Deception

LAPD Lieutenant Milo Sturgis is a big, feisty, gay man with a love for food and a sharp sense of humor. He’s also one of the city’s top homicide investigators. When the body of Elise Freeman, a substitute teacher, is discovered packed in dry ice alongside a DVD that accuses fellow teachers at an elite preparatory academy of sexual harassment, Milo knows he needs help. He reaches out to LAPD consulting psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware, believing that a psychiatrist's second opinion is crucial.

Together, Milo and Alex unravel a web of deceit involving both students and teachers, leading to a series of murders. Despite facing obstacles from the wealthy and privileged, the duo persists in their quest for the truth, driven by their show more unwavering commitment to uncovering the facts. While the story features minimal action, the plot moves forward through witty and entertaining dialogue. show less

A teacher/tutor at an exclusive LA prep school is murdered, and Alex and Milo set out to find out who did it. The difficulties are complicated by the fact that Milo's boss has a son at the school, and doesn't want any publicity, and by the fact that the teacher turns out to have been a very busy girl. There are few people to like in this one (even Alex and Milo are losing appeal, as they grow ever more cynical) and lots of negative vibes about lots of things. But even if it's not very likable, it's a compelling read, which is afterall what a mystery is supposed to be.

Two and a half stars. When Jonathan Kellerman was first recommended to me, I read all of his books up to that point in a matter of weeks. Now, I was looking for another book but came across this one. Delighted to read it again, I was eager to discover -why- I liked it in a critical way. His books consist of a lot of dialogue that can be repetitive, but it's overall fast-moving. The characters and their relationships are enjoyable. I've always really liked that French bulldogs are supporting characters, and in some cases save the day. I've actually recommended these books to people based on that. I knew as I read this book that the character relationships would be strong, major plot twists near the end but organic, and the action uneven. show more That's true. However, I'd forgotten his reliance on cheap stereotypes whenever one of the characters was a minority, especially if the character was a villain or supporting villain. That really annoyed me. Still, I'd be okay with reading his books again. show less

Right from the start, Alex and Milo find the murder of a teacher from an elite prep school raising puzzling questions. Why is there so much interest from above in keeping the case hush-hush? Why has protocol been breached in the handling of evidence? A strange DVD of the victim before her death adds further intrigue and could she have identified her murderer on the recording? And that's just the beginning. People are not always what they seem.

"Deception" is well-written and fast paced as it builds to a big finish. Full of suspense, interesting characters and enough turns to keep even the most seasoned armchair investigator guessing, fans will be greeted by old, familiar friends and those who are new to Jonathan Kellerman will likely be show more inspired to check out some of his earlier books after finishing this one. Great read, very entertaining- show less

I hate reviews that start by quoting the dust jacket, so I'll spare you. This was another good mystery by Kellerman. I like that he spent less time on the angst of Sturgis and Dr. Delaware and more time on the story itself.

Kellerman is one of the very few authors that I have been reading for many years that I think is still able to turn out a well written and interesting mystery.

It seems that I've been writing about reading comfort food for days now. That's because I've been recovering from gallbladder surgery (am much better now) and haven't been worth much beyond reading. I love Jonathan Kellerman, although I've been disappointed in his last two books. He's gone through a period where I wondered where he could be going with the series and it looked like it was going nowhere good.

In Deception Kellerman really regains his footing. Once again the partnership between Alex and Milo is at the center of events. The story is interesting and complicated and full of wonderful twists and changes - nothing is what you expect. I particularly like the friendship between Alex and Milo and I like how it's grown. As they've show more partnered together through the years they've each learned things from the other and the partnership itself feels as solid as any marriage.

Good narrative, great plot, and it was the perfect read for a convalescent. Thanks Mr. Kellerman for keeping me entertained! show less

I always enjoy the Milo/Alex books, but this one bothered me. I really enjoyed the author tackling private schools and the privileges of the rich, but all of the main female characters were referred to as sluts. Really? C'mon.

Not all main female characters should be characterized as whores. Give us a positive female role model that plays a huge role in the novel.