Review of "The Museum of Desire: An Alex Delaware Mystery" by Jonathan Kellerman

In this 35th book in the 'Alex Delaware' series, the psychologist helps his friend, Lieutenant Milo Sturgis, investigate an odd set of murders. The book can be read as a standalone.

*****

Two days after a party at an uninhabited Bel Air mansion that's rented out for 'events', a cleaner makes his way up the drive to scrub down the property. The cleaner is surprised to see a white stretch Town Car parked near the house, and optimistically thinks there might be something to steal inside....or maybe some drunken naked chicks.



Instead, the cleaner is horrified to discover four dead bodies.

LAPD Police Lieutenant Milo Sturgis gets the case and calls his friend Alex Delaware, the department's consulting psychologist, to meet him at the scene.





At first sight the four victims appear to be a chauffeur and three passengers. However, a closer look leads Milo and Alex to suspect the scene was staged. The deceased were killed in different ways (shooting, stabbing, asphyxiation); two victims were posed in a sexually explicit manner; and there's too much blood.



The victims turn out to be Solomon Roget - a 78-year-old black man who owned and drove the for-hire limo; Benson Alvarez - a 44-year-old mentally challenged man who lived in a care home; Richard Gurnsey - a handsome, 36-year-old attorney who worked at Sony Studios; and Mary Jane Huralnik - a 59-year-old homeless woman.

There's no obvious connection between the deceased, and Milo and Alex struggle to think of a reason for the strange crime.

Most of the story is a police procedural as Milo data mines the internet; interviews people who knew the victims; obtains information from the medical examiner; analyzes forensic evidence; assigns his team of detectives (whom he calls 'the kids') to knock on doors and surveil persons of interest; and so on.





Alex helps by attending Milo's interviews; contributing psychological insights; and doing his own online research.

There are soon more homicides connected to the case, and the investigators discover clues that point to a possible suspect. All this leads to a dramatic and exciting climax.

When Alex isn't working with Milo or doing his own consulting job, he cozies up at home with his long-time love Robin and their French bulldog Blanche, both of whom are sensitive to Alex's moods. When the psychologist is on edge and trying to look relaxed, for example, Blanche looks up at him 'with big brown eyes full of pity.' 😊



As always, Milo frequently stops by Alex's house to discuss the case, and takes the opportunity to raid the refrigerator and make himself a snack - like turkey on rye with lettuce and tomatoes.



For me this mystery is better than most of Kellerman's recent books, probably because the author returns to his original formula - a psychopathic perp (or perps) with a bizarre agenda.

I enjoyed the book, which has an engaging plot and favorite recurring characters. Recommended to readers who like police procedurals, especially fans of Alex Delaware.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Jonathan Kellerman), and the publisher (Ballantine Books) for a copy of the book.

Rating: 3.5 stars