Publication Date:August 26, 2008 Availability:Usually ships in 1-2 business days Shipping:Expedited shipping available Shipping:International shipping available Condition:A tradition of southern quality and service. All books guaranteed at the Atlanta Book Company.
Product Description Once again, the depths of the criminal mind and the darkest side of a glittering city fuel #1 New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Kellerman’s brilliant storytelling. And no one conducts a more harrowing and suspenseful manhunt than the modern Sherlock Holmes of the psyche, Dr. Alex Delaware.
A tipsy young woman seeking aid on a desolate highway disappears into the inky black night. A retired schoolteacher is stabbed to death in broad daylight. Two women are butchered after closing time in a small-town beauty parlor. These and other bizarre acts of cruelty and psychopathology are linked only by the killer’s use of luxury vehicles and a baffling lack of motive. The ultimate whodunits, these crimes demand the attention of LAPD detective Milo Sturgis and his collaborator on the crime beat, psychologist Alex Delaware.
What begins with a solitary bloodstain in a stolen sedan quickly spirals outward in odd and unexpected directions, leading Delaware and Sturgis from the well-heeled center of L.A. society to its desperate edges; across the paths of commodities brokers and transvestite hookers; and as far away as New York City, where the search thaws out a long-cold case and exposes a grotesque homicidal crusade. The killer proves to be a fleeting shape-shifter, defying identification, leaving behind dazed witnesses and death–and compelling Alex and Milo to confront the true face of murderous madness.
The bar has droppedDecember 30, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
While I have read every J Kellerman book, the plots have become less plausible, hence, less enjoyable. While Milo remains one of the most interesting characgers in suspense fiction, Dr. Delaware is losing his alure. Kellerman can still write, but the premise of the books needs re-examination or the story line strengthened. Ron Lealos author of Don't Mean Nuthin'
worked for me...kindaDecember 8, 2008 ya know...i read these books when i need to unplug from the chaos of my life. so i don't require a lot, just some interesting characters (alex and especially milo qualify), some plot tension and enough detail to keep me involved but not too much as to require full engagement, know what i mean? so that being said, this book was fine with me. i sat down and read it in three hours and felt a little refreshed for having done it. however...the concept of how alex links these murders together is ridiculous. so, for you folks that need the story to work, you will be disappointed. but for me, i wasn't asking for much. so it was fine. cheers.
Too FormulaicNovember 27, 2008 I can't say much about the plot of this book, because it is a who-done-it, and that would be unfair. But there is a murderer who cross-dresses and an African-American teen who disappears while selling magazines. I have read all of Kellerman's work, and while I don't think that this is his best effort, I do feel that he an outstanding author. He is a former clinical psychologist whose protagonist here, Dr. Alex Delaware, is also one. Two things about his work appeal to me: First, he really writes in an engaging way, making people and dialogue and scenes come alive, and second, he is able to bring his previous expertise to character development--both of which make for the real deal. I think his best work is "Butcher's Theater" which takes you fully inside the mind of a psychopath and serial killer. That book is a little long and involved, but if you don't mind that, it is the ultimate crime thriller. But you can never go wrong with Kellerman--he is always a good read.
Confusing With Too Many CharactersNovember 23, 2008 Like many of the other reviewers, I have read Jonathan Kellerman from the beginning of his Alex Delaware books. This is the only one that I absolutely could not finish. I can't stand the Robin character - she's like a live-in leech who takes and gives nothing (except an occasional toss in the hay) in return. She is so emotionless and boring that Alex gets most of his emotional connection from his dog and koi fish. I wish her character could be axed permanently. I would recommend that anyone reading this book keep a pad and pencil handy for jotting down the NUMEROUS characters' names and who the heck they are. Confusing and uninteresting plot. I give it the two stars strictly for the dialogue between Alex and Milo. I love the Milo character and his comments from a very seasoned detective who has seen it all!
Compulsion for boringNovember 18, 2008 I have read all Jonathan Kellerman books, and always enjoyed them, this time I lost interest completely and finished it skiping a lot of pages as I did not care the book at all. What happened to to Dr. Delaware character? What happened with his psychologist skills? Why was he doing Milo's work? Why is the book so boring? I already bought the Kellerman's latest book: Bones and I am really hoping not having another dissapointment.
Keywords: Compulsion (Alex Delaware, No. 22), Contemporary, Women's Fragrance, parfum, discount perfumes, fragrance, cologne, French perfume, skin care, cosmetics, parfum la femme, eau de cologne, eau de parfum, eau de toilette
