In Unnatural History (#38 Alex Delaware novel), Alex, a gifted psychologist, was crushed during a consulting gig for LAPD (Los Angeles Police Department). He was so badly hurt that four months later, he’s just now feeling somewhat fit. Alex is not back working alongside LAPD homicide lieutenant Milo Sturgis but he’s itching to be asked. Alex admits to himself that he’s “been faking serenity,” and that without his consulting side gig, he “had never stopped feeling incomplete.” He asks his partner Robin (who easily fits the moniker LOML *love-of-my-life*) how she feels about his long-standing relationship with the LAPD.

“Would I prefer if you never got involved in all the ugly stuff? Part of me would. But I’d be living with a very unhappy man.”



“Unhappy fool.”



She laughed. “Don’t tempt me. Anyway, I’m sure he’ll call when he really needs you.”



“I’m not.”



She poured herself another half glass of Zinfandel. Daintily polished off a stuffed grape leaf. Greek takeout, tonight.

The interplay between Robin and Alex reminds me of how Spenser and Susan Silverman interact [N.B. Spenser, the hard-boiled shamus and Susan, the serene psychologist of the Robert Parker Boston-set detective novels]. After their conversation, Robin surreptitiously reaches out to Milo. Her call results in Alex being asked to drop by the precinct. Milo feels guilty that Alex was injured while helping him—the last thing he wants is for Alex to be put in a perilous situation again—so he calls him about what Milo thinks is an open-and-shut-case. Emphasis on “thinks.”

The Ghost Orchid is anything but obvious and linear. A pool boy discovers more than leaves floating in the water of the Bel Air pool he’s servicing—two naked bodies are sprawled out on the pool deck, both shot in the chest. Alex takes a good look at the forty-something female: “No body ink I could see; any obvious adornment came from the carbon glinting on her left hand: a sizable rectangular diamond ring above a pavé wedding band.” Alex points that out to Milo.

“Her ring is sizable but it wasn’t taken. Anything lifted from the house?”



“Nothing obvious. Want to see for yourself?”



Without waiting for an answer, he gloved up, handed me a pair, turned and led me through the open glass door.

And they’re off. Inside, they find a sparsely furnished bachelor pad—until they see the victim’s shoe collection: “Tennis shoes for exercise and for show, suede drivers, supple loafers, woven oxfords, glossy wingtips, lace-up boots.” No wonder Milo says drily, “Maybe married women weren’t his only fetish.” The police soon identify the victims—Gio Aggiunta, the younger son of a bespoke Italian shoe firm, and an older married woman, Meagin March. Douglass March, Meagin’s husband, is younger than her; he’s a wealthy, anti-social real estate tycoon. It’s quite clever how Milo and Alex discover Gio’s day job. They take their discussion of the case with them to lunch—at an Italian “deli-cum-café” on Santa Monica Boulevard. Milo shows the waiter/struggling actor Gio’s passport—the young man has never served him. But…

The waiter peered carefully. “No, sir.” His eyes shifted to the name beneath the photo. “Aggiunta. Like the shoes.”



“Shoes?”



“Expensive shoes.” He looked down at his own dusty black lace-ups and smiled.



“Are they sold locally?”



“I don’t know, sir. Maybe Rodeo Drive?”



“Super high-end, huh?”



The waiter whistled.

What about the second victim? Initially, the LAPD sees Doug March, Meagin’s husband, as the most likely suspect. But some tricky contradictions belay the assumption—there’s nothing stolen from the house, as well as “no forced entry, no forensic evidence.” Over the years, when things seem hinky, Milo has relied on the psychological chops of his friend Alex Delaware. Alex has a gift for seeing beyond the obvious.

Milo and Alex discover that neither Gio nor Meagin are stereotypical. Yes, Gio amuses himself with an endless parade of wealthy, beautiful, and unattainable older women. Meagin shops, works out, socializes with a few close women friends, does some charity work—but that’s not all there is to either one. Gio’s wealthy Italian family has exiled him to Los Angeles, a consequence of years of seriously bad behavior that threatens their family empire. Meagin is a pseudonym; she reinvented her life after a horribly traumatic childhood. Are they similar in a game sees game way? Or perhaps two troubled souls who found comfort with each other? Milo and Alex search for anyone or anything who can explain the enigma of Meagin who clearly was a stranger to her awkward husband.

