Another year, another great buddy police/psychologist procedural for Milo and Alex. I look forward to reading this series and The Ghost Orchid is another great entry.

Two naked bodies are found murdered in a middle-class backyard in the LA adjacent and mega-wealthy Bel Air enclave. Which one was the intended victim, and which was collateral damage? The man is a playboy wastrel from a rich Italian family. The woman is a rich man’s wife from down the street. The woman’s husband was out-of-town, but could he have hired someone to kill his cheating wife? Did the man have enemies incensed enough to kill him? Psychologist Alex and detective Milo must unravel the tangled secrets of both victims’ lives.

The characters are the best part of this book. I feel like they are old friends now after reading the 39 (39!) books in this series. As usual, Alex also has a couple of unrelated court cases to bring a bit more psychological meat to the book. The Ghost Orchid can be read as a standalone novel. However, I guarantee that you will be hooked on the characters and will begin reading the entire series after reading this one. 5 stars!

Thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

I haven’t read an Alex Delaware novel for many years and had forgotten how much I enjoy them. This was a solid mystery with a good mix of psychology and old fashioned police work. Alex and Milo have perhaps mellowed a bit over the years, but I was happy to see that they were still very much the same. I need to go back and catch up on all that I’ve missed!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Alex is recovering from a near death experience and his friend Detective Milo hasn't called him to consult on a case in months. When Milo does call it's for a double murder in an exclusive neighborhood. After long days of investigating that go nowhere, they finally get some useful information. This leads them to long ago abuse, assaults and even murder before they can connect this case to one more new one and several old cases spread across the country.

Another great mystery by Kellerman. This kept me guessing, and I enjoyed the writing style. This book is part of a large series but can be read as a standalone. I have read others in this series, and the author does not disappoint. Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. 4 stars!

Another really good mystery. Milo called Alex in on a double murder that took place not far from Alex's home. A man and woman were relaxing beside the pool when someone shot both of them through the heart. Turns out the woman was married, and the man was from Italy. Could this be the work of a jealous husband? The woman's husband was out of town, but did he hire someone to kill her? The man was known to be attracted to older women and he really didn't care if they were married. The more Alex and Milo investigate the murkier the clues become. The woman isn't who she presented to the world. Could it be someone from her past who killed them? As they keep looking, they come across similar crimes, but those crimes had robbery involved. The killer didn't take anything from the man and woman. Who was this woman? Certainly not the person her husband thought she was.

Alex and Milo are back and this is a tough one. It's twisted and keeps you second guessing everything. Picking up a book in this series feels like checking in on old friends. The author manages to make each book fresh. I honestly had no clue where he was going with this one and that made for an exciting mystery read.

Sensational another terrific Jonathan Kellerman novel as Delaware and Sturgis solve two murders with a cast of characters without many redeeming features but you can't put it down when it ends it makes you want to read the next book immediately

This is the 39th book in the Alex Delaware series, but it can be read as a standalone novel. However, a greater appreciation for the storyline, overall, can be gained by reading prior books. Kellerman is a master of descriptions and suspense, all while creating well-developed characters. This installment is no exception. Psychologist Alex Delaware and Detective Milo Sturgis make a great investigative team. If you're looking for an entertaining read, this is one to check out.

Loved this book ! I’ve ready every book in the series and this was a great addition, I loved the complexities of the case and the police procedurals. Such a great series.

I love reading the back and forth between Alex and Milo. The Ghost Orchid continues their friendship spent solving crimes. It really feels like you are in the police car trying to figure out who could of committed such a heinous crime and why. Along the way you get to peek into life in California and into Alex’s life as a child psychologist. Alex and Milo are the good guys and I love seeing the good guys win.

A double murder kicks off an investigation where motives are unclear, and the personal pasts of the victims even more elusive. In tackling the case, as usual, Alex Delaware’s psychological insights complement the investigative skills of Milo Sturgis, the detective assigned the case and a long-standing, ever-hungry friend. Alex and Milo are great characters. They have little in common, but share a strong camaraderie that withstands the test of time. The main plot was well-paced, with twists and turns as Milo and Alex unearth sad truths rooted in the past of the primary victim. The book’s title, and the nature of the Ghost Orchid itself, were particularly well suited to the story. A great addition to the series, sure to please fans of murder mysteries and thrillers.

Kellerman is in fine form in this latest in the long (and gosh I've read them all) running series that's will be just as entertaining as a standalone. This time out, Alex Delaware is working with Lt. Milo Sturgis on the double murder of Gio, an Italian man and Meghin, a married woman- both killed with a shot to the heart beside Gio's pool. What secrets do they hold? Meghin is especially challenging as no one seems to know much about her, not even her pretty awful husband. And then someone else connected to Meghin is killed the same way. As always, Delaware provides insight and assists in questioning but he's not the one who figures out part of the key to the mystery of Meghin. It's nicely twisty. While it's kind of superfluous to the plot, don't pass off Delaware's commitment to the teen whose parents are divorcing. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. No spoilers from me. This is a terrific read.

4.5 stars rounded upward. My thanks go to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for the review copy. This book will be available to the public February 6, 2024.

The Ghost Orchid marks the thirty-ninth entry in the Alex Delaware series, one of the longest series in publication. It’s easy to see why it’s lasted so long. The protagonist and side characters are engaging, and the dialogue never loses its sparkle. In this one, Alex has been recovering from a savage beating that he took at the hands of the murderer in our last mystery. Milo, his BFF, is a homicide cop who often hires him to assist the LAPD with cases where a psychologist is needed, but now Milo is so mired in guilt that he can hardly look at his friend. Finally, with a nudge from Delaware’s longtime (and slightly boring) girlfriend, Milo includes him in another case, and we find snappy dialogue that never fails to entertain.

This time it’s a double homicide in Bel Air. The man and woman are found by the pool, naked and dead. The investigation reveals that he is the son of a mega rich European shoe magnate; she is the wife of another rich man, a young, socially awkward member of the ruling elite who isn’t pleased to learn what his wife has been doing when he’s away on business. But then we learn that she was using an assumed name, and so the whole thing is even more mysterious. Who is this dead woman, and who killed her?

At the same time, Alex is engaged to interview a child in his early teens whose adoptive parents have decided to bail. They are divorcing; neither of them wants the kid.

The main storyline is a lot of fun. Everyone enjoys seeing the super-rich suffer. With wealth of this magnitude, there’s no chance any of Kellerman’s readers will identify with the male murder victim or the husband of the female victim, either. The way it’s resolved is believable, and it’s done without any of the prurient or kinky sex that Kellerman inexplicably included for a handful of books in this series a few years back. The half star is withheld from my rating because the other storyline, the one about the teenager, sort of fizzles without going anywhere, and it’s hard to see why he included it in the first place. Kellerman’s career, and this series, were originally launched around crimes where kids were involved, often as witnesses, and those initial books are fascinating. I’d love to see the author return to his roots, write some more episodes that incorporate his credentials and experience in child psychology.

You can read it as a stand alone novel if you choose, but you’ll want to read the others afterward.

Nevertheless, if you are looking for a fast, fun whodunit, this book is a hard one to beat. I highly recommend it to those that love the genre.

Detective Milo Sturgis and Alex Delaware are back in another mystery/thriller by Jonathan Kellerman.

Two people are found murdered in the pool of a home in a wealthy neighborhood. Both are wealthy people, one of which was married and having an affair with the other. Meagin March and Gio Aggiunta were somehow murdered by a culprit who left behind no evidence at the scene. Who had motive to do them in? Was it Meagin's husband? Was it one of Gio's relatives after his fortune?

This book grabbed me and hooked me into the story right away. Both of the murder victims had secrets in their pasts that led to some interesting detective work. The more of the story that was uncovered, the more the tension built up in the story. As a reader, I didn't want to put the book down until I found out what the truth was. I like how the author introduces a red herring too, when one character disappears.

