304 pages

5 stars

Psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware is slowly recovering from an accident he suffered when last on an investigation with close friend Lieutenant Milo Sturgis. Milo feels horribly guilty and doesn’t ask Alex for help for several months. He finally calls Alex for help. (At the suggestion of Robin, Alex’s partner.)

A man and a woman have been shot to death at the man’s house near Bel Air, California. The shots are very precise and with an unusual gun.

So begins our twenty-ninth (!!) story in the Alex Delaware/Milo Sturgis series by the fantastic author Jonathan Kellerman.

This is a twisty and very engaging novel. I was engrossed from page one. I so enjoy these books. I have been reading Mr. Kellerman’s books since the first one. The victims, Meagin and Gio, are very believable. Sufficient background was given on both characters, as well as their closest relatives, to fully flesh them out. Their motives and manner of thinking made perfect sense.

Alex and Milo must go on a deep dive to parse out Meagin’s history. It was quite an adventure and well worth waiting for.

The solution to the murders is surprising and fast moving. The case suddenly explodes into action. It was a superb ending to the story.

I truly admire Mr. Kellerman’s consistent talent for writing this series. I will continue to read his novels.

I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine/Ballantine Books for forwarding to me a copy of this wonderful book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

This latest entry in the Alex Delaware series has a lot of heart.

I ended up feeling for our victims in this one. I didn’t necessarily start out that way, but as the story continued and I learned more about them, it was heartbreaking.

And funnily enough, a relatively minor plot point had me actually tearing up at the end. I mean, geez…it wasn’t even anything do to with the story, but the author got me right in the feels!

The story is suspenseful and it’s the kind of story that sticks with you.

An excellent read!

• ARC via Publisher

This is the 39th book in the Alex Delaware series and the author still manages to create a fresh and unique mystery to be solved by the unlikely team of a LAPD homicide detective and a pediatric psychologist. The heart of all the books is the relationship between Alex (the psychologist) and Milo (the detective).

In his characteristic style, Kellerman skillfully uses evocative prose full of insightful and often amusing similes and metaphors. Additionally, he explores the ripple effect of abuse on the lives of family members in a poignant manner without it feeling judgmental or preachy. The significance of the ghost orchid is paramount to understanding one victim’s psyche as well as an important clue to solving the mystery of her death.

There is a subplot related to adoption and custody issues that some have found a distraction. I always appreciate the exploration of Alex’s (and Kellerman’s) “roots” as a child psychologist. It adds a dimension to his character that reveals his compassion and vulnerability based on his own childhood.

Overall, this is a solid contribution to the series – well worth the investment of time if you are a Kellerman fan.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

You never go wrong with Alex and Milo. Another good mystery. Fast paced and interesting story, I recommend this one for sure. Though you should read them all, it is fine as a standalone story.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of The Ghost Orchid.

I've been a big fan of the Alex Delaware series for a reallllyy long time so I was excited my wishlist request was granted.

The mystery was good; a typical procedural where we follow Milo and Alex along in their investigation as they interview suspects, witnesses, and people who knew the victims.

I just wished the bad guy had received his comeuppance.

As always, the stars of the series is the bromance between Alex and Milo; their great chemistry as friends and colleagues, their rapport and banter, and how well they work together as friends and investigative partners.

And, it's always good to check in with Robin and Blanche.

Looking forward to the next book!

Alex Delaware books are so great to read. I love the mystery but I really love seeing the characters interact. Alex Delaware is a fun character to read and I always love these books!

I received an advanced copy through Netgalley, but all opinions are my own.

Kellerman is one of my favorites, and I’m always thrilled when Alex and Michael are back on the case.

This latest is no exception. Taut, entertaining and swift, happy to chat up and anxiously await the next one.

Another hit from the author. His stories just keep getting better and better. Filled with much mystery and suspense which keeps the reader page turning to see what happens next. A great storyline as always. One small complaint is that the custody issue distracted from the story and added nothing to the plot. It was quite a distraction.

