Jonathan Kellerman

Once upon a time Jonathan Kellerman wrote books that had me staying up late to finish them. His characters were so well drawn that I actually disliked Robin. The plots so well thought out and the cases so interesting and complex that they hooked me. Alex Delaware was presented as a bright caring psychologist who helped out, sometimes reluctantly with crimes. Milo was usually the detective that roped him in as well as his friend. The cases almost had something psychologically creepy or show more baffling in them (hence the need for Alex). These were great books but now it is as if another person is doing the writing.
The characters are flat, the cases involve people I couldn’t care less about, the action is dull and the conversation boring. There is little to no complexity left in the books and this one is the blandest by far. Alex and Robin lead a very vanilla life, Alex and Milo have conversations that a 5th grader could follow, the ‘villians’ of the piece are unsympathetic and the entire story told as if the author himself is bored. The idea that Kellerman’s books are psychological thrillers is now preposterous. No longer is Delaware a highly valued psychologist with unique insight in expertise. He is basically Milo’s assistant.
The story isn’t terrible, the writing isn’t bad, and I read the whole thing, but it was about like I read magazines at the pool—just as something to do—I couldn’t get invested in any of it.
***This was an ARC show less

I've read and loved a number of Kellerman's Alex Delaware novels, among other works he's written, so the first thing I must say here is that I'm simply glad this wasn't my introduction to his work. If it had been, early novel or not, I don't think I'd be seeking out more. So, starting with that....

This is probably what I would consider to be the definition of a pulp novel. Heavy on action and needless heat; over the top in so many scenes and moments, over and over again; twisty-turny show more (sometimes for the better, sometimes not); full of stock characters with just enough quirks to keep them interesting; overwritten; rife with moments that feel like they were included for shock value... there were so many moments when it occurred to me that I could simply not finish the book, but I kept going mostly because of the fast pace and because I've so enjoyed Kellerman's work in the past.

If some of the shock-value passages and moments were removed, and some of the 'butchery' taken down from the level of grotesque gore to a level that was slightly more believable in a given moment, I probably would have enjoyed this quite a bit more. As it was, I too often cringed away from what felt like needless gore and shock-value offense--and I saw this as someone who really enjoys slashers and horror novels, too. On top of that, the book is so full of needless sexism and offensive language (much of which would have been offensive even when the book was published in the 80s), the book felt as if it were begging to be labeled as pulp literature in a way that I've rarely seen happen.

Maybe Kellerman just wanted to go as over the top as possible, or maybe his early writing was, in general, just this overboard in terms of language and horror, but one way or another, I can't say I enjoyed this. Was the plotting smart? Sure. Were the characters sympathetic? Mostly. Did the writing move fast and keep me engaged? Yes. But did I enjoy it or feel like the book deserved nearly as many pages as it took up? Not remotely.

I can't recommend this one unless you want a pulpy, over-the-top thriller that delivers plenty of shock value as a thriller written in the spirit of a slasher horror film. show less

Jonathan Kellerman can probably write great psychological mystery/thrillers in his sleep. Heck, he may have even written his latest, 'Heartbreak Hotel' in his sleep, for all I know. I don't care, I liked it anyway and I hope he keeps cranking them out.

Heartbreak Hotel begins with child psychologist Alex Delaware, making a 'housecall' to the motel home of a near-centenarian woman. She asks a few questions, piques his interest since she's well beyond the age of his typical patient, and show more promises to answer the questions he has about her at his next visit. Unfortunately, she turns up dead. What initially appeared to be a case of 'old age' death turns into a murder investigation due to the sharp eyes of an EMT on the scene. But who would kill a nearly 100 year old woman?

Longtime LAPD detective Milo Sturgis ends up on the case, with Delaware providing both first hand knowledge of the deceased as well as the psychological analysis he's given in the countless other novels starring these two characters in Kellerman's series. The Sturgis and Delaware combo is one of my favorite in this genre- Sturgis, the gay detective who breaks all the stereotypes: he's burly, dresses slovenly, gruff, tough, a world-class eater of sandwiches. And then there's Delaware, a pediatric specialist, urbane with a beautiful wife and a perfect life in the LA hills. They work together well, almost too well in that they tend to complete one another's sentences (more on this later).

To me, what differentiates this series is the methodology used to build the motive for the investigators and how they use their speculations to drive their analysis. In a lot of procedural mysteries, the cops tend to gather a bunch of 'evidence' and materials together and then try to discern a pattern or motive from it. This pairing goes in a different direction, trying to get into the perpetrator's head first, which then allows them to be a little more accurate and efficient with their investigatory work.

As with all books in this series, the writing is fine and enough of the characters is presented to allow a new reader to get a feel for what they're like. The current cast has been together for many books and, if you've followed the series you know them well. If Heartbreak Hotel is the first you've picked up though, you'll still enjoy the characters.

The plot is well-crafted and the team makes their way through the investigation, with Sturgis charging ahead and Delaware providing insight and support along the way. We do, indeed, discover who was evil enough to kill a 99 year old lady and although it may be who you suspected all along, the motive isn't clear until the conclusion. It's a good read that'll have you thinking along with the investigators the entire time.

The only complaint I have about Kellerman's writing is with the dialogue. Mostly, it's informative and the content is fine, but the way it's delivered is a bit too scripted. Granted, Sturgis and Delaware have worked together many times, but the way they communicate is very choreographed. With other characters, whether familiar or not, the dialogue is similarly handled. It looks good on the page and it reads fine, but I can't help thinking that there'd be many more stops and starts in the communication in real life. Not a huge problem for me, just a minor irritation.

Anyway, another winner to add to a long line of them for Mr. Kellerman! show less

The Lost Coast by Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman is a very highly recommended mystery/thriller and the fifth book in the series featuring private investigator Clay Edison written by the acclaimed father-son duo.

Clay Edison is now a licensed private investigator after leaving the position of coroner's investigator. Chris Villareal, who is referred to Clay by a former client, needs help investigating a monthly payment he noticed while managing his grandmother's estate. It seems to be a show more simple case of real estate fraud that leads Clay to look at a remote community called Swan's Flat on Northern California’s remote Lost Coast. After reassuring his wife Amy that he will keep in close contact with her and not do anything risky, Clay sets off to investigate the lot Villareal's grandmother purchased.

Once there the situation is odder and more secretive than Clay anticipated. The roads are nearly nonexistent, there is no cell service, and the locals are few, reticent, and duplicitous. He is shot at by one local and another is trying to con him into buying one of the lots. It seems the area has been running an elaborate real estate con for decades. There is another mystery in the area as a local bulletin board in the nearest town is full of posters for missing people and on it Clay recognizes something that makes him expand the case.

The Lost Coast is an extremely entertaining, well-written mystery that it full of intrigue, deception, secrets, and interesting characters. The complexity of the case increases with each new turn in the investigation, which keep interest high, the pace fast, and the plot compelling. It works well as a stand alone novel, although after reading it you will likely want to go back and read the previous novels in the series.

Clay is a charismatic character who will immediately garner your support and loyalty. He is trying to follow the advice of their couples therapist and keep Amy informed of his actions, situation, and safety level. All the characters are fully realized and interesting. Part way through the novel Clay teams up with Regina, another PI, and the scenes with the two working together are golden and sometimes hilarious. I hope to see her team up with Clay again in the future.

This really is a smart, interesting and un-put-downable investigative mystery. I'm looking forward to the next installment. Thanks to Random House/Ballantine for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2024/08/the-lost-coast.html show less