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Fiction. Mystery. Suspense. Thriller. When the phone rings in the middle of the night, child psychologist Alex Delaware does not hesitate. Driving through the dream-lit San Fernando Valley, Alex rushes to Jamey Cadmus, the patient he had failed five years beforeâ??and who now calls with a bizarre cry for help. But by the time Alex reaches Canyon Oaks Psychiatric Hospital, Jamey is gone, surfacing a day later in the hands of the police, who believe Jamey is the infamous Lavender Slasher, a psychotic serial killer. Wooed by a high-powered attorney to build a defense, Alex will get a chance to do what he couldnâ??t five years ago. And when he peers into a familyâ??s troubled history and Jameyâ??s brilliant, tormented mind, the psychologist puts himself at the heart of a high-profile case. Because Alex knows that in a realm of money, loss, and madness, something terrible pushed Jamie over the edgeâ??or else someone is getting aw… (more)
User reviews
The only problem with reading the Alex Delaware novels out of sequence is the overall development of the recurring characters. Since you know where they are heading in their personal lives, it takes some of the interest out of the story.
As always, Kellerman develops the plot really well. There is a crime, a seemingly obvious suspect, lots of red herrings, numerous excursions into the seamier side of Los Angeles as well as an excursion into the dusty, poor regions north of LA. And of course Milo, Alex's LAPD detective friend, is on the job.
This was a great book to read on a very long airplane ride. Not too complex, easy to put down when the pretzels are distributed, and easy to pick up again. If you enjoy the who-done-it and haven't read this one yet, I'd recommend this.
When Delaware is awakened in the middle of the night by a frantic and disjointed phone call from Jamey Cadmus, a former client, his concern leads him to the institution where the Jamey is hospitalized. Upon arriving, he finds that Jamey has escaped and is now being sought in connection with a series of grisly murders. When Jamey is apprehended, his lawyer hires Delaware as a psychological consultant in his defense. But the more Delaware researches Jamey’s condition, the less likely it seems that Jamey actually committed the crimes of which he is accused, despite the indicting physical evidence. As the investigation continues, Delaware must embark on a frightening virtual journey into the dark depths of the human mind.
All three of Kellerman’s early fiction books focus on the evils that people do to each other, but this one takes it a step further and explores the evil a person can do to himself. Schizophrenia, drug abuse, and suicide are prominently featured with lots of technical descriptions and jargon, slowing down the pace a bit in the middle of the book. But as always, the first-person narrative style and compelling interpersonal conflicts drive the story, and the unexpected ending is a tribute to the author’s storytelling prowess.
Unsurprisingly, there is little in the way of redemptive or uplifting content beyond the eventual triumph—for the most part—of human good over human evil. Depictions of drug abuse, some sexuality, and an entirely secular worldview are cause for caution in reading, but Kellerman is an excellent writer, and fans of the psychological thriller will not be disappointed.
Yes, even your average
It was actually pretty interesting to read the afterword written for this 2002 edition (the original was published in 1988) and find that Kellerman really took some time to think about the characters and develop an intricate plot in a way that he hadn't done on his previous two books. (Not to say that the first two books didn't have those things, it's more that it sounded that he focused more on the subject matter there whereas he realized that he had something sustainable by the time he got to book #3.)
In terms of the book itself, well, the attention he gave to those things definitely paid off. Although I figured out the plot twist a few chapters before it happened, I have to admit that it was a surprise to me -- in a good way. He also managed to make a character who was highly unlikable for most of the book someone that the reader cared about, and not in a you-totally-manipluated-me-to-feel-that kind of way. Another bonus: there wasn't too much Robin.
The downsides: there wasn't enough Milo for my taste, although that changed about 2/3 of the way through and in a satisfying way. Also, the themes of homosexuality and deviance were overwhelmingly distracting. Not those themes in themselves, as they were clearly a major piece of the plot; however, there was so much overt homophobia that it felt like Kellerman went a little overboard in trying to say that it *wasn't* deviant. One or two characters expressing the opinion would have been fine, but that it just came up again and again was too much.
With that said, I wonder if that was a product of the time. These days, regardless of how one feels, it's a lot less accepted to be blatantly homophobic so it's just not out there in such a visible way -- which is obviously a good thing. And I had to remind myself that this was an era in which the AIDS drama was playing out in a very public and politically charged way. Still, as I said, I found it distracting.
When Delaware arrives at the hospital, he finds that Jamey has escaped. When he
Jamey is the heir of the family estate and stands to inherit a substantial amount when he comes of age. He's being cared for by his uncle and guardian, Dwight Cadmus.
The evidence against Jamey looks strong and Delaware is hired by the attorney defending Jamey in hope that Jamey could be found guilty by diminished capacity and sent to a treatment center for the criminally insane.
Digging deeper, everything seems a little too convenient and it makes Delaware want to know more. He's warned off the case and eventually fired but continues to dig. He's aided by his friend, homicide detective Milo Sturgis. They look into Jamey's past and the drug scene in Los Angeles and San Francisco in the Height Ashbury section. Evidence shows possible use of hallucinogens and mind altering drugs.
This is a well done, psychological novel with many secrets hidden by Jamey's family and uncovered by Delaware. Everything isn't as it appears and watching Delaware uncover the truth is an entertaining ride.
There is good background information but maybe a bit too much but I enjoyed the novel and in finding what was transpiring.