Alex Delaware

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Alex Delaware is the fictional protagonist of Jonathan Kellerman's popular murder mystery series. He is a retired child psychologist who solves mysteries, often with the help of his best friend, LAPD detective Milo Sturgis. He has an on again, off again girlfriend, Robin Castagna and a French bulldog, Spike. Spike died in the novel Gone but is followed by a new French bulldog named Blanche. Most of the Alex Delaware mysteries are also available on audiobook (as CDs or cassette tapes) read by John Rubenstein.

Contents

[edit] A brief summary of each novel

[edit] When the Bough Breaks

This novel marks the first appearance of Alex Delaware—a young and successful (albeit retired) child psychologist who has dedicated his life to his work. He sees himself as a workaholic, and the range of Alex's professional activities is slowly revealed over the course of the series. When he discovers the dead body of infamous child molester Stuart Hickle, Alex's profound shock leads to his decision to retire from the profession. It is during this investigation that Alex meets Milo Sturgis and the two become close friends.

The plot of this novel is centered around the murder of psychologist Dr. Morton Handler in his home. While investigating the case, Milo discovers that a seven year old child may have witnessed the murder and he calls in Alex as a special consultant. Alex tries to discover what the girl saw using hypnosis, only to find that the case may be connected to the death of Stuart Hickle.

This first volume of the series introduces Alex's primary love interest, Robin Castagna, a self-employed craftswoman who builds custom musical instruments. Rick Silverman also makes a brief appearance as Milo's new doctor boyfriend.

[edit] Blood Test

Blood Test, the second novel in the series, is set about six months after When The Bough Breaks. Alex has come out of retirement to work as a consultant in the divorce and child custody case of Richard Moody, a bipolar and potentially dangerous father of two. At the same time, Alex is contacted by a former colleague, Dr. Raoul Melendez-Lynch, who is a member of the oncology department of the Western Pediatric Medical Center, developing cures and treatments for children's cancer. Prior to his retirement, Alex participated in a study conducted by Dr. Melendez-Lynch. Dr. Melendez-Lynch asks that Alex talk to Mr. and Mrs. Swope and convince them to allow their child Woody to receive treatment for his life threatening illness. Yet, before Alex can talk to the boy's parents, they disappear, taking Woody with them. Now, Alex and Milo must find the child before he dies.

Alex's love interest, Robin Castagna plays only a minor role in this novel, appearing in phone calls as she is working on custom instruments for a client in Japan. And this book marks the first appearance of Dr. Delaware's Koi pond, a setting that will reappear frequently in the volumes to come.

[edit] Over the Edge

Before his self-imposed retirement (explained in When the Bough Breaks), and about 5 years prior to this story, Alex had worked on a research study with Sarita Flowers. The study, known as "Project 160", worked with genius level children, for whom Dr. Delaware had provided counseling and other services. Now Alex receives a phone call from one of these children, Jamey Cadmus, but by the time Dr. Delaware reaches the hospital, Jamey has escaped. Jamey is eventually apprehended by the police for a string of brutal murders and Dr. Delaware is hired by his attorney. This time Alex investigates the murders without the help of Milo Sturgis, because the two friends are working opposite sides of the same case. Also of note: Girlfriend Robin Castagna is now living with Alex Delaware.

[edit] Silent Partner

After Alex's girlfriend Robin returned from Japan (where she had been on a business trip in Blood Test), she asked for more space in their relationship, and eventually moved out. It is now about six months after the events of Over the Edge and Alex is once again living alone. He soon runs into former girlfriend Sharon Ransom, who admits that things are not going well in her life. She says she would like to have lunch with him to discuss it, but Alex is emotionally fragile and, not wanting to get involved with Ransom again, he turns down the lunch date. Later that day, Sharon is found dead in her home, a victim of suicide, and Alex feels compelled to investigate.

The reader learns more about Alex's personal life in Silent Partner: he is currently about thirty seven years old, received his doctorate when he was twenty four, and spent some time afterwards playing guitar in dance bands and working odd jobs. One of those jobs involved substitute teaching at his alma mater, which is where he met Sharon Ransom. Their relationship lasted a year or two before falling apart, and the circumstances of their breakup become a part of the present story. Also of note: A main topic of this novel is borderline personality disorder.

[edit] Time Bomb

Alex is now 38 years old and no longer involved with Robin. After the events in Silent Partner, he decided to get professional therapy from friend and therapist Ada Small, and as this novel begins, Alex has completed therapy for the time being. The plot of Time Bomb centers on a school shooting at Nathan Hale Elementary School. Nobody is killed except the shooter herself, a girl named Holly Lynn Burden. Holly's father contacts Dr. Delaware and asks that he perform a psychological autopsy, which he agrees to do. In the course of his investigation, Alex become involved with Dr. Linda Overstreet, the principal of Nathan Hale Elementary School. Also of note: Time Bomb introduces "The Colonel", a character who will reappear later in the series.

[edit] Private Eyes

Set about three months after the events in Time Bomb, this novel finds the lead characters still dealing with the effects: Dr. Delaware is slowly working on a journal article based on the work he did then, and Milo has been suspended. The plot of Private Eyes begins when former patient Melissa Dickinson contacts Alex about looking into her mother's case. Gina Dickinson had been the victim of an acid attack before Melissa's birth, and since then has suffered from acute agorophobia. Shortly after speaking to Dr. Delaware on the phone, Gina Dickinson disappears, and Alex, with the help of friend Milo, tries to determine what happened to her. Also of note: Alex renews his relationship with Robin, after a separation of about two years. During that time Robin had been involved with a man named Dennis, become pregnant, and had an abortion.

