The Ghost Orchid: An Alex Delaware Novel

As always, Jonathan Kellerman’s novel moved quickly, kept me engaged, and ended on a high note.

Milo, the heavyset, determined detective once again engages his best buddy, Dr. Alex Delaware, to help solve some murders. Not just one, in this case, but two at the outset, which devolved into several bodies piling up before the novel ended. But all delivered without a lot of blood and gore, no sex, little cussing - in all, a good, clean, rather polite, fast-paced murder mystery. Throw in a crazy killer, a ton of money, a child neither of his parents wants, and you’re in for a good read.

I always enjoy Jonathan Kellerman’s books. Each is reliably entertaining and well-written, with smooth pacing that never lags. Kellerman is particularly skilled at writing character dialogue and can spin a story into an intricate and intriguing mystery. My favorite thing about the Alex Delaware series however, is the genuine and enduring relationship dynamic between Alex, Robin and Milo. Returning to these familiar characters is like a long overdue conversation with really good friends. In this latest book, we find Detective Milo Sturgis at the scene of a double murder in Bel Air, CA. Both victims have been shot through the heart. Meagin and Gio were lovers. They had wealth, privilege and were afforded the privacy of Gio’s lush, secluded backyard, safely hidden from view. Yet, both are now dead, and Milo is tasked with notifying Meagin’s husband, Doug, a businessman preoccupied with real estate acquisitions. Before making that call however, Milo contacts Alex, and they survey the crime scene. For readers new to the series, Alex is a psychologist. He specializes in child custody cases, but offers Milo his knowledge and insight regarding the psychology of human behavior. The two friends consult frequently, and Alex’s expertise has been invaluable to the LAPD in solving some of their toughest homicides. Finding nothing unusual and retrieving what little evidence there is, both men then proceed to the March residence to inform Doug of his wife’s untimely death. Subsequently, what follows, is an exhaustive deep-dive into the lives of the deceased, the potential suspects and the various leads to track down. First, they must determine who was the primary target. Was it Giovanni Aggiunta, the mildly successful Italian playboy, indulged by his family? Perhaps he had potential enemies across two continents. Maybe the main target was Meagin March, the pampered, but ignored, wife of a young, Uber-rich entrepreneur? Meagin had an erratic, troubled past, and many secrets she tried to outrun. Like all of Kellerman’s books, I marveled at the sheer number of characters that were created in order to construct a believable crime story and the corresponding police investigation. Each strand of the narrative unspools gradually. By combing databases, researching possible tangential connections and the legwork needed for interviews and interrogations, Milo and Alex begin to uncover the darkness that lurks just below the surface. Kellerman is a confident writer, and the plot unfolds with a deft touch. You won’t find a misstep or a stone left unturned. Intelligent and compellng crime fiction that checks all the boxes and provides everything that Kellerman fans have come to expect. “The Ghost Orchid” is a police procedural detective story with many layers and multiple characters. As an aside, I particularly liked the character of Derek, a clear-eyed, wise teen embroiled in his own custody case. It’s a minor subplot, unrelated to the murder investigation, but still poignant and endearing. “The Ghost Orchid” is a satisfying read. It offers a chance to revisit some longtime favorite characters and explores how past trauma can continually inform the present without sufficient professional help and intervention. I would highly recommend this one.

This is different from most of the Alex Delaware novels. It is a little shorter and it is far more linear. What do I mean by that? Bob Parker used to say that much crime fiction involved going door to door and asking questions. When the questions are answered the book is finished. The alternative is a story with multiple plots, multiple characters, obfuscation, blind alleys, mystification, tricks, puzzles and, ultimately, resolution. THE GHOST ORCHID is, on the other hand, a very straightforward story. A man and a woman (married to another man) are found by his pool in Bel Air. Both are shot through the heart. The novel basically asks the question, who are these people? When the questions are finally answered the story ends.

There is a single subplot and it appears to be there for simple relief from the main plot. Alex is asked to handle a custody case in which neither parent has great interest in securing the custody of their adopted son. As it turns out (mini-SPOILER) the custody case illuminates the themes that arise from the primary investigation.

The final resolution(s) are brief and to the point. There is no slam-bang conclusion that occupies a fourth to a fifth of the pages (common in JK’s Alex Delaware novels). The fact that the plot architectonics are simple and clear does not suggest that the book lacks urgency or even intensity. The writing is excellent. All of the elements of great fiction (character, plot, setting, theme) are there. It is just more linear and different from the average JK story. (And the title, when it is finally explained, is absolutely superb, unlike some of the JK titles, which can range from excellent to perfunctory.)

Enjoy. Five stars.

I always look forward to a new Alex Delaware book. They are thoughtful, interesting, realistic and, of course, great mysteries, with great characters.

At the end there was a short “consult” regarding a different case. It’s good that the author includes these other stories to add a bit of respite from the main murder case. But it seemed a bit odd to end with this. I kept expecting a different ending, but it kind of stopped on a positive note. (Guess I’m just the suspicious type! 😝)

Anyway, another great Alex Delaware book. Highly recommended!

I think that in writing, someone decided that the writer shouldn't tell, but should show. In the more than thirty Alex Delaware books by Jonathan Kellerman, the author has for the most part done just that. In this book, however, in spite of the fact that the story itself has fairly good bones, the actual narrative is flat and--- incredibly--- boring! No really creepy descriptions of messy murders, no suspense, and no fast, daring action taken by the team of Milo Sturgis and Alex Delaware. This one is basically a lot of scut work: phone calls, file searches, and an accidental "solve" that Milo would probably be embarrassed to claim for himself. I expect more from Kellerman after all these years. Three stars should have been Z...Z...Z...