October 13, 2003
Kellerman re-invigorates a number of tried-and-true mystery conventions in this gripping, intricately plotted, non–Alex Delaware stand-alone novel of psychological suspense. A psychologist at City Central Hospital, Jeremy Carrier, is attempting to put his life back together after the brutal murder of his girlfriend, Jocelyn, when he is approached by elderly Dr. Arthur Chess with an offer of friendship. Jeremy, still too traumatized by Jocelyn's death to attempt even the most casual of relationships, initially rejects Chess's solicitation. After further conversation, he accepts an invitation to an elegant dinner at a very private club with Chess and five other older men and women of high intellectual and social rank, all of whom have an extreme interest in crime and the nature of evil. Just as a halting, tentative rapport with fellow doctor Angela Rios begins to develop, Jeremy receives the first in a series of mysterious, anonymous messages. By piecing these messages together with other clues from Dr. Chess, he comes to understand that someone is trying to point him toward the killer of his beloved Jocelyn and a number of other local women. Kellerman is a master at building character and slowly unfolding events, divulging just the right amount of information. Jeremy uncovers more murders, both past and present, and eventually realizes he's had everything wrong from the very beginning. Savvy mystery readers will not be surprised that the likable Jeremy finally comes to the correct conclusions and identifies the killer, earns the respect of his elderly friends and the love of his new lady. (Dec.)
Forecast
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Kellerman's Alex Delaware books have won just about every award in the mystery business and are perennial bestsellers. As his nonseries outings sell almost as well, and Ballantine promises a strong publicity push, booksellers can expect this one to follo
w suit.
July 1, 2003
Police look unkindly on staff psychologist Jeremy Carrier after his girlfriend is murdered, so when more women start dying, he knows he must investigate.
Copyright 2003 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
October 15, 2003
Readers devoted to Alex Delaware may miss the L.A. psychologist, who has entertained them with more than a dozen mysteries. But not for long; Kellerman's Jeremy Carrier has a lot of similarities to his literary precursor, including his profession. Unlike Delaware, thirtysomething Carrier isn't in private practice, but his occupation still gets him inside people's heads. Unfortunately, it's his own emotional state that needs leveling out. Still reeling from the brutal murder of his girlfriend, for which he's long been under suspicion, Carrier is barely able to attend to his patients let alone handle his own grief and anger. Then four things happen: he meets attractive Dr. Angela Rios; he's invited to dine with an odd group, each of whom, he eventually learns, has suffered an unresolved loss; he begins receiving strange articles in his office mail; and murders bearing a definite similarity to his lover's horrific death begin happening again. It's a bit of a chore to get past Jeremy's angst at the outset, but once Carrier catches on to the clues, things move along much faster. The best part, though, is the end: just when you think Carrier has it figured out, there's one last odd twist. Suspend disbelief and follow along.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)
December 1, 2003
Departing from his intense Alex Delaware series, Kellerman presents the story of Dr. Jeremy Carrier, a young psychotherapist in a large city hospital. Jeremy's girlfriend, a nurse at the hospital, has been brutally murdered. Now other women turn up dead, seemingly victims of a modern-day Jack the Ripper, and Jeremy is the main suspect. Balancing patient consultations and a possible new romance with a fellow doctor, Jeremy begins his own investigation into the murders to prove his innocence. Soon, he begins receiving mysterious packages that seem like clues. At the same time, a senior researcher at the hospital takes an interest in Jeremy and invites him to a strange dinner with an esteemed but enigmatic group of elders. Jeremy begins to wonder if all of it is tied to the identity of the killer. A classic mystery with little gore, this novel will keep readers guessing to the end. Recommended for public libraries and popular reading collections. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 7/03.]-Leslie Madden, Georgia Inst. of Tech., Atlanta
Copyright 2003 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.