NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Psychologist Alex Delaware and detective Milo Sturgis unravel a shocking crime at a raucous wedding reception in this gripping psychological thriller from the bestselling master of suspense.“Jonathan Kellerman’s psychology skills and dark imagination are a potent literary mix.”—Los Angeles Times LAPD Lieutenant Milo Sturgis is a fine homicide detective, but when he … Sturgis is a fine homicide detective, but when he needs to get into the mind of a killer, he leans on the expertise of his best friend, the brilliant psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware. While Sturgis has a knack for piecing together the details of a crime, Delaware can decipher the darkest intents driving the most vicious of perpetrators. And there’s no better place for the doctor’s analytical skills to shine than a rowdy hall full of young men and women intoxicated on life and lust . . . and suddenly faced with the specter of death.
Summoned to a run-down former strip joint, Delaware and Sturgis find themselves crashing a wild Saints and Sinners–themed wedding reception. But they’re not the only uninvited guests. A horrified bridesmaid has discovered the body of a young woman, dressed to impress in pricey haute couture and accessorized with a grisly red slash around her neck. What’s missing is any means of identification, or a single partygoer who recognizes the victim. The baffled bride is convinced the stranger snuck in to sabotage her big day—and the groom is sure it’s all a dreadful mistake. But Delaware and Sturgis have a hundred guests to question, and a sneaking suspicion that the motive for murder is personal. Now they must separate the sinners from the saints, the true from the false, and the secrets from those keeping them. The party’s over—and the hunt for whoever killed it is on.
“As usual, [Delaware and Sturgis] form a formidable team. Also as usual, the characters here are varied and described with gritty clarity, and the puzzle facing the duo involves a delightful mix of L.A. culture, this time from its dive bars to its much more serious side.”—Booklist
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I’ve been reading Jonathan Kellerman’s Alex Delaware series since 1985, when I discovered When the Bough Breaks. It’s been a great ride, and the venerable Kellerman shows no signs of losing it with this latest installment.
Unlike some of the other books in the series, this one is a bit understated-it’s just a straightforward investigation into the murder of an unknown woman at a Hollywood wedding. Not that that’s a bad thing. The story really highlights the relationship between Det. Milo Sturgis and Delaware, who’ve been friends for quite a long time. Also unlike some of the other Delaware books, there are no really shocking moments in this story. The chain of events emerges piecemeal from persistence and good, solid investigative technique. The villain is satisfyingly evil, and his motivations believable.
If I have a complaint, it’s the treatment of Delaware’s longtime companion, Robin. She’s been with Alex even longer than Milo, and they’ve had their ups and downs-she even left him for a while at one point in the series. But after she returned, she became pure cardboard. All of the nuances so evident in Alex’s and Milo’s relationship are absent in Alex’s and Robin’s. She comes on stage to provide Alex with food or sex, then vanishes. This was annoying enough for me to dock The Wedding Guest one star.
There are certain things I’ve come to expect from an Alex Delaware mystery: pithy characterizations, sympathetic portrayals of troubled people, apt psychological insights, and clever dialogue. The Wedding Guest has all of these, plus the continued Holmes-Watson-like relationship between Delaware and Sturgis, beautifully nuanced as the ones we have with our own BFFs. The plot of the book, while interesting and satisfying, plays second fiddle (one of Robin’s refurbished ones) to the human foibles of the characters. I enjoyed The Wedding Guest and recommend it to anyone looking for a fascinating whodunit.
Did not live up to kellerman’s standard
Book # 34 in the Alex Delaware series and as usual a pretty solid read. Not fast paced with a lot of action, but with enough twist and turns to keep me reading and a satisfying ending.
The author and characters never fail to grab you and take you along to solve their latest crime.
Not as good as his usual books
Not up to the previous books in this series but still enjoyable.
I’ve read other Alex Delaware books and have really enjoyed them. This one was a very good read, but I couldn’t quite figure out how the victim and the murderer ended up in the same place at the same time or how the murderer could have known the victim was going to be where she was. So I really couldn’t tie up the loose ends, hence my 3 star rating.
While this did not add much to the Alex Delaware series in terms of being ground breaking, it was a solid read, and I disagree with readers that characterize it as boring. The characters are interesting, and the premise is good. Ever present policeman Milo Sturgis responds to a murder at a wedding (which just happens to be taking place in a former strip club). Quandary: no one knows the murder victim. Much of the book is spent piecing together who she is, and the connection(s) to the wedding guests. The book takes some twists and turns, and while some aspects are not explained, the ending is interesting although not groundbreaking. All and all I’d call it a solid read, although not one I’d recommend that people rush out to buy.