Slipping back into this world after a long hiatus was nice.. You don't need to be a former reader to enjoy the story; a lot of who everyone is and what they are doing is doled out. The focus then becomes on the murder-mystery which goes in a few directions and ends up pretty sad. But it's a quick read, a decent detective novel with a turn or two

This is the 39th (!!!) book in the Dr. Alex Delaware series and I’m one of those obsessed readers who has read them all. And Jonathan Kellerman keeps creating unique books full of new mysteries and interesting psychological analyses. This novel, “The Ghost Orchid” would have captured my interest by just the title alone (a rare, hard-to-find Florida orchid that was featured in Susan Orlean’s bestseller “The Orchid Thief”). This name is definitely Kellerman’s most unique and interesting title.

Dr. Delaware's assistance is again requested by Detective Milo Sturgis and together they take us on another amazing journey of deductive reasoning helped along by the doc’s keen observations of the people involved. It’s still a thrill to see well-developed play theories and ideas off each other, sometimes realizing they are going in the wrong direction, but ultimately hitting on the “just right” solution.

In this crime thriller, Alex is still recovering from almost being killed by a lunatic with a bat in the last book and it takes a guilty-feeling Milo over four months to again invite Alex on a “different case”. There’s two naked people shot poolside at a BelAir rental. He’s the scion of an Italian shoe empire (there’s an impressive closet); she’s an older married neighbor. Kellerman’s storytelling skills evolve from this point. Which one was the target? Both had shallow pasts. Why would a murderer kill both of them? As usual, it’s a steady pace of interviews and theories, following leads and then following new ones. I love this sort of police procedural — Alex and Milo are reliable and competent and it’s through hard police work that the crimes they investigate get solved. 5 stars! Can’t wait for number 40 next year!

Thank you to Random House/Ballantine and NetGalley for a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): ALWAYS Milo has green eyes and this time another character, Kathy, has them, too. But I was amazed by this gem: “Surprising because only two percent of people have pure-green eyes and I’d never seen ocular emeralds like my friend’s.”
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO The title, “Ghost Orchid” tells you immediately that Kellerman, along with his always very descriptive observations of southern Californian landscaping, has done his esoteric horticultural homework. Yay!

The Ghost Orchid is …”a plant with no solid roots, parasitic, rare and hard to locate” and another complex mystery by best selling author Jonathan Kellerman. Milo Sturgis once again recruits psychologist Alex Delaware to help him with a baffling murder in Bel-Air. Giovanni Aggiunta, wealthy scion of an Italian bespoke shoe company has been discovered shot through the heart. Lying near him is Meagin March, the wife of millionaire real estate developer Douglass March. Milo and Alex begin a painfully slow, determined investigation to discover exactly who Gio And Meagan were and what brought them together. This multi-layered case lead to a past full of surprises, deception and sorrow.

Meagin March is an unforgettable, tragic character who deserved better in life. Kellerman tells her story with heart-breaking detail and the talent of a seasoned author. A subplot in the Ghost Orchid may become the next in this series but it will be hard to forget this haunting story. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Jonathan Kellerman for this ARC.

Oh I do like the dynamic duo of Milo and Alex. I try to read each case they are on. So I was so pleased to get to read this new story. Milo has a new case with dead bodies but no clues. The gal was married to a different guy, not the dead body next to hers. Which of the two was the main target? Why were they killed? The story is about trying to find any clue to help. Alex works with Milo to uncover the any small detail to help unravel this complicated case. Excellent story!

So excited to preview the latest Alex Delaware book. Great story, quick read. Wish the would have developed the story of the consult Alex did. It did not seem to fit into the series.

This is a novel of mystery and intrigue. This gifted author does not disappoint. This is a cannot put down story. Realistic characters. Secrets and red herrings. Kellerman is a popular author who writes stories that are page turners. Thanks to Netgalley.