The Clinic: An Alex Delaware Novel

I purchased this novel nearly ten years ago. At the time of the purchase, I did not realize that it was a series. So, this book lay gathering dust on my bookshelf, until one day I completely ran out of novels to read. I picked it up, and I was captivated after the first few pages. I didn't want to start the book without reading the ones prior. Fortunately, Jonathan Kellerman is a good enough writer to write a series that does not have to be read in order!

This novel-The Clinic-is one of the most fast paced that I've ever read. I could not put this book down for the life of me. I had to know the who's, the when's, why's, and how's that were so skillfully placed! There are so many twists and turns to keep the reader interested, and so much information into the lives of the characters. I recommend this to anyone that enjoys a good novel, especially one that is just as much of a mystery as it is a suspenseful thriller!

Typical Alex & Milo murder mystery - convoluted as he goes after suspect after suspect, weeding them out, making connections. No Milo-life partner connections in this book, just several times emphasizing Milo's bulldog with warts appearance. You can skim some middle chapters - get to the end (which has a slight twist) and not miss a thing. I missed the last couple Milo & Alex/Alex & Milo books - don't think I've missed a thing.

A completely unbelievable cast yet exotic cast of villains and victims; then for balance a totally believable and horrendously boring, dull, dumb, and anticlimactic hero. (Somehow the writer believes this will make his story both exciting and believable.) Yet it makes for a completely unbelievable and completely boring story.
If you're looking for detective fiction I have two recommendations from either side of the spectrum. First F Paul Wilson's Repair Man Jack series (This is Self Appointed officer of Justice-actually an outlaw in New York City fighting for his own ideals of justice.) If you don't like the dark intensity then try the other side of the spectrum: Sir Arthur Conan Doyal's Sherlock Holmes series. This is very loose and detatched put it down and pick it up whenever you want; the joy of this is just watching the brilliant observations unfold.

The Clinic by Jonathan Kellerman is another mystery featuring Alex the psychologist and Milo the cop trying to figure out who murdered a beautiful, brilliant, but flawed feminist professor. Everybody they interview fits a different profile and all the suspects look like both victims and villains. The clues are subtle and just like Alex and Milo you may find at the end you overlooked the importance of some of them. It's a good tale and the real crime, like most of Kellerman's stories is scarier than anticipated. The ending is different, but the innocent and the guilty are intertwined in such a way that justice is a matter left to the reader.

This is just a statement about the prices on kindle. This book is from twelve years ago, and I can get it, used, for $1.48. But Kindle wants $10. I am noticing this more and more, too high charges for older kindle books. I am going to have to go back know to buying them used. Even in hardcover they are mostly cheaper than kindle. Cannot justify paying that much more!

Kellerman's education and experience in psychology help make his characters, and especially his villains, more believable and engaging.
This one is pretty interesting. The hero, Alex Delaware, seems to have no psychology practice obligations other than doing detective/police-procedural work for Milo Sturgis. That's just fine, but it makes Delaware's character seem more unremarkable and superficial. The criminal's reasoning for perpetrating his mayhem and his modus operandi are only moderately convincing.
This book is 3/5 stars because it's fun with a few minor hangups. It can easily be put down and picked up again, and you won't get any goosebumps or harrowing realizations from the plot.

This is the first (and probably only) of Mr. Kellermann's books I've read. I'm glad I only paid 50 cents for the darn thing at a rummage sale. I had an incredibly hard time finishing this book. I frequently found myself getting bored. This book claims to be a psychological thriller (which I love in both movies and books) but I don't feel it lived up to that promise at all. I found just about all of the characters to be flat and unbelievable.

I also don't understand why Kellermann felt the need to include so much profanity in this book. Does he believe that the f-word somehow helps the story or gives his characters depth? Wrong on both counts. In my opinion, there are many better and much more subtle ways to express anger, without having to resort to a string of expletives to get the point across. I will definitely continue to read mysteries, but I don't think I will read another Kellermann novel anytime soon.

For those who are looking for a truly engrossing mystery author I recommend Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Elain Viets I wouldn't recommend this book.

Seemed like the ending was missing. Will have to look at the paper version to confirm. If the digital version is correct, I feel cheated, as though the author got lazy and just stopped writing; or perhaps had to meet a deadline. I've read the previous books in this series and was satisfied with their endings. This one was a disappointment. Alternatively, it did seem as though the author lost his way in the story and didn't know to recover.

After Reading The Web, I promised myself I would never read Jonathan Kellerman again. I broke my promise to myself when I picked up The Clinic, and I guess I'm glad I did. While this book is not a return to the greatness of the earlier Alex Delaware novels, at least it's a step in the right direction. If not for a completely unrealistic ending, I would be giving this book four stars. Kellerman does a great job of building up the mystery and unfortunately the payoff falls flat. Let's hope that this book marks the beginning of a new start for this series and that The Web was only a misstep.

Another good Kellerman - but one which, I feel, was rushed in the writing. The criticism given by a couple of other reviewers is valid: it helps to know Delaware, Robin, and Sturgiss from the previous novels. This book doesn't add to their characters... it's not a "growth experience" for them.
So - it's not the best of Kellerman's books, far from it. But it's still a good, reliable read. And the evil that's done is quite, quite satisfying.
Hey - it's the price of a movie ticket, and it took me more than three hours to read. Who am I to complain?

