City of the Dead

An Alex Delaware Novel

By: Jonathan Kellerman

Narrated by: John Rubinstein

Length: 10 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The past comes back to haunt psychologist Alex Delaware and Detective Milo Sturgis when they investigate a grisly double homicide and uncover an even more unspeakable motive in this riveting thriller from the bestselling master of suspense.

Los Angeles is a city of sunlight, celebrity, and possibility. The L.A. often experienced by Homicide Lt. Detective Milo Sturgis and psychologist Alex Delaware, is a city of the dead.

Early one morning, the two of them find themselves in a neighborhood of pretty houses, pretty cars, and pretty people. The scene they encounter is anything but. A naked young man lies dead in the street, the apparent victim of a collision with a moving van hurtling through suburbia in the darkness. But any thoughts of accidental death vanish when a blood trail leads to a nearby home.

Inside, a young woman lies butchered. The identity of the male victim and his role in the horror remain elusive, but that of the woman creates additional questions. And adding to the shock, Alex has met her while working a convoluted child custody case. Cordelia Gannett was a self-styled internet influencer who’d gotten into legal troubles by palming herself off as a psychologist. Even after promising to desist, she’s found a loophole and has continued her online career, aiming to amass clicks and ads by cyber-coaching and cyber-counseling people plagued with relationship issues.

But upon closer examination, Alex and Milo discover that her own relationships are troublesome, including a tortured family history and a dubious personal past. Has that come back to haunt her in the worst way? Is the mystery man out in the street collateral damage or will he turn out to be the key to solving a grisly double homicide? As the psychologist and the detective explore L.A.'s meanest streets, they peel back layer after layer of secrets and encounter a savage, psychologically twisted, almost unthinkable motive for violence and bloodshed.

This is classic Delaware: Alex, a man Milo has come to see as irreplaceable, at his most insightful and brilliant.

©2022 Jonathan Kellerman (P)2022 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“One of [Kellerman’s] best.”—Mystery & Suspense

“A gripping, readable thriller that combines elements of the police procedural, murder mystery, and psychological thriller genres.”—Booklist

“Kellerman at his best . . . [He] uses his training as a psychologist to construct a crime and perpetrator that will have readers turning pages and guessing until the very end.”—Library Journal

Always Fantastic

Love Kellerman's books!!! Twists and turns and definitely keeps you guessing. Wish the Alex Delaware series would last forever...<sigh>

Love Alex and Milo!!

Good story and great narration. His books are never a disappointment. Never saw the ending coming!!

Yet another excellent novel.

I love Alex and Milo and consider them some of my best friends.! Narration was superb and so well done. The story was well written and the plot what is thick & great. I do however get really bored during all the directions and navigating and road drives in Los Angeles. Seems excessive and as a Midwestern her, who gives a care. But I can tolerate it because the story is a Grand. Thanks , keep them coming.

Surprise surprise

As I listen to the excellent narration, the plot drifted away, Milo and Alex seemed out of sorts, the whole book seemed out of sorts, and wham. I never saw it coming. What an fantastic setup and twist. Almost a noir, in that the answer is, Alex just because. Keep it up. Don’t stop now.

Good Enough.

Well narrated and a good storyline. I had a hard time "staying" with it at times. It did not "grab" me like some stories and my mind wondered but overall, it was a good story and well done.

Engaging story by a master

John Rubinstein is the BEST reader!! Amazing ability to get all the characters’ voices exactly right!

good plot

author is too detailed but readers get use to that. the plot is very good and by the 4th chapter you're hooked.

Entertaining

This is one of the best books he’s written in awhile. I really enjoyed the mystery

John Rubinstein makes it happen!

This is another smashing Alex Delaware story. I love them so much, and all the characters …even the least significant… come alive when interpreted by Mr John Rubenstein. Honestly, there is no better reader ever! And Jonathan Kellerman writes his Alex and Milo mysteries wonderfully! This book is one of his best ! Thank you to both gentlemen! I recommend this one highly!

Backup to speed

This novel was good because it seemed like it was more interesting about the character and I enjoyed it more than I have the last one