BOOK GROUPIE: Kellerman books a family affair
Author Jonathan Kellerman typed away for 13 years in an unheated garage before finally finding writing success. Since then, nearly 30 of his books have been published. Most of those are psychological suspense novels starring Alex Delaware.
Alex Delaware is psychologist with problems of his own. He puts most of those problems aside, however, to help Los Angeles Police Detective Milo Sturgis solve a variety of cases.
The first Alex Delaware book, “When the Bough Breaks” was published in 1985 to critical and commercial success and was turned into a movie. Most years since then, a new Alex Delaware novel has been published. I read the most recent of the series, “Evidence,” and am excited about going back and reading through the whole set.
“Evidence” begins with a security guard discovering two murder victims in an abandoned house. Because of the positioning of the body and other factors, Milo believes there is a strong psychological element to the murders and calls Alex in to assist him with the case. Throughout the book, Milo and Alex meet a variety of characters, all of whom seem at least a wee bit suspicious. An abundance of clues are strewn about, so that readers have an opportunity to figure out the who and why of the case.
Most of the violence in “Evidence” occurs off set. While people certainly die, none of the murders feel in-your-face or unnecessary to the evolution of the story, so reading the book won’t prompt you to bring a weapon to bed. It may make you hungry, though; Milo likes his food.
Kellerman himself is a licensed psychologist who worked nearly two decades in the field before giving it up for writing. This lends an authenticity to the psychological components in “Evidence,” a fact I appreciate.
Perhaps my favorite part of reading “Evidence,” though, is knowing there are many other novels featuring the same characters. I find that mystery readers, in particular, like to see a series grow. While I started at the wrong end of the Alex Delaware series, I intend to read the others in order.
I am also interested in reading the works of Kellerman’s loved ones, to see if there is any family resemblance in their writing. Kellerman’s wife, Faye, is a bestselling novelist, and two of his children, Jesse and Aliza, are novelists as well. Between all the family members, there are around 50 novels.
Ah, so many books, so little time.
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Anita Miller welcomes your book suggestions. Read her blog at www.anitalaydonmiller.blogspot.com
or e-mail anita.l.miller@worldnet.att.net.