You can't tell the characters without a program! There are so many different suspects and victims and their interrelationship with one another I got very confused. If the book was well written it would matter to me. Since I didn't care about any of the characters I didn't care. I didn't care who did it or why. A giant, second-rate bore.

I thought character development was good. I had some confusion following a couple of the story lines. It became more clear towards the end and I thought it was a different character who was the killer. So the final twist was at the end. Good read.

Loved it. Classic Kellerman. Well written and intriguing and fast paced. But I can barely remember what it was about. I read it last month and I've already forgotten the plot. Must have memory issues. Or do you find that you forgot about books quickly too? Now if I went back and read it again I would recall it. But ask me the plot and I will give you a blank stare.

Good read intriguing nothing too atypical in the plot . It moved slowly the last third and I was having a hard time keeping my interest up.
If you enjoy detective psychological thrillers you might enjoy it.

I found it almost impossible to put this book down. When I wasn't reading it I was probably thinking about it! This is a great book... very interesting... but amazingly not one of Kellerman's best! The story line is fascinating and I like the main character Alex, and his friend Sturgis a lot. They are funny and real. Pyschology is very interesting to me and Kellerman provides a lot of it!

Non stop action from beginng to end. Kellerman has done it again. Keeps you on the edge of your seat, also keeps you guessing on who did it. Hated to see it end, in fact I was a little disappointed in the ending, but it has to end that way. Looking forward to J. Kellerman's next book. For those of you who enjoy mystery, suspense and just a good read this book is for you

This book was entertaining (as all his books are) but I miss Alex Delaware's involvement with children. I think those are his best books, not just your run-of-the-mill average murder mystery, there's enough of those out there. I will continue to buy Kellerman books as soon as they come out but I really hope he goes back to what he knows best

I liked the way this one started, but then things slowed down. Too much analyzing the possibilities. I like to work out the mysteries for myself. I'm glad Milo is back, but I would have liked a little more of Robin in this one. Still, these are some of my favorite recurring characters and it was nice to catch up with them again.

I can't tell you what urban legend without giving away part of the plot, and I wouldn't want to do that and ruin your enjoyment of reading this excellent book. This book compared favorably with Michael Connelly's style of detailing the step-by-step process of investigating a crime and following up the leads. It was a real page turner, and a book I had a hard time setting down. I highly recommend it. The twists the investigation takes at the end will amaze and thrill you.

I enjoyed this book but unfortunately at the very end I was informed in the credits that this is an ABRIDGED book. I called the publisher and they confirmed that despite not having a label saying it was abridged it in fact was. I informed the store of the issue but they continue to advertise this as unabridged. Be warned.

I found this bood easy to read. Good beach book, but nothing that you'll remember for a long time. If you're looking for a good psychological mystery (no thriller) that you can breeze through, this is the book. If you want a real "thriller", this isn't the book.

This book is just great. At last, someone with insight writes about cruelty to women, a sensitive subject. He is not afraid to "teach" the reader about what happens in the real world. As a professional psychologist, as well as a writer, Jonathan Kellerman stands alone in his vision to make the public aware of issues that are many times glanced over and not taken seriously. He does so in an entertaining and fascinating way, however, in the form of a mystery. Not everyone has the skill necessary to entertain and teach at the same time. I eagerly look forward to his next book.

I enjoyed this book but unfortunately at the very end I was informed in the credits that this is an ABRIDGED book. I called the publisher and they confirmed that despite not having a label saying it was abridged it in fact was. I informed the store of the issue but they continue to advertise this as unabridged. Be warned.

I found this bood easy to read. Good beach book, but nothing that you'll remember for a long time. If you're looking for a good psychological mystery (no thriller) that you can breeze through, this is the book. If you want a real "thriller", this isn't the book.

This book is just great. At last, someone with insight writes about cruelty to women, a sensitive subject. He is not afraid to "teach" the reader about what happens in the real world. As a professional psychologist, as well as a writer, Jonathan Kellerman stands alone in his vision to make the public aware of issues that are many times glanced over and not taken seriously. He does so in an entertaining and fascinating way, however, in the form of a mystery. Not everyone has the skill necessary to entertain and teach at the same time. I eagerly look forward to his next book.

Couldn't put it down. Love Alex Delaware. I have read the last 4 Delaware novels, and I want to start at the beginning now and read them in order. I would like to know how he teamed up with Milo, they have a fascinating relationship.

The "'Clinic" was the first novel I read by Jonathan Kellerman, but it won't be the last! I thought the Clinic was a fun read. Alex & Milo team up to solve the murder of the brilliant professor/author Hope Devane. The book unravels the real life of Hope Devane, and reveals a private life far removed from her public image. In unraveling Hope's 'private life', it takes us through twists and turns, many possible suspects, to reveal her killer. A fun, fast paced read. I really enjoyed it.

Jonathan Kellerman's "The Clinic" was a very inspiring book to read. His books are long, but when you start reading it, time just flies by and you don't want to put it down. This is one of the first books that I have read by Jonathan Kellerman and I'm sure it won't be my last. In "The Clinic" the book gives great detail in many things, while Alex & Milo try to solve who killed author/professor Hope Devane. The book is a very good book to read and I suggest for everyone to read it, because you won't be disappointed.

The Clinic features Alexander Delaware, who endlessly inverviews victims and possible suspects. Being slow and boring, the Clinic makes great bed-time reading if you normally have a hard time getting to sleep.