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Killer
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Killer
Unavailable
Killer
Audiobook10 hours

Killer

Written by Jonathan Kellerman

Narrated by John Rubinstein

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
After thirty-five riveting, internationally acclaimed novels of psychological suspense, #1 New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Kellerman returns with his most stunning thriller to date. Killer is a mesmerizing L.A. noir portrayal of the darkest impulses of human nature carried to shocking extremes.
 
The City of Angels has more than its share of psychopaths, and no one recognizes that more acutely than the brilliant psychologist and police consultant Dr. Alex Delaware. Despite that, Constance Sykes, a sophisticated, successful physician, hardly seems like someone Alex needs to fear. Then, at the behest of the court, he becomes embroiled in a bizarre child custody dispute initiated by Connie against her sister and begins to realize that there is much about the siblings he has failed to comprehend. And when the court battle between the Sykes sisters erupts into cold, calculating murder and a rapidly growing number of victims, Alex knows he's been snared in a toxic web of pathology.
 
Nothing would please Alex more than to be free of the ugly spectacle known as Sykes v. Sykes. But then the little girl at the center of the vicious dispute disappears and Alex knows he must work with longtime friend Detective Milo Sturgis, braving an obstacle course of  Hollywood washouts, gangbangers, and self-serving jurists in order to save an innocent life.
 
Killer is Kellerman—and Delaware—at their finest.
Praise for Killer
 
"Killer is well plotted and paced. . . . One of [Kellerman's] best."—Bookreporter

"As usual, the rapport between Alex and Milo is a show-stealer, and longtime fans . . . will love the well-executed flashbacks to Alex's professional past."Booklist
 
"Kellerman kicks this one up to a whole new level."RT Book Reviews

Praise for Jonathan Kellerman
 
"Jonathan Kellerman has justly earned his reputation as a master of the psychological thriller."People
 
"Kellerman really knows how to keep those pages turning."—The New York Times Book Review
LanguageEnglish
Release dateFeb 11, 2014
ISBN9780739369210
Unavailable
Killer
Author

Jonathan Kellerman

Jonathan Kellerman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty bestselling crime novels, including the Alex Delaware series, The Butcher’s Theater, Billy Straight, The Conspiracy Club, Twisted, and True Detectives. With his wife, bestselling novelist Faye Kellerman, he coauthored Double Homicide and Capital Crimes. He is also the author of two children’s books and numerous nonfiction works, including Savage Spawn: Reflections on Violent Children and With Strings Attached: The Art and Beauty of Vintage Guitars. He has won the Goldwyn, Edgar, and Anthony awards and has been nominated for a Shamus Award. 

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Reviews for Killer

Rating: 3.86065581420765 out of 5 stars
4/5

183 ratings25 reviews

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Fast and fun read. Reminds me of Sherlock Holmes in that you couldn't have guessed the ending because you didn't have all the facts. Still, it was a good book and not nearly as chaotic as some of Kellerman's others.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Fairly weak as the Alex Delaware canon goes. While the plot was developing nicely with beautifully delineated characters, the "who" of this whodunit comes pretty much out of left field. But it was still definitely worth reading.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Child psychologist Alex Delaware has been asked to evaluate a guardianship battle between two sisters over a 16 month old girl. For Alex the answer is simple, the child is within the acceptable behavior response patterns and the mother is no angel but she is dedicated and loves the child. The problem arises soon after he summits his report to the court...someone is trying to have him killed. As the min players start to turn up either dead or missing, Alex and LA Police Detective Milo Sturgis know that the answer may not be in shades of black or white but in shades of dirty gray.

