Deception: An Alex Delaware Novel

As always, I enjoyed this Alex Delaware book. The interplay between the police detective, Milo, and the psychologist, Alex, is fun and funny. Their personalities and humor amidst solving a murder keeps the story light, while still solving an ugly case, and keeps the reader interested every page. This is my fourth Alex Delaware book. Now on to the others in the series.

Spoiler alert.. sorta. I really got frustrated by this book; one minute they were acting like everything the murder victim said was lies, b/c as they found out she was a liar, however when they decided one young man was a suspect they kept saying that the victim was fearful of him.... it just didn't add up to me. I let myself get behind on the Delaware series, I guess considering what is this 25? It was worth reading.

This was an excellent addition to the Alex Delaware/Milo Sturgis saga. It's well crafted, lots of logical leads, and a sad statement about the sense of entitlement of the uber-rich. I know these are mysteries for the pure sense of mystery and often have a message to make you think about the world in general, but I wish Mr. Kellerman would put more of Robin and Rick in the books. They would not degenerate if we saw more of their personal side! Other than that, this was a page turner from the opening, and I highly recommend it.

ps--I read this on my Kindle, and I support the store's efforts to keep the book costs low. My Kindle rocks!

I find the constant description of what the various characters are wearing lends nothing valuable to the
storyl. I skip over each description as quickly as I can. I do not see the relevance adding to the story itself.
This is my basic complaint.

Truly Milo and Alex are growing rather tepid in their old age. I have always enjoyed the edginess of the Alex Delaware series but this instalment left me feeling that perhaps it is time for the duo to consider retirement. The appearance of a second body comes when expected and the whole book just felt like one big yawn with no interesting twists or turns to it that I usually love from this series.

When Kellerman first brought the Delaware series forward, the books were a welcome and unique entry to the mystery genre: a psychologist who used his unique insights and training to solve crimes, especially those involving children, child psychology being Delaware's specialty as a shrink.

Milo Sturgis was a supporting character to whom Delaware would turn when he needed police support. But what made the series so appealing was the idea that Delaware was getting inadvertently involved in solving mysteries while trying to cure his patients, and his expertise as a psychologist would afford him the unique perspective from which to solve those crimes, in spite of the ineffectiveness of the police.

My, how times have changed.

Milo Sturgis is now the central character; Delaware's simply along for the ride, and to act as a sounding board for Milo so that we readers don't have to sit through endless exposition; his being a psychologist has become completely irrelevant, and isn't even used as a device anymore. Gone are the descriptive passages that establish place and setting, which were so evocative of LA in all its varied motifs. Gone are any personal story elements, such as those involving his girlfriend Robin or his dog; they've become nothing more than set dressing for the few passages when Delaware's in his house (presumably just to have something happen in a different physical scene). Dialogue consists of terse exchanges between Sturgis and Delaware; many of the scenes with witnesses or suspects remind me of the old "Dragnet" TV series, or maybe "Law & Order".

The series has become a hard-boiled detective series starring Sturgis; it's almost on the level of pulp fiction; certainly "police procedural" genre rather than psychological mystery/thriller.

Now, on that level these recent books - including "Deception" - work okay... for what they are. So, I guess I'll give it 3.5 stars on that basis.

But if you're expecting classic Delaware, especially if you're a long-time reader, you're in for a big disappointment.

I understand that over time authors make creative decisions, and sometimes elect to change their approach to a character or series. That's certainly their right. But then we as readers need to be aware of what we're getting. Some people may well like this transition; others certainly won't.

As I said, as a procedural or hard-boiled detective novel, this book works okay. But as an "Alex Delaware Novel", I think it falls far short of the mark, and is overall pretty pedestrian.

Eh...I have to agree with some reviewers on this. I haven't picked up a (Jonathan) Kellerman in a couple of years, but the story looked interesting in this one so I gave it a shot. To my surprise, I found that if this were the first Alex Delaware novel you've read (and you CAN do that, they are all pretty much stand-alone books, even after all these years), you would have absolutely ZERO idea who the main character is! How ridiculous and shame on you Jonathan, for being too lazy to give us SOME kind of Alex story during the course of the book! Someone else reviewed that Alex is merely a sounding board (and refrigerator and junk-food buddy) for Milo. I like Milo, though he is sort of a stereotype. But who is this mysterious narrator? He has a dog, a girlfriend who makes musical instruments (and has about three lines of dialogue in the whole book), and he lives in a house someplace in or near Los Angeles. Yawn. He is almost never WITHOUT Milo in this book, and basically acts as a chauffeur. On the other hand, the mystery isn't bad at ALL! If you've been reading these books since the 80's, as I have, you can read this as a diversion, just something to pass the time, but if you are looking for Kellerman's usual psychological drama, you are going to lose out.

I dropped Kellerman books for a time in concert with comments of declining enthusiasm of other reviewers . For me, it was primarily "just too much" narrative and dialogue with Delaware's girlfriend Robin. Bought this book (used) on a trip when alternatives were in short supply. It's a decent story with a different type of crime. To my positive surprise, references to Robin were minimal although the few situations and dialogue still top the "oh, please" list but even references to the dog seem trite.

I noted some negative comments by other reviewers about Kellerman's descriptions of Milo's focus on food. I didn't note the same intensity but assume the references were to reinforce a specific image of Delaware's detective friend. Still, to another reviewer's point, Milo seems to be the only "non-beautiful " character. I find him the most realistic which I believe more and more readers want to see these days..

Many authors pattern their writing after the late Robert Parker "Spencer" books with his ever-present side kick as well as the too perfect girlfriend Susan. Her role in his books also grew tiresome with many readers as well. It was fun at first then transitioned into a real drag as a steady diet over time accompanied by lower readership ratings. I question why these perfect people are in the books at all unless it's that the authors have what they consider "too good to resist" quip lines that would only work with these circumstances. Wish they knew how much of a turn off these unrealistic characters are, let alone when the dialogue is so overly contrived as well.

Regrettably, it appears in the review notes for the next book that Robin is back in full swing with the same negatives. She needs to take the dog on extended guitar materials hunting trip and, in the current jargon, "go missing" or stated another way "get gone".

Jonathan Kellerman has created a distinct style in the mystery/thriller genre. His two signature characters, child psychologist Alex Delaware who has a comfortable lifestyle courtesy of good investments and his friend, Lt. Milo Sturgis, who is gay. Each book in the series has richly fleshed out characters save for Dr. Delaware's tiresome live in lover, Robin Castagna. I never liked Robin and I do get sick of how she is nothing but a meal companion and a sex partner for Dr. Delaware. The bulk of the time they spend together revolves around food in some form or fashion - going out to eat; meal prep or eating. Despite her career as a luthier crafting and repairing instuments for famous rock stars, she is annoying. Dr. Delaware takes a rather patronizing, chauvinistic tone with her. In more than one book in the series he shuts her up by kissing her instead of listening to her, despite her inanities. That sounds very sexist to me.

In "Deception," a teacher named Elise Freeman is found dead with a dvd at her side. Upon viewing the dvd, Dr. Delaware and Lt. Sturgis see Ms Freeman warning any viewers to investigage three fellow faculty members should anything anything happen to her. Ms. Freeman claims that she has been abused by the faculty members she names. These teachers are all on the staff of the prestigious Windsor Prep Acadamy.

Investigating the Windsor Prep Acadamy, the sleuths travel down a very long and winding road. Trying to determine the truth behind Ms Freeman's death is not going to be easy. Rich families with powerful connections are what keep the school in business, along with a few students on scholarships. Finding out what lurks (or who lurks) behind the Academic Curtain is where the sleuths come in.

The upper class members have been spoonfed a sense of entitlement. The question remains as to whether any of the student body knows about the murder. Many suspects crop up. Ms. Freeman's boyfriend is one possibility. So are some of the faculty members at the school. The upperclass students are also possible persons of interest. The school has some things to hide, such as questionable test scores.

Like Gone (Alex Delaware, No. 20), this is a gruesome, yet excellent mystery. Pure Kellerman, each question segues into another. What started out being a murder being investigated became a series of mysteries, each seemingly unrelated from the others. The question remains is whether or not these mysteries DO have any connection. The conclusion is --- worth the read.

Deception is the 25th Alex Delaware novel. It involves a suspicious death of a teacher, an exclusive prep school, a multitude of suspects and the requisite interfering political establishment. Front and center in this book (and the last several) is Milo Sturgis, the LAPD homicide investigator and friend of Alex Delaware, the child psychologist. As a mystery this is an entertaining enough story if a bit formulaic. The potential subjects are introduced slowly and the case is developed at a good pace. Kellerman continues to provide a sense of place in his descriptive writing about southern California - people are always jumping into the car to drive somewhere. The writing is a bit choppy with short chapters. The characterizations seem to have become a little flat. Milo's love of food has crossed over into a glutinous approach to the refrigerator every time he enters Delaware's house. I also was disappointed in the ending for me it had an out of nowhere feel to it.

I think Kellerman has lost his touch with this series. What used to distinguish his Alex Delaware novels was the psychological component. Plots were complex and dark (When The Bough Breaks) and some times down right scary (Blood Test). Villains came out of the work that Delaware did in his private practice treating damaged children. Delaware would have the lead in crime solving and only occasionally bring in Milo Sturgis when police participation was needed. All that has changed now and the series has turned into a pretty standard police procedural with Sturgis in the lead and Delaware along for the ride as a quasi police partner. I am giving this a 3 out 5 rating because it is an acceptable but unexciting police procedural.