Meagin’s cell phone shows that she was in touch with two female friends. Without revealing the mystery behind why Meagin wanted/needed to create a new life for herself (that’s spoiler territory), it’s fascinating to learn who Meagin was to her closest friends. Even though Doug was the scion of a multi-million dollar real estate empire, her friends didn’t see her as motivated by money—“From what I could tell her focus was feeling free.” Free from what? Free to escape her past?

Acclaimed New Zealand mystery writer Nalini Singh wrote about how she approaches mysteries.

I care not only about solving the mystery in each story but solving the mystery that is the character. Because for me, it’s not only about the whodunnit, but also the whydunnit. The latter is what drives me personally as a writer. I’m constantly fascinated by what humans are capable of doing to and for each other—and also the sometimes incomprehensible reasons why.

The Ghost Orchid is an intense character-driven mystery—Alex and Milo must peel back the layers of Meagin’s life to uncover why she and her lover were murdered. Prepare to be surprised by the complexity of the plot.

This story is insightful and enlightening on multiple levels -- a medical, legal, and police procedural with the Jonathan Kellerman touch. Yea, Milo the Cop and Alex the Shrink joins wits to solve this bizarre murder. If you've read this series, you know they will solve the case. But it's in pages we'll find out who, how, where, and why. There's the Delaware allure! And that's exactly why I read these awesome murder mysteries! I suggest before reading, Google 'Blood Orchid' and keep that handy as you turn the pages. Happy couple, well, an odd couple, newly wedded. He's very, very rich, young, eccentric and she's artistic as well as unusual. MURDER!!! Milo connects with Alex, I really enjoy how they interact with each other as they know the other so well. And there is just enough inhumanity in Blood Orchid to keep us turning pages. Over too soon, and waiting for the next Alex Delaware adventure. Plotting, character development, twists and more twists are all included. This book has all the Kellerman touches, yet it's different in the delightfully dangerous details.
I highly recommend this outstanding police/psychological murder

I am just getting around to my review of the latest from one of my favorites, Jonathan Kellerman. I have loved his series with Alex and Milo for years and this one didn't let me down. I always feel like I am returning to old friends and locations, even meals shared between the characters. This feels so familiar and yet the stories have a unique twist each time. If you have never picked up an "Alex Delaware" novel, you are missing out on a great series. And although this is a long series, there is enough explanation of the characters and setting in each new book that you can pick them up at any point. You might miss a reference or two, but nothing that changes whichever current story you are in.
Enjoy!!
#TheGhostOrchid #NetGalley #RandomHousePublishingGroupBallantine

Gio Aggiunta, the playboy heir to an Italian shoe empire, and Meagin March, a married, wealthy neighbor, are found floating lifelessly in the pool of Gio's secluded Bel Air residence.

Though obvious that the affair is motive, it becomes apparent that this double homicide is nothing but normal. Though he is reluctant to involve Alex Delaware after all that went wrong last time, LAPD homicide lieutenant Milo Sturgis has no choice but to ask his psychologist friend for help.

The Ghost Orchid reminds me of catching up with old friends: you get a snapshot into their lives at the moment and ask what they have been doing. Afterwards, you drift apart again until the next encounter. At book 39, there is really nothing new to learn or gain from reading about Alex and Milo. Though I do like that Alex's expertise in child psychology are explored a little in this novel, there is nothing earthshaking here. I have read the series from the very beginning, but the novels as of late have been more forgettable than memorable. Because I like the characters, I will keep reading the series, but I hope that the author comes up with more complex plots moving forward.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy by NetGalley and the publisher. The decision to read and review this book was entirely my own.

Another Alex Delaware/Milo Sturgis book that’s a real treat…

I came late to Jonathan Kellerman’s Alex Delaware books, based on a bad assumption on my part: that books featuring a psychologist as a protagonist would necessarily be psychological thrillers, which I’m generally not fond of. However, a few years ago, I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of Serpentine, and found out that, due to Alex’s partnership with LAPD homicide detective Milo Sturgis, the books are essentially police procedurals, which I definitely like. And Ghost Orchid is another great example, where solid detective work from Milo and his team meshes with Alex’s valuable insights - and also a bit of his own detective work - to eventually lead to a solution.

