Rage (Alex Delaware, #19)

Rage (Alex Delaware #19)

3.8 of 5 stars 3.80  ·  rating details  ·  4,761 ratings  ·  151 reviews
In a host of consecutive bestsellers, Jonathan Kellerman has kept readers spellbound with the intense, psychologically acute adventures of Dr. Alex Delaware–and with excursions through the raw underside of L.A. and the coldest alleys of the criminal mind. Rage offers a powerful new case in point, as Delaware and LAPD homicide detective Milo Sturgis revisit a horrifying cri...more
Paperback, 416 pages
Published February 28th 2006 by Ballantine Books (first published 2005)
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Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)
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Doris
Jonathon Kellerman has crafted an intensely riveting plot, seated in a murder from nearly a decade in the past, where two boys murdered a toddler, then were sent to youth prison as part of a plea deal. Unfortunately neither boy really got a deal, as both wound up dead.

Trying to determine why, we have physchologist Alex Delaware interviewing children, teens and adults, and in some cases putting his ethics on hold to try do his police work.

Some of the answers (including most of the mystery surroun...more
Jerry
Alex Delaware in great form - brainy thriller for sure!

We're big fans of J. Kellerman, but find that sometimes the Alex Delaware stories drift so far from his child psychology specialty that it's tough to believe either the action or the detective work. But in this latest "intellectual" thriller, we spend much of the time reading dialogue between Alex and cop buddy Milo Sturgis dissecting a variety of perplexing clues; their skills at finding motives and posing possibilities are tasked to the li...more
Nena
Audiobook:

I was only about 1/3 of the way in when I noticed something odd. I was getting bored.

This story was so convoluted that it was hard for me to keep up with the characters. The suspicion kept shifting from one person to the other which in the case of a good mystery, this is a good thing. I am sorry to say that this was just not my idea of a good mystery. It read like a bad daisy chain.

There were so many characters being introduced that after a while, I felt like who cares and let's go a...more
J
Alex Delaware, trusty youth psychologist turned forensic psychologist, delves into an old murder (of young child by two young teen boys) when one of the convicted boys-now-young-man gets murdered upon his release from prison.

Factors that lead to a complex web of several homicides include:

- hypocrisy - guy who poses as a do-gooder (who actually is raping the troubled girl teens he is fostering, and then bills the state for their surgical abortions)

- infidelity - several pairs of spouses are doing...more
Barbara
Psychological thriller with psychologist Alex Delaware, who receives a phone call from a mentally challenged man who has been in prison for 8 years following his taking part in the killing of a toddler; the man simply states that he’s not a bad person. However, Delaware attempts to meet with him only to find him dead. When the other teen convicted of the crime, Troy, also turns up dead, Milo Sturgis and Alex Delaware turn their attentions to the other players in this case including an amoral nym...more
Romaine Hislop
The book Rage is a fantastic book in my opinion because it has all the factors that interest and appeal to me. It includes crime and mystery which is wrapped into a incredible plot that leaves each reader interested, surprised and satisfied. Readers explore how a detective uses the help of a child psychologist to figure out how and why certain crimes occur, the story is very long but always interesting every step of the way. The author of this book has many other fascinating most which are serie...more
Steve
After finishing the last Kellerman that I read, which was Twisted, I glanced through the first few pages of Rage and couldn't put it down.

Plotting was excellent. Another one where I twigged to the twist when it was presented, which is something I want to happen. I don't see it as the book being too transparent; it's more like I find it engaging and my muse is firing on all cylinders. This is why you read when you're a writer; you're watering the crops.

My only complaint was the ending, which seem...more
Christina
I like Kellerman, easy read...good mystery.
Cathy
This is a good page turner mystery. The protagonists are a Psychiatrist and a cop, a gay cop at that although he doesn't make too much out of it at least in this book. The plot is properly convoluted. Although bad things happen to kids as well as adults, it's not overly graphic and a lot of the plot consists of the two protagonists hashing out possible scenarios between themselves. His writing is breezy, jaded enough to fit into a mystery genre that involves cops, coroners, and lawyers. He's now...more
Ed
Feb 08, 2011 Ed rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Psychological thriller fans
Kellerman is back. This story is a real grabber and one I could hardly put down.