We gave up on Kellerman's Alex Delaware series quite a few books back when it became clear Delaware's "justification" as a consulting psychologist to the police, especially the very interesting Detective Milo Sturgis, had evolved into little more than being a sidekick. "Deception" isn't much different, as Alex spends most of the book doing little more that narrating the story for us. OK, at least we didn't have to put up with his live-in girlfriend Robin - that relationship turned silly many books ago. Best of all, the plot was reasonably interesting and reasonably suspenseful - a part-time teacher and tutor to a Prep school for the wealthy has turned up murdered (presumably), discovered in her bathroom resting atop a tubful of dry ice! The police chief's son is a senior at Prep, and awaiting fancy college acceptance letters, so the chief wants no bad publicity to draw unwanted attention to Prep. So with one hand tied behind his back, Milo (with Delaware tagging along for some reason) starts digging into it, with all manner of red herrings sending the pair down one false trail after another until they finally start to latch onto the where, why, how, and who. So - a fairly satisfying mystery, but with nowhere near the level of intrigue representative in the early books in the set.

Jonathan Kellerman has developed a winner in the characters of Milo Sturgis and Alex Delaware. Each new novel promises the maximum amount of entertainment with a puzzling new case. Deception, the latest in a growing line of well written novels, promises to turn over a few well place rocks to reveal the creepy humans who hide there.

In Deception, Elise Freeman, a faculty member from prestigious Winsor Prep Academy is found murdered and a DVD is found next to her body. When played, the DVD reveals a woman who has suffered abuse at the hands of multiple abusers for more than a year. As the story unfolds, it appears that the culprits are fellow faculty members and co-workers. As the details become more warped, Detective Milo Sturgis is assigned to the case. Both he and Dr. Alex Delaware must untangle the clues to get to the truth. However, that task is complicated by the resistance of both the school and the wealthy clientele that send their Ivy League bound children there.

Deception is a hand wringer. Should the upper class be allowed to hide behind a curtain thus hiding their own sins and should those that cater to this class be allowed the same privilege? This is an interesting question, because it appears that the answer to this question is usually yes.

Kellerman does a good job in keeping the story fresh and the characters interesting. After-all, after 25 of these books, keeping things moving isn't easy.

All in all, I think you'll be glad you read Deception.

A psychologist myself, I have been a fan of Jonathon Kellerman's Alex Delaware series for over 15 years now. Unfortunately, I was starting to feel that the series was getting a bit stale--with 20+ books, that's not surprising, right? Happily, Kellerman seems to be on the rebound with the most recent novels in this series. I enjoyed the last installment, Evidence: An Alex Delaware Novel, and I wound up liking this one even a bit more.

As usual, the novel opens with a murder. This time, however, we don't see the crime scene; instead, we are taken straight to Detective Milo Sturgis calling on his psychologist friend, Alex Delaware, for assistance in a case that is extremely hush-hush. The problem is that the victim has implicated (via a DVD left behind) three fellow teachers at a prestigious prep school in Brentwood--the same prep school where the Chief of Police's son is a college-bound senior. So, Milo and Alex are on the case, yet they are given only a very limited ability to do what they need to do in order to solve the homicide.

The plot in DECEPTION takes many interesting turns. On the one hand, it becomes a bit convoluted at times, but on the other, Kellerman ties up the loose ends neatly, ending on an almost sentimental note involving Alex that is more akin to his earlier works in the series. Also similar to the early novels, Alex does some independent sleuthing here, something that has been conspicuously absent from the most recent books. My only small complaint is that Alex's girlfriend, Robin, continues to play a very minor role; I would love to see Kellerman restore her to the more well-developed character that she was previously.

Overall, I enjoyed DECEPTION, and I would recommend it. To fans who have given up on this series, perhaps you might want to take another look.

I enjoyed DECEPTION more than the last few Alex Delaware novels Jonathan Kellerman has published. I may have liked this book better than the other recent books because I personally enjoyed the parts that are set at a very upscale prep school in Brentwood where all is not as perfect as the buildings and grounds lead outsiders to believe. Still, DECEPTION comes nowhere close to the quality of Kellerman's great books such as BILLY STRAIGHT (not considered a Delaware) or WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS the first of the Alex Delaware/ Milo Sturgis mysteries which with the publication of DECEPTION can now claim twenty-five volumes.

