A Cold Heart, Jonathan Kellerman
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A Cold Heart
An Alex Delaware Novel

Narrator: John Rubinstein

Abridged: 6 hr

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/29/2003


Synopsis

Jonathan Kellerman is a master at creating psychologically nuanced novels of suspense—an author whose name is synonymous with unrelenting action, intriguing plot twists, and penetrating insight into the criminal mind. Now he ventures into bold, new territory with his biggest and best novel yet. A Cold Heart features Kellerman’s brilliant signature style—but in this tour-de-force he mines even deeper the emotional landscape of his characters: psychologist-sleuth Alex Delaware, LAPD homicide detective Milo Sturgis, Milo’s colleague Petra Connor, and Alex’s ex-lover, Robin Castagna—bringing them all vividly to life as never before.

“I’ve got a weird one, so naturally I thought of you,” says Milo Sturgis, summoning his friend Alex to the trendy gallery where a promising young artist has been brutally garroted on the night of her first major showing. What makes it “a weird one” is the lack of any obvious motive, and the luridly careful staging of the murder scene—which immediately suggests to Alex not an impulsive crime of passion . . . but the meticulous and taunting modus operandi of a serial killer.

Delaware’s suspicion is borne out when he compares notes with Milo’s associate, Petra Connor, and her new partner, a strange, taciturn detective with a past of his own named Eric Stahl. The Hollywood cops are investigating the vicious death of Baby Boy Lee, a noted blues guitarist, fatally stabbed after a late-night set at a local club. What links Baby Boy’s murder with that of painter Juliet Kipper is the shadowy presence of an abrasive fanzine writer. This alias-shrouded critic’s love-the-art/disdain-the-artist philosophy and his morbid fascination with the murders leads Alex and the detectives to suspect they’re facing a new breed of celebrity stalker: one with a fetish for snuffing out rising stars.

Tracking down the killer proves to be maddening, with the twisting trail leading from halfway houses to palatial mansions and from a college campus to the last place Alex ever expected: the doorstep of his ex-lover Robin Castagna, whose business association with two of the victims casts her as an unavoidable player in the unfolding case. As more and more killings are discovered, unraveling the maddening puzzle assumes a chilling new importance—stopping a vicious psychopath who’s made cold-blood murder his chosen art form.

Author Bio

American author, Jonathan Kellerman, comes from a decisively different viewpoint when writing his novels, than most authors. Kellerman was born in New York City to parents who were successful authors themselves. His journey began when his family moved to Los Angeles California. He grew up there and received a BA in Psychology from UCLA. He paid for his education by various jobs as cartoonist, illustrator, journalist, and editor, as well as teaching guitar. An unpublished novel that he co-wrote won him a Samuel Goldwyn writing award. Screenplays were readily available to him, but he chose not to get into that venue. He received his PhD from USC in clinical psychology. His research thesis was entitled.....attribution of blame for childhood psychopathology. Kellerman is currently a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine.

The first published book from Kellerman was a medical text book entitled.....Psychological Aspects of Childhood Cancer. His extensive research and hands on experience while working at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles prepared him for the knowledge needed to write his first published book.

He published a book for parents titled Helping the Fearful Child. Through many cases and observations, came his first novel.....When the Bough Breaks, which became a bestseller and was adapted for a TV movie. His career in medicine continued all throughout his writing. He was a consultant and expert witness in the legal system which impacted the characters in his novels.

The psychologist and novelist has been very vocal in speaking out against the "misguided" release of mentally ill people into the community without benefit of counseling, psychotherapy, as well as medication. He currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife, who is also a bestselling crime writer. They have four children, two of whom are also novelists.

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