Faced with talking to a young man he's done a psychological profile on years ago, Alex Delaware shows up only to be stood up. Later the young man, a slightly retarded hulk of a guy, is murdered. Alex enlists his friend, Milo Sturgis, to help him find out what happened. In the process, he discovers there are very evil things being done in plain sight by people pretending to be what they aren't. The search for and unco...more
Christy
Psychologist Alex Delaware receives an unsettling phone call from Rand Duchay, a mentally challenged young man he evaluated several years before. At that time, Rand and his friend Troy Turner kidnapped and murdered a young girl, and Alex was asked by the court to determine whether the two young teenagers could be tried as adults. Rand, recently released from his imprisonment in a youth facility, asks Alex to meet him, but when Alex arrives, Rand is nowhere to be found. Very soon after that, his...more
David Coleman
i picked up Kellerman because Stephen King recommended him as a writer in King's own autobiographical ON WRITING book. King's point was that you could do worse if you want to see how a top pop writer crafts a novel.

after reading RAGE, however, and thinking i'd made a mistake, i also picked up FLESH AND BLOOD by Kellerman, as well.

while both are fairly well-written and King's point taken for the 'not for every taste' slant he'd offered it in, i was disappointed.

though i liked the angle of havin...more
Writerlibrarian
Sometimes Kellerman gets lost in the demons he conjures up. As a reader I need to care at least a little about the victims or give me a bad guy that's charismatic so I can at least enjoy the ride. Rage is dark from beginning to end. Creepy and dark.

The Devil's waltz was creepy and dark but had a intriguing villain and plot. Rage's plot is completely crushed under all the weight of the bad and disgusting things that are revealed. This is too much reality intruding in my murder mystery for me. I h...more
Michelle Lour
About seven years ago I was addicted to Kellerman and Cornwell and the mystery like but Kellerman became repetitive and Scarpetta became way too depressing. Decided to start where I left off with the Alex Delaware series and I was reminded of why I like these books when I want a mystery fix. Good, smart who-done-it filled with Kellerman's California (although I really don't understand his need to describe driving directions). As always, love Milo.
Jamie
An unspeakable murder of a 2 year-old girl is committed. Years later a killer is released only to die under mysterious circumstances. But not before he makes a call to Dr. Alex Delaware to meet him to talk. The book is about unraveling a secret about past culpability. Using the Socratic method, Dr. Delaware and his police friend slowly peel the layers of onion shin closing in on a predator that uses the system to his advantage.
Jen
Milo and Alex are at it again as they try to figure out who killed a young man, just out of the children's youth lock-up. Alex had consulted on the case that sent the boy to jail and he calls Alex when he's released. But Alex never meets with him because he's killed first. Tracking the killer leads to more gruesome murders and abuses. I listened to this book on audiobook. The reader is good; I like him. And I absolutely LOVE Milo. Many times I wish he was the central character - he's so much mor...more
Susan Ashcraft
Mar 13, 2012 Susan Ashcraft rated it 4 of 5 stars
Recommended to Susan by: everyone
Shelves: detective, mystery
Jonathan Kellerman delivers another great read with Rage. Features Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis (one of my most favorite characters in all genres). Fast paced, great lead up to the final confrontation. The only reason I have listed it as a 4 star (and not 5 stars) is I judge certain authors (like Kellerman, Stephen KIng, Jean M Auel to name just a few) a little more critically because they do have so many great novels.
Randy Daugherty
Though listed as one for young adult , I would question that, perhaps for high school or those more mature.
This was a well written psychological thriller. This book was weighted down with the bad and ugly that
society offers up. This was the first reading I have done of Kellerman and did so at my wifes request.
This one was hard to put down and will lead me to try other of Kellermans works and those with Dr. Alex Delaware.
Michael
Read it while babysitting grandchildren. It was fine for that. I may be a bit jaded, but I do get tired of idiosyncratic types that are supposed to charm us with their flaunting of flouting convention. Nevertheless, there is enough plot to sustain interest through the book.

I am pretty sure that I have read other Kellerman books (by Jon or Faye), but I only remember this one because I read it last week.
John Orman
Pretty standard novel in Kellerman's series about psychologist Alex Delaware getting involved in an old murder case after the perps start dying mysteriously. As usual, nothing is as it seems at first, and the web of conspiracy grows more complex with each chapter. And once again it is the average person in plain sight who turns out to be the real monster.

