Self-Defense

An Alex Delaware Novel

By: Jonathan Kellerman

Narrated by: Alexander Adams

Dr. Alex Delaware doesn’t see many private patients anymore, but the young woman called Lucy is an exception. So is her dream. Lucy Lowell is referred to Alex by Los Angeles police detective Milo Sturgis. A juror at the agonizing trial of a serial killer, Lucy survived the trauma only to be tormented by a recurring nightmare: a young child in the forest at night, watching a strange and furtive act.

Now Lucy’s dream is starting to disrupt her waking life, and Alex is concerned. The power of the dream, its grip on Lucy’s emotions, suggests to him that it may be more than a nightmare. It may be the repressed childhood memory of something very real. Something like murder.

Critic reviews

“EXCITING . . . LOADED WITH TENSION AND PACKED WITH TITILLATING INSIGHTS.”
—The New York Times Book Review

“KELLERMAN AT HIS BEST.”
—USA Today

“SATISFYING . . . SUSPENSEFUL.”
—Playboy

A good read!

This title has a nice flowing storyline and good character development. I was interested all the way through.

One of Better Books in Delaware/Sturgis Series

One of Kellerman's better books in his Alex Delaware/Milo Sturgis series (Book 9 out of 22 to date). The narrator of this audiobook version, Alexander Adams, is very good. The plot has many twists and turns, as well as a largely interesting cast of dysfunctional characters. Milo Sturgis is further fleshed out through his friendship with Lucy Lowell. He befriends Lucy after she serves as a juror for the trial of a vicious murderer. The trial causes Lucy to develop nightmares. These turn out to be repressed 21-year old memories of the burial of a young woman which she witnessed at age 4. Milo, of course, refers Lucy to his psychologist friend Alex Delaware. Delaware does more detective work than psychotherapy, inevitably nearly getting himself and his patient killed, but for Milo. Nonetheless, Delaware does unravel the mystery to a satisfying conclusion. Kellerman's use of hypnosis on Lucy is a weak point, but keeping Delaware's stick figure girlfriend, Robin, in the background a plus. She rarely adds anything to this series. Kellerman fans of the Delaware series should enjoy this book and also other fans of this genre.

Great Story...Didnt like narrator

Where does Self-Defense rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I LOVE all of Jonathan Kellerman's novels

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

The plot didn't give me an 'edge of my seat' feeling...It was predictable

What didn’t you like about Alexander Adams’s performance?

I am just a HUGE fan of John Rubinstein...He is AWESOME

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes for the story line...No because of the narrator

Any additional comments?

All Jonathan Kellerman novels should be read by John Rubinstein ONLY

Excellent

This was an excellent listen, as always with Kellerman books.

great disappointment

Love his work usually, all in fact, except this one. Very boring! He's never been a 'page' turner type author but involved, human kind of stories. This was limped along and on and on and on.....