As always, Jonathan Kellerman delivers a masterful thriller with well-developed characters. in "Breakdown," the latest in the Delaware series. Psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware is on the case when a TV actress's child goes missing. He brings in friend and former detective Milo Sturgis as more victims vanish from an upscale neighborhood. Together they tackle personal issues rimmed with family dysfunction, misleading lies and the betrayal of innocence.

In the latest instalment of Jonathan Kellerman’s long running series featuring child psychologist Alex Delaware, the death of a former patient’s mother triggers an investigation into a missing child, and a string of unsolved murders. With the help of his best friend and unofficial partner, Lieutenant Milo Sturgis, Delaware slowly unravels a story of mental illness, family secrets, betrayal, and murder.

I generally prefer this series when the cases are focused on those which more fully involve Delaware’s speciality. Ovid, Alex’s former patient, is almost incidental to this story, other than as the catalyst for their curiosity. This is Kellerman’s 31st novel though, so I don’t begrudge the way in he changes things up from time to time.

The pace is a little slow at times, Alex and Milo spend a lot of time trawling through records, consulting experts, and speculating about the case. There isn’t a lot of suspense, but the investigation is well crafted and it’s always satisfying to have the mystery neatly solved with the killer brought to justice.

While not the strongest book in the series, fans should find Breakdown enjoyable enough.

Breakdown, though 31st in the Alex Delaware series, was my first time finally reading Jonathan Kellerman - one of those authors we all have on our list, whom we've wanted to try but never yet got around to. I was intrigued by the synopsis of this one - Los Angeles psychologist Alex Delaware trying to track down the whereabouts of a child he once interviewed whose mother, a minor Hollywood starlet, has lost her grip on reality and ends up alone and on the streets - but found the book very, very slow-going in the beginning, with nothing much happening until a death (an accident, or murder?) occurs, and the plot not only picks up but gets pleasantly complex by comparison. Delaware is a likable fellow, very conscientious and moral (if a bit dull), but many of the minor and supporting characters here feel a little out of Central Casting, not coming off particularly real or likable themselves. While I totally understood the need for background to establish the starlet Zelda's character and issues with her worsening mental condition, the book's first third or so feels overly ponderous with information and exposition compared to the rest of the novel's actual storyline, where the mysterious goings-on finally come to light and Alex and his cop buddy Milo's investigations kick into gear. Not bad but not great, though I am glad Breakdown picked way up with its second half especially; just wish the first third or so had been nearly as compelling. 3/5 stars

Note: I received a free ARC of this title via NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this publication.