In DECEPTION Kellerman does bring back more of the authentic, well realized Southern California settings and characters that make his best books so enjoyable to read. And in this new outing Milo and Alex rely on social networking sites to do some online sleuthing keeping the detective duo who first debuted in 1985 up with the times. Alex's annoying girlfriend, Robin, is thankfully on the periphery of this outing and Milo's relationship with his long term love interest (handsome and apparently perfect emergency room physician Rick) gets a few mentions but seems as unlikely and puzzling as ever. A great deal of suspension of disbelief is also needed to believe that civilian Delaware is allowed so much access in to high profile LA crimes and Kellerman might be more believable if he just permanently put him on the LAPD's payroll. DECEPTION is another quick pageturner from Kellerman that is marginally better than his last few efforts.

The last three books out of this author have been so below average as to what we expect from him, I am hoping his creative juices have not dried up because I have read all of his previous books and have been thrilled with them. This particular read was one of those books that you think is going to get better--page after page until you are about 50 pages from the end and then you know it will not get better but you finish it anyway hoping for a great boffo ending--well, it ends with a whimper and you have wasted hours of your time. The review was given 3 stars instead of 2 because I did actually finish and the basis of the story line was interesting.

On the plus side, we get less of the girlfriend. Robin, and more of Milo and his wonderful adjectives for his superiors. On the minus--Less of Delaware's insight and participation, more of Milo scarfing tons of food, not utilizing supporting characters of past novels that we are used to (Sean Binchy, Moe) and after bringing in fairly important characters not utilizing them to the fullest. MILD SPOILER ALERT The final reveal is a big fat out of nowhere flop. Interesting ending but not a good one.

Maybe Mr. Kellerman will bring in his son Jesse the next time and give us something extra special.

I get a little tongue-tied with uninitiated friends when I attempt to describe Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware/Milo Sturgis novels. I'm not sure why that's so. It's impossible to exaggerate how quietly brilliant this series has been. No matter what I say (or even write), I don't feel like I'm doing Kellerman or his books true justice. Let me try once again.

Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis are an odd couple. For those not familiar with the series, Delaware is a psychologist in private practice who is occasionally called upon by Sturgis, an LAPD homicide detective, for insight and advice when confronted with an unusual case. Kellerman has chosen to eschew stereotypes as a shortcut to describing both men. Delaware bears none of the uneasy eccentricities that one occasionally finds in those who work in what are known as the "helping professions." Sturgis is a gay male in an occupation where such an orientation might not be viewed entirely favorably by the rank and file, but he is secure enough in who he is to the extent that he wears nothing on his sleeve. More than colleagues, the two of them (tactfully) exchange unvarnished truths, and Sturgis, an endearing foodie, can walk into Delaware's home and raid the refrigerator with nary an upturned eyebrow from Delaware or his wife.

DECEPTION, the latest installment in the series, begins with the discovery of a dead body that may or may not be the result of a murder, although the homicidal nature of the crime is determined quickly enough. The body in question belongs to Elise Freeman, a substitute teacher and tutor at an extremely exclusive and fashionable Los Angeles area prep school that caters to the children of the rich and famous. Freeman has left behind a DVD in which she speaks from beyond the grave, accusing three faculty members of sexual harassment. They immediately come under suspicion for the murder, as does Freeman's occasionally convenient boyfriend, who discovered her body.

Sturgis, with Delaware ever-present, begins interviewing the suspects, but there is an interesting wrinkle that hamstrings the investigation. The son of the Chief of Police is a senior at the prep school where Freeman taught, and any untoward publicity involving the school might impede the lad's chances of being accepted at the university that his father has picked out for him. Sturgis is used to going where the investigation takes him, and the "mother-may-I" limitations under which he is requested to function raise his hackles in short order. Delaware observes, speculates, advises, and most importantly for the reader, narrates the action, occasionally editorializing as Freeman's life outside the confines of the classroom is slowly and tantalizingly revealed. When another murder takes place, the identity of the killer seems to be an almost foregone conclusion --- until it isn't. There are many unexpected twists and turns toward the climax, which reveals that a number of people besides Sturgis and Delaware have the right stuff.

DECEPTION is peppered with lots of interesting characters, some of whom are old friends from previous installments in the series, others of whom will be gone but not forgotten by the next volume. And while the novel is heavy on entertaining dialogue, that imbalance makes the occasional jump-out moment more stark and surprising.

Milo Sturgis and Alex Delaware are back together, investigating the rather strange murder of a woman who works as a substitute teacher at an exclusive private school. The case is politically sensitive, of course, because children of many rich and influential people attend the school, and they all want to cast blame anywhere but within the walls of their esteemed institution.

After a few somewhat tepid books and one or two in which Kellerman seemed to just be phoning it in, Deception is a quiet pleasure for this Kellerman fan. Of late I have often thought that maybe Kellerman needs to give Alex and Milo a rest and focus on Petra O'Connor or some other characters for a while, however in this book, Kellerman seems to move his books to a different level. He focuses more on Milo as a detective, as a man who is dedicated to justice and finding out the truth and is willing to run over anyone who gets in his way, at substantial risk to his own job. Milo knows that he's gone as far as he can in his career, he's happy where he's at, and he knows that even though the Police Administration may not like him or his way of doing things, they realize that they can't afford to let him walk away because his solve rate is higher than that of anybody else on the force.

Alex Delaware is actually more of a background character in this case, serving as an intelligent version of Conan Doyle's Dr. Watson and chronicling Milo's thought processes and detective wizardry. He doesn't actually seem to do much in this book but serve as a sounding board for Milo and occasionally offer a psychological insight or two. I didn't really mind this, however, because I have long thought that Milo is a much more interesting character and have wanted to see a book that focuses more on him.

Those readers who are hoping for a deep psychological thriller in line with the early Kellerman novels will probably be disappointed in this one, but those readers who want to read a good police procedural, such as fans of the Harry Bosch novels, will probably really enjoy this book.

This tale concerns an oversexed high school teacher who is apparently killed and placed in a tub of dry ice, a high-priced snobbish prep school, a police official's son attending the school and the official not wanting to cause the school any difficulties until his son is accepted at Yale University.

Kellerman follows his interesting and affective style: An unusual crime is committed; the case is assigned to police lieutenant Milo who asks his friend psychologist Delaware for help; Delaware makes brief astute observations throughout the novel; Delaware never seems to make a mistake; there are comments about Milo's homosexuality, both favorable and non-favorable; frequent visits by Milo to Delaware's house where he raids his refrigerator; Milo eating often in Delaware's car as the pair drive around the city; short, relevant, clear, and clever descriptions of people and locations; sharp entertaining interrogatories by Milo; excellent responses by Milo to questions when he answers by asking a cunning question; Milo relying on Delaware's insights while Milo is repeatedly praised for being smart and the story shows that he is indeed smart; twists and turns in the plot, first one, then another, then another etc. person seems to be the culprit; a penultimate or near-penultimate chapter in which Milo interrogates the murderer(s) at length and pulls together seemingly all the relevant facts; a final chapter where an almost overlooked event is clarified. The book's title is usually not clarified until the reader knows what prompted the murder.

Despite the near formula writing, the plots differ and the novels are suspenseful and well worth reading, as is this one.

"You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous." -- Deuteronomy 16:19 (NKJV)

Elise Freeman, a substitute English and history teacher at exclusive Windsor Prep Academy, turns up dead under most unusual circumstances. The investigation quickly turns up DVD in which Ms. Freeman accuses three of her fellow teachers of extreme misconduct . . . a DVD apparently recorded due to being in fear of her death. Other interests determine that the investigation proceed, but at a very low key level. It's just the beginning of a very bizarre trail through the hidden side of the lives of those with too much money and ambition.

A staple of many police procedural plots is to have a conflict of interest that influences the investigation. Milo Sturgis isn't likely to be easily dissuaded from doing his duty, even when the conflict arises from the police chief. The tension does create some memorable humor in this police procedural filled with more red herrings and plot twists than in any five other murder mysteries. The satire of how the very rich and ambitious live can be amusing as well.

I like books that draw my attention away from the real criminal, and this plot was quite effective in that regard. I found it to be a big improvement over the last few Alex Delaware books.

At the same time, Milo and Alex failed to be as interesting as they were earlier in the series. There's just a lot of throw-away humor about eating too much and psychobabble as substitutes for character development and involvement.

I came away from this book feeling encouraged that Jonathan Kellerman seems to have put some real effort into this book. With a little more affection for his characters, he can easily make this a top-notch series once again.

This was a good psychological mystery. Milo Sturgis, the LA homicide detective, has drawn a case to investigate the death of a teacher from a prestigious prep school. As usual, he brings psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware into the mix to help him solve the mystery.

As the plot develops, it appears there is direct interest in the case from the Chief of Police with a personal reason for keeping the case low key. As Milo and Alex interview witnesses, it appears that the female victim was a sexual predator who used her sexual advances to get what she wanted.

In the end, Milo and Alex discover a huge scandal surrounding the school and the victim, which led to her death.

A good mystery and a good read.

Ed Benjamin is the author of Cash In on the Obama $3 Trillion Spending Plan!: How to make large amounts of money by conducting business with or receiving grants from federal, state, and local governments

This Book was MY Introduction to Alex Delaware and Jonathan Kellerman. I Picked it out at random at the Common Room/USO while on an assignment with ...(Protected SA Pact) ... in Early Fall 2011.
In Hindsight, this may not be the Best of the Series, but it was interesting enough for me to go further into the series, and collect ALL the Rest of the Tittles, and Other Works of Kellerman, (A task I had Only done with my 007 Collection). Now, I have the Entire Delaware Collection in Print, Ebook and AudioBook Format.

