The Ghost Orchid: An Alex Delaware Novel

by Jonathan Kellerman

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Psychologist Alex Delaware and Detective Milo Sturgis confront a baffling, vicious double homicide that leads them to long-buried secrets worth killing for in the riveting thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling “master of suspense” (Los Angeles Times).

LAPD homicide lieutenant Milo Sturgis sees it all the time: Reinvention’s a way of life in a city fueled by fantasy. But try as you might to erase the person you once were, there are those who will never forget the past . . . and who can still find you.

A pool boy enters a secluded Bel Air property and discovers two bodies floating in the bright blue water: Gio Aggiunta, the playboy heir to an Italian shoe empire, and a gorgeous, even wealthier neighbor named Meagin March. A married neighbor.

An illicit affair stoking rage is a perfect motive. But a “double” in this neighborhood of gated estates isn’t something you see every day. The house is untouched. No forced entry, no forensic evidence. The case has “that feeling,” and when that happens, Milo turns to his friend, the brilliant psychologist Alex Delaware.

As Milo and Alex investigate both victims, they discover two troubled pasts. And as they dig deeper, Meagin March’s very identity begins to blur. Who was this glamorous but conflicted woman? Did her past catch up to her? Or did Gio’s family connections create a threat spanning two continents?

Chasing down the answers leads Alex and Milo on an exploration of L.A.’s darkest side as they contend with one of the most shocking cases of their careers and learn that that some secrets are best left buried in the past.

• ISBN10: 0593497678
• ISBN13: 9780593497678
• Publish Date: 6 February 2024
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Random House USA Inc
• Imprint: Ballantine Books Inc.
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 304
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780593497678

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

The Ghost Orchid is the 39th Alex Delaware procedural mystery by Jonathan Kellerman. Released 6th Feb 2023 by Penguin Random House on their Ballantine imprint, it's 304 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Large print paperback due out from the same publisher 22nd Feb 2024. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This has been such a solid and dependable very long-running series. The returning characters are so well defined at this point, with so much background written in, that they really seem to live and breathe. Dr. Delaware himself is always insightful and the "odd couple" aspects of his relationship with Detective Milo Sturgis are fun and engaging. The series has delivered solidly since 1985 which is stupendous, and that the author continues to deliver without feeling too formulaic or "phoned in" is unbelievably wonderful.

This is a modern procedural and, as in the other books, the descriptions and themes can be graphic. There are aspects of aberrant psychology or behavior and themes which may be upsetting for some readers. The mystery itself is clever, twisty, and super well constructed. Alex Delaware is called in by Milo to try and untangle the otherwise hidden psychological aspects, and as always, his observations are vital to the solving of the case.

The mystery itself and all necessary back-story are written in, so it works quite well as a standalone. The whole series is highly recommended, but readers who are new to the characters won't have any trouble keeping up. Itwould make a superlative buddy/binge/summer vacation read, or a year long project for a mystery book club. Highly successful, it's already on public library acquisition lists, but if not, it's a must read.

The unabridged audiobook version has a run time of 10 hours 7 minutes and is capably narrated by long time series narrator John Rubinstein. Mr. Rubinstein does a superb job juggling the different characters and his baritone voice manages to go from adenoidal whiny to gravelly and hard-boiled (Milo) without a single hiccup. Sound and production quality are very high throughout the read.

Four and a half stars. A solid mystery in a very solid, very long-running series.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[chymerra]

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: Fast and stays fast throughout the book.

POV: 1st person (told from Alex Delaware’s POV)

Series: The Ghost Orchid is the 39th book in the Alex Delaware series. Readers can read The Ghost Orchid as a standalone book. But I suggest reading the previous 38 books to understand the relationships and backgrounds of people in the book.

Trigger Warnings: There are scenes of poverty, slut-shaming, incest (off page), rape (off page), sexual assault (off page), sex-worker shaming, child abuse (off page), domestic abuse & violence (off page), foster care, sex addiction (off page), blood depiction, dead bodies, gun violence, stalking, and cheating. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book.

Language: There is moderate swearing in The Ghost Orchid. There is also language used that could be offensive to some people.

Setting: The Ghost Orchid is set in and around Los Angeles, California.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Four months after almost being killed helping his best friend, Milo, on a case, Alex Delaware is bored. So, when Milo calls and asks if Alex could meet him at a crime scene, Alex immediately accepts. Milo needs Alex’s insights to understand who could have killed two people in a Beverly Hills neighborhood.

But, when Milo starts digging into the woman victim’s background, he finds a mystery. The woman has no past and didn’t exist until a year before she married over a year ago. A painting of a ghost orchid by the victim is a tantalizing clue about who she was. It is up to Alex and Milo to unravel her past to find her (and her lover’s) killer. Can they untangle a past full of lies and stolen identities? Will they discover her killer before he strikes again?

Characters:

The main characters of The Ghost Orchid are Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis. These are well-established, well-rounded characters who had great chemistry together. But the author did something different at the end of the last book and the beginning of this book. He had Alex almost get killed at the end of the last book and was forced to take a break for four months. And during that time, Milo and Alex grew apart. Milo had extreme guilt over Alex’s near-death experience and injuries. That kept him from visiting and, at one point, even talking to Alex. It was interesting to see them be so awkward with each other and to watch them reform their bond.

I enjoyed the extra depth that the secondary characters brought to the storyline. I liked that the author brought back characters from previous books. It made the book feel more fleshed out to me.

My review:

The storyline of The Ghost Orchid is centered around the murder, the female victim’s identity and past, and the relationship (both personal and professional) between Alex and Milo. I loved how the author kept the storyline minimal initially and then slowly added information. It made for a compelling and exciting read.

The mystery angle of The Ghost Orchid was well written. I liked how the author almost casually dropped clues about the female victim’s identity (both past and present). He also included what seemed to be two random murders and tied them to her in ways that I honestly didn’t expect. There is a twist at the end of the book that did take me by surprise. It shouldn’t have (considering what Milo and Alex discovered in the last half of the book). It also saddened me and just reaffirmed my belief that people are awful.

The end of The Ghost Orchid was interesting. I liked how Milo and Alex wrapped up the case. As I said above, it did sadden me because of what the female victim went through in her life and the lengths she went through to distance herself from everything. I hope there will be a book 40; if there is, I can’t wait to read it.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books, NetGalley, and Jonathan Kellerman for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Ghