Status
Available
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Random House Audio (2008), Edition: Abridged
Description
The anonymous caller has an ominous tone and an unnerving message about something "real dead ... buried in your marsh." The eco-volunteer on the other end of the phone thinks it's a prank, but when a young woman's body turns up in L.A.'s Bird Marsh preserve no one's laughing. And when the bones of more victims surface, homicide detective Milo Sturgis realizes the city's under siege to an insidious killer.
User reviews
LibraryThing member abbottthomas
Oh dear! I only read half a dozen pages of this and now it is going back to the charity shop. This is hardly a review but there are many books of this type and one must have an incentive to read another. Kellerman is clearly a prolific and popular author so I wonder if this rather late work is a
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reflection of the tedium that sometimes afflicts prolific authors turning out yet another story for public, publisher or just plain cash. Maybe I'll try another, earlier, work - but not just yet. Show Less
LibraryThing member Nitestar
Jonathan Kellerman's books have been up and down for me in the last few years. It seems that once Robin left, the storylines left with her.
However, in Bones, Kellerman's newest book, I finally found the "old" Alex. Witty, genuine, interesting. The story of murder of prostitutes and of a music
Of course, Milo is back and the banter and relationship between these two is always priceless.
The story moves at a rapid pace and was intriguing enough to keep me reading throughout with an ending that was a tad predictable, but nonetheless satisfying.
Finally, Alex is back.
However, in Bones, Kellerman's newest book, I finally found the "old" Alex. Witty, genuine, interesting. The story of murder of prostitutes and of a music
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prodigy is the center plot, but for me, what worked best in this novel was the strength of the Alex character (something that had been missing in the last few books) he felt present in this storyline. Of course, Milo is back and the banter and relationship between these two is always priceless.
The story moves at a rapid pace and was intriguing enough to keep me reading throughout with an ending that was a tad predictable, but nonetheless satisfying.
Finally, Alex is back.
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LibraryThing member BeckyJG
Bones finds Dr Alex Delaware consulting on a case involving a murder in the wetlands of West L.A. An anonymous phone call to an indifferent teen volunteer at the office of Save the Marsh, a non-profit dedicated to the preservation of the Bird Marsh in Playa del Rey, tips the police off to a body
All evidence seems to point to the twitchy ex-con caretaker of a wealthy family's estate. Alex Delaware's job is to determine whether the obvious answer is the right answer. As always, there are detailed descriptions of the L.A. landscape, Milo Sturgis butts heads with his superiors, Robin is lovely, and Blanche the French Bulldog puts in an appearance. Ooh, and this one has kinky sex (or, at least, talk of kinky sex...)
Not Kellerman's best (he kind of seems to be dialing it in on this one) but still, even his lesser novels are terriffic page-turners.
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dumped in the marsh. Soon, three other bodies turn up. All evidence seems to point to the twitchy ex-con caretaker of a wealthy family's estate. Alex Delaware's job is to determine whether the obvious answer is the right answer. As always, there are detailed descriptions of the L.A. landscape, Milo Sturgis butts heads with his superiors, Robin is lovely, and Blanche the French Bulldog puts in an appearance. Ooh, and this one has kinky sex (or, at least, talk of kinky sex...)
Not Kellerman's best (he kind of seems to be dialing it in on this one) but still, even his lesser novels are terriffic page-turners.
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LibraryThing member she_climber
Another great read from Jonathan Kellerman in the Alex Delaware series. Fast paced, good plot, made me enjoy trying to figure out whodunit right along with Alex and Milo, and new rookie Detective Reed. Now the only problem is waiting until the next one.
LibraryThing member jenniferthomp75
Kellerman's books are perfect for a rainy day. I enjoy the characters (particularly Milo) and the stories are fun and great page-turners. A nice break from the Printz. Recommended to those who like murder mysteries, detective stories and psychological thrillers.
LibraryThing member Twink
One of the best pairings in detective/suspense novels returns in the 23nd (!) novel in this series from Jonathan Kellerman.
Psychologist and police consultant Alex Delaware and LA police Lieutenant Milo Sturgis are back together to solve one of their darkest cases yet.
A young volunteer at a marsh
Lots of plot twists and turns will keep you turning pages. The banter between Milo and Alex is always witty and entertaining. A new character is introduced, Moses, a young rookie Homicide detective. I found him to be an engaging addition and hope he returns in future books. In the past Alex's girlfriend Robin played a more significant role. She seems to have been relegated to deciding dinner selections. Milo's boyfriend Rick is another character I'd like to see more of. Kellerman is a clinical psychologist and his character's insight and dialogue have the ring of authenticity.
Jonathan Kellerman is on my list of favourite authors and I was not disappointed with Bones. My only disappointment was finishing it too quickly! I'll be waiting for #24!
Psychologist and police consultant Alex Delaware and LA police Lieutenant Milo Sturgis are back together to solve one of their darkest cases yet.
A young volunteer at a marsh
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sanctuary receives an anonymous call telling him to look for something dead in the marsh. The call is dismissed as a prank. That changes when a young woman's body is found - in plain view. A search dog discovers three more bodies, submerged in the marsh. These women are all prostitutes, but the first body found is that of a piano teacher. Are they connected? Is the marsh the dumping ground of a serial killer? Will he kill again? Can they find him before he does? Milo and Alex's investigation leads to unexpected places.Lots of plot twists and turns will keep you turning pages. The banter between Milo and Alex is always witty and entertaining. A new character is introduced, Moses, a young rookie Homicide detective. I found him to be an engaging addition and hope he returns in future books. In the past Alex's girlfriend Robin played a more significant role. She seems to have been relegated to deciding dinner selections. Milo's boyfriend Rick is another character I'd like to see more of. Kellerman is a clinical psychologist and his character's insight and dialogue have the ring of authenticity.
Jonathan Kellerman is on my list of favourite authors and I was not disappointed with Bones. My only disappointment was finishing it too quickly! I'll be waiting for #24!
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LibraryThing member FlowerFairy
This book is the 23rd in the Alex Delaware series. I have read the entire series over the years and have always enjoyed. Until now. This time the author didn't use his talent to it's full ability. Usually I'm guessing about the "whodunit" right up until the end. Not so much this time. The story was
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very predictable. In the other books, the characters are usually very rounded and interesting. This time, all the characters, event he main ones who I usually enjoy so much, were all very flat and dull. The narrator, Alex Delaware doesn't seem to be as involved in the sotry as he normally is (even thought he is the one telling us the story). The lack of depth of the characters in this book really turned me off and made it hard to want to finish it or even care what happened at the end. The usual action and excitment of the Alex Delaware books also seemed to be missing from this one. It was almost as if the author really didn't want to write this story, but had a contract to fufill and this is what he wrote. Since I have greatly enjoyed this series in the past, I am hoping the next in the series will prove to be more representative of this author's talents. Show Less
LibraryThing member SignoraEdie
I am not an avid mystery reader, but every now and then I enjoy trying to figure out an interesting plot with engaging characters. That is what I found in the earlier mysteries written by Jonathan Kellerman. However, that was not my experience with this latest book. The plot was predictable, the
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writing slap-dashed, even the main characters, psychologist Alex Delaware and detective Milo Sturgis, seemed bored with the whole thing. The only aspect that interested me was the setting since I live just blocks from the wetland area where the bodies were dumped! Show Less
LibraryThing member Scrabblenut
I was rather disappointed in this latest book by Kellerman. I found it quite boring at first, with odious characters I didn't care about. The plot was far-fetched, and most unforgivably, since Kellerman is a psychologist, was that the psychology just did not ring true. I did persist and finish the
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book, because about half-way through I got interested in the whodunnit part. Kellerman seemed to be just going through the motions on this one, as if he has run out of fresh ideas, and feels no need to develop his characters any more. I hope his next one is better. Show Less
LibraryThing member etrainer
Several pretty negative reviews here on LibraryThing for Bones, the latest Alex Delaware/Milo Sturgis from Jonathan Kellerman. While I agree that some of the series are better than others (my highly subjective opinion), I always enjoy the books. I thought the plot for this one was pretty original
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with a creative misdirect from the bad guys. Some goofy characters, along with the usual psychos, and the normal tedious checking of details, alibis, and the like that moves the story along. I liked it! Show Less
LibraryThing member LeHack
I've read almost all of the Alex Delaware series and found this one on a par with the others. Alex and Milo are investigating murders where the bodies are dumped in a wetlands area, protected by an environmentalist. When he is found dead, the investigation picks up, then seems to go nowhere.
I love
I love
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visiting the characters book after book, including Blanche, the French bulldog. Show Less
LibraryThing member reannon
I've read most of this series about a psychologiist, Alex Delaware, who works with the police, specifically his friend Milo Sturgis. This is the 23rd in the series, and it shows signs of age, but is still a good read. Alex and Milo are still excellent characters, but the rest of the characters in
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this volume were not pleasant. A box holding bones from three human hands is found, near the same time that four women's bodies are found in a marsh, all missing their right hands. Show Less
LibraryThing member amf0001
I have this ambivalence about Kellermen. He is eminently readable, and I feel confident enough to take his books on planes. But somehow, he's just not memorable for me. So I read, am pleasantly engaged in his world, but the pay offs to his mysteries are always so convoluted and often unlikely. And
This book starts with a weird crime - corpses found in a protected marsh, but who was the young pianist and why was she targeted. The end was pretty predictable, once other characters had been knocked out. I like Kellerman's descriptions of his side characters and it's clear to me that he is getting tired of Milo, because he seemed to be setting up a new partner with his own convoluted family history who could be a new partner for Alex. I’m also bored with all students from private high schools in LA being louche worms, but that’s a side note.
So I read this in 2 days but had to think for a minute to recall the plot when I wrote this up, 2 days later…
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then I just forget the plots all together. I also think I'm a bit bored with Alex and his so pleasant life with Robyn. I'm not interested in their relationship, in his non committed approach to life. He sort of works, he sort of solves crimes, he sort of skims on the surface, not really engaged.This book starts with a weird crime - corpses found in a protected marsh, but who was the young pianist and why was she targeted. The end was pretty predictable, once other characters had been knocked out. I like Kellerman's descriptions of his side characters and it's clear to me that he is getting tired of Milo, because he seemed to be setting up a new partner with his own convoluted family history who could be a new partner for Alex. I’m also bored with all students from private high schools in LA being louche worms, but that’s a side note.
So I read this in 2 days but had to think for a minute to recall the plot when I wrote this up, 2 days later…
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LibraryThing member hemlokgang
Ahhhh, the familiarity of characters in a series. I like Alex and Milo very much, even after reading all 23 of the books in this series. Sure, there is some predictability, but the story is always a good one. I particularly like the books with troubled youth in them, and this is another one. Well
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done! Show Less
LibraryThing member IllanoyGal
Intriguing mystery, well written as usual. Kellerman always keeps me turning those pages.
LibraryThing member annbury
A compelling read as usual, but I get more and more irritated at Delaware -- sooooooo cynical, and does he ever have patients anymore? Also, the women characters tend to be unpleasant, or crazy, or at best stupic.
LibraryThing member julyso
Alex Delaware is back helping Lt. Milo Sturgis solve the murders of four women in a protected bird marsh. The mystery begins with a phone call about a corpse to the marsh office, answered by a high school student performing community service. Chance Brandt ignores the call, but tells some friends
I love Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis, but this one I didn't absolutely love. I found it slow and hard to finish. The characters were interesting, but the story was a bit boring. There was not a lot of Robin and Alex time, which I missed. I could have skipped this one:(
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about it and word gets out. All but one of the women were prostitutes, all were missing their right hands, and their bodies were left facing east. I love Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis, but this one I didn't absolutely love. I found it slow and hard to finish. The characters were interesting, but the story was a bit boring. There was not a lot of Robin and Alex time, which I missed. I could have skipped this one:(
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LibraryThing member jepeters333
The anonymous caller has an ominous tone and an unnerving message about something "real dead. . . buried in your marsh." The eco-volunteer on the other end of the phone thinks it's a prank, but when a young woman's body turns up in LA's Bird Marsh preserve, no one's laughing. And when the bones of
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more victims surface, homicide detective Milo Sturgis realizes that the city is in the terrifying grip of an insidious killer. Milo's first move: calling in psychologist Alex Delaware. Show Less
LibraryThing member FMRox
Alex Delaware, forensic psychologist to the LA police department is asked to assist in an investigation that begins with a dead body found in a local nature reserve. There are several interesting suspects from the delinquent adolescent forced to do community service at the swamp reserve, the
Kellerman does his routine good job of providing interesting characters. And per usual the plot in an interesting who dunnit with bizarre motive. However, the series longstanding characters Dr. Delaware and Lieutenant Milo Sturgis are characters stunted in time. It's best to pretend the books are standalones and not expect any further development.
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bizarre over fanatic manager of the swamp reserve to include the employers of the victim's body initially found who conveniently are missing. Kellerman does his routine good job of providing interesting characters. And per usual the plot in an interesting who dunnit with bizarre motive. However, the series longstanding characters Dr. Delaware and Lieutenant Milo Sturgis are characters stunted in time. It's best to pretend the books are standalones and not expect any further development.
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LibraryThing member Darrol
I enjoyed this book. The nexus of self-harm, addiction, and eating disorder give a twist to sexual serial murder and body-dump story. The person of interest in this story is both sympathetic and pathetic.
LibraryThing member shelleyraec
Kellerman is so readable and I always enjoy his books but I must admit there is a loss of tension or threat in this one and another or two of his latest. Still, highly readable, neatly plotted and consistent.
LibraryThing member halfhaggis
I listened to about half the audio book for this one.
It gripped me at first, but just seemed to lose tension.
I usually give books I fail to finish 1 star, but I think I gave up on this one partly because the narrator's voice annoyed me. It would be unfair to score it 1 star when I might otherwise
It gripped me at first, but just seemed to lose tension.
