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Alex Delaware #31
Breakdown
Bestselling author Jonathan Kellerman has been universally hailed as the master of psychological suspense, and the blockbuster new thriller featuring Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis confirms his status as today’s preeminent practitioner of saber-sharp storytelling.
Psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware meets beautiful and emotionally fragile TV actress Zelda Chase when called upon to evaluate her five-year-old son, Ovid. Years later, Alex is unexpectedly reunited with Zelda when she is involuntarily committed after a bizarre psychotic episode. Shortly after Zelda’s release, an already sad situation turns tragic when she is discovered dead on the grounds of a palatial Bel Air estate. Having experienced more than enough of L.A.’s dark side to recognize the scent of evil, Alex turns to his friend LAPD Lieutenant Milo Sturgis for help in finding out who ended Zelda’s broken life.
At the same time, Alex is caught up in another quest: the search for Zelda’s missing son. And when other victims vanish from the same upscale neighborhood, worry turns to terror.
As Alex struggles to piece together the brief rise and steep fall of a gorgeous, talented actress, he and Milo unveil shattered dreams, the corruption of a family, and a grotesque betrayal of innocence. With each devastating revelation and damning clue, Alex’s brilliant mind is challenged as never before—and his determination grows to see a killer caged and the truth set free.
Praise for Jonathan Kellerman
“Jonathan Kellerman’s psychology skills and dark imagination are a potent literary mix.” —Los Angeles Times
“Kellerman doesn’t just write psychological thrillers—he owns the genre.” —Detroit Free Press
From the Hardcover edition.
Psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware meets beautiful and emotionally fragile TV actress Zelda Chase when called upon to evaluate her five-year-old son, Ovid. Years later, Alex is unexpectedly reunited with Zelda when she is involuntarily committed after a bizarre psychotic episode. Shortly after Zelda’s release, an already sad situation turns tragic when she is discovered dead on the grounds of a palatial Bel Air estate. Having experienced more than enough of L.A.’s dark side to recognize the scent of evil, Alex turns to his friend LAPD Lieutenant Milo Sturgis for help in finding out who ended Zelda’s broken life.
At the same time, Alex is caught up in another quest: the search for Zelda’s missing son. And when other victims vanish from the same upscale neighborhood, worry turns to terror.
As Alex struggles to piece together the brief rise and steep fall of a gorgeous, talented actress, he and Milo unveil shattered dreams, the corruption of a family, and a grotesque betrayal of innocence. With each devastating revelation and damning clue, Alex’s brilliant mind is challenged as never before—and his determination grows to see a killer caged and the truth set free.
Praise for Jonathan Kellerman
“Jonathan Kellerman’s psychology skills and dark imagination are a potent literary mix.” —Los Angeles Times
“Kellerman doesn’t just write psychological thrillers—he owns the genre.” —Detroit Free Press
From the Hardcover edition.
386 pages, Hardcover
First published February 2, 2016
2621 people are currently reading
4510 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Kellerman
197 books5,794 followersJonathan 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 treatment of children. He served internships in clinical psychology and pediatric psychology at Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles and was a post-doctoral HEW Fellow in Psychology and Human Development at CHLA.
IN 1975, Jonathan was asked by the hospital to conduct research into the psychological effects of extreme isolation (plastic bubble units) on children with cancer, and to coordinate care for these kids and their families. The success of that venture led to the establishment, in 1977 of the Psychosocial Program, Division of Oncology, the first comprehensive approach to the emotional aspects of pediatric cancer anywhere in the world. Jonathan was asked to be founding director and, along with his team, published extensively in the area of behavioral medicine. Decades later, the program, under the tutelage of one of Jonathan's former students, continues to break ground.
Jonathan's first published book was a medical text, PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF CHILDHOOD CANCER, 1980. One year later, came a book for parents, HELPING THE FEARFUL CHILD.
In 1985, Jonathan's first novel, WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS, was published to enormous critical and commercial success and became a New York Times bestseller. BOUGH was also produced as a t.v. movie and won the Edgar Allan Poe and Anthony Boucher Awards for Best First Novel. Since then, Jonathan has published a best-selling crime novel every year, and occasionally, two a year. In addition, he has written and illustrated two books for children and a nonfiction volume on childhood violence, SAVAGE SPAWN (1999.) Though no longer active as a psychotherapist, he is a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics and Psychology at University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine.
Jonathan is married to bestselling novelist Faye Kellerman and they have four children.
Like his fictional protagonist, Alex Delaware, Jonathan received at Ph.D. in psychology at the age of 24, with a specialty in the treatment of children. He served internships in clinical psychology and pediatric psychology at Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles and was a post-doctoral HEW Fellow in Psychology and Human Development at CHLA.
IN 1975, Jonathan was asked by the hospital to conduct research into the psychological effects of extreme isolation (plastic bubble units) on children with cancer, and to coordinate care for these kids and their families. The success of that venture led to the establishment, in 1977 of the Psychosocial Program, Division of Oncology, the first comprehensive approach to the emotional aspects of pediatric cancer anywhere in the world. Jonathan was asked to be founding director and, along with his team, published extensively in the area of behavioral medicine. Decades later, the program, under the tutelage of one of Jonathan's former students, continues to break ground.
Jonathan's first published book was a medical text, PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF CHILDHOOD CANCER, 1980. One year later, came a book for parents, HELPING THE FEARFUL CHILD.
In 1985, Jonathan's first novel, WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS, was published to enormous critical and commercial success and became a New York Times bestseller. BOUGH was also produced as a t.v. movie and won the Edgar Allan Poe and Anthony Boucher Awards for Best First Novel. Since then, Jonathan has published a best-selling crime novel every year, and occasionally, two a year. In addition, he has written and illustrated two books for children and a nonfiction volume on childhood violence, SAVAGE SPAWN (1999.) Though no longer active as a psychotherapist, he is a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics and Psychology at University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine.
Jonathan is married to bestselling novelist Faye Kellerman and they have four children.
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February 18, 2016
Breakdown by Jonathan Kellerman is a 2016 Ballantine Books publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
It’s curious, to me at least, that as a life -long voracious reader, I have only remained loyal to a few authors or series. I have gone through stages and phases, over the years, but through all that I have always made an effort to keep up with the Alex Delaware Mystery Series. This is the thirty-first installment in this long running series, and naturally, with this sort of longevity, there have been a few stinkers in there, and I found the last couple of installments to be a little short on action and have been a little disappointed by the absence of, or the reduced face time with some of the more beloved recurring characters.
Thankfully, with ‘Breakdown’, Kellerman has gotten back into the groove with one of the best novels in this series for some time.
