Flesh and Blood - Jonathan Kellerman

I first stumbled upon Jonathan Kellerman’s books when I was browsing at Novel House bookshop. Jonathan Kellerman’s Flesh and Blood immediately caught my eye and as I skimmed the back cover, I immediately got filled with excitement. Kellerman’s novels centre around a small group of main characters such as Alex Delaware, a child psychologist who is occasionally is asked to work with the police as a consultant. Detective Milo Sturgis, Delaware’s close friend, whom he often relies upon for back up and help. Robin Castagna, Delaware’s long suffering girl friend.

Some of his other books centre on other characters too with the key ones, as I mentioned above, in the background instead. He tends to rotate the importance of his well-developed characters, which I personally think makes his books very interesting to follow.

He is another excellent crime thriller writer, which (as you’ve probably guessed) is my preferred genre. Kellerman’s other books include Doctor Death, Billy Straight, Monster, Bad love and many more.

The author used to be a child psychologist himself, so he brings in an altogether different feel to his books (as opposed to those who write from a detective point of view)….more emotional, and you find yourself really connecting to the main characters.


Flesh and Blood Plot

Shortly after the celebrations of a New Year had settled, Alex Delaware is sat in his office on a perfectly normal (forgettable even) Saturday morning. Then, the phone rang….

The call was from a Mrs Jane Abbot. He didn’t recognise the name at all, but she seemed to know him. She tells him that it was her daughter, Lauren Teague that he once knew. He had treated her nearly ten years ago. Alex instantly remembers the name, and is filled with a sense of overwhelming guilt and confusion. Lauren may have only been his patient for two sessions (the third one was cancelled), but she sticks in his mind due to the circumstances of their chance meeting six years later.

The story then briefly flashes back to the chance meeting, some four years previous.

Alex is celebrating a colleague’s impending marriage with a traditional bachelor party. Not his idea of a good time, and he felt uneasy with the whole thing. Along comes the stripper, as always appear in these parties, and he sees AND feels a spark of recognition. It was Lauren Teague. Nothing was said by either, and Alex made his excuse and left early after the shock encounter.

Later that night, Lauren looks up Delaware’s number and calls him unexpectedly to belatedly re-appoint their third session. She informs him that she is now studying psychology at college herself, and is paying her own way through the stripping. Conversation turns to her family and their faults. After a much-heated discussion, Lauren storms out of Alex’s office, leaving Alex somewhat bewildered.

Back to the present day and the phone call from Mrs Abbot. It is a desperate call asking for his services to try and locate Lauren… She’s missing.

Alex is a little reluctant to begin with, but after he does some delving into Lauren’s past he finds some astonishing discoveries, connections within L.A’s seedy underworld, and a possible link to another girl’s disappearance.

There are a lot of questions that pops into mind. Will Alex find Lauren in time to save her? Will Robin’s love for Alex withstand his obsession for this case?

I shan’t say any more as I do not want to give away any vital parts of the story. I know it’s a cliché, but I have to say it…this book is a true rollercoaster ride, full of twists and unexpected plot diversions. To top it off, the ending will blow you away!


MY OPINION

This book was simply brilliant. There is plenty in this book to keep you guessing and leaves you literally sitting (or rather clinging!) on the edge of your seat. Like James Patterson’s books, the chapters are fairly short and very addictive. They are written in such a way that it makes you want to keep on reading into the early hours, simply to find out what could possibly happen next!

Since reading this book, with it’s subtle style and engrossing characters, I have gone on to read other books by Kellerman and they are all written in the same effortless, and engrossing style.

The characters are extremely believable and, as I have said, because these particular series of books were written more from a psychologist’s point of view, the characters had a great deal of depth to them, and I really did feel emotionally attached to them.

By the time that I had finished reading this book, I knew a great deal about the characters previous encounters, characteristics and personal involvement, as with each of his other books. So much so, I even knew a little of their previous involvement in his earlier books.

Jonathan Kellerman’s brilliant structuring and characterisation made it very easy to understand each of the characters and situations. Each book gives a good insight into the characters themselves, so if you haven’t read any of the previous ones, you will not be left in the dark as far as characterisation goes.

I really enjoyed reading this book (I must have done because I went straight back to the same bookshop the next day and got two more) and I think you will too.