I usually give books I fail to finish 1 star, but I think I gave up on this one partly because the narrator's voice annoyed me. It would be unfair to score it 1 star when I might otherwise
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have got through the rest of the tale. Show Less
LibraryThing member bsquaredinoz
The mutilated body of a young woman is discovered in a protected marsh area in Los Angeles. Veteran LAPD Detective Milo Sturgis is called in to assist a rookie Detective by the name of Moses Reed. Naturally Milo brings his friend, psychologist Alex Delaware, along for the ride. A few more bodies
People killing other people for garden variety motives like jealousy or the prospect of a large inheritance isn't enough for Kellerman. If the world was as populated by knife-wielding psychopaths as he'd have us believe I'd never leave the house. Of course this is fiction and it doesn't have to be realistic but I think Kellerman constantly ascribing his murders to the most twisted of people (who of course aren't like 'us') allows him to avoid exploring an actual human emotion within the context of his stories.
The plot is equally uninspiring. It's convoluted (I'm convinced that he added one of the evil doers at the end and then inserted them randomly in the story already written) and has all the suspense of a tax return. This time there isn't even a fabrication of a reason why child psychologist Alex Delaware is involved in the case. In the earlier books there was at least be a pretence of a reason: a client of Alex's or the relative of one would be involved or the case would somehow relate to the mistreatment of children for example, but here it just seemed to be universally accepted that a private sector psychologist would be involved in every facet of an investigation.
In short the book was formulaic, the characters stereotypical and the brand-name laden writing was plodding. Kellerman can do much better, in a standalone novel called The Butcher's Theatre he tells a gripping tale and tackles some weighty political and social issues in the Jerusalem setting even though it too features a serial killer, but perhaps he lacks the incentive now that he's a brand name all of his own.
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are uncovered and there are hints that a prominent local family might be involved in the grizzly deaths.I stopped reading this series somewhere around book 9 or 10 due to their repetitive nature. And I chose this one from my local library's meagre selection of audio books on the grounds that …well…it's a meagre selection of audio books. So I'm admitting up front that I was undoubtedly going to struggle to love this book, although I am ever the optimist. Sadly I found the story dull and lacking credibility and it's another that I'd like to assign the one-word review: meh.People killing other people for garden variety motives like jealousy or the prospect of a large inheritance isn't enough for Kellerman. If the world was as populated by knife-wielding psychopaths as he'd have us believe I'd never leave the house. Of course this is fiction and it doesn't have to be realistic but I think Kellerman constantly ascribing his murders to the most twisted of people (who of course aren't like 'us') allows him to avoid exploring an actual human emotion within the context of his stories.
The plot is equally uninspiring. It's convoluted (I'm convinced that he added one of the evil doers at the end and then inserted them randomly in the story already written) and has all the suspense of a tax return. This time there isn't even a fabrication of a reason why child psychologist Alex Delaware is involved in the case. In the earlier books there was at least be a pretence of a reason: a client of Alex's or the relative of one would be involved or the case would somehow relate to the mistreatment of children for example, but here it just seemed to be universally accepted that a private sector psychologist would be involved in every facet of an investigation.
In short the book was formulaic, the characters stereotypical and the brand-name laden writing was plodding. Kellerman can do much better, in a standalone novel called The Butcher's Theatre he tells a gripping tale and tackles some weighty political and social issues in the Jerusalem setting even though it too features a serial killer, but perhaps he lacks the incentive now that he's a brand name all of his own.
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LibraryThing member judithrs
Bones. An Alex Delaware novel. Jonathan Kellerman. 2008. Kellerman’s plots are becoming more predictable, and I found this one a bit tedious. If you like the Alex Delaware series, like reading about Milo and Robin, then you’ll enjoy this one. If you haven’t read any of these novels and think
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you’d like to read suspenseful novels about a clinical psychologist who helps the police find serial killers or identify abusive parents try reading some of the earlier novels such as When the Bough Breaks Show Less
LibraryThing member Kaysbooks
Well, definitely a detective story written by a pro. And maybe that´s the reason why I couldn´t be thrilled by it. It was just another episode of a long-running show that has lost its A-status.
A young piano teacher gets killed and in the course of events it shows that three other women were
In the end you´ll get a solution to all these crimes but that´s about it.
So, 2 stars is really a very good score for this standard detective story.
A young piano teacher gets killed and in the course of events it shows that three other women were
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buried at the same spot as she were, all of them missing the right hand. This appears to be plan of a broader context and on the course of revealing the dark mysteries of a killer, the reader meets far too many characters who are more or less irrelevant to the story and a lot of children with messed-up relations with their parents (and vice versa).In the end you´ll get a solution to all these crimes but that´s about it.
So, 2 stars is really a very good score for this standard detective story.
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Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2008
ISBN
0739368893 / 9780739368893