Years ago, Alex was called in to evaluate a five year old boy whose mother, Zelda, a television actress, is in the throes of a mental episode. Alex must determine if the charming boy is safe with his mother.
Now, although Zelda was never his patient, Alex has been called to a very odd facility where, Zelda is being held after yet another apparent psychotic breakdown. However, her son appears to be missing and Alex is beside himself with concern. But, things really get tricky when Zelda is found dead, and a string of possibly related homicides follows.
Talk about true evil! Wow, this story is an incredible tale, rich with startling details, extremely well plotted and paced, which slowly sucked me into a vivid and disturbing portrait of the darker side of humanity, which is something Kellerman is a master of.
The story did start off slowly, but once we got past Alex’s outrage over the facility where Zelda was being held, the story picked up pace, in earnest.
It was so nice to see Milo back working alongside Alex, something that has been missing recently. For me, Milo is almost as important to the series as Alex, and I have missed the pair riding around together, working the case equally, and of course the hilarious insight Milo offers with his jaded quips. I suppose it’s good to see Milo cutting back on refrigerator raids, but I always thought it was funny how he made himself at home with Alex and Robin, and although he plays a bigger role in this latest chapter, I still found his personality somewhat muted. As to Alex’s personal life, which has also been muted recently, and I realize Robin was never playing a huge part in the mysteries, I do like to stay updated on what she’s doing or how she is feeling about what is going on at the time. However, she does get a small chance to help out here, but for the most part she remains firmly in the background with little or no dialogue between the couple, which is a little disappointing, but this is a minor complaint, in the big scheme of things.
Changes are a part of life, and so it’s only natural for a series to go through changes over time, as well, but I must say I am relieved to see things return to the formula, or style, I like most, and what I feel works the best. This story is another absorbing mystery, an incredibly frustrating guessing game, and I found it quite interesting to see Alex, who always seems capable of telling his story in a rather unflappable manner, so emotionally disturbed. His concern for this young boy, had me wanting to give Alex a big hug and comfort him. I liked seeing this vulnerable side of him, and would like to see more of this type of emotion from him from time to time.
Overall, I am very satisfied and pleased with this book, and find myself looking forward to the next book in the series, more so than usual.
4.5 stars
It’s curious, to me at least, that as a life -long voracious reader, I have only remained loyal to a few authors or series. I have gone through stages and phases, over the years, but through all that I have always made an effort to keep up with the Alex Delaware Mystery Series. This is the thirty-first installment in this long running series, and naturally, with this sort of longevity, there have been a few stinkers in there, and I found the last couple of installments to be a little short on action and have been a little disappointed by the absence of, or the reduced face time with some of the more beloved recurring characters.
Thankfully, with ‘Breakdown’, Kellerman has gotten back into the groove with one of the best novels in this series for some time.
Years ago, Alex was called in to evaluate a five year old boy whose mother, Zelda, a television actress, is in the throes of a mental episode. Alex must determine if the charming boy is safe with his mother.
Now, although Zelda was never his patient, Alex has been called to a very odd facility where, Zelda is being held after yet another apparent psychotic breakdown. However, her son appears to be missing and Alex is beside himself with concern. But, things really get tricky when Zelda is found dead, and a string of possibly related homicides follows.
Talk about true evil! Wow, this story is an incredible tale, rich with startling details, extremely well plotted and paced, which slowly sucked me into a vivid and disturbing portrait of the darker side of humanity, which is something Kellerman is a master of.
The story did start off slowly, but once we got past Alex’s outrage over the facility where Zelda was being held, the story picked up pace, in earnest.
It was so nice to see Milo back working alongside Alex, something that has been missing recently. For me, Milo is almost as important to the series as Alex, and I have missed the pair riding around together, working the case equally, and of course the hilarious insight Milo offers with his jaded quips. I suppose it’s good to see Milo cutting back on refrigerator raids, but I always thought it was funny how he made himself at home with Alex and Robin, and although he plays a bigger role in this latest chapter, I still found his personality somewhat muted. As to Alex’s personal life, which has also been muted recently, and I realize Robin was never playing a huge part in the mysteries, I do like to stay updated on what she’s doing or how she is feeling about what is going on at the time. However, she does get a small chance to help out here, but for the most part she remains firmly in the background with little or no dialogue between the couple, which is a little disappointing, but this is a minor complaint, in the big scheme of things.
Changes are a part of life, and so it’s only natural for a series to go through changes over time, as well, but I must say I am relieved to see things return to the formula, or style, I like most, and what I feel works the best. This story is another absorbing mystery, an incredibly frustrating guessing game, and I found it quite interesting to see Alex, who always seems capable of telling his story in a rather unflappable manner, so emotionally disturbed. His concern for this young boy, had me wanting to give Alex a big hug and comfort him. I liked seeing this vulnerable side of him, and would like to see more of this type of emotion from him from time to time.
Overall, I am very satisfied and pleased with this book, and find myself looking forward to the next book in the series, more so than usual.
4.5 stars
September 23, 2020
I've been critical of several of the recent books in this series because many of them have not involved Alex Delaware's role as a psychologist in any significant way. The stories have almost always featured a murder case which is assigned to Delaware's friend, Detective Milo Sturgis. Sturgis then calls Delaware and says, in effect, "I just got assigned a really cool murder case. Would you like to tag along and help me investigate it?"
That premise is, of course, not remotely believable. No police homicide detective would so casually invite a civilian to play a critical role in a murder investigation, and while the author has stretched to find some plausible reason for Delaware to be involved in these cases, I've never been able to buy into the idea and thus have been disappointed in many of the recent entries.
Happily, this book reverts to the origins of the series where the critical role is played by Delaware as a child psychologist and Sturgis is along to assist him. The book opens when a former television actress named Zelda Chase turns up crazed and living on the streets. Checking her history, a social worker (of sorts) discovers that five years earlier, Delaware had treated the actress's five-year-old son, Ovid. She thus calls Delaware and asks him to check out the woman.
Delaware is tempted to beg off. The woman was never his patient and he has no relationship to her. He is concerned, though, about the boy he treated and who seems to have dropped off the face of the earth. Accordingly, he agrees to meet with Chase in the hope of finding out where her son might be and ensuring his safety.
Before long, though, Chase turns up dead, apparently of natural causes, but under mysterious circumstances. Delaware thus recruits Sturgis to help him investigate, in the hope of tracking down young Ovid. One thing leads to another; more people will die, and this will turn out to be a very complex case. It mostly involves Delaware, with Milo's assistance, tracking people down and interviewing them. There's not a great deal of tension in the book, but it is an interesting puzzle with a great conclusion. All in all, then, a significant improvement over some of the later books in this long-running series.
