Self-Defense (Alex Delaware) [Paperback]

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Self-Defense (Alex Delaware) [Paperback]

Product Details

Paperback: 528 pages
Publisher: Ballantine Books (October 1, 2002)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0345458834
ISBN-13: 978-0345458834
Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1.1 x 6.9 inches
Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)

By : Jonathan Kellerman
Price : $7.99

Customer Reviews

The best thing about Kellerman's novels is the experience as a psychologist he brings to his writing. He creates characters who have complex motivations and surprising, often unguessable behaviors -- just like real people. This may seem an absurdly obvious compliment, but when you consider how often other writers rely on 2-dimensional, stock characters, Kellerman's gift becomes more impressive. The character of Lucy in this novel -- the girl haunted by nightmares -- is so fascinating that I continued to read, as much to learn about her mind and feelings as I did to learn about "what happened" in the mystery. Both were eminently satisfying and thought-provoking. Also, in this book, Milo Sturgis gets to add another facet to his well-drawn, sympathetic character: the unwitting crush-object of a girl who doesn't know his orientation. Kellerman keeps finding new ways to explore his characters' rich lives. The intriguing plot of this book, with its central device of recurring dreams and repressed memories, is a particular treat.

Dr. Alex Delaware is completely incorrigible! I love this character, but no wonder his pal Milo is going gray - keeping Alex out of trouble is a full time job! There is a scene in this one where Milo tells Alex straight out not to go snooping - he tells him, "I know you ..." Yeah, Milo knows him all right, and so do we, don't we? (And if you don't - read the books! They're great!)
Okay, Alex is a clinical psychologist who is semi-retired, does mostly forensic work now for the court and the police. His best friend Milo Sturgis is a homicide detective with the LAPD. Once Alex gets involved in a mystery, he is incapable of letting it go. In all fairness, it is Milo who gets him involved in this one.
Alex and his girlfriend Robin are rebuilding their house - she's a carpenter, so she's very hands-on with the rebuilding. In the meantime, they're living on the beach in Malibu. Sweet.
Milo is quite taken by one of the jurors involved in a particularly gruesome and high profile case. Ever since the trial, Lucy Lowell has been having nightmares and Milo asks his friend Alex to try to help her. She's quite a character and Alex is taken by her too. (Things get a little complicated when she reveals her crush on Milo - FINALLY! A woman falls for Milo! (I'm not the only one!) The fact he's gay does put a crimp in things, but no matter). While her recurring dream becomes more intense, other strange happenings have her - and everyone else - questioning her sanity. But there is obviously more going on than anyone originally thought and Alex is afraid maybe this dream is not a nightmare at all, but a long suppressed childhood memory. The memory of a murder.
Milo is tied up with another complicated case, so Alex goes off digging on his own - again. I had to laugh - several times, Alex comments about doing something "on impulse" and I'm sitting there waiting for someone to try to kill him. The lies come so easy for him in this one - he's been getting a lot of practice. He pretends to be a journalist, a freelance novelist, a publisher and he even manages to keep his lies straight - he's amazing! But the inevitable happens and he and Lucy find themselves staring down the wrong end of a gun.
The mystery is 20 years old, so it's a very cold trail and a very complicated case - you won't figure it out - the ending is quite a surprise.