NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Psychologist Alex Delaware and detective Milo Sturgis search for answers to a brutal, decades-old crime in this electrifying psychological thriller from the master of suspense.LAPD homicide lieutenant Milo Sturgis is a master detective. He has a near-perfect solve rate and he’s written his own rule book. Some of those successes—the toughest ones—have involved his best … ones—have involved his best friend, the brilliant psychologist Alex Delaware. But Milo doesn’t call Alex in unless cases are “different.”
This murder warrants an immediate call. Milo’s independence has been compromised as never before, as the department pressures him to cater to the demands of a mogul: a hard-to-fathom, megarich young woman who is obsessed with reopening the coldest of cases—the decades-old death of the mother she never knew.
The facts describe a likely loser: a mysterious woman found with a bullet in her head in a torched Cadillac that has overturned on infamously treacherous Mulholland Drive. No physical evidence, no witnesses, no apparent motive. And a slew of detectives have already worked the case and failed. But as Delaware and Sturgis begin digging, the mist begins to lift. Too many coincidences. Facts turn out to be anything but. And as they soon discover, very real threats lurking in the present.
This is Delaware/Sturgis at their best: traversing the beautiful but forbidding place known as Los Angeles and exhuming the past in order to bring a vicious killer to justice.
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Another winner from one of my all-time favorite authors
I have been reading Jonathan Kellerman books since he first started publishing fiction in 1985. SERPENTINE is the 36th offering in his Alex Delaware series and I have read them all – . and enjoyed them all. I have also read some of his other fiction but have never ventured into his non-fiction world. Before becoming a novelist, Kellerman was a child psychologist and has written some non-fiction books based on that time in his life. These books look interesting but – you know – so many books and so little time.
I feel like I’m catching up with old friends every time I read an Alex Delaware book. I love Delaware, his wife, his dog, his lifestyle, and the partner he helps out – LAPD Homicide Detective Milo Sturgis.
In this book, Sturgis is told to find out what he can about an ancient “cold case.” He’s not thrilled to be doing this especially because someone higher up in rank than him is doing a favor for someone.
But soon Milo and Alex find themselves not just with one “cold case” but many along with a whole slew of secondary characters.
These books always ring true to me, maybe because author Kellerman is also a child psychologist like Dr. Alex Delaware plus the stories are usually based in the Los Angeles area, which the author is very familiar with.
I highly recommend this newest. Alex Delaware book – and if you’ve never read the series and love psychological thrillers like I do, start at the beginning and work your way through them (it doesn’t have to be expensive. I don’t know of any library system that doesn’t carry this best-selling author’s books).
I received this book from Random House through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.
It’s been quite some time since I’ve read an Alex Delaware mystery, but by the end of the first chapter it was like I’d slipped right back into Alex and Milo land. These two friends and crime fighters are at it again when Milo is asked to look into a thirty-six-year-old cold-case murder. The case quickly becomes a covulated mix of suspects and witnesses that the team manage to dig up from all those years ago. Someone isn’t happy with their investigation though, and strange things begin to occur. Will the pair be able to put all the many threads together in time to catch the culprit before anyone else gets hurt? The book started slow for me, but picked up about halfway through and my interest was heightened. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion. I gave it three and a half stars rounded up to four.
A huge thank you to NetGalley, Random House-Ballantine books and Jonathan Kellerman for the chance to read Serpentine in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Alex i called in to see what he thinks of the latest case Milo has been assigned, a long cold case that has gone nowhere for more than 30 years. As only Alex and Milo can do, they begin to pull at one thread after another until the find a way to unravel secrets from many years. You would think that the characters would get tired or stale after so many years but, the author manages to keep everything current and fresh and engaging with every book. I am already telling others they need to pick up this book as soon as it is released. You will not be disappointed!
4.5 STARS
Detective Milo Sturgis and Psychologist Alex Delaware team up again when Milo is assigned to look into a cold case …
The powers that be have ordered Milo to investigate the death of a woman who’s wanting to know what happened to the mother she never knew. Thirty-five years ago a woman was found in a torched car with a bullet in her head. The case was never solved.
The more Milo and Alex dig, the more questions they have. Over the years several detectives have been given the file, but with no witnesses, no DNA, no suspects, it’s remained unsolved.
Does anyone believe in coincidences? As they go back in time, they find several other “accidents” that have taken the lives of people who knew the original victim… and the killing still goes on today. Who is killing … and why? While digging up the past, the present becomes much more dangerous for the duo.
It’s another winner for Jonathan Kellerman! Although 36th in the series, it is easily read as a stand alone. This series just never gets old. The plots are intricate with plenty of suspects to follow. The characters are solidly drawn amid a background of suspense and mystery. Fans of Alex Delaware will eagerly grab this book. For newcomers, this is a great place to start.
Many thanks to the author / Penguin Random House – Cornerstone / Random House – Ballantine / Netgalley for the digital copy of this exceptional crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Serpentine by Jonathan Kellerman brings murder and disappearances to the 36th book in the Alex Delaware series. It’s a combination of mystery and suspense in a police procedural. The books are also very cerebral in nature.
Los Angeles Police Lieutenant Milo Sturgis and psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware team up again when Milo is given a 36-year old unsolved cold case, for which the original file is missing. Dorothy Swoboda was found in a burned out car and the coroner’s report showed she had also been shot. Ellie Barker, who made a fortune in exercise wear, is her daughter and was raised by her stepfather after Dorothy died. When attending a society function, she mentioned she wants to find out who killed her mother and soon a deputy chief of police is assigning it to Milo. But after 36 years, who is even still alive to be investigated? Where is the missing murder book? With no physical evidence, how can they solve the case?
Milo and Alex have been friends for years and while they often approach cases from different standpoints, their investigative and cognitive techniques gel as well as their dispositions, and they keep the cases fresh, entertaining and moving along. The way they bounce ideas off of each other feels natural. At this stage of the series, the main characters are well known to this reader and have depth. Some new secondary characters show up as well as some that have been in previous books to keep things interesting.
The writing style flowed well and I knew I was back with old friends. Kellerman’s writing is polished and appealing, doing a good job of transporting me to the Los Angeles area. Whether they are talking about or experiencing the traffic or food or the people, I was living the events with Milo and Alex. The story had several twists and there were a couple of surprises at the end. It was definitely not predictable to me. Will you be shocked by the culprit’s identity?
Overall, this was a story that quickly drew me into Milo and Alex’s world and their latest case. It was an engaging read with a solid mystery to unravel.
I recommend it to those that enjoy the series and cerebral procedurals. I don’t recommend jumping into this series at number 36, though. Start earlier in the series to have the best reading experience. I have read over 20 books in the series and plan to read them all. They’re never disappointing.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine and Jonathan Kellerman via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for February 2, 2021. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
At a rich people’s do, Andrea Bauer hears 2 women talk about a 36-year old unsolved murder and decides to pull some strings. Ellie Barker’s mother was shot and burned in ‘her’ car. She employed several PI’s but never got an answer to what had happened. Now Milo is put on the case with the help of his friend psychologist Alex Delaware. At first reluctant, they dive into the case and find out that there were already 3 detectives who investigated this over the years, but none of them had any success. 2 of them have died since then; the third one says that he felt that he was put up to fail. Atypical here is that almost everybody is very friendly and helpful, maybe even too helpful?
This is another great story in this series. The investigation meanders in every possible direction and you never know what part of which conversation will be relevant. But you know that Milo and Alex will find the pieces of this puzzle and put it all together. That’s something I really like in these books, real old school police leg-work (well, cars here) without fancy CSI or DNA miracles or heroic chases and shootings by super-cops. Although there is some DNA testing going on, it’s not the thing that solves everything.
Kellerman always gives very good directions and road descriptions. I’m certain that locals can trace the journeys they make without much effort. If you’re like me, you look up some of the places on Google earth and such. Of course, I won’t check out all the details but sometimes I’m just curious what the area or scenery looks like.
Also usual is that the detective and doctor consume a lot of delicious meals in various establishments or out of Alex’s larder and fridge. Milo isn’t too happy when they meet a witness in a place with organic apple-juice that doesn’t look too pretty. I always get hungry when I read books by Kellerman!
There are a lot of accidental deaths in this story, not only amongst the witnesses or people remotely involved but even amongst the police. But there are also a lot of nice and friendly characters in this story. Milo brokers an unexpected friendship between 2 lonely women that could be a mother and daughter age-wise (but they’re not). He’s a secret softie at times.
I received a free ARC from Netgalley and Random House UK and this is my honest and unbiased review of it.
What a ride was reading this story!
Just like a serpentine, all the twists and turns kept me guessing throughout the chapters and honestly I loved every single moment of this book.
Great characters with so much depth and how their long time friendship is just taking its course and the solving of the case just flows uninterrupted. A cold case mystery, rich and famous family, people that are willing to take any risk for achieving their goals, so much suspense and drama, what’s not to like really?
So many small clues but also theories that aren’t proving to be right, and that for me makes a great must-read book.
Jonathan Kellerman’s new book is aptly titled because there were so many twists, turns, and serpentine-like moves in this tale, that it truly was a winding read.
A cold case from decades ago is thrown into Milo Sturgis’ lap, so of course he involves Dr. D. From there we’re taken to the Hollywood hills, a shady nightclub from the 80’s, Texas, and told a tale of loss, wealth, murder, and abandonment of fatalistic levels.
As usual, Alex provides the calm to Milo’s raging storm and their ying and yang is perfect in all aspects of this story.
The one complaint I have is the one I have for every Delaware story. Kellerman spends endless pages on travel directions throughout California, naming streets and turns and addresses ad infinitum, plus the numerous descriptions of Milo’s never-filled appetite and his food selections, have me skipping ahead to the actual story at every turn. If not for those filler passages, I would give this book the 5 stars it so richly deserves.
Thanks Netgalley for a sneak peek! 4 stars (shoulda been 5!)
Ok, disclaimer. Love Milo and Alex. Robin, not so much.
This one was one of the better books Kellerman has done in the series lately. This one seemed more layered. Good read.
Milo is asked to look into a very cold case and isn’t happy about the push from the higher ups. The young woman who pulled strings wants to know who killed her mother all those years ago. She was a child when she died a doesn’t like the fact that all these hears later her mothers murderer has still not been found. Milo knows he’ll have to start at the beginning and pulls his favorite psychologist and friend Alex into the mix. There isn’t much for Milo to work with, no motive that he can find, no physical evidence to be had, and not a witness in sight. Milo begins to dig deeper into the case than he ever has before for a case and begins to find small pieces to the puzzle. As the two scrape away to find more clues coincidences begin to stick out. They soon realize that this case goes much deeper than they ever could have imagined. Dive in and follow along as these two greats try to find a killer and close an old mystery that should have been closed all those years ago!
Intricate, sharp, and sinister!
Serpentine is a menacing, creepy police procedural that sees psychologist Alex Delaware and LAPD Lieutenant Milo Sturgis tangled up in a thirty-six-year-old cold case that seems at first glance to be an isolated car accident, but as the investigation unfolds and numerous related murders crop up, this case quickly becomes a lot more complex and dangerous to all those involved.
The writing is descriptive and clever. The characters are multifaceted, elusive, and secretive. And the plot is an ominous, compelling mix of twists, turns, red herrings, secrets, deduction, mayhem, manipulation, violence, and murder.
Overall, Serpentine is riveting, dark, crafty and unbelievably the thirty-sixth book in the Alex Delaware series. I have yet to read a novel by Kellerman that isn’t suspenseful, pacey, and extremely satisfying, and this one, once again, didn’t disappoint.
A solid addition to the Alex Delaware series with a well written plot and lots of twists and turns, making this a must read for all Jonathan Kellerman readers.
Ok, disclaimer. Love Milo and Alex. Robin, not so much.
This one was one of the better books Kellerman has done in the series lately. This one seemed more layered. Good read.
I love Alex & Milo stories They have great chemistry. This book had several twists and turns that kept me guessing up until the end.
I read most of Jonathan Kellerman´s books, especially, Alex Delaware´s novels. The duo Alex + Milo never cease to entertain and surprise the reader as they complement each other and work in tight connection although with totally different working lines. Serpentine was no different, strong ploy, strong digging in very old case files and old memories, what seemed impossible to discover comes to light with an unexpected ending. Enthralling, full of action, and with lots of funny or dear comments in spite of the dire circumstances of both main characters’ work. Another very entertaining story, worth reading every single word!
I downloaded a free copy of this book through NetGalley and this is my honest review.
This was an entertaining, well-written book. The book was fast-paced, held my attention and I didn’t want to put it down. I enjoyed this book and this author is a must-read for me.
368 pages
4 and 1 / 2 stars
Milo and Alex have a very tough case in this, the latest, in the Alex/Milo series by Jonathan Kellerman. “Serpentine” is a perfect title for this book because the case is very twisty and surprises abound.
Milo gets roped into investigating a cold case. Thirty years earlier, a woman’s body was found in a crashed and incinerated car with a bullet in her. Her name is Dorothy Svoboda. She left behind a common law husband and a daughter. The daughter is now very wealthy and wants to know the circumstances of her mother’s death.
Milo is angry at first but then becomes interested in the case and likes the woman who is asking about her mother. He and Alex go on the search for clues. Several detectives have investigated the case over the years. Only one is still alive. They undertake an exhaustive search through newspapers and old acquaintances of Dorothy’s.
The meet some of the movers and shakers of old Hollywood. They learn valuable information.
This is a very well written and plotted novel, although it seems to lose its way in some spots. (Hence the 4 and 1 / 2 stars.) A couple of the transitions had me going, “Huh?” I really like Milo and Alex and enjoy their repartee. They have been partners for such a long time, they can finish each others’ thoughts. Their easy relationship is refreshing and welcome. I like the way Milo’s team pulls together and gets the job done efficiently.
I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine/Ballantine Books for forwarding to me a copy of this great book for me to read, enjoy and review.
Meh
It was an enjoyable read.
Interesting characters & plot