to an Italian shoe empire. The female victim, Meagin March, is an even wealthier married older woman. Robbery doesn't appear to have been a motive. And while Meagin's husband Douglass is a natural suspect, it becomes clear as the investigation continues that, while he is a jerk, he's likely not the suspect they are looking for. The case requires Milo and Alex to fig deep into the past of the two victims.

This is an excellent addition to the very well-written long-running series. The case is fascinating, the pace is fast, the details are interesting, and the plot is compelling from start to finish. The intricate investigation into the lives of the two victims is engaging and riveting as details emerge. While I am well acquainted with the characters, enough details are provided for new readers to easily follow the dynamic relationship between Alex and Milo.

Once I started The Ghost Orchid I kept reading until I finished it, the mark of a very satisfying procedural. Thanks to Ballantine Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, X, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

The 39th book in the Alex Delaware series does not disappoint! I admit I have read them all since Jonathan Kellerman is one of my favorite authors and I look forward to each new release in the series!

Milo and Alex are back together again working to solve a double homicide involving Meagin and Gio. The murders lead from California to Florida and follow the tragic tale of a woman trying to redirect her path.

The title of the book alone is haunting and this was another page turner I did not want to put down! A big thank you to Random House/Ballantine and NetGalley for a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review! My rating: 5 stars. Publication Date: February 6, 2024

I always look forward to a new Alex Delaware book. I love the dynamic between Milo and Alex and how they solve crimes.
This new one is no exception. This hooked me from the beginning and I read it in two days. I probably could have done it in 24 hours but life happens. This is more of a slow burn but still a page turner. Less action and more methodical than other books in the series. I’m sad it’s over because that means another year at least before the next one. If you’re a fan of Jonathon Kellerman this is another winner.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for a honest review. 4⭐️

Milo and Alex take on another case together, and this one is as sinister as they come. Who is committing these murders that seem unrelated? Who is the true target? The detective and psychologist make a great team to find the answers. I always enjoy their commitment to the cases!

Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis have to do some deep investigative work to solve the difficult case of The Ghost Orchid by Jonathan Kellerman.

Thanks to NetGalley for an early read of the latest book in the Alex Delaware series. As with all of Jonathan Kellerman’s books, I couldn’t put the book down. A double homicide - a married woman and her lover. The husband perhaps a too convenient suspect? A sordid tale begins to evolve as more becomes known about the woman’s past, uncovered by the dogged determination of Alex and Milo to leave no stone unturned to identify the murderer. Great to spend time once again with this dynamic duo and their counterparts.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC of this book. I've been a fan of Alex and Milo for many years and this story didn't disappoint. It's a good old-fashioned mystery with distinctive dialogue I'd come to expect from JK. Two dead naked bodies at a luxurious home in LA. Figuring out who the target was and who was collateral damage was up to Milo's with help from Alex. I enjoyed the story of how they figured out the puzzle and came to a carefully constructed conclusion. Once solved Alex was back to doing what he does best.- being a psychologist. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a solid mystery.

Ebook/Thriller: I thought this book wasn't going to have an ending because sometimes you can't get into the mind of a malignant narcissist. I really liked this book because it was procedural with lots of Milo.
The interviews at the end and the parallelism between Milo's case and Alex's client wrapped it up nicely.

I am proud to say I have read all 39 books in the Alex Delaware series! I've been a fan since When the Bough Breaks came out in 1985. All 39 are good books with most being really, really good. This one was really, really good. Detective Milo Sturgis asks friend/consultant Alex Delaware to help him with a double-murder. The son of the owner of an Italian shoe empire and his married neighbor are the victims. Question is.... who was the intended victim? What follows is a pretty crazy story. I love the rapport between Alex and Milo and their long friendship. That aspect seemed a little more back on track, as I didn't quite feel it as much in a couple of the previous stories. It was also great to see a little more of Robin, Alex's longtime girlfriend with a little bit bigger part. These characters are all like old friends to me and I highly recommend the entire series. This can be read as a standalone if you prefer, you will just miss out on so much history and backstories, but either way, don't miss out on Alex Delaware!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Jonathan Kellerman and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I will post my review to Amazon, Instagram and other retail and social media sites upon publication.

Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware Series is one of my favorites! This was a well written and engaging book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

"In an isolated area of Bel Air, a pool boy discovers a man and woman shot in the backyard of a house. Milo brings Alex in to consult and they quickly find the couple was having an affair. As they dig into each victim's background, they struggle to find which one the killer came for. Was it both? Jealous husband? What secrets are worth killing for?"

Kellerman still finds ways to keep a story fresh. Milo is dealing with the guilt of the assault on Alex from the last book so he's using kid gloves to keep Alex as far from things as possible. This is a straight-up police procedural. They follow clues to find answers. With Alex there is always a psychological aspect. This often drives the direction the team will search. Kellerman keeps the killer right out of view so you won't guess.
I like that Kellerman throws in an Easter Egg for one of his nonfiction books. And Robin's work as a luthier is always fascinating.

Another great Alex Delaware story. Can be read as a standalone.

Thanks to Random House-Ballatine Books and Johnathan Kellerman for the opportunity to read THE GHOST ORCHID, to be published 6 February 2024. 4/5 Stars for this police procedural in which a forensic psychologist, Alex Delaware and a detective, Milo Sturgis, work to solve a double homicide in Los Angeles. I felt the frustration they incurred trying to get to the bottom of this crime. The definition of the Ghost Orchid fits it perfectly as it has "no solid roots, is parasitic, rare and hard to locate." Great read. #RandomHouse-Ballantine #TheGhostOrchid #JohnathanKellerman

love Alex and Milo. Meagin March and itailian shoe empire heir are found murdered. Meagin is a married woman who lives dowm the street. Meagin is not who she is protraying. So who is she. Will Milo be able to figure it out. Thanks Netgalley

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.

The ghost orchid is a rare parasitical plant that attaches itself to a tree for sustenance, but doesn't really do any harm to the tree. It has a weird, some would say ugly, bloom and is found only in one specific marshy area of Florida. Apparently, one of the victims of a grisly double murder identified with this plant enough to pain it.

But who WAS this woman? She was, as the detectives finally realize, an enigma. They have trouble tracing her further back than a few years when she left Las Vegas on a whim with three other women and moved to Los Angeles. She was murdered alongside a wealthy Italian man/boy whose family supported his extravagant lifestyle as long as he remained outside of Italy. They were found near the swimming pool at his house, where they had been swimming, drinking and having sex. All while her husband was out of town on business and seemed not to know anything about his wife before their marriage a year and a half before.

Why were these two murdered? Was just one the target and the other collateral damage? Detective Milo Sturgis calls in his psychiatrist best friend Alex Delaware to help get some answers. And they DO finally get some answers, but now before facing several dead ends and no answers.

As usual, this is a weird one, but that seems to be the only ones Alex Delaware gets involved with. The final result is not very satisfying, as far as answers and justice, but it is VERY sad.

This is not one of the best Alex Delaware novels. I found it very boring and struggled to finish the book. There is not enough of Delaware’s home life, which should be integral in the book, as in the previous novels. Yet again we are subjected to the endless descriptions of the roads he and Milo travel to locations. If you really wanted to have the reader know where they were going, include a map in the book instead of this boring page filler. Once the case begins to be interesting, we are then subjected to more filler as the plot then dribbles along. Even the detectives are bored and pulled off the case. I thought the shootout plot portion unrealistic.