Gone: An Alex Delaware Thriller

This book would be outstanding if it were made into a movie! Really enjoyed the characters involved in this particular novel. Hope Alex stays in touch with Albert Beamish! I really liked the way the booked ended since I miss Spike.

Other than Alex being a shrink, there wasn't much psychological about this not-quite thriller. The much more interesting storyline, dealing with the vengeful Dr. Hauser was eons more interesting than the creepy sibling story in the foreground.

Well paced and smooth flowing, save for tedious descriptions of rooms and what people were wearing, the not-as-interesting-as-it-could-be story was the only thing keeping this from being a better read.

Once again, another good author gone to the dogs by signing the "book a year" contract with his publisher. I found this novel so boringly painful, I actually read a friend's first novel in between (which was immensely refreshing)! I am SO tired of these characters that this is the LAST Alex Delaware novel I will bother to spend money on. Listen up Kellerman! You're losing your audience!

I agree with a previous reviewer here. It seems as though the formula for Kellerman's novels is becoming predictable and stale.
I can almost tell you the exact steps the book will take you on from beginning to end. It doesn't matter who was killed or why, it's the same formula.
But is it hard to read? No. Gone is easy to read but if you've read the books before this one this will seem familiar.

Some time ago I came across an academic essay that analyzed the commercial ascendance of the thriller in print and film. The author praised several writers -- Lehane, Connelly, Rankin -- and dismissed the rest of the pack as "purveyors of mediocrity," which struck me as a bit pretentious. Only two or three names were singled out for outright contempt; "B-lister" Jonathan Kellerman was one of these.

I've been meaning since then to flip through/subject myself to a Kellerman book. On reading GONE this weekend, I understood immediately why he represents the bottom of the barrel: The novel just doesn't work. Its characters are transparently dull -- the narrator so much so that I kept forgetting the story was being told in the first person -- and its action lacking (about 85% of the book takes place in a police car). Worst of all is the plot: It's obvious who the killer is as soon as he's introduced, yet the detectives never even suspect him. And Kellerman fails to establish how ANY of the victims were associated with each other -- one is traced back to a theater workshop in LA, but the rest are never accounted for. The "let's get a puppy!" ending is the crowning insult.

Kellerman also seems to think (I'm speculating here, of course) that he's got some kind of insight into . . . let's see here: the "secret chambers" of the human psyche -- this because he was at one point a therapist for children. I'm not passing judgment on that profession, but Kellerman's every inquiry into his characters' minds is facile, boring, and completely without texture. The killer's pathology fails to convince. The leads' personalities are dull and duller, respectively.

Paper-thin, turgid, badly plotted, and flat-out flat. Nice jacket, though.

Take the talk recently about the downhill slide Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta novels have gone. You won't find this with Kellerman's Alex Delaware novels. I have read every single novel in this series and anxiously await any new Delaware novel like a child on Christmas. If you're like me and you like investing in the same character throughout a series of books then GONE is a book you should read, but not before reading some of Kellerman's past work. The main Character Dr. Alex Delaware does seem to grow and learn with each new novel, although I'm worried about the progression in the last two books of sidekick, Det. Milo Sturgis (I'm waiting for his heart attack!). Kellerman's books are easy to get engrossed in, plot moves quickly and has very few dull spots (you know, speed reading paragraphs skippers) so BUY THIS BOOK. Worth every penny of the hardcover price!

Alex Delaware finally gets to be Milo's full time helper and the saga sags. What made Delaware interesting was the sidebar pieces about the other patients and the rest of his life. While still readable, this book offers little other than an investigative journey with a pretty unbelieveable cast of characters. Kellerman needs to jump start this series.

Despite having never read an Alex Delaware novel, Kellerman's lead player, I didn't feel lost or a lack of character development. The detectives are hard-boiled but show a relieving amount of sympathy once the bad guys are caught. While some may find the outfits of the characters a repetitious sort of description, I was actually impressed at the man's eye for detail in clothing for both men and women, and it helped to picture the people better.
The clues he dropped were glaringly obvious of tell-tale horror to come, yet I still was kept gripped to the ending with the fast-paced action and several interesting side plots.
[...]

I read constantly and mostly light murder mysteries-meaning nothing gory etc. Gone was very boring and I believe so is because there are just too many characters-It was difficult to keep them all straight.There didn't seem to be much of a plot until practically the end.I have read Mr Kellerman's books before and found them a lot more enteraining than this one. Also he uses words I never heard before to describe something,rather than stopping to look it up I would have to guess, otherwise I'd lose what little plot there was at the time. Also I get offended when the dirty 4 letter words are used-granted it was only by one character-but neither needed to be in the story line.

I enjoyed the read but agree with the other review that there wasn't enough suspense. In past Alex Delaware books it seemed I was tearing the page as I turned to find out what happened next. This time around I wasn't doing that. Good read but not the best. I would suggest Winter Hill by Matthew Farrell if you're looking for a faster pace and a nice hook from beginning to end.

I am never disappointed in a Jonathan Kellerman book. I first read one about five or six years ago, then had to go back and buy all the others that he had written years ago. I am especially like when the author keeps a favorite character around like Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgess.

This book was impossible to put down. Kellerman who always writes at a high level really brought his A game to this novel. As always he uses terrific description to not only make you feel you are right in the story but brings the characters to life. Best of all the dialogue is vivid, funny, heartbreaking, and pulse pounding whenever Kellerman wants it to be. This is definetly a book to read sooner rather than later!

I am a Jonathan Kellerman/Alex Delaware fan but this book is just plain awful, the worst in this series. It's boring and the character development is almost nonexistent. I actually had to force myself to finish it when halfway through I realized it wasn't going to get any better. Maybe it's time for Kellerman to start a new series.

I had only read one Jonathan Kellerman book until I read this. Now I'm checking them all out from the library to catch up! I loved this book, it had me turning the pages, just waiting to figure out what was going on.

I had only read one Jonathan Kellerman book until I read this. Now I'm checking them all out from the library to catch up! I loved this book, it had me turning the pages, just waiting to figure out what was going on.

this has been an extremely disappointing read. All I can say is BORING, BORING, BORING. The characters are flat, the plot seems to be going nowhere. I feel like I'm reading a city guide to different restaurants and places in LA. Do we really need to know the streets and cross-streets of almost every place the characters go? This is the first of the series where I put the book down with no desire to finish reading it.

I think this is probably the best Alex Delaware book in a long time. While I thought that the story was a little predictable, the quality of writing made it completely worthwile. The last chapter of the book still haunts me - really frigtening. Also, if you are a fan of Alex's love life this book is for you.

As usual, Johnathan Kellerman writes yet another word perfect novel. His profession as a psychologist definitely reflects in his writing; it took me less than a year to read all his novels so that must lend credence to this. My only regret is that I wished I'd read them in cronological order, as each one makes a passing reference to an occurence in a previous one. If you love Los Angeles, Alex and Milo, and any of their associates, you won't be disappointed.

An OK read, but rather slow tedious until about three quarters of the way through and then a bit over the top. Still catching up on several in the Alex Delaware series that I haven't read yet; hope the next one is better.

I read all Jonathan Kellerman books, but this one put me to sleep. I was disappointed. I also think he should resolve this love interest and get Robin back. Allison needs to go. His books were better with Robin. These issues get boring after awhile.

I just finished this latest Alex Delaware mystery/thriller and think it's one of Kellerman's best. There's plenty of action, as well as interesting characters, and it held my interest most of the way. Although the story bogged down a bit midway, the climax was exciting and satisfying.