    I have always liked this series. Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis once again brave an obstacle course of Hollywood washouts, gangbangers, and self-serving jurists in order to save an innocent life and this time to preserve Alex's sanity.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Jonathan Kellerman does not disappoint in this suspense novel of murder and intrigue. A dispute between sisters ends up in the courts in a custody battle involving a small child. The aunt thinks the mother is unfit, but psychologist Alex Delaware does not agree. His ruling sets off a chain of unusual events involving murder for hire, a concerned hitman, a different murder, a drive-by shooting, a disappearance, and more. With a twisting plot and multiple problems, this page-turner will keep you guessing who the killer really is. Always entertaining, always suspenseful.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    It gave a lot of descriptive detailed. Which was interesting but some time unjust wanted to get on with the story.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Fantastic as always, if you love the Alex Delaware novels then all you need to know is they are as good as always
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Killer is another murder mystery by Jonathan Kellerman that takes place in the city of Los Angeles. From the first page until the last the story keeps its suspense. The characters catch the killer(s) by observation and careful listening. The depraved characters, the settings, the storyline are all believable. This book is highly recommended thus the five star review.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    On a row with succinct reviews. I loved it and can't wait for the next Alex Delaware novel.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Jonathan Kellerman is one of my favourite writers, so I was very excited to receive an advance copy of his new book to review. It did not disappoint! Even after 29 books of his Alex Delaware series he manages to write an interesting suspenseful novel that isn't just a rehash of other storylines. I would definitely recommend this book to mystery/thriller readers and even if you have never read any of his other books this one stands well on its own.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I was lucky enough to receive an ARC from publisher via Netgallery.This was my first experience reading from the author.My mother is a huge fan of his and so I thought I'd try this novel.I really enjoyed all the characters and they way Mr Kellerman writes.I plan to read the other books in the future.So Mr Kellerman you have a new fan to add to your collection.I would highly recommend this book.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Kellerman does not disappoint in his latest Alex Delaware novel, Killer. A book that had me finding every possible moment to read. This novel of a custody battle gone wrong has you wondering right up to the end. Haven't read any of the other Alex Delaware books? No worries, you can pick up this one and fall in love with the story. You will love this book and the incredible author's work. Disclaimer: I received this book as a review copy.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Listened for Review (Random House Audio)Overall Rating: 3.50Story Rating: 3.50Character Rating: 3.50Audio Rating: 3.50 (not part of the overall rating)First Thought when Finished: Killer by Jonathan Kellerman was a bit of a twisted tale with a core story that made you think!Story Thoughts: This is one of those thrillers that I thought was part brilliant and part over-done. One thing Kellerman does really well is take you step by step through the case. Even when the plot is a little over-done, it is still done really well. I enjoyed the child custody case gone screwy but felt the story could have been a little more condensed. This is a great series though and this was still a very good read.Character Thoughts: We are book 29 into the Deleware series so I kind of base my character rating on those surrounding Alex. I thought the Sykes sisters were a pretty good example of opposites. Though I didn't think either was all that compelling, they did make pretty good foil for the case. I did enjoy the young patient with diabetes and his journey though. That was actually my favorite part of Killer!Audio Thoughts: Narrated By John Rubinstein / Length: 10 hrs and 58 mins I thought John Rubinsein did a pretty good job with the book. I don't think it is his fault that I felt the pacing was off in the story. However, pacing was more obvious in the narrated version than I think it would have been if read.Final Thoughts: Not my favorite in the series but still pretty darn good!