Motive: an Alex Delaware Novel

            Here is the 30^th Alex Delaware novel in author Jonathan Kellerman’s repertoire. For over thirty years we have followed the adventures of psychologist Alex Delaware in his role as special consultant to the Los Angeles Police Department and particularly to Milo Sturgis, a homicide detective and Delaware’s close friend. Sturgis, a gay man and a loner among the other police staff, often is given the most difficult assignments. But with his doggedness and attention to detail, and with the help of Delaware’s astute observations, the cases always get solved.

            In this story, Sturgis is downhearted about his inability to find the murderer of Katherine Hennepin, a young female bookkeeper. She apparently was killed during a dinner date at home; the table was set for two and the cuisine was selected with care. With no suspects, the case was put on the back burner.

            Weeks later, another woman’s body is found in a parking garage. It is Ursula Corey, who has been gunned down; this appears to be a revenge killing. Alex and Milo settle on two possible suspects. But then another murder similar to Hennepin’s pops up. And then others, all with dinner date themes, leading Alex and Milo to believe that a serial killer is at large. Superior detective skills and psychological studies help them with the surprise identification of the murderer.