That premise is, of course, not remotely believable. No police homicide detective would so casually invite a civilian to play a critical role in a murder investigation, and while the author has stretched to find some plausible reason for Delaware to be involved in these cases, I've never been able to buy into the idea and thus have been disappointed in many of the recent entries.
Happily, this book reverts to the origins of the series where the critical role is played by Delaware as a child psychologist and Sturgis is along to assist him. The book opens when a former television actress named Zelda Chase turns up crazed and living on the streets. Checking her history, a social worker (of sorts) discovers that five years earlier, Delaware had treated the actress's five-year-old son, Ovid. She thus calls Delaware and asks him to check out the woman.
Delaware is tempted to beg off. The woman was never his patient and he has no relationship to her. He is concerned, though, about the boy he treated and who seems to have dropped off the face of the earth. Accordingly, he agrees to meet with Chase in the hope of finding out where her son might be and ensuring his safety.
Before long, though, Chase turns up dead, apparently of natural causes, but under mysterious circumstances. Delaware thus recruits Sturgis to help him investigate, in the hope of tracking down young Ovid. One thing leads to another; more people will die, and this will turn out to be a very complex case. It mostly involves Delaware, with Milo's assistance, tracking people down and interviewing them. There's not a great deal of tension in the book, but it is an interesting puzzle with a great conclusion. All in all, then, a significant improvement over some of the later books in this long-running series.
April 3, 2021
2.5 stars
In this 31st book in the long running 'Alex Delaware' series, the child psychologist once again helps his friend - LAPD Lieutenant Milo Sturgis - solve crimes. The book can be read as a standalone.
*****
As the story opens, Alex gets a call from his colleague.....
.....Dr. Lou Sherman. Sherman is treating a beautiful actress named Zelda Chase, whose bizarre actions have (temporarily) landed her in a mental health facility.
Alex is asked to evaluate Zelda's 5-year-old son, Ovid, to see whether mother and son should be reunited.
Ovid turns out to be a smart, sensible little boy who likes to build things with his toys. After Alex assesses Ovid - and meets Zelda - he determines that Ovid can live with his mom.
Skip ahead five years and Zelda - who's become an unemployed, homeless, broken shell of her former self.....
.....is found dead on the estate of a wealthy heiress.
Zelda has a history of wandering around Los Angeles and digging up the yards of random mansions - actions thought to be related to her mental illness. At first it looks like Zelda died from natural causes. However an autopsy and blood tests prove that Zelda was murdered - and Milo gets the case.
Alex assists because he's concerned about Ovid, whose whereabouts are unknown.
Before long two other incidents occur in the neighborhood where Zelda died: a cleaning lady is murdered and a housemaid disappears. Milo and Alex suspect that all these occurrences are related and question residents of the area as well as friends and relatives of the victims.
The investigators learn that Zelda frequently muttered the word 'mother'.....which turns out to be an important clue.
To obtain information that will help their investigations Alex and Milo proceed to do a spate of data mining: they read police reports; look at birth certificates and obituaries; study real estate purchases; look up wills and trusts; use Google and Google Earth; find people on Facebook.....and generally access a slew of public records. This section of the book is long, boring, adds little to the story, and feels like a lot of padding.
Alex and Milo use the data they collect - plus a helicopter - to identify suspects, get search warrants, and make arrests. I don't want to say more than that because of spoilers.
Some regular characters in the series make a brief appearance, including Alex's girlfriend Robin and the couple's French bulldog Blanche. As always in these stories, Milo is careless about his appearance and eats too much. In one scene, Milo raids Alex's fridge and makes himself an omelets with five eggs, a leftover steak, cooked chicken, and a load of veggies. (LOL)
This isn't one of Jonathan Kellerman's best books. The plot feels like a hodgepodge of random elements forced together and there are too many unmemorable minor characters - whose main function seems to be meeting Alex in coffee shops or restaurants. I did get a kick out of one secondary character - a slick lawyer who tries to convince Milo and Alex that up is down (figuratively). It was fun to see him try to weasel his way around the investigators.
Another quibble: Though Alex is supposedly very worried about Ovid, the psychologist seems to quit looking for the boy halfway through the book....and Ovid isn't mentioned again until the very end. This feels like careless plotting.
Unless you're determined to read Jonathan Kellerman's entire oeuvre, you can probably skip this book without missing much.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
May 24, 2019
For me, the story was good. I gave this 5 stars only for its realistic portrayal of mental illness. It does in a way that is educational without sugar coating and without false hope. Not saying that hope is bad. Hope is good as long as you have a realistic view of things. That is never easy.
Another good thing about how mental illness is portrayed is thinking. It makes a person think outside of the box. Lastly, the mental illness is done so well for it reminds people not to take granted the simple things, how life can be worst and being judgmental.
For me, some characters were hard to keep track. Again, it the way that the mental illness is told that truly takes the ball out of the park.
🇺🇸🐾
Another good thing about how mental illness is portrayed is thinking. It makes a person think outside of the box. Lastly, the mental illness is done so well for it reminds people not to take granted the simple things, how life can be worst and being judgmental.
For me, some characters were hard to keep track. Again, it the way that the mental illness is told that truly takes the ball out of the park.
🇺🇸🐾
May 10, 2016
Breakdown , the 31st book in Jonathan Kellerman’s Alex Delaware Series, featuring psychologist Alex Delaware and Detective Milo Sturgis solving crimes together in LA is not a bad addition to this series (which I have read most if not all of the books)….but then it’s not exactly one of those “wow” ones either!!
I suppose it’s pretty hard for a writer to keep things fresh after writing about the same characters and settings for such a long time and over so many books. And this is one of the things I have found in the last few books in this series.
I have come to know the characters so well that I know exactly what they will do next….how they will react to a situation…….how much more character development can be done after 30 books!!! I miss the interaction between Delaware and Sturgis that existed in the beginning.
The plot is good and well-written even when I thought the whole family secrets mystery a bit bizarre.
If you are a fan of this series, then you will enjoy this one.
I suppose it’s pretty hard for a writer to keep things fresh after writing about the same characters and settings for such a long time and over so many books. And this is one of the things I have found in the last few books in this series.
I have come to know the characters so well that I know exactly what they will do next….how they will react to a situation…….how much more character development can be done after 30 books!!! I miss the interaction between Delaware and Sturgis that existed in the beginning.
The plot is good and well-written even when I thought the whole family secrets mystery a bit bizarre.
If you are a fan of this series, then you will enjoy this one.
