- Hardcover: 416 pages
- Publisher: Headline Book Publishing; First Edition edition (12 May 2003)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0747267022
- ISBN-13: 978-0747267027
- Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 15.4 x 2.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,250,870 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
A Cold Heart: Alex Delaware 17
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
A Cold Heart is one of the more interesting recent outings for Jonathan Kellerman's psychiatrist detective Alex Delaware, simply because he is caught up in a police investigation as much by his general helpfulness as his specific knowledge.
A series of killings of promising artists on the brink of breakthroughs or comebacks raises the spectre of a killer motivated by a desire to keep people he admires from commercial compromise--the obsessive interest in the case of a young fanzine editor makes him an instant suspect. Alex's cop friends Milo and Petra find themselves caught up in making sense of deaths in a number of artistic and academic milieux in which they are fishes out of water and Alex moves as if born to them--as indeed in some ways he is.
This is an older, more battered Alex than in some of the smugger Delaware adventures--his perfect relationship with lover Robin has come to an end and he is having difficulty either accepting that or moving on; he knew two of the victims here, a blues guitarist and an obnoxious punk singer for whom Robin did some work, which brings murder closer to home than he likes it. As always, this is a smart, slightly conventional LA thriller in which the legwork of cops is as important as the insights of their tame genius. --Roz Kaveney
Review
Kellerman's form has been fitful of late, but this is top-drawer stuff. Juliet Kipper, a gifted painter, is strangled in the LA gallery where her first solo show has opened to critical acclaim, and Milo Sturgis takes on the murder investigation as a favour to an old friend. He consults Alex Delaware, who, researching parallels with other deaths, looks for artists killed when on the verge of a breakthrough or comeback. And he finds two others. A few weeks earlier, blues player Edgar Michael 'Baby Boy' Lee was stabbed just after finishing his set at The Snakepit. The investigation points to a gruesome, sadistic pattern of death, taking Milo and Alex into terrible danger. Kellerman's experience as psychologist adds layers of verisimilitude to this tautly written thriller.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
As the latest in a long line of Alex Delaware novels, this one is neither adventurous or new in providing anything more to our insight or understanding of Alex and/or Milo. The story starts off kind of slow and, for me at least, the murder(s) sounds kind of uninteresting. In addition, as the culprit is slowly unveiled, I kept thinking "and...so what?"
Having said all this, I'm still a sucker for Kellerman's Delaware novels, found it well written and thought the introduction of, his ambivalence toward and growing closeness with his new love interest was handled believably and well. His continued interactions with Robin are unsettling to him and spark the story along.
Meeting Petra Conner for the first time (I didn't read Billy Straight) was okay. She makes a nice foile for Alex and Milo and brought a different kind of energy to the plot.
While certainly not a great book like When the Bough Breaks, Bad Love or Monster, it's certainly not as bad as the The Clinic (possibly one of the worst books I ever read). If you like Alex, you won't be disappointed. If you're going to read Kellerman for this first time, don't start with this book; begin at the beginning with When the Bough Breaks and get to know him, Milo and Robin before picking this one up.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the first Alex Delaware novel that I have read and it could so easily be my last. I have heard that some of the earlier titles in the series are excellent, by the 17th they are not.
'A Cold Heart' follows a homicide investigation into the deaths of numerous up and coming artists from different disciplines. The case is seen through the actions of several police workers as well as the psychiatrist Alex Delaware.
The story is extremely tedious with little emotion being given to the characters. I could not have cared less about following these people through a long winded case. Not only has the author failed to engage me but the final pages try to make up for the rest of the boring book by suddenly turning on the action.
This book is a lesson on how not to write a paced thriller. I will give Kellerman one more chance – if the next book is as poor as this one he is off my list of novelists to read.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
After reading Flesh and Blood, I couldn't wait to get my hands on another of Jonathan Kellerman's books. A lover of crime thrillers, this one certainly had me guessing until right at the end. Some great twists in the story led to a good read. A great follow-up to Flesh and Blood
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A Cold Heart
A series of murders, first seemingly unlinked has been occurring, apparently
at those who are blessed with talent.. Read more
at those who are blessed with talent.. Read more
Published on 17 April 2007 by peasly
One Of Kellermans Best!!!!
~I am an avid reader of Kellermans books and after reading The Cold Heart I feel this is by far one of his best. Read more
Published on 17 Jun 2003 by Gail
Below par performance
Cold Heart is a disappointing read – I got the feeling that Kellerman was just going through the motions on this one. Read more
Published on 14 May 2003 by "spuddler"
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