Kellerman is a powerful author. His stories are well told and well constructed and his characters are interesting. How many good books can any successful writer produce? Most of us cannot even produce the first one. So, this one is not on the "best" list, there is no doubt about that. The characters are not fully deployed, the action is not terrific,the plot is not appealing. Forgive the author and lose the book.
One thing I like in all these books is that the bad guys are always different in age, in appearance, in motivation, they are all the same in darkness. It is true for "Deception" as well. The trouble is that this time, the killer is so uninteresting that the book falls flat. It is too much like in real life: I have often been a prison visitor, and I got to say most criminals are flat too.

A teacher/tutor at an exclusive LA prep school is murdered, and Alex and Milo set out to find out who did it. The difficulties are complicated by the fact that Milo's boss has a son at the school, and doesn't want any publicity, and by the fact that the teacher turns out to have been a very busy girl. There are few people to like in this one (even Alex and Milo are losing appeal, as they grow ever more cynical) and lots of negative vibes about lots of things. But even if it's not very likable, it's a compelling read, which is afterall what a mystery is supposed to be.

I always enjoy Alex Delaware novels but this book captured my interest even more than usual. Just when you thought you had things figured out there would be a new layer. Plan to read this one slowly - allowing all the details to register. I am thinking of a re-read fairly soon.

One of the better entries in Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware series, IMO, "Deception" is a cleverly plotted book with enough twists and turns to keep the pages turning swiftly. Half the appeal of this series is, at least to me, the relationship and dialogue between Milo and Alex, and in this book both were especially well developed. I've probably read eight or nine Alex Delaware books and this is one of my favorites. Recommended.

I enjoyed the book and liked the overall plot with the teacher Elise Freeman which is is found dead with a DVD which shows that she was abused by the teachers in the school, and enjoyed that Alex got to do some detective work of his own like in earlier books.

I am a big fan of Kellerman's series of Alex Delaware's investigations. I like the idea of a psychologist becoming increasingly involved, and often central, to complicated crime investigations, and I really like the personal touch with his close friend with Milo Sturgis and also his relationship with partner and the dog. But it was because of my past knowledge of the characters which influenced my opinion, and wonder whether I would have enjoyed them as much if this was my first book of the series. They aren't really properly introduced in this book. Overall I didn't enjoy this book as much as I have earlier Kellerman edition and even though it was reasonably paced it was not as exciting as as Kellerman's other books. After so many similar books, it is fairly formulaic and follows the same process of teasing the reader and throwing lots of red herrings into the mix. Milo seems to be the main character in Deception and Alex feels like more of an observer than the central character somehow. His role seems to be less clear in this book and sometimes it was hard to place him in the investigation. There were some plot-holes, like the lack of good medical data and also psychological assessments, and there are also a lot of characters. But other than those wobbles, I still found it a good page turner.

Jonathan Kellerman never disappoints. The plot twists enough to make the book a page turner, and never falls into cliche or predictability. His characters are consistent and as real as they need to be. Always a good read.

Another disappointing book from the pen of an author who used to write in an intelligent, solid and engaging way. Alex Delaware offers little genuine insight, serving primarily as a chauffeur and straight man for Milo. The characters are flat, the conversation banal and the plot cluttered rather than complex. On the up side, we heard little about Robin or Rick with blessedly little of the relationship angst that sometimes overpowers the story. Every time Kellerman releases a new novel I hope for a return to the quality that marked his earlier books that I fear will never be seen again.

At the beginning of Deception, two of the characters question the need to bring Alex Delaware, a consulting police psychologist, into the case of a substitute teacher who was found dead in a bathtub filled with dry ice. I can't help but feel that this question was Jonathan Kellerman voicing his own doubt about it. Indeed, I am half way through, and I still don't see what Alex is doing that couldn't be accomplished by an average police detective. Although the victim is somewhat interesting, with her varied sexual history and her complaint from beyond the grave of sexual harassment on part of three faculty members at a prestigious preparatory school, the case itself seems like a substandard whodunnit. It's a procedural at its most banal, as the three faculty members are presented one at a time for interviews. There is not one compelling personality among the suspects, and the only drama so far has been an exaggerated sense of the sensitivity of the case. The police chief's son goes to that school, and messing up the case might (?) interfere with his chance to go to Yale. There are just no stakes to this mystery at all.

I just passed a point in the book where a major incident occurs between the police detective and his boss, but the incident itself seems totally manufactured. It really didn't need to happen, and the moment wasn't truly earned in relation to the way the story was being built.

I have had a hard time committing to reading entire books lately, and I told myself that I was going to get through this one, but, given some of the other reviews, I'm not going to bother.