Ghost Orchid opens with two bodies shot by a pool. At first glance, they seem to be pretty different people, who had simply gotten together for a bit of illicit nookie. So it seems unlikely it was “truly” a double murder, and more likely that one of the two unfortunately was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. But which was the intended victim, and thus more likely to lead to identification of the killer? Milo’s and Alex’s investigative skills get quite a workout: both victims’ pasts are a bit murky, there may (or may not) have been a similar homicide a few days later, and the female victim’s husband seems pretty suspicious. It was a lot of fun following along as the layers got peeled back.

In the end, the solution was sobering in the extent of the pure evil involved. But it was simultaneously almost banal in how the perpetrator, once identified, actually got caught, and the contrast really added to the punch of the ending. And as always, Kellerman’s smooth writing made the book fly by. (His writing reminds me of a great technical writer I used to work with, who structured his reports so that, just as your mind was asking the next logical question, he was answering it. Which made you want to keep reading. And, although fiction and technical writing are rather different, Kellerman pulls off the same trick.) I highly recommend this book, and my thanks go to Ballantine Books and Net Galley for the review copy.

Milo and Alex are called out to a double homocide, a women who is married to a Bel Air Richey Rich and her Italian lover. Which one was the target? As usual (if you read this series) there aren’t a lot of surprises here. Milo and Alex eating in restaurants, Blanche the French Bulldog begging for table scraps and Robin working on a vintage guitar. Solid predictable read.

4 stars-You always know what you are getting when you read a Jonathan Kellerman novel. A police procedural with a little bit of humor added in. I enjoy the relationship and the banter that the main characters Alex and Milo have with each other, and of course I love Blanche, the dog. This one had some interesting jewelry tidbits, but otherwise was a fairly straightforward whodunnit, no big surprises, more of a realistic story and ending.

Milo and Alex together again to solve the murder of a couple in Bel Air.
The woman is married, the man is not. They are at his home. Nothing has been stolen or disturbed. just two dead people shot through the heart.
Milo and Alex share their thoughts and meals...bouncing ideas off one another in an almost casual way. They find the solution after a long bit of detective work and it is a rather surprising ending.

enjoyed this very much.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me this ARC.

Ghost Orchid is the 39th book in the Alex Delaware mystery series. Psychologist Delaware partners with his longtime friend Milo, a lieutenant with the LAPD. Opening this book feels like a visit with old friends as I have read all the books in this series, starting with When the Bough Breaks in 1985! The plot revolves around a double murder in Bel Air. One of the victims is using an assumed name and the pair spend the entirety of the book trying to figure out the true identity and then the killer. This one just fell flat for me. The ending felt rushed and a bit boring. As much as I have loved this series, perhaps it's time for the retirement of these two main characters. Readers who like police procedurals might enjoy this one.

I look forward to new Alex Delaware book every February and they never disappoint. As always I was kept guessing until the end and now it will be a long wait until next February. Highly recommend!

In an upscale Bel Air property, two lovers are found dead in a swimming pool. The man is the playboy heir to a shoe business empire, and the woman is his wealthy married neighbor. neighbor. An illicit affair is the perfect motive. But the house is untouched. There is no forced entry or no forensic evidence. It’s decided that the husband didn’t kill his wife or lover. LAPD homicide lieutenant Milo Sturgis asks psychologist Alex Delaware to help the case. It quickly becomes clear that both victims had troubled pasts. What troubled pasts could cause their murder?
Now Alex and Milo must confront a darkest side as they investigate a trail of deadly secrets. What are those secrets?

A fascinating mysterious novel to enjoy. The author has written a psychological narrative. He tells a story of abuse and its consequences. This is a fast moving novel.

In the latest Sturgis and Delware book, a pool boy enters a Bel Air property and discovers two bodies floating in the pool: Gio Aggiunta, the heir to an Italian shoe empire, and a gorgeous married neighbor named Meagin March. As Milo and Alex investigate both victims, they discover two troubled pasts. As they dig deeper, Meagin March’s identity begins to be more convoluted. Who was really the target here? This case leads Alex and Milo on an exploration of the dark side of the city as they learn that some secrets are best left buried in the past. As always, Kellerman never disappoints.