I like the interplay between the two detectives and how they bounce ideas off each other. I think they make a great team. There are lots of other books featuring these two characters. As a long-time reader, I enjoy each one. The series is excellent. The Ghost Orchid is a great new entry to the series and I recommend it.

I love this series although I have not read all of the installments. This one was edge of your seat fantastic, but more along a psychological level. I enjoyed all of the old characters and they all brought something to the table. A great police procedural.
Many thanks to Ransom House and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

received an ARC through "NetGalley" and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

The story begins with ALEX bored at home since he hasn't been asked by Milo for assistance for a while. This is due to the fact that the last case Alex worked with Milo, Alex almost died and Milo felt responsible. As luck would have it, a few weeks later Alex finally gets a call asking for assistance. The case involves two individuals who have been shot. Evidence at the scene was lacking so they did not have a lot to go on. The first thing they did was look into the families of both victims. Gio, they discovered had issues before he came to America and Meagin had very little information related to her past. Meagin was married and her husband was not around most of the time. The live-in maids did have a lot that to reveal as well.

Using Meagin's phone records, they found a couple of girlfriends as well as an individual who worked at a church doing books. Milo and Alex were able to gain some information from the girlfriend, but when they went to get in touch with the individual. they learned he had been killed and the MO looked like the two found earlier.

Read along and discover what steps they took to finally come to a possible conclusion. Learn how an item they received from a lawyer and what they discover from it as well as what the final clue was, then you need to read the book. The ending answers all of your questions.

The Ghost Orchid by Jonathan Kellerman has Psychologist Alex Delaware and LAPD Homicide Detective Milo Sturgis return to solve a perplexing double homicide. It is a very highly recommended procedural and marks the 39th Alex Delaware novel. Newcomers to the series who enjoy well-written procedurals can easily enjoy The Ghost Orchid as a standalone novel, but once started you will want to delve deeper and read more novels in the series.

Alex has recovered from a previous injury so when Milo calls he is eager to assist him on another case. Two bodies are found by the pool at a house in Bel Air. The residence is that of male victim, Gio Aggiunta, the wealthy heir to an Italian shoe empire. The female victim, Meagin March, is an even wealthier married older woman. Robbery doesn't appear to have been a motive. And while Meagin's husband Douglass is a natural suspect, it becomes clear as the investigation continues that, while he is a jerk, he's likely not the suspect they are looking for. The case requires Milo and Alex to fig deep into the past of the two victims.

This is an excellent addition to the very well-written long-running series. The case is fascinating, the pace is fast, the details are interesting, and the plot is compelling from start to finish. The intricate investigation into the lives of the two victims is engaging and riveting as details emerge. While I am well acquainted with the characters, enough details are provided for new readers to easily follow the dynamic relationship between Alex and Milo.

Once I started The Ghost Orchid I kept reading until I finished it, the mark of a very satisfying procedural. Thanks to Ballantine Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, X, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

The 39th book in the Alex Delaware series does not disappoint! I admit I have read them all since Jonathan Kellerman is one of my favorite authors and I look forward to each new release in the series!

Milo and Alex are back together again working to solve a double homicide involving Meagin and Gio. The murders lead from California to Florida and follow the tragic tale of a woman trying to redirect her path.

The title of the book alone is haunting and this was another page turner I did not want to put down! A big thank you to Random House/Ballantine and NetGalley for a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review! My rating: 5 stars. Publication Date: February 6, 2024

I always look forward to a new Alex Delaware book. I love the dynamic between Milo and Alex and how they solve crimes.
This new one is no exception. This hooked me from the beginning and I read it in two days. I probably could have done it in 24 hours but life happens. This is more of a slow burn but still a page turner. Less action and more methodical than other books in the series. I’m sad it’s over because that means another year at least before the next one. If you’re a fan of Jonathon Kellerman this is another winner.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for a honest review. 4⭐️

Milo and Alex take on another case together, and this one is as sinister as they come. Who is committing these murders that seem unrelated? Who is the true target? The detective and psychologist make a great team to find the answers. I always enjoy their commitment to the cases!