January 30, 2016
When psychologist Alex Delaware was contacted by a psychiatrist friend, Lou Sherman, he had no idea he would eventually be led into a mess of intrigue and murder. Lou requested he evaluate the five year old son of an actress – Zelda Chase was showing signs of mania and he needed to know if Ovid was well cared for. A few years later and another call to Alex regarding Zelda shocked and concerned him; Ovid was missing and Zelda had obviously been on the streets. Completely out of it, she couldn’t answer questions; or wouldn’t – her only uttered word was “Mother”…
When Zelda managed to escape the facility she was incarcerated in, and her body was discovered in a garden a good distance away, Alex was puzzled to say the least. With his best friend, Lieutenant Milo Sturgis called in to investigate, the scepticism that he felt was overshadowed by the respect he had for Alex’s opinion. But the discovery of another missing woman in eerily similar circumstances had them re-evaluating what they felt was going on. The struggle to find evidence continued – would this be one of the most intriguing and strange cases they had ever worked on?
Breakdown by author Jonathan Kellerman is another great psychological mystery; deeply involved with quite a few characters, nevertheless it was easy to keep track. The twists were well done; the pace was fast, especially as it moved toward the conclusion. I thoroughly enjoyed Breakdown and have no trouble recommending it highly.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for my honest review.
When Zelda managed to escape the facility she was incarcerated in, and her body was discovered in a garden a good distance away, Alex was puzzled to say the least. With his best friend, Lieutenant Milo Sturgis called in to investigate, the scepticism that he felt was overshadowed by the respect he had for Alex’s opinion. But the discovery of another missing woman in eerily similar circumstances had them re-evaluating what they felt was going on. The struggle to find evidence continued – would this be one of the most intriguing and strange cases they had ever worked on?
Breakdown by author Jonathan Kellerman is another great psychological mystery; deeply involved with quite a few characters, nevertheless it was easy to keep track. The twists were well done; the pace was fast, especially as it moved toward the conclusion. I thoroughly enjoyed Breakdown and have no trouble recommending it highly.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for my honest review.
January 6, 2016
Did Jonathan Kellerman start two different novels – one about Alex Delaware’s search for an eleven year old he had treated years before - and the other the search for a mentally ill, aspiring actress with little talent and her murderer – and then shuffled them together?
That’s the way it seems to me.
The first part of the book is something of a flashback to the time Alex Delaware treated the boy – but most of this is the search for the killer of the mentally ill would be actress with little or nor mention of the search for the boy.
Because of this, this book seems overly long – stretched out – and needs a good editor to do some smart work and help decide which book it is…it doesn’t fit together comfortably as it is.
That’s the way it seems to me.
The first part of the book is something of a flashback to the time Alex Delaware treated the boy – but most of this is the search for the killer of the mentally ill would be actress with little or nor mention of the search for the boy.
Because of this, this book seems overly long – stretched out – and needs a good editor to do some smart work and help decide which book it is…it doesn’t fit together comfortably as it is.
February 18, 2016
Lately, I've been caught up in moving to a new home (well, new to me and my husband) and trying to keep on top of reviews of books I've received at no cost from publishers in exchange for reviews. So far, those books have been nothing short of stellar, but I admit it's more than a teeny bit stressful knowing I've got to pay close attention so as to render a review that's both honest and fair.
So it was that I looked forward to the time when I could turn to a favorite author - one I know won't disappoint. I've followed Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware series from the beginning, prompted early on by a love of psychology (my undergraduate degree) and murder mysteries. Many were absolutely outstanding, and those that were a bit less so were enjoyable as well.
This one falls into the latter category. As always, the writing is stellar; but for the first half or so, I wondered when the action would begin. Alex is called in by an elderly psychologist to evaluate Ovid, the five-year-old son of TV actress Zelda Chase (who clearly has mental issues). A few years later, Zelda is committed to a psychiatric facility - and not long after she's released, she turns up dead. Primarily concerned about Zelda's son - whose whereabouts at this point are unknown - Alex turns to his longtime friend, LAPD Lieutenant Milo Sturgis, for help with solving the murder and locating the child.
The tracking-down process, though, is tedious almost to the point of boring. Both Alex and Milo seem a bit subdued, and Alex's love Robin doesn't contribute much beyond trying to cheer Alex up by running her fingers through his hair.
But then, things started to pick up, and all the details revealed (slowly) in the first part begin to come together and the suspense builds up. It's not that I didn't enjoy the book - I did - but at the same time it didn't quite have the zing of others in the series. All told, it may not be my favorite in the series - hence the four-star rating - but it's still well worth reading.
So it was that I looked forward to the time when I could turn to a favorite author - one I know won't disappoint. I've followed Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware series from the beginning, prompted early on by a love of psychology (my undergraduate degree) and murder mysteries. Many were absolutely outstanding, and those that were a bit less so were enjoyable as well.
This one falls into the latter category. As always, the writing is stellar; but for the first half or so, I wondered when the action would begin. Alex is called in by an elderly psychologist to evaluate Ovid, the five-year-old son of TV actress Zelda Chase (who clearly has mental issues). A few years later, Zelda is committed to a psychiatric facility - and not long after she's released, she turns up dead. Primarily concerned about Zelda's son - whose whereabouts at this point are unknown - Alex turns to his longtime friend, LAPD Lieutenant Milo Sturgis, for help with solving the murder and locating the child.
The tracking-down process, though, is tedious almost to the point of boring. Both Alex and Milo seem a bit subdued, and Alex's love Robin doesn't contribute much beyond trying to cheer Alex up by running her fingers through his hair.
But then, things started to pick up, and all the details revealed (slowly) in the first part begin to come together and the suspense builds up. It's not that I didn't enjoy the book - I did - but at the same time it didn't quite have the zing of others in the series. All told, it may not be my favorite in the series - hence the four-star rating - but it's still well worth reading.
January 18, 2016
This is the 31st book in the Alex Delaware series by author Jonathan Kellerman.
I enjoy reading a large range of authors, predominantly Mystery and Thriller writers so I can safely say that Jonathan Kellerman has been on my to read list for quite sometime. He is a well established author who created the very popular series Dr Alex Delaware which now totals over 30 novels.
Dr. Alex Delaware is a child psychologist who is asked by a friend to interview a young boy who is the son of a patient. The boy, Ovid, is the son of Zelda, an actress in a TV sitcom. Zelda had been having mental problems and the friend had been treating her. Alex was impressed by young Ovid and found him to be a quiet intelligent child.
Five years later Alex was contacted by a outpatient facility about Zelda. Her TV show had been cancelled and she had been living on the street. Zelda was diagnosed psychotic and was hospitalised with her son Ovid nowhere to be found. This left Alex desperate to know where her son was and he started searching for Ovid, but days later, his mother Zelda was found dead.
Alex teams up with his Police friend Lieutenant Milo Sturgis and they start to search for Zelda's killer and also try to locate Ovid. The two friends find other mysterious disappearances of people who worked in the same area around the same time. More people turn up dead as Alex and Milo try to unravel the mystery.
Having not read any of this series previously I was a little worried if starting this series at book number 31 would detract from my enjoyment of the novel. But my concern was unfounded and I easily slipped into the series with a minimum of effort.
It is not a fast paced book with much of the book dealing with the two main characters trying to deduce the case. Not action packed but very well written and planned.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Ballantine books for supplying me with a copy of the latest Jonathan Kellerman novel in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoy reading a large range of authors, predominantly Mystery and Thriller writers so I can safely say that Jonathan Kellerman has been on my to read list for quite sometime. He is a well established author who created the very popular series Dr Alex Delaware which now totals over 30 novels.
Dr. Alex Delaware is a child psychologist who is asked by a friend to interview a young boy who is the son of a patient. The boy, Ovid, is the son of Zelda, an actress in a TV sitcom. Zelda had been having mental problems and the friend had been treating her. Alex was impressed by young Ovid and found him to be a quiet intelligent child.
Five years later Alex was contacted by a outpatient facility about Zelda. Her TV show had been cancelled and she had been living on the street. Zelda was diagnosed psychotic and was hospitalised with her son Ovid nowhere to be found. This left Alex desperate to know where her son was and he started searching for Ovid, but days later, his mother Zelda was found dead.
Alex teams up with his Police friend Lieutenant Milo Sturgis and they start to search for Zelda's killer and also try to locate Ovid. The two friends find other mysterious disappearances of people who worked in the same area around the same time. More people turn up dead as Alex and Milo try to unravel the mystery.
Having not read any of this series previously I was a little worried if starting this series at book number 31 would detract from my enjoyment of the novel. But my concern was unfounded and I easily slipped into the series with a minimum of effort.
It is not a fast paced book with much of the book dealing with the two main characters trying to deduce the case. Not action packed but very well written and planned.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Ballantine books for supplying me with a copy of the latest Jonathan Kellerman novel in exchange for an honest review.
February 15, 2016
This is Alex Delaware #31 now – that is an incredible body of work especially when you look at the standard throughout – ok there has been the occasional dip but for the most part these have been engaging, intriguing and brilliant reads, Breakdown being no exception.
I’m hugely fond of these characters – Alex, Milo, et al. And each different mystery brought to the doorstep of our dynamic duo has its own dark underbelly and different way of getting to the reader. In the case of Breakdown a child is missing, a child who is already vulnerable by virtue of having a disturbed mother – but as ever there is a lot more to it than that.
I like Jonathan Kellermans own unique writing style very much – he uses what I call pragmatic prose to draw you in and keep you turning the pages. He still manages to surprise, he still manages to add layers to characters you would think to know off by heart by now. Not everyone could pull off a series of this length and keep it at such a high calibre but somehow he does.
Overall then I’d recommend this as much as I do every other Delaware novel – that is very highly.You can pick up any of them and enjoy it in case you are gulping at the thought of 31 books and have not yet started, just pick one and dive in if you fancy giving them a go. I’m also a fan of Faye and Jesse Kellerman, hopefully I have many a happy read ahead of me from this very talented bunch.
I’m hugely fond of these characters – Alex, Milo, et al. And each different mystery brought to the doorstep of our dynamic duo has its own dark underbelly and different way of getting to the reader. In the case of Breakdown a child is missing, a child who is already vulnerable by virtue of having a disturbed mother – but as ever there is a lot more to it than that.
I like Jonathan Kellermans own unique writing style very much – he uses what I call pragmatic prose to draw you in and keep you turning the pages. He still manages to surprise, he still manages to add layers to characters you would think to know off by heart by now. Not everyone could pull off a series of this length and keep it at such a high calibre but somehow he does.
Overall then I’d recommend this as much as I do every other Delaware novel – that is very highly.You can pick up any of them and enjoy it in case you are gulping at the thought of 31 books and have not yet started, just pick one and dive in if you fancy giving them a go. I’m also a fan of Faye and Jesse Kellerman, hopefully I have many a happy read ahead of me from this very talented bunch.
January 29, 2016
As Alex and Milo investigate Zelda's death and her missing son, they seem to be continually grasping at straws, always trying to find something - anything - to help them make progress before they're forced to move on. (It helps, of course, that Alex is pretty wealthy and not hampered by things like 9-5 jobs or a more streamlined budget.) Both are unwilling to let it go, feeling instinctively that there are connections they can't quite see yet, but time's running out, both for the case and for Ovid's likely survival.
This is more like the older books, with more psychology (some very insightful details, including the discrepancy of what crazy is and how it appears) and the touches of wry humor that make it both enjoyable and engaging. I'm glad to find myself interested in this series again.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is more like the older books, with more psychology (some very insightful details, including the discrepancy of what crazy is and how it appears) and the touches of wry humor that make it both enjoyable and engaging. I'm glad to find myself interested in this series again.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 2, 2017
Good main story line: Dr. Alex Delaware is the only connection to a crazy woman found on the grounds of a Bel Air mansion, because many years prior he had evaluated her son to see whether his then-eccentric TV actress mother was taking proper care of him. After a short period of evaluation, Alex gets her put back into a halfway house, and she dies from poison, in the same neighborhood. Alex is worried about what happened to her child, Ovid. Milo Sturgis and Alex investigate and find a series of missing housekeepers as well. While I found this latter plot to be a diversion, it was great to see Milo back in a more visible role. Alex is relentless, and eventually uses extraordinary resources to find skullduggery.
May 2, 2016
I think reading two books in a row about mental health issues was too much!! But I love Kellerman and as usual I enjoyed the book. Weird characters - another case of this country needing places for the mentally ill besides the streets!!
May 4, 2016
It was pretty boring. The whole book was the two main characters discussing who did what and what they would or should happen next.
August 13, 2016
Apt title, almost had one trying to finish this....
Jonathan Kellerman has the distinction of joining Lee Child, Michael Connelly, and James Patterson, as authors I will no longer read. His recent books have gone downhill from the intriguing earlier novels that I enjoyed. This one is at the bottom of the abyss.
There is no real mystery, no twist, no compelling reason to keep turning pages. The plot is weak and Kellerman's usually interesting asides into psychology are absent. More time is spent telling the reader how to go from point A to B than any attempt at story development. Alex Delaware's girlfriend, Robin, is sadly absent except for some minor scenes, and detective Milo Sturgis is so dull I almost forgot how sharp he used to be.