Windsor Preparatory Academy teacher Elise Freeman is found dead in her apartment in Studio City. The victim is found lying in a tub of dry ice. Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Weinberg assigns the homicide investigation to Lieutenant Milo Sturgis with a stern warning to keep the exclusive Brentwood school out of the inquiry as much as possible though he offers no explanation; veteran cop Milo is used to personal agenda restrictions from superiors..

Milo is concerned with his boss' admonition because Elise left behind a DVD accusing three of her peers of sexual harassment. He believes the case must start with them. Psychologist Alex Delaware assists Milo on the case and soon the pair find a teacher with plenty of skeletons that those involved with her want to remain interred. However, one of them has killed before and is willing to kill again to keep the bones buried.

As always in this remarkable police procedural, the lead pair of Milo and Alex make for a fine story line as they debate the merits of the case and much more. The investigation is totally hampered by Chief Weinberg placing a major stipulation on Detective Sturgis; this adds depth and a sense of realism to the whodunit. Fans of the long running series will enjoy Deception as the investigators seek Evidence while walking the tightrope of brass interference.

Harriet Klausner

I read the first Delaware novel and several years ago started to read them again. The years have not been kind. This one continues the trend and is very weak. The problem is it is a waste of time. The author has his main characters interview all the suspects and they remain just that for the whole book. None are ever eliminated. Then in the last 30-40 pages the real murderers surface. They come out of left field and are not people that were part of the investigation to that point. This is dirty pool and makes the first 90% of the book a waste of time.

Deception is most certainly not a bad novel by any means. It is just not terribly memorable for a product of one of the huge names in the murder / detective genre. The writing style is good and the book flows nicely. You will have no problem getting to the end.

But I think this is one where the details will sort of dissolve in your memory after a few months.

It's great for reading on a plane but it is not likely to stimulate a great deal of thought or discussion.

I really enjoyed the characters Kellerman created in this novel of crime and suspense. Lieutenant Sturgis is a funny guy and his dialogue helps offset some of the horror involved in the crime. There were numerous twists as the plot unfolded, and no loose ends at the conclusion of the story. Overall, a suspenseful read.

Kellerman is a powerful author. His stories are well told and well constructed and his characters are interesting. How many good books can any successful writer produce? Most of us cannot even produce the first one. So, this one is not on the "best" list, there is no doubt about that. The characters are not fully deployed, the action is not terrific,the plot is not appealing. Forgive the author and lose the book.
One thing I like in all these books is that the bad guys are always different in age, in appearance, in motivation, they are all the same in darkness. It is true for "Deception" as well. The trouble is that this time, the killer is so uninteresting that the book falls flat. It is too much like in real life: I have often been a prison visitor, and I got to say most criminals are flat too.

A teacher/tutor at an exclusive LA prep school is murdered, and Alex and Milo set out to find out who did it. The difficulties are complicated by the fact that Milo's boss has a son at the school, and doesn't want any publicity, and by the fact that the teacher turns out to have been a very busy girl. There are few people to like in this one (even Alex and Milo are losing appeal, as they grow ever more cynical) and lots of negative vibes about lots of things. But even if it's not very likable, it's a compelling read, which is afterall what a mystery is supposed to be.

I always enjoy Alex Delaware novels but this book captured my interest even more than usual. Just when you thought you had things figured out there would be a new layer. Plan to read this one slowly - allowing all the details to register. I am thinking of a re-read fairly soon.

One of the better entries in Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware series, IMO, "Deception" is a cleverly plotted book with enough twists and turns to keep the pages turning swiftly. Half the appeal of this series is, at least to me, the relationship and dialogue between Milo and Alex, and in this book both were especially well developed. I've probably read eight or nine Alex Delaware books and this is one of my favorites. Recommended.

I enjoyed the book and liked the overall plot with the teacher Elise Freeman which is is found dead with a DVD which shows that she was abused by the teachers in the school, and enjoyed that Alex got to do some detective work of his own like in earlier books.

I am a big fan of Kellerman's series of Alex Delaware's investigations. I like the idea of a psychologist becoming increasingly involved, and often central, to complicated crime investigations, and I really like the personal touch with his close friend with Milo Sturgis and also his relationship with partner and the dog. But it was because of my past knowledge of the characters which influenced my opinion, and wonder whether I would have enjoyed them as much if this was my first book of the series. They aren't really properly introduced in this book. Overall I didn't enjoy this book as much as I have earlier Kellerman edition and even though it was reasonably paced it was not as exciting as as Kellerman's other books. After so many similar books, it is fairly formulaic and follows the same process of teasing the reader and throwing lots of red herrings into the mix. Milo seems to be the main character in Deception and Alex feels like more of an observer than the central character somehow. His role seems to be less clear in this book and sometimes it was hard to place him in the investigation. There were some plot-holes, like the lack of good medical data and also psychological assessments, and there are also a lot of characters. But other than those wobbles, I still found it a good page turner.