A twisty mystery mixed with police procedural in this #39 of the Alex Delaware series, but can be read as a stand alone.
Detective Milo calls psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware to the scene of a double homicide in an upscale neighborhood. They’ve been friends for years and quickly begin to work the case with very few leads to start with.
This book was a bit of a slow burn for me, but never got too slow. It was a great ending and I’ll definitely pick up more Alex Delaware books.

This is the 39th (!) book in the Alex Delaware series. Alex and his best friend Milo, an LAPD detective, are back to solve a double murder. They have to dig deep into each victim’s past to figure out why they were killed and who murdered them. The book is suspenseful and hard to put down.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I really enjoyed the storyline of The Ghost Orchid. The murder wasn't too graphic, yet the victims felt real. They had decent back stories, and it was interesting to see where they came from. As usual it's fun to see the dynamics between Milo, Dr. Delaware and Robin. A good engaging storyline.

A couple is found brutally murdered by the boyfriend's pool. Milo Sturgis is assigned to the case, and he of course ropes in his favorite consultant and friend, Alex Delaware. Alex is eager to get back on the streets after recovering from injuries sustained in the last case Milo worked with him on, and this one has plenty of twists and tangles to unravel as Milo and Alex discover that the motive behind these murders reaches further than they could have imagined.

This is one of the best Alex Delaware novels that I've read in a while. Not to say the others weren't good, but this one was just a step above. I really enjoyed it. The path of this novel was such that Kellerman had to really delicately work in all of the details needed for the case to be solved, and he did an absolutely amazing job doing so. I also loved the nod to Greek Mythology and how it factored into the case, as well. You really become quite invested in who actually Meagin March may actually be, and why someone would have wanted to murder both her and Gio. Was it her husband? He doesn't seem too broken up over her death. Was it one of Gio's many former paramours, jealous that he has moved on? Maybe, but maybe not. This was a steller installment of the Alex Delaware novels, and I really am looking forward to reading the next one!

Another great Milo and Alex Delaware book, the beginning started a little slow for me but not much farther I was hooked again. I liked that the mystery of who killed Meagin took most of the book to figure out and find out her past. I would have liked the bad guy to survive a little bit longer but meh. As always I loved the friendly chemistry between the main characters.

Los Angeles Police Lieutenant Milo Sturgis and psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware team up again when Milo is called to the scene of a double murder. Gio Aggiunta, the playboy son of an Italian shoe empire owner and his married lover Meagin March were found dead near the pool. There’s no forced entry, no forensic evidence, and no sign of a robbery.

As Milo and Alex investigate the victims, they find both had troubled pasts. 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?

The main storyline is a lot of fun. 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.

You can read it as a stand-alone novel if you choose, but you’ll want to read the others afterward. Kellerman’s career, and this series, were originally launched around crimes where kids were involved, often as witnesses, and those initial books are fascinating. This is book 39, but I ‘d encourage you to also go back and read his earlier ones. His experience in child psychology stands out in those early novels, while the chemistry between Alex and Milo, and the police procedural detective stories are stronger in the later books. Try them both.
Thank you to NetGalley for the free copy.

Lt. Milo Sturgis and Alex Delaware work well as a team. They’re back together again, and this investigation will try both their patience and their intellect.

Even as they arrive at the scene of a double homicide, the questions are already piling up. The victims, the young heir to an Italian shoe empire, and his older, married companion. The first question is motive. The simplest answer would be a jealous husband? But digging into her life, they find she may not be who she appeared to be. Her history is sparse, going back only a few years. Who was she, where did she come from? Digging in the past comes with its own hazards because sometimes the past doesn't stay there.

A compelling mystery. Like a jigsaw puzzle, each overturned stone reveals a bit more of a bigger picture; yet, each clue creates more questions and another direction to investigate. Just when I thought I had figure out what direction the story was going, it took a sharp turn. This is a quick moving, truly compelling mystery that had me guessing until the very end with a resolution I never saw coming.

In the 19th installment in the Alex Delaware series, Milo and Alex investigate a double murder. I am a fan of the series and especially enjoy the friendship and banter between the LA Lieutenant and Psychologist. The way they complemnt each others skills is beautifully written. Both a police procedural and suspenseful mystery, the case has many facets and back stories that kept me engaged till the end. The Ghost Orchid is another clever page turner that Jonathan Kellerman does so well. If I had the time, this is a series I would reread from book one. This book works as a standalone.