Motive: An Alex Delaware Novel

Another excellent book. I've never found a book that is 100% excellent but Jonathan Kellerman comes the closest to perfection. His main characters, Alex and Milo, continue to keep me riveted page after page until before I know it the book has come to an end. However, the one drawback of this book was the ending. It was too abrupt for me. I expected to turn another Kindle page for more of the story and there was the dedication. Sort of shocked me even though all the loose ends were neatly tied up and there really wasn't anyplace else to go with the story but the ending just seemed sudden. As far as the story itself is concerned, the plot, psychological dissection of the killer, pursuit of the killer, and final outcome were as usual, excellent. Kellerman's writing style flows so evenly and easily that his books are never a chore to "get through" and you won't find any typos in these books. Other reviewers have provided details of the plot so I'll end this review as a strong recommendation to others who enjoy murder mysteries to read this book and better yet, start the series from book one, When the Bough Breaks (made into a movie), and look forward to many satisfied reading hours.

Police consultant/psychologist Alex Delaware and his sidekick, Homicide Detective Milo Sturgis, return for the thirtieth time in this novel, and perhaps my lack of real enthusiasm for the book simply reflects the fact that I've read all of the twenty-nine earlier entries and the formula seems to have gotten somewhat repetitive and stale, at least for me.Part of the problem, I think, is that the characters have not grown, developed or changed in any significant way for a very long time. The two main characters have been settled in their respective committed relationships for a long time now; there's no news there, and each of their partners makes a token appearance or two in the book, for no real apparent reason, save to remind us, I guess, that they're still around.I've also grown really tired of Milo Sturgis who may be a fairly good detective but who otherwise is really an unlikable slob. I long ago tired of the way he stuffs himself like a pig at every opportunity and he really doesn't seem to have any especially appealing characteristics. This is not a guy I would like to hang out with in real life for any length of time, and I don't especially enjoy hanging around with him in these books much any more.Also, as I've complained before, unlike the earlier books in this series, there often seems to be no real need for Milo to be dragging Delaware along on these cases. He's no longer being paid by the department to officially consult, at least in this book. So what's he doing getting involved?As this book opens, Milo has a case he hasn't been able to solve involving the murder of a young woman and so, rather than turning to other detectives or experts in the department he decides to ask Alex to take a look at it, which really isn't very logical. There is an aspect of the case that might benefit from some psychological analysis, but it's a pretty thin reed upon which to hang Delaware's involvement.Alex is of no real help and then another woman is killed. Initially, there's no apparent connection between the two cases, but nonetheless, Alex is along for the ride here too. As the book progresses, other victims will fall and it soon becomes apparent that there are at least a few pretty sick people around the fringes of this case. Alex will offer some psychological insights, but if the killer or killers are to be found, what's really going to be needed is some good, basic, old-fashioned police work, and there's simply no plausible reason why Delaware should be doing it, save for the fact that he's the main protagonist in the series.The story itself is OK, but it doesn't rise to the standards of the earlier books in the series and really didn't get my heart racing as much as a thriller should. I'm still holding out hope, though, that sooner or later we'll get a new book that recaptures the mojo that made this series and Alex Delaware so compelling early on.

I too have read all of Mr. Kellerman's Alex Delaware novels and this one has to rank toward the bottom. Having spent many years in So. Calif., I enjoy his descriptions of neighborhoods and towns with which I am familiar. But for this book, that's about all that caught my attention. While the first part of the novel seemed promising, Kellerman seemed to just want the story to end with a "twist." I agree that he's made Alex into a better detective than Milo, which is ludicrous. I wish he'd just slow down, work as hard on the middle and the end as on the beginning and makes us sorry the story has ended. This just didn't do it.

I will admit that after a spate of questionable books published by Jonathon Kellerman and, with a great deal of trepidation, I was more than cautious approaching 'Motive.' Bygones aside, 'Motive' turned out to be a kind of blast from the past type of Kellerman novel. The kind that drew me in and kept me going right to the very last page. Something must be in his fingertips! Though Kellerman knows how to entertain, it has always been his attention to detail that truly sets him apart and elevates him from horror gore to a literary likeness so seldom found in books of this genre. For instance, he does not dumb down his writing for the sake of his readers, but expects them to be right there with him, bringing to the table all the same tools/resources and an ever-healthy sense of the macabre. 'Motive' is the first book (in quite some time) that requires the reader to be as engaged in the plot as the characters. Despite Kellerman's - previous - less than stellar creative period, he's back in the swing of things - high brow, low chakra style of crazy that only Alex Delaware can solve. Lucky for him, he's not alone: faithful companion Milo Sturgis actually dusts the cobwebs off a few philosophy/literary flashbacks and the scene is set for a bumper rumper ride with twists and turns aplenty!

When you want quality go for a kellerman book and you will not be disappointed. Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis are two of the most well written characters in fiction, Milo a homicide detective who no-one wants to work with, as he has never hidden his homosexuality, calls his best friend psychologist Alex Delaware when he needs help or a sounding board and Alex is always ready to help in any way he can. This series has been running for about 30 years so kellerman is obviously doing a great job with these characters, (for the record Milo is my favourite) reading the latest instalment is like catching up with an old friend, who always has the best gossip. How Kellerman keeps the plots fresh and the murder stories gripping is the biggest mystery. Anybody not familiar with Alex and Milo I would suggest starting at the beginning with When The Bough Breaks it's not dated and you won't be disappointed.

I just think Jonathan Kellerman gets better with each book. Love the characters, love their relationships and always love the intriguing storylines. But with a Kellerman review one is usually preaching to the converted. All I say is keep it up. Kellerman has somehow found a receipe for continued success which many other thriller writers appear to would love to follow but often fail. Keep it up Kellerman. In this book I really enjoyed the deep mystery of the storyline with Delaware and Sturgis really unable to connect whatever dots there are available to them. Loved the manic foodie angle as well as the crazy sisters and the unreliable lawyers.

I loved this less than other books in Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware series. It's well written, with a beautiful writing style, great attention to detail, interesting characters. But it's full of plot holes.One character - an obvious suspect, with means, motive and opportunity - never gets investigated, never even gets suspected. I can't imagine that experts like Alex and Milo never even consider this person. Then there's another line of enquiry that's obviously set up as a plot thread but never gets pursued, which is odd. It's as if Jonathan Kellerman had written the book originally with the fully developed plot, and then someone else decided it was too long, and cut random chapters from it.The ending is also unsatisfying, the solution centering around a character who was not part of the story, which I found frustrating. To avoid spoilers, I'm not giving details about the plot holes and solution.

This is almost two books patched together. There is the opening scene and then a long tale about something else and then the story links back to the beginning. Without a spoiler I can't say more. This is the worst book in the series - I have read them all - and I had a hard time finishing it.Do not pay for this book unless like me you're addicted to the series from the beginning!What's happening to Jonathon Kellerman?

Have read all Alex Delaware books, some are better than others, This one is boring and has the most stupid ending, Its like the Author just gave up and left it. Used to like this series (love Milo) but don't think I will be reading anymore