Jonathan Kellerman never disappoints. The plot twists enough to make the book a page turner, and never falls into cliche or predictability. His characters are consistent and as real as they need to be. Always a good read.

Another disappointing book from the pen of an author who used to write in an intelligent, solid and engaging way. Alex Delaware offers little genuine insight, serving primarily as a chauffeur and straight man for Milo. The characters are flat, the conversation banal and the plot cluttered rather than complex. On the up side, we heard little about Robin or Rick with blessedly little of the relationship angst that sometimes overpowers the story. Every time Kellerman releases a new novel I hope for a return to the quality that marked his earlier books that I fear will never be seen again.

At the beginning of Deception, two of the characters question the need to bring Alex Delaware, a consulting police psychologist, into the case of a substitute teacher who was found dead in a bathtub filled with dry ice. I can't help but feel that this question was Jonathan Kellerman voicing his own doubt about it. Indeed, I am half way through, and I still don't see what Alex is doing that couldn't be accomplished by an average police detective. Although the victim is somewhat interesting, with her varied sexual history and her complaint from beyond the grave of sexual harassment on part of three faculty members at a prestigious preparatory school, the case itself seems like a substandard whodunnit. It's a procedural at its most banal, as the three faculty members are presented one at a time for interviews. There is not one compelling personality among the suspects, and the only drama so far has been an exaggerated sense of the sensitivity of the case. The police chief's son goes to that school, and messing up the case might (?) interfere with his chance to go to Yale. There are just no stakes to this mystery at all.

I just passed a point in the book where a major incident occurs between the police detective and his boss, but the incident itself seems totally manufactured. It really didn't need to happen, and the moment wasn't truly earned in relation to the way the story was being built.

I have had a hard time committing to reading entire books lately, and I told myself that I was going to get through this one, but, given some of the other reviews, I'm not going to bother.

Windsor Preparatory Academy teacher Elise Freeman is found dead in her apartment in Studio City. The victim is found lying in a tub of dry ice. Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Weinberg assigns the homicide investigation to Lieutenant Milo Sturgis with a stern warning to keep the exclusive Brentwood school out of the inquiry as much as possible though he offers no explanation; veteran cop Milo is used to personal agenda restrictions from superiors..

Milo is concerned with his boss' admonition because Elise left behind a DVD accusing three of her peers of sexual harassment. He believes the case must start with them. Psychologist Alex Delaware assists Milo on the case and soon the pair find a teacher with plenty of skeletons that those involved with her want to remain interred. However, one of them has killed before and is willing to kill again to keep the bones buried.

As always in this remarkable police procedural, the lead pair of Milo and Alex make for a fine story line as they debate the merits of the case and much more. The investigation is totally hampered by Chief Weinberg placing a major stipulation on Detective Sturgis; this adds depth and a sense of realism to the whodunit. Fans of the long running series will enjoy Deception as the investigators seek Evidence while walking the tightrope of brass interference.

Harriet Klausner

I read the first Delaware novel and several years ago started to read them again. The years have not been kind. This one continues the trend and is very weak. The problem is it is a waste of time. The author has his main characters interview all the suspects and they remain just that for the whole book. None are ever eliminated. Then in the last 30-40 pages the real murderers surface. They come out of left field and are not people that were part of the investigation to that point. This is dirty pool and makes the first 90% of the book a waste of time.

Deception is most certainly not a bad novel by any means. It is just not terribly memorable for a product of one of the huge names in the murder / detective genre. The writing style is good and the book flows nicely. You will have no problem getting to the end.

But I think this is one where the details will sort of dissolve in your memory after a few months.

It's great for reading on a plane but it is not likely to stimulate a great deal of thought or discussion.

I really enjoyed the characters Kellerman created in this novel of crime and suspense. Lieutenant Sturgis is a funny guy and his dialogue helps offset some of the horror involved in the crime. There were numerous twists as the plot unfolded, and no loose ends at the conclusion of the story. Overall, a suspenseful read.

Excellent mystery. Delaware & Sturgis are back, keeping LA safe from all kinds of weird goings-on. A very fast paced book.

A teacher in a local school is killed and coworkers are suspects. Her death is being kept under QT. That's the first mystery. The team finds a film about her death and that's the next clue.

Students at the nearby university provide some clues and some just might be people of interest...

Kellerman readers will love this book. Plenty of plot twists and turns. Plenty to keep you reading.

Alex Delaware is back and is assisting Milo Sturgis in figuring out if Elise Freeman was murdered or committed suicide in Jonathan Kellerman's Deception. I have always enjoyed the Alex Delaware novels and some may think that they are running out of steam. This may be so, as but this has brought back what that suspense that has been lacking in recent novels. Although I enjoy the characters Robin and Rick, they were missing in this book, which focused on good detective work and solving the case.