[edit] Devil's Waltz

Devil's Waltz begins with Alex returning to his former hospital, Western Pediatric Hospital. He states that it has been five years since he left, which would suggest that the death of Stuart Hickle occurred five years previous. The reader learns that he wasn't staffed by the psychology department, but instead pediatrics and oncology, which clarifies his previous appointment. There is mention of Delaware's alma mater, but it is not mentioned by name. It is mentioned that Dr. Raoul Melendez-Lynch (from Blood Test) has left the hospital. There is brief mention that Project 160 (mentioned in Over the Edge) has been shut down, and that Jamie Cadmus is doing well.

In this novel, Alex is asked to look into the case of 21-month-old Cassie Jones, who has been suffering from a number of unusual and unexplained symptoms. Alex is called in to investigate the psychological aspect of this case, where he comes to suspect the possibility of Munchausen syndrome by proxy, in which somebody creates illnesses in another person as a means to gain attention.

School principal Linda Overstreet has not returned from Texas after her father's death but Alex has slowly begun to resume his relationship with Robin. Milo started "Blue Investigations" which is his moonlighting job outside of police work.

[edit] Bad Love

This novel begins just after the Jones trial (Devil's Waltz) has wrapped up. Alex and Robin's relationship is in full swing, Milo is back working homicide, and another bizarre case presents itself to Alex in the form of a cassette tape that contains sounds of screaming, and a child chanting about 'Bad Love', which relates to a seminar that Delaware participated back in 1979 while working at Western Pediatrics.

This book also introduces a new character, Spike, a bulldog who appears randomly at Alex's house one morning. Towards the end of this novel, Alex's home is destroyed by a fire. At the end both Alex and Robin have every intention of rebuilding the home.

[edit] Self-Defense

This novel is set 13 months after the events in Bad Love. Alex and Robin are working to build a new house together, while Alex pursues his next case.

[edit] The Web

[edit] The Clinic

The Clinic is the twelfth novel by Jonathan Kellerman, and tells the story in the first person point of view of Alex Delaware.

The plot of The Clinic centers around the cold case of celebrity pop-psychologist and professor, Hope Devane. Devane created plenty of controversy with her book, "Wolves and Sheep," that attacks men and promotes a form of controversial feminism. Dr. Delaware's best friend, LAPD detective Milo Sturgis, is given the case a few months after it has gone cold. During their investigation, Milo and Alex encounter Devane's students, husband, and fellow faculty and soon discover that there was more to Hope Devane than what the public knew about. There are so many possibilities that until Alex digs deeper into Hope's hidden life and past there seems to be no hope of resolution; no hope, that is, until they spring the perfect trap.

[edit] Survival of the Fittest

The daughter of a diplomat disappears on a school field trip, lured into the Santa Monica Mountains, and killed in cold blood. Her father denies the possibility of a political motive. There are no signs of struggle and no evidence of sexual assault, leaving psychologist Alex Delaware and his friend LAPD homicide detective Milo Sturgis to pose the essential question: Why?

Working with Daniel Sharavi, a brilliant Israeli police inspector, Delaware and Sturgis soon find themselves ensnared in one of the darkest, most menacing cases of their careers. When death strikes again, it is Alex who must go undercover, alone, to expose an unthinkable conspiracy of self-righteous brutality and total contempt for human life.

[edit] Monster

[edit] Dr. Death

[edit] Flesh and Blood

Alex receives a call from a former patient's mother, whose daughter is missing. Once again, Alex finds himself in ever-increasingly dangerous situations as he attempts to help Milo uncover clues. Throughout the novel, Alex plays fast and loose with the speculation, while Milo tries to remain grounded on sound police theory. In the end, both appear to have certain aspects correct. Robin and Alex have problems throughout the book, and in the closing pages, Robin leaves for San Diego to visit an old girlfriend, only to call Alex on the final page and ask him to join her there.

[edit] The Murder Book

Alex Delaware's girlfriend, Robin, decides to take a "break" from their relationship after a surprise trip to Paris. Proceeding her departure, an enigmatic package arrives at Dr. Delaware's house called The Murder Book with violent photographs depicting victims of various cases. On request of Dr. Delaware his friend, detective Milo Strugis, inspects the book and finds a photo from Milo's first case. It is the only case in the binder that is marked as unsolved.

See also: Murder book

[edit] A Cold Heart

After the deaths of several "young, up-and-coming" artists, Alex and Milo try to stop the serial murderer before he can strike again. The reader also learns that Alex and Robin have started dating other people. Alex is involved with a fellow psychologist, Allison Gwynn, who appeared in The Murder Book for the first time.

[edit] Therapy

Alex and Milo solve a murder mystery revolving around Gavin Quick, a young man disturbed after a car wreck. Again Allison Gwynn appears. The book contains one of Kellerman's best scenes, i.e. the interrogation of one of the suspects in a conspiracy involving fraud with government subsidies.

[edit] Rage

[edit] Gone

[edit] Obsession

Tanya Bigelow, a former patient, comes to Alex requesting help. She wants him and his friend Milo to investigate something her mother said on her death bed. Her mother told her that she did something terrible. No one believes that Tanya's mother Patty, who worked with Milo's partner at the hospital as a nurse, could have done anything terrible, but as the reader learns her past, it contains dark secrets. Alex has a new dog, Blanche, that Robin bought him after Spike died. Robin is living with Alex again.

[edit] Books

In order of appearance, the Alex Delaware novels are as follows: