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Evidence by Jonathan Kellerman By Melissa J Wantuck  |
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Evidence by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine, 2009) is the twenty-fourth book in the Alex Delaware series released October 6, 2009. Dr. Delaware is called in by detective Milo Sturgis to help him solve the latest homicide that’s been slapped onto his plate. The case will take them up and down the West coast and into a dizzying maze of international intrigue.
In Kellerman’s Alex Delaware series, Delaware is a psychologist working privately on the civilian side. Sturgis is a detective for the LAPD and often calls Delaware in to assist him solving what they refer to as “interesting” cases. In Evidence, they attempt to solve a double homicide in one of LA’s richest neighborhoods. There’s little evidence at the scene so Delaware and Sturgis dig into the lives of the victims to find a motive and a lead to the killer. This sums up the cookie cutter layout of the Alex Delaware series. Only the names and methods used to commit the crimes change.
As the two men cruise around LA and swap scenarios over restaurant fare, they uncover a suspicious trail that includes eco-terrorism, religious fanaticism, and international involvement that to their delight brings the FBI into their pow-wows. Kellerman plays here with the stereotypical conflicts that typify the relationship between the FBI and local law enforcement. One similarity that can be counted on no matter the side, heads role if someone messes up and don’t clear the proper legal hurdle.
The psychological side of the story isn’t very dramatic. There’s very little character development to provide any depth in the reasoning behind the actions of the victims and suspects. Many of the characters make small appearances and there’s only rare mention of Delaware’s and Sturgis’s private lives to bring much of an attachment to them if you’re picking up the series for the first time. There’s very little anywhere in the book to get emotionally attached to.
Kellerman toys around with a few political clichés and seems to try to balance them out by ribbing both sides. These are often some of the moments of comical relief amidst the fireside chats Delaware and Sturgis engage in to talk through the case. For most of the book the two men are shooting the breeze discussing different scenarios to explain the crimes they’re investigating while driving around or getting something to eat.
Fortunately for Delaware and Sturgis, luck is on their side and with the help of the World Wide Web they just may catch their killer. Crime solving is sometimes less about science and more about what you know or how easily you can look it up is the lesson learned here. Anyone interested in criminal profiling may find insight from Delaware’s various takes on the case but otherwise a lot of it is a guessing game.
Kellerman’s style of writing is punchy. Each sentence comes at you quick and you’re not always sure who’s speaking during large sections of non-labeled dialogue. The crime involves a lot of twists and some different criminal agendas. It’s a cut and dry who-done-it because Kellerman doesn’t use any fancy flourishes.
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