The solving of the supposed mystery is like a bad script from "Murder She Wrote", or in this case Murder He Wrote. The majority of the book revolves around Delaware and Sturgis sitting in Alex's office, or driving around, speculating on what happened. The leaps in logic and revelations are almost laughable. It always fascinates me when information is needed and one of them just happens to know someone to call who can help. Why anyone would call this a good mystery is beyond me.
The ending falls flat, and was so contrived it made me glad I had finished the book, so I could hopefully do something to make up for the time I have lost reading it.
This one gets one star, which is one too many.
Jonathan Kellerman has the distinction of joining Lee Child, Michael Connelly, and James Patterson, as authors I will no longer read. His recent books have gone downhill from the intriguing earlier novels that I enjoyed. This one is at the bottom of the abyss.
There is no real mystery, no twist, no compelling reason to keep turning pages. The plot is weak and Kellerman's usually interesting asides into psychology are absent. More time is spent telling the reader how to go from point A to B than any attempt at story development. Alex Delaware's girlfriend, Robin, is sadly absent except for some minor scenes, and detective Milo Sturgis is so dull I almost forgot how sharp he used to be.
The solving of the supposed mystery is like a bad script from "Murder She Wrote", or in this case Murder He Wrote. The majority of the book revolves around Delaware and Sturgis sitting in Alex's office, or driving around, speculating on what happened. The leaps in logic and revelations are almost laughable. It always fascinates me when information is needed and one of them just happens to know someone to call who can help. Why anyone would call this a good mystery is beyond me.
The ending falls flat, and was so contrived it made me glad I had finished the book, so I could hopefully do something to make up for the time I have lost reading it.
This one gets one star, which is one too many.
March 13, 2016
I despise this story with its mediocre tedious pace, play on kids, schizophrenic characters and murderers. 0 of 10 stars
January 28, 2016
This novel starts out from a case that Dr. Delaware had handled in the past. He receives a call regarding a psychotic female patient who has been brought in by the police for trespassing in an upscale neighborhood in the Belair. The homeowner declined to press charges as long as she gets the help she needs. Which means a 72-hour hold in a locked down Psych ward where the patient is evaluated given enough meds to get the patient stable then it's up to them to them to continue to find the help they need aka they are kicked loose.
The person calling him is from a facility that he's never heard of and he's not sure why they are calling. He's on record as her last known physician. He did remember evaluating her son several years ago as a favor for a friend of his who was her psychiatrist at the time who had passed away two years ago. Her psychiatrist wanted to make sure she able to take care of her five-year-old son. Dr. Delaware saw no reason to remove him from her care. He was well cared for and very articulate for his age. His mother was an actress on a television sit-com that the producers wanted to make sure she was well taken care of because they couldn’t afford for her to flake out on them. She’d been suffering from bi-polar and a myriad of other mental health issues but with Dr. Sherman’s help, she managed to keep working until the series was canceled.
Dr. Delaware agrees to meet with her the following day. He remembered her as a beautiful, yet troubled young woman. The person he meets with is a shell of the person he knew back then. She was truly a street person, she was in pretty bad shape. She was comatose; he has asked about her son, Ovid and never got an answer. The only thing he could get out of her was the words “Mother”. He also knew he had to find a place for her to go because this “storefront” mental health facility was kicking her loose the following day. It was up to Dr. Delaware to find her a place to stay or she’s back on the streets.
The investigation continues as Dr. Delaware is deeply concerned to find the whereabouts of her son, Ovid. He enlists the help of his old buddy, Lt. Sturgis who is all too willing to help his friend out.
What starts out as a call to help a homeless street woman, turns into a true Kellerman thriller. I couldn’t put this one down, but I say that after I read all of Jonathan Kellerman’s novels. He’s a genius at keeping the reader interested; he has to be one of the best in the business. I can say that if you like a great mystery that’s full of surprises then you’ll love this one. Mr. Kellerman has never let this reader down.
I would like to thank Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the providing me an e-galley of this book for my honest review.
The person calling him is from a facility that he's never heard of and he's not sure why they are calling. He's on record as her last known physician. He did remember evaluating her son several years ago as a favor for a friend of his who was her psychiatrist at the time who had passed away two years ago. Her psychiatrist wanted to make sure she able to take care of her five-year-old son. Dr. Delaware saw no reason to remove him from her care. He was well cared for and very articulate for his age. His mother was an actress on a television sit-com that the producers wanted to make sure she was well taken care of because they couldn’t afford for her to flake out on them. She’d been suffering from bi-polar and a myriad of other mental health issues but with Dr. Sherman’s help, she managed to keep working until the series was canceled.
Dr. Delaware agrees to meet with her the following day. He remembered her as a beautiful, yet troubled young woman. The person he meets with is a shell of the person he knew back then. She was truly a street person, she was in pretty bad shape. She was comatose; he has asked about her son, Ovid and never got an answer. The only thing he could get out of her was the words “Mother”. He also knew he had to find a place for her to go because this “storefront” mental health facility was kicking her loose the following day. It was up to Dr. Delaware to find her a place to stay or she’s back on the streets.
The investigation continues as Dr. Delaware is deeply concerned to find the whereabouts of her son, Ovid. He enlists the help of his old buddy, Lt. Sturgis who is all too willing to help his friend out.
What starts out as a call to help a homeless street woman, turns into a true Kellerman thriller. I couldn’t put this one down, but I say that after I read all of Jonathan Kellerman’s novels. He’s a genius at keeping the reader interested; he has to be one of the best in the business. I can say that if you like a great mystery that’s full of surprises then you’ll love this one. Mr. Kellerman has never let this reader down.
I would like to thank Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the providing me an e-galley of this book for my honest review.
May 8, 2016
Jonathan Kellerman's continuing saga of the erstwhile Dr. Alex Delaware, psychologist and Detective Milo Sturgis of LA has become a bit like meeting old friends, with every new addition to the series. The quality of writing has varied over the years, the emphasis has shifted from depraved sociopathy and fast-paced thriller to lovingly described characters, enhanced settings, Alex and Milo's well rounded personalities and complicated lives, gnarled mysteries only enlightened by Dr. Delaware's brilliance and understanding of the human mind - and back again.
I would guess that is the reason Kellerman's fans, like me, come back for another visit and are quite forgiving if the offering wasn't quite as tasty as another.
In this 31st novel of the Delaware and Sturgis Series, washed up actress Zelda Chase is found dead on the Bel Air estate of wealthy Enid DePauw. Six years earlier Alex Delaware had been called in to assess Ovid, Zelda's son, for her psychologist who was monitoring Zelda's precarious mental health while she starred in a TV sitcom. The son is missing. The former psychologist has passed away. Circumstances point to murder as more victims disappear.
Part of the appeal of Jonathan Kellerman's novels is that he writes in support of the underdog, those under serviced, abandoned, taken advantage of, those usually voiceless and invisible people whose opportunities have been only made worse by a callous society. The breadth of that group is huge, as peopled by his books - the indulgent and cold wealthy, the power hungry, those accustomed to entitlement, the self-serving sections of government bureaucracy; in short, everyone without qualms who gives to themselves even when it drastically hurts others.
BREAKDOWN labels just such a dichotomy. The homeless, the mentally ill, the marginalized...and the systems of conscientious government that can be usurped by the unscrupulous, the narcissistic, the soulless.
All of the usual great elements of Kellerman's detective novels are in this one. However, I felt that the substance was a bit dragged out, the suspense never quite materialized, the mystery-solving duo were insubstantially depicted and regretfully, Blanche the smiling French bulldog simply wasn't featured enough for me. I think Kellerman seemed tired.
I'll be waiting, though, for the next book in the series, hopeful that Jonathan Kellerman takes some vitamins, maybe a good holiday and rests up himself and his duo to return with a bit more zip.
3.5 stars
I would guess that is the reason Kellerman's fans, like me, come back for another visit and are quite forgiving if the offering wasn't quite as tasty as another.
In this 31st novel of the Delaware and Sturgis Series, washed up actress Zelda Chase is found dead on the Bel Air estate of wealthy Enid DePauw. Six years earlier Alex Delaware had been called in to assess Ovid, Zelda's son, for her psychologist who was monitoring Zelda's precarious mental health while she starred in a TV sitcom. The son is missing. The former psychologist has passed away. Circumstances point to murder as more victims disappear.
Part of the appeal of Jonathan Kellerman's novels is that he writes in support of the underdog, those under serviced, abandoned, taken advantage of, those usually voiceless and invisible people whose opportunities have been only made worse by a callous society. The breadth of that group is huge, as peopled by his books - the indulgent and cold wealthy, the power hungry, those accustomed to entitlement, the self-serving sections of government bureaucracy; in short, everyone without qualms who gives to themselves even when it drastically hurts others.
BREAKDOWN labels just such a dichotomy. The homeless, the mentally ill, the marginalized...and the systems of conscientious government that can be usurped by the unscrupulous, the narcissistic, the soulless.
All of the usual great elements of Kellerman's detective novels are in this one. However, I felt that the substance was a bit dragged out, the suspense never quite materialized, the mystery-solving duo were insubstantially depicted and regretfully, Blanche the smiling French bulldog simply wasn't featured enough for me. I think Kellerman seemed tired.
I'll be waiting, though, for the next book in the series, hopeful that Jonathan Kellerman takes some vitamins, maybe a good holiday and rests up himself and his duo to return with a bit more zip.
3.5 stars
January 11, 2016
I have been a fan of Alex Delaware throughout this entire series, so greatly anticipated the newest offering, especially when I realized detective Milo Sturgis would feature heavily in the book - my favourite character after Alex himself. If you are a fan of the series, you will be familiar with Alex's mind and how the story unfolds with detail, precision and evocative imagery. If this is your first book, personally I think there is so much backstory and history in this series that you're missing out, but from a technical point of view - you can start here and read this as a standalone.
Dr Alex Delaware is a child psychologist with a history of consulting to the police, in particular to the ostracized overweight gay detective and close friend, Milo Sturgis. He has an obsession with seeing things through, and once a mystery has got under his skin, he will not leave it alone, going to far more lengths to solve it than the regular police force ever would. In this case a previous patient, then a six year old boy, now an eleven year old, is missing. His mother, dealing with severe mental illness, is incoherent at best. Whilst searching for the missing Ovid, he delves into the history of his mother, and investigates whether two deaths and two missing persons can be linked.
It is a fairly slow book - full of investigation, pondering, intelligent deduction and a fair amount of calling in favours from various technical experts to try and solve the case. I have never yet guessed the full ending of an Alex Delaware book - I'm always surprised, and this one was no exception. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, but thought the pace was a little too slow in parts. Still an excellent read that I would recommend to fans of Alex and Milo, or to those who enjoy a slower paced, investigative crime read.
Dr Alex Delaware is a child psychologist with a history of consulting to the police, in particular to the ostracized overweight gay detective and close friend, Milo Sturgis. He has an obsession with seeing things through, and once a mystery has got under his skin, he will not leave it alone, going to far more lengths to solve it than the regular police force ever would. In this case a previous patient, then a six year old boy, now an eleven year old, is missing. His mother, dealing with severe mental illness, is incoherent at best. Whilst searching for the missing Ovid, he delves into the history of his mother, and investigates whether two deaths and two missing persons can be linked.
It is a fairly slow book - full of investigation, pondering, intelligent deduction and a fair amount of calling in favours from various technical experts to try and solve the case. I have never yet guessed the full ending of an Alex Delaware book - I'm always surprised, and this one was no exception. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, but thought the pace was a little too slow in parts. Still an excellent read that I would recommend to fans of Alex and Milo, or to those who enjoy a slower paced, investigative crime read.
September 7, 2020
Having now read all but one of the 35 psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware tales, we surely know what to expect from Kellerman in these crime thrillers, of which “Breakdown” is the 31st. Some are excellent, especially the earlier ones that actually featured the star’s talents, as opposed to most of the less-engaging later ones where Alex is a mere amateur sidekick to LAPD homicide Lt. Milo Sturgis, a fun character for sure.
The plot is compelling for about the first 70 of the 350 pages, as it discusses a mentally disturbed actress now on the skids, and her son, a former client of the doc. When she winds up dead from a rare poisonous plant, the next 210 pages are fairly boring, as our two protagonists can barely turn up clues, despite uncovering more names that all seemed interconnected. When they finally start to zero in on what really happened and go after the perps, the last 70 pages finally heat up to a fairly entertaining conclusion, presuming we stilled care by then.
If the publisher could have just provided a couple page synopsis of the middle, the other 140 pages were good reading. Sad to say, not that atypical…
The plot is compelling for about the first 70 of the 350 pages, as it discusses a mentally disturbed actress now on the skids, and her son, a former client of the doc. When she winds up dead from a rare poisonous plant, the next 210 pages are fairly boring, as our two protagonists can barely turn up clues, despite uncovering more names that all seemed interconnected. When they finally start to zero in on what really happened and go after the perps, the last 70 pages finally heat up to a fairly entertaining conclusion, presuming we stilled care by then.
If the publisher could have just provided a couple page synopsis of the middle, the other 140 pages were good reading. Sad to say, not that atypical…
March 24, 2016
I follow this series, and listen to each new release. In my opinion, this one was better than usual. I enjoyed it more. I can't put my finger on what it was, but it was good:)
Alex and his usual cohorts are here and work together to figure things out. John Rubenstein does a superb job of narrating and makes the story that much better.
This case follows the past and present of a mentally ill tv star (former) and her son. Fans of Kellerman should love it!
Alex and his usual cohorts are here and work together to figure things out. John Rubenstein does a superb job of narrating and makes the story that much better.
This case follows the past and present of a mentally ill tv star (former) and her son. Fans of Kellerman should love it!
January 28, 2024
Another strong story in the Delaware series - he gets drawn into the decline and murder of the mother of a child he assessed five years earlier, and a hidden mystery starts to unfold
February 7, 2016
ARC for review.
Zelda Chase, actress on a middling TV sitcom shows up crazed and Alex Delaware is called in to consult with her young son. Cut to six years later - Chase is a street person, again hauled in by the police and Delaware's name is the one she recalls, so he's called in. Because America's mental health care system sucks (see shades of While the City Slept) Chase is soon back out out on the streets and then ends up dead in a very unusual manner. What happened to Zelda Chase? And where is her son?
This is Kellerman's 31st Alex Delaware book so a reader knows exactly what he/she is getting - this one had a little less excitement than most, a little more detecting, but there must be trade-offs, right? Delaware is still practically perfect, and it's to Kellerman's credit that the reader doesn't hate him for it. Delaware's best friend and perfect foil Detective Milo Sturgis plays a big part in this one, so his fans will be happy. Overall a perfectly nice entry into what's become a solid series - and if the quality hasn't changed (see the three star rating) at least it hasn't declined (see the last several books in Patricia Cornwell's once-good, now-abysmal Scarpetta series).
Zelda Chase, actress on a middling TV sitcom shows up crazed and Alex Delaware is called in to consult with her young son. Cut to six years later - Chase is a street person, again hauled in by the police and Delaware's name is the one she recalls, so he's called in. Because America's mental health care system sucks (see shades of While the City Slept) Chase is soon back out out on the streets and then ends up dead in a very unusual manner. What happened to Zelda Chase? And where is her son?
This is Kellerman's 31st Alex Delaware book so a reader knows exactly what he/she is getting - this one had a little less excitement than most, a little more detecting, but there must be trade-offs, right? Delaware is still practically perfect, and it's to Kellerman's credit that the reader doesn't hate him for it. Delaware's best friend and perfect foil Detective Milo Sturgis plays a big part in this one, so his fans will be happy. Overall a perfectly nice entry into what's become a solid series - and if the quality hasn't changed (see the three star rating) at least it hasn't declined (see the last several books in Patricia Cornwell's once-good, now-abysmal Scarpetta series).
April 13, 2019
In the latest instalment of Jonathan Kellerman’s long running series featuring child psychologist Alex Delaware, the death of a former patient’s mother triggers an investigation into a missing child, and a string of unsolved murders. With the help of his best friend and unofficial partner, Lieutenant Milo Sturgis, Delaware slowly unravels a story of mental illness, family secrets, betrayal, and murder.
I generally prefer this series when the cases are focused on those which more fully involve Delaware’s speciality. Ovid, Alex’s former patient, is almost incidental to this story, other than as the catalyst for their curiosity. This is Kellerman’s 31st novel though, so I don’t begrudge the way in he changes things up from time to time.
The pace is a little slow at times, Alex and Milo spend a lot of time trawling through records, consulting experts, and speculating about the case. There isn’t a lot of suspense, but the investigation is well crafted and it’s always satisfying to have the mystery neatly solved with the killer brought to justice.
While not the strongest book in the series, fans should find Breakdown enjoyable enough.
I generally prefer this series when the cases are focused on those which more fully involve Delaware’s speciality. Ovid, Alex’s former patient, is almost incidental to this story, other than as the catalyst for their curiosity. This is Kellerman’s 31st novel though, so I don’t begrudge the way in he changes things up from time to time.
The pace is a little slow at times, Alex and Milo spend a lot of time trawling through records, consulting experts, and speculating about the case. There isn’t a lot of suspense, but the investigation is well crafted and it’s always satisfying to have the mystery neatly solved with the killer brought to justice.
While not the strongest book in the series, fans should find Breakdown enjoyable enough.
May 10, 2017
What a rollercoaster ride!
A colleague asks Alex Delaware to learn the mental state of his client’s 5-7ear old son, Alex complies. Fast forward five-years. Alex’s colleague’s client is murdered, Alex’s psychologist colleague is dead and the child is missing. Together Alex, and his partner in crime, Milo Sturgis, looks for the now eleven year old child and the clues leads the two down a road of multiple murders. Nothing is as it seems with a totally unexpected ending.
Breakdown was a great read and John Rubinstein’s storytelling kept me on the edge of my seat.
A colleague asks Alex Delaware to learn the mental state of his client’s 5-7ear old son, Alex complies. Fast forward five-years. Alex’s colleague’s client is murdered, Alex’s psychologist colleague is dead and the child is missing. Together Alex, and his partner in crime, Milo Sturgis, looks for the now eleven year old child and the clues leads the two down a road of multiple murders. Nothing is as it seems with a totally unexpected ending.
Breakdown was a great read and John Rubinstein’s storytelling kept me on the edge of my seat.
March 21, 2016
Kudos to Kellerman for keeping this long-running series fresh and interesting. "Breakdown" features psychologist Alex Delaware, who delves into the world of once-famous television stars. The author’s treatment of mental illness – and how America fails to deal with psychological disease - creates a strong sociological undercurrent to the main story. The plot features lots of investigatory activity, but little suspense. This is a solid mystery that doesn't quite rank as a thriller.
February 11, 2016
Jonathan Kellerman never disappoints in the Alex Delaware series. This is the 31st book of the series and he still gets me every time. I love the interaction between Alex and Lieutenant Milo. Always a great plot with lots of twists and turns. I hope this series continues for another 31 books! Great read every time!
July 30, 2017
If you need something to help you fall asleep this is the book. This is my first Alex Delaware novel and I pray the others are better. It makes no sense that this book is touted as "an exhilarating masterclass in the art of suspense." Seriously? If you want to hear 2 men kvetch for a few hundred pages this is the book. Yawnfest.
February 16, 2016
BREAKDOWN
Jonathan Kellerman
Another Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis very well written mystery even though it was a little outlandish. Always enjoy a fast read and a return to familiar characters.
Jonathan Kellerman
Another Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis very well written mystery even though it was a little outlandish. Always enjoy a fast read and a return to familiar characters.
February 10, 2016
Breakdown was the first book I read by Jonathan Kellerman. Interesting, it got my attention at the beginning, then it was meh, then it was good again towards the end.
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