Predictable in its unpredictability!
Carol
Well, since I have just started Rage, I haven't yet learned anything, well, that is except for how Kellerman never ceases to entertain me as long as he keeps to Milo and Alex and doesn't try to add any new characters to the mix. Plus, Kellerman continues to make Alex's love interest not only totally, completely perfect but also totally, completely wooden and unrealistic.
JoAnne Pulcino
RAGE

Jonathan Kellerman

Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis are always very good characters and have great by play.

Again, Mr. Kellerman comes up with a vital plot and handles the solving and investigation wonderfully. As I've said before I may have read too many of the Alex Delaware series as I cannot keep the titles and their stories straight after 19 book.
B. Lynn Goodwin
I'm listening to this one and getting a refresher course in Kellerman's unique documentation of details. Good book.

So I finished reading, and because I was still in the car, I went back to Disk 1 and got an added appreciation of how tightly plotted Kellerman's work is. As long as Kellerman keeps writing, I'll keep reading or listening when I can.

Lynn
www.writeradvice.com
Author of You Want Me to Do WHAT? Journaling for Caregivers
Mary
Haven't read an Alex Delaware story in years and I forgot how much I enjoyed the fast pace, the whodunit aspects and the great relationship between Alex and Milo. This one details the duos involvement with a group of crimes seemingly stemming from an old murder trial Alex was called to consult on years ago in which two teens murdered a toddler.
For me these books always require some suspension of belief at Dr. Delaware's level of involvement in crime fighting, but it's great beach reading.
Kj
Another exciting book from one of my favorite authors. I know he has background in child psych but all of his books veer away from that with only minimal talk about what Alex does for a living. I love how he brings that out & I have to read them from cover to cover without putting them down. I feel a part of each story. Love them all!
Sarah
His best book, I think. The most recent Delaware novels are too summarised for my taste. The early ones are too padded and Alex comes across as a neurotic womaniser. But this one? Is close to perfection, mainly for his diamond-sharp digging under the veneer of LA's society to the lives and souls we so rarely see.
Angela St.
Sep 16, 2009 Angela St. rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: People who like comfort food.
This brain candy is a sweet treat. I haven't read nearly enough Kellerman books and I really don't know why. Psychologist Alex Delaware is interesting and not your typical "crime solver." Other characters are intriguing and the plot line keeps you wondering.


Bottom Line: BUY IT for a rainy day read.
Linda  Arnsdorf
This story weaved together separate stories was very contrived and overworked. The death of a toddler, suicide of her mother, death of an adolescent
who participated in the killing of the little girl, along with the abortions of several teenage girls all being related was just a little unbelievable.

Niki Lombard richardson


I call these type books "grocery store books" because that's one place you can find them. Another term might be pulp fiction. Bottom line, I don't expect a literary masterpiece. Nonetheless, this was an enjoyable psychological mystery. I wish the ending had been a little more developed, but overall, good read.
Lee
This Alex Delaware novel by Kellerman follows a murder committed by two children years before. One of the murders was killed in juvenile hall the other was just released and calls Dr. Delaware to talk. He never makes the meet with Dr Delaware and later ends up dead. Delaware and Milo Sturgis search to find out who might have murdered him, the father of the child murdered 8 years ago or something else. A good effort from Kellerman.
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Rage (Alex Delaware #19)
Rage (Alex Delaware, #19)
Rage (Alex Delaware, #19)
Rage (Alex Delaware, #19)
Rage (Alex Delaware, #19)

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Jonathan Kellerman was born in New York City in 1949 and grew up in Los Angeles. He helped work his way through UCLA as an editorial cartoonist, columnist, editor and freelance musician. As a senior, at the age of 22, he won a Samuel Goldwyn Writing Award for fiction.

Like his fictional protagonist, Alex Delaware, Jonathan received at Ph.D. in psychology at the age of 24, with a specialty in the t...more
More about Jonathan Kellerman...
When the Bough Breaks (Alex Delaware, #1) Deception (Alex Delaware, #25) Silent Partner (Alex Delaware, #4) Dr. Death (Alex Delaware #14) Gone (Alex Delaware, #20)

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