DECEPTION is at the heart of this shockingly intriguing novel, showing that privilege can be a front for evil. New York Times No. 1 bestseller Jonathan Kellerman's books are a must-read for fans of Harlan Coben and Michael Connelly. DECEPTION is ' all you could ask for in an LA thriller' ( Daily Mail ). On a DVD found near her lifeless body, Elise Freeman chronicles a year-and-a-half-long ordeal of monstrous abuse at the hands of three sadistic tormentors. But even more shocking than the lurid details is the revelation that the offenders, like their victim, are teachers at a prestigious LA prep school. If ever homicide detective Milo Sturgis could use Dr Alex Delaware's psychological prowess, it's now. From the start, this case promises to be an uphill climb for truth and a down-and-dirty fight for justice. Alex and Milo must penetrate the citadel of wealth and scholarship to expose the dirty secrets and deadly sins festering amongst LA's elite. But power and position are not easily surrendered, and Alex and Milo may well be walking into a highly polished death trap . . .

Psychologist sleuth Alex Delaware is surprised to get the call when well-known TV actress Zelda Chase turns up half-naked, half-mad in the LA’s rural Westside. He has little connection to the starlet, save a psychiatric evaluation he performed on her adopted son several years ago, a child who has since vanished without a trace and whom Zelda refuses to talk about. When the actress turns up dead a few weeks later without a scratch on her, Delaware calls in police lieutenant Milo Sturgis to help him crack the case—or at least the wall of silence surrounding it. When the body of a second actress turns up with the same mysterious cause of death, Delaware and Sturgis start to wonder—is this a copycat case or a coincidence? When they uncover the death of another actress, a star from another era who vanished decades ago, never to be found, they realize they’re facing one of their most baffling, mind-bending cases yet.

Edgar Award winner Jonathan Kellerman once more explores the corruption of California's golden coast and produces a novel of complex characterizations and nonstop suspense. By the time psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware reached the school the damage was done: A sniper had opened fire on a crowded playground, but was gunned down before any children were hurt. While the TV news crews feasted on the scene an Alex began his therapy sessions with the traumatized children, he couldn't escape the image of a slight teenager clutching an oversized rifle. What was the identity behind the name and face: a would-be assassin, or just another victim beneath an indifferent California sky? Intrigued by a request from the sniper's father to conduct a "psychological autopsy" of his child, Alex begins to uncover a strange pattern of innocence, neglect, and loss. Then suddenly it is more than a pattern -- it is a trail of blood. In the dead sniper's past was a dark and vicious plot. And in Alex Delaware's future is the stuff of grown-up nightmares: the face of real human evil. Also available on BDD Audio Cassette. From the Paperback edition.

A gripping new crime novel featuring Alex Delware from the bestselling master of suspense. When a photographer is found inside an LA warehouse slumped in bed, shot to death, it sets in motion a complex and dangerous case for Lieutenant Milo Sturgis and Psychologist Alex Delaware. The victim had just received rave media attention for his latest project - images of homeless people living out their 'dreams'. But there were many who saw the work as crass exploitation. Did anger turn to homicidal rage? Or do the roots of violence reach down to the victim's own family? As new murders arise, Alex and Milo must peel back the layers of the case - and will find themselves coming up against in one of the deadliest threats they've ever faced... ______________________________ Praise for Jonathan Kellerman's New York Times No. 1 bestselling thrillers- 'Sophisticated, cleverly plotted and satisfying' Sunday Telegraph 'High-octane entertainment' The Times 'Exceptionally exciting' New York Times 'Jonathan Kellerman has delivered the goods again, adding another instalment to a series that shows no sign of running out of stea' Shots Magazine

"The #1 New York Times bestselling author and master of the psychological thriller makes all the right moves in this new novel of spellbinding suspense. Even with all his years of experience, LAPD homicide detective Milo Sturgis knows there are crimes his skill and savvy cannot solve alone. That's when he calls on brilliant psychologist Alex Delaware to read between the lines, where the darkest motives lurk. And if ever the good doctor's insight is needed, it's at the scene of a murder as baffling as it is brutal. There's no spilled blood, no evidence of a struggle, and, thanks to the victim's missing face and hands, no immediate means of identification. And no telling why the disfigured corpse of a stranger has appeared in an upscale L.A. family's home. Chet Corvin, his wife, and their two teenage children are certain the John Doe is unknown to them. And yet their cooperation seems oddly guarded. But even the Corvins' thin response is more than Milo and Alex can elicit from their creepy next-door neighbor--a notorious cartoonist with a warped sense of humor and a seriously antisocial attitude. As the investigation ensues, it becomes clear that this well-to-do suburban enclave has its share of curious eyes, suspicious minds, and loose lips. And as Milo tightens the screws on potential persons of interest--and Alex tries to breach the barriers that guard their deepest secrets--a strangling web of corrupted love, cold-blooded greed, and shattered trust is exposed. Though the grass may be greener on these privileged streets, there's enough dirt below the surface to bury a multitude of sins. Including the deadliest. Praise for Jonathan Kellerman "Jonathan Kellerman has mastered the art of lean, evocative prose [in] a series that grows stronger with each volume."--New York Journal of Books "Jonathan Kellerman's psychology skills and dark imagination are a potent literary mix."--Los Angeles Times "A master of the psychological thriller."--People "The combination of Alex Delaware [and] Milo Sturgis. makes for the most original whodunit duo since Watson and Holmes."--Forbes"--