I believe I’ve read all of the books in the Alex Delaware series and enjoyed them all; The Wedding Guest was no exception. Called to help his friend Lieutenant Milo Sturgis investigate the death of an unwanted guest at a wedding reception, Alex and Milo are stumped for clues. Not even the identity of the dead woman can be determined, and proving her name is equally elusive. The bride, groom, his odd sister, and both sets of their parents seem suspecious, and may be hiding something. Figuring this case out will strain Milo’s police resources, and challenge Alex to provide his excellent insights and contributions. Working together, as usual, they are able to figure out exactly how and why this girl, and more people, were murdered. My favorite part of the Alex Delaware series is the relationship, banter and support these friends give each other. This book can certainly be read as a standalone novel, but I recommend that this series be read in order for maximum enjoyment. The books span many years in the lives of the characters, and it’s an added benefit to learn a little more about the main characters in each subsequent book in the series.
The Wedding Guest by Jonathan Kellerman, Alex and Milo are at it again! This time they are trying to figure out what a dead girl in a red dress was up to to end up dead at a wedding reception that as far as anyone can tell she wasn’t invited to and noone knew her. Good mystery as always with this series of books, I think Alex and Milo are getting better with age! Thank you Netgalley and Ballantine Books for allowing me to read this ARC book and give my honest opinion.
This is the first novel I have read by Jonathan Kellerman and in this series. While the novel can be read as a stand alone, having some background with this series would serve the reader’s interest. While the characters were well crafted, there was a slight feeling of disconnect in not having a full background. The narrative aimed at being character driven but the constant “back and forth” between the two main entities became disrupting and eventually slowed the pace of the plot thus shifting focus to the wrong aspects of the writing. The novel offers a story that revolves around the murder of an unidentified woman whose been found at a strange, chaotically themed wedding. None of the guests claim to know her and the list of suspects keeps growing. Overall it was a good read but didn’t heed the suspense factor that so many readers in this genre seek. 4 stars.
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Once again, Detective Milo Sturgis has invited Dr. Alex Delaware to the scene of a murder, this time at a wedding reception with a theme of Saints and Sinners. But before they can determine the who and why of the murder, they first need to identify the victim. As with all the other stories in this series, there is a great rapport between Milo and Alex. I enjoy the repartee between the two men, as they bounce ideas off of each other. This story provided a good concept of police procedures necessary to identify the suspect and determine what in her past could have led to her murder. There were suspects and potential motives galore, before the final denouement. The reason for the 4 stars, is while Alex participated in Milo’s thought process, I am not sure that his forensic psychology background truly helped in this context. But despite that, it was a good and detailed murder mystery, and I will definitely follow this series for future stories. Disclosure: I am voluntarily reviewing this book received through NetGalley, and all opinions expressed are my own.
Absolutely love the Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis series. A quirky wedding in an off the wall venue, Sturgis and Delaware keep chipping away in a case with no real leads. With a little bit less action and slower pace than I am used to in this series, it still comes to a crashing end as they get their man.. Can’t wait for the next installment. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.
4 stars
LAPD Lieutenant Milo Sturgis and his good friend psychologist Alex Delaware are called to the scene of a murder in a seedy “party” venue. Once a strip bar, now the site is used for get-togethers such as wedding receptions, bar mitzvahs and the like.
The victim is a young woman who was strangled to death. The problem is establishing her identity. No one at the reception claims to know her. Who was she and what was she doing there?
There are 103 people there including the disc jockey and the wait staff.
Alex and Milo slowly make some connections through interviews with the family of the bride and groom and their acquaintances. And what a collection of oddballs they are. Following several leads, complete with apparent dead ends, they locate a photograph under the bed of another person. The dead woman’s name is Suzanne Kimberlee DaCosta. Finally!
Now that they have a name, they are able to move a little more quickly on the case. Alex and Milo begin to make connections, and they lead to one place. In an exciting denouement, the killer is found.
This story moves along fairly slowly, but is redeemed somewhat by Milo, Alex and Robin’s relationships. I like the way they all get along – and have for years. Jeez, how many years have I been reading this series? Since the very first one! I feel old (-er). The book is well written but the plotting is a little slow. Is the author getting tired of his characters? I have enjoyed all of the Alex Delaware/Milo Sturgis novels, and will continue to read them as long as Mr. Kellerman continues to write them.
I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine/Ballantine for forwarding to me a copy of this great book for me to read, enjoy and review.