Product Description

When Alex Delaware first saw Lauren Teague she was a sullen teenager with the usual problems: bad grades at school, moody, uncommunicative with her parents - which is why they thought she needed to see a psychologist. Then years later, a shock: at a batchelor party for a fellow doctor, Delaware finds himself uncomfortably watching two strippers going through a degrading display - and one of them is Lauren Teague. And now her mother is pleading for help once again. Lauren has disappeared - and she thinks Delaware can find her. He's not so sure - but when her disappearance turns into a murder investigation, he knows he owes it to the dead girl to find out what demons drove her to such a horrifying end.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1055394 in Books
• Published on: 2001-12-27
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 384 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Alex Delaware is back in Flesh and Blood, one of the tautest outings yet for Jonathan Kellerman's resourceful protagonist. The new book represents a further level of refinement in Kellerman's functional, astringently written prose--it's clear that the author knows exactly what his readers need, and he dispenses with the superfluous. Nary a comma is wasted in this lean, direct piece of work.

Alex first encounters Lauren Teague as an uncommunicative teenager with all the usual hang-ups: poor grades at school, open warfare with her parents, etc. She is sent to a psychologist, and Alex loses track of her. Years later, at a bachelor party for a colleague, Alex is watching two strippers perform a fairly tasteless display and notices that one of them is Lauren. Lauren disappears, and her mother pleads for Alex's help in tracking her down. But her disappearance turns into a murder investigation, and Alex is obliged to confront the demons that brought Lauren to an unenviable end.

The theme of a descent into a truly dark criminal underworld is desperately over-familiar, but Kellerman is fully aware of that and rings the changes with commanding authority. If Alex is more cursorily characterised than usual, that's undoubtedly Kellerman's game plan: the narrative here is the thing, and the merest touches are needed to characterise his canny protagonist. --Barry Forshaw

About the Author
After a distinguished career in child psychology, Jonathan Kellerman turned to writing full-time, and there are now nearly fifteen million copies of his novels in print. He is also the author of two volumes of psychology. He lives in Southern California with hsi wife, the novelsit Faye Kellerman, and their four children.

Customer Reviews

Jonathon Kellerman at his superb best!!
Being an avid Jonahon Kellerman fan, I always await his publications with anticipation and again he has not let me down.

You can literally see into minds contact with Alex Delaware and his trusted police friend Milo Sturgis who, together uncover horrors concerning the double life of Lauren Teague and discover the truths regarding her family and murderer.

If you have never read a JK [not Rowling] book my advice is - buy this now and become entranced into the world of Jonathon Kellerman..

back on form
After a couple of slightly disappointing novels, Kellerman is back on form with Flesh and Blood. He seems to revel in the seedier side of LA and this book is no exception. Only criticism - not enough of Milo and Rick! - but generally this is a cracking read that should please all his fans.

I Enjoyed It As Much As His Earlier Novels
Several reviewers in the United States allude to some recent novels of Kellerman's that have not been up-to-par. I live overseas and haven't had an opportunity to read all of his intervening novels, but have read five or six of his books, and liked all of them.

This particular book, I enjoyed as much as his early books. I love reading about Alex and Milo's investigations. Just as I have aged, they have aged also. I like that, because the characters have grown. Robin is still with Alex, but is post-menopausal, while Alex and Milo are also getting into middle age, and aren't so impetuous as when they were younger. Perhaps the people giving negative reviews of this book, in the United States, haven't yet reached middle age themselves and can't yet appreciate this fact. I was very surprised at the negative reviews. What I loved most about this book is that when Alex gets involved in the investigations, he goes about things as would any ordinary citizen, except that he gets a few better ideas than I would. But I can imagine myself in his place, doing what he does, making the same mistakes he makes. Except that I could never really do it--it's just wishful thinking on my part. As a reader, it's easy to step into Alex's shoes. I enjoyed the story. I read it in two days, and had trouble putting it down.

For readers new to Kellerman, it is not necessary to have read Kellerman's earlier novels about Alex and Milo to appreciate this one. It stands well on it's own.