Compulsion, Jonathan Kellerman
Compulsion, Jonathan Kellerman
3 Rating(s)
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Compulsion
An Alex Delaware Novel

Author: Jonathan Kellerman

Narrator: John Rubinstein

Abridged: 6 hr 22 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/25/2008


Synopsis

Once again, the depths of the criminal mind and the darkest side of a glittering city fuel #1 New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Kellerman’s brilliant storytelling. And no one conducts a more harrowing and suspenseful manhunt than the modern Sherlock Holmes of the psyche, Dr. Alex Delaware.

A tipsy young woman seeking aid on a desolate highway disappears into the inky black night. A retired schoolteacher is stabbed to death in broad daylight. Two women are butchered after closing time in a small-town beauty parlor. These and other bizarre acts of cruelty and psychopathology are linked only by the killer’s use of luxury vehicles and a baffling lack of motive. The ultimate whodunits, these crimes demand the attention of LAPD detective Milo Sturgis and his collaborator on the crime beat, psychologist Alex Delaware.

What begins with a solitary bloodstain in a stolen sedan quickly spirals outward in odd and unexpected directions, leading Delaware and Sturgis from the well-heeled center of L.A. society to its desperate edges; across the paths of commodities brokers and transvestite hookers; and as far away as New York City, where the search thaws out a long-cold case and exposes a grotesque homicidal crusade. The killer proves to be a fleeting shape-shifter, defying identification, leaving behind dazed witnesses and death–and compelling Alex and Milo to confront the true face of murderous madness.

About Jonathan Kellerman

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 An unpublished novel that he co-wrote won him a Samuel Goldwyn writing award.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.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Heidi on October 11, 2024

Unfortunately not a great Delaware read! Hate when characters become omnicient to save the author time--- it's just deadly dull in a mystery. Alex "surmised" so much about the psychopath that I was thinking if he'd pick a few numbers, I should buy a lotto ticket... Despite this dull entry, I still lo......more

Goodreads review by Lewis on October 29, 2017

Another quite readable psychological adventure with Dr. Delaware and Milo. Enough turns and twists to keep the pages turning, but not enough to create the edge of prior books in this series.......more

Goodreads review by Baba on May 21, 2020

Alex Delaware & Milo Sturges book No. 22: A missing person case and a straight forward murder case maybe related? Alex and Milo may have inadvertently stumbled on a serial killer that's been plying his trade for decades… undiscovered! Good read, one of the better books I have read in this series. 6......more

Goodreads review by Susan on April 14, 2008

If you like Kellerman's other books, you will probably like this one. I actually liked it more than some of the other ones. Sometimes, I find Alex Delaware's psychological insights a little too obscure and feel they muddy the picture. This time, he was a little more reigned in, and I found this book......more

Goodreads review by Mary JL on October 01, 2009

I have always enjoyed the Alex Delaware series. I find the two main characters--Alex and Milo--very interesting. I also find the many plot twists in the books interesting and suspenseful. Some people see thru these twists and see things coming--I seldom can figure a mystery out. The way the two sepe......more