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Killer by Jonathan Kellerman is a 2014 Random House publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.Alex Delaware, mild mannered psychologist become the target of killer . Connie Sykes is out to gain custody of her niece when the child's mother left her with Connie for a while so she could go off on her own adventure . When Alex is called in the evaluate the situation, he decides the child is better off with her mother. Connie didn't take the loss well. In fact she tried to hire someone to murder Alex and ended up picking someone that Alex had treated and the guy thought enough of Alex to blow the whistle. So, the plot is foiled, but before a case can be built against Connie, she is murdered. This is when things get a little tricky. Alex finds himself in debt to a gang banger for saving his life, the number one suspect in the murder is now MIA as well as the child, and Alex is still in danger because of all he knows. Milo is on the case of course, and Robin has digested this information quite well. She even handles it with grace and bit of gallows humor. The case of Sykes VS Sykes becomes a fodder for the courthouse gossips. It seems everyone is aware of the case and many of the details that should have been kept inside the courtroom. The judge in the case is alerted to the possibility of a revenge plot and so everyone involved is stretched to the breaking point.The important thing is to find the child. In the process the issue arises as to who the father is and well, there appears to be several possibilities. When more murders occur it becomes a race against time to find the child and her mother and prevent more people from being killed, including Alex.After 29 Alex Delaware novels you would think Kellerman would have run out of steam by now. There are not too many authors that can maintain a series this long without the characters becoming boring and predictable, often running out of interesting dialogue and cases. But, LA is filled people who believe themselves to be smarter than the police or in this case a psychologist. This is one twisted messed up case and Alex finds himself in it up to his eyeballs. There are many thought provoking issues raised in this story. The day to day courtroom dramas that should be confidential are perhaps talked about by court employees amongst themselves and pretty soon information that should be not be common knowledge is known by everyone. The people who work in law enforcement and for the system that see so many sad cases and the endless cycle of lives that go nowhere can become jaded and cynical really fast, making it hard to keep an open mind when they need it the most. Kellerman does a great job as always of showing the darker side of human nature and the effect a lifetime of disappointment can have on people which cause them to do crazy things. The ability to paint such vivid portraits of people and their flaws always has me sucked into these stories and once I start one I can't stop reading it. I think I have read every single one of the Alex Delaware mysteries. The one thing I do miss is Milo and Alex actually out working cases together. The last two books have really been focused on Alex by himself. Milo has had a lesser role in the last two books and I miss the discussions the two men had. Robin was also on a back burner in this one. She is rarely in the spotlight exactly, but she was really in the shadows in this one. Other than that one minor complaint, this was once again an excellent chapter in the Delaware series. This one gets an A.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Back in the day, when Joantahan Kellerman and I were both much younger, I was an Alex Delaware addict. I read every book Kellerman published as soon as it came out. Something happened along the way, maybe my doctoral program, and I stopped reading Alex Delaware books. So reading Killer was like coming back after many years abroad and finding friends to be much as I left them.In this novel, Alex is asked to make a recommendation in a child custody case. As his court-related cases go, this one seems pretty simple. That is, it does until people related to the case start turning up dead. Alex becomes part of the investigation into these murders, partly at the bequest of his friend, detective Milo Sturgis, and partly on his own accord.The plot in this one seems a bit of a stretch. The killer turns out to be someone only briefly mentioned earlier in the book. Still, it is a satisfying read. Who else but Kellerman could describe a character this way: "a skinny face and tired features gave him the look of a tired vulture."I am going to go back and read the Kellerman novels I have missed over the past few years. His characters and his style make up for any thin spots in plotting.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Jonathan Kellerman has been writing the Alex Delaware series since 1985 and "Killer" is #29 in the bestselling mysteries about a psychologist who helps LAPD with their homicide investigations and the courts with psychological assessments. In Killer, a judge asks Alex to weigh-in on a custody case involving two sisters. Dr. Constance 'Connie' Sykes is brilliant and rich, but she has a domineering personality and is sure she is never wrong. The young sister Cherie 'Ree' Sykes is poor, not very smart and has been involved with drugs in the past. Neither is married. Connie has petitioned the court to give her custody of Ree's daughter, Rambla Pacifico Sykes. Ree had once abandoned the baby with Connie for three months and she now claims to be the better mother. It's immediately apparent that Alex will find for the natural mother. This decision does not please Connie and she soon confronts Dr. Delaware and threatens him. The threat is so overt that there is inference that Delaware's life may be in danger so he notifies his long time friend, LAPD detective Milo Sturgis.

    I'm a big fan of the Dr. Delaware series but this is not the best introduction to them. I still found it had an engaging story with a solidi plot and interesting characters. There were just snippets of Milo and Robin so it was mostly just Delaware talking to himself. I will definitely be on the lookout for Number 30 in this wonderful series. You can't hit a home run every time!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Killer is an improvement over previous novels because it is less chaotic and frenetic. Kellerman manages to work in a bit of social commentary about the bureaucracy and shortcomings of the US Justice system, mental health care and foster care without sounding like a scold. Fast-paced page-turner and therefore quick read. Enjoyed.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I never get tired of Alex Delaware and Milo! Another good read. I enjoyed both the early reviewer copy as well as the audiobook!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Very well written. Even Alex Delaware's patient interviews are fascinating. I didn't like the ending much though. I like to be surprised in the end when I read mystery. I was surprised here all right. But there was no connection somehow between the rest of the novel and the ending, something that when you look back after finishing the book you can see that some signs were there and now the ending has tied it all together. i haven't found such ending in this case.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    It is hard to keep a series fresh and interesting. Usually I am surprised by the ending but when I know the end it makes sense. This time I guest the ending very early in the book but it did not hold together. The best character in the book died - not a good move. Maybe I am just tired of Alex.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Kellerman never disappoints.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Psychologist Alex Delaware's life is in danger when a participant in a custody case disagrees with his stand and takes out a contract on him. Violence, death and a missing mother and child complicate issues for Detective Sturgis and Dr. Delaware.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Forensic Psychologist Alex Delaware is asked to consult on a child custody case between two sisters. The case seems pretty clear cut but, when one of the sisters is murdered shortly after threatening him and the other sister disappears with the child, he has no choice but to help his best friend, LAPD Detective Milo Sturgis, to investigate.I am a long-time fan of author Jonathan Kellerman and that is due, to a great extent, to his ability to create very well-rounded characters and to then show compassion towards them even those who seem irredeemable. This has never been more true than in this, his latest novel. Here, the two sisters seem to be the opposite sides to the same coin but it becomes increasingly clear that it’s never that simple. Despite this being the 29th book in the series, Kellerman has definitely not lost his touch. As always, the story is character-driven but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of action and twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. Killer is one heck of a page-turner, the kind that will keep you up all night trying to figure out whodunit.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This book is part of the on going Alex Delaware series which I’ve always enjoyed as being a better than average detective story with psychological insights. Everyone will tell you teasers about the plot so I’ll not waste time with that; you can take my opinion or leave it also. I enjoyed reading the book, will recommend it to my reading groups, and those who want a well written story to occupy their time on these snowy, cold evenings. My continued thanks to the author and publisher who have made the book available for me to read as part of Net Galley’s program. I will post this on my account at Librarything.com as well.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I received this from NetGalley to read and review. This is one of many novels in this series by the author that I have read, and, in my opinion, they only keep getting better. In this novel, Dr. Delaware finds himself involved in a custody case as part of his work for the courts. In this case, one sister is suing the other for custody of her young child. After the case is resolved, things get worse, as the sister who sued and lost the case is found dead and the other sister, along with her young child, appears to have fled the area. Alex Delaware assists his policeman friend, Milo Sturgis, in the investigation. The story covers the involvement of the two sisters and their past histories, which becomes a bit complex, with many twists and turns, as Dr. Delaware and Detective Sturgis work to solve the case. As usual, I enjoyed the interplay between Alex and Milo, both of who are portrayed as they have been in the past. In this story, Dr. Alex Delaware’s long-time significant other plays a small, supportive role, and comes across as a caring, loving, supportive person, unlike some of her characterizations in past novels. I was happy to see this, because, previously, I thought she only detracted from the stories and served no real purpose other than to how that Dr. Delaware has a normal life and relationship with a member of the opposite sex. In past novels, the author has touched briefly on the open homosexuality between Milo Sturgis and his long-time companion, and, in light of changes in current climate of the country, I would hope he plans to spend more time to developing it. I think this also would show how normal Detective Sturgis is, which would likewise be good for the characters and the storyline. I do think the author does illustrate how good a Detective Sturgis is, and how Dr. Delaware compliments him so well even when not involved in psychological evaluations and treatment.The basic plot of this story is nothing all that special, but the author has managed to weave a fascinating tale of a dysfunctional family and its aftermath in the children of that union. I was not surprised by the ending, but I thought it did come as a bit of a surprise, and there could have been more lead-up to it. This book will be interest to all die-hard Alex Delaware fans as well as o anyone who enjoys a good mystery. Though Dr. Delaware is a professional psychologist, in this and other books, he is more than that, so the books are never filled with psychological mombo jumbo, which can be confusing to any person not involved in the field.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Killer is Jonathan Kellerman’s 29th novel featuring the child psychologist/law enforcement consultant Alex Delaware, partnered with LAPD detective Milo Sturgis. It begins with Alex being asked to assess the maternal fitness of two sisters involved in a custody dispute. It seems a simple case and his report a mere formality, but denied guardianship of her niece, Constance Sykes blames Alex, and contracts a killer.It may seem odd to nominate the Alex Delaware series as a ‘comfort read’ but my familiarity with it makes it so for me. I find I easily slip into the rhythm of the narrative, lulled by the soporific voice of the Doctor. I can rely on the personalities, and circumstances, of the main characters remaining largely unchanged and the plots, though somewhat predictable, are always satisfyingly resolved. I have to admit my attachment to the series make it difficult to be objective but honestly even at its worst, you can expect a solidly crafted, readable novel.Is this Kellerman’s best? No, though perhaps the better of the last half a dozen or so novels. With the fate of a missing toddler in question, Milo and Alex disagree about the identity of the suspect assumed not only responsible for the child’s disappearance, but also a string of related murders. And in the face of mounting evidence, and recent events, Delaware succumbs to a rare display of self doubt.The last few books have been dominated by Delaware’s role as a law enforcement consultant and I like that in Killer, Delaware returns to his ‘roots’ so to speak, as a child psychologist. A subplot involves the reappearance of a former patient, once a truculent teen struggling with Diabetes, now a gang leader in an unique position to repay Alex for his help. Wile I love Milo, I hope that this is an indication Kellerman will be shifting the focus back to Delaware’s practice.If you aren’t familiar with the series, I think you could pick this up to read as a stand alone but you’d be missing out. As a long time fan, I enjoyed Killer, zipping through it in a couple of hours, happy to catch up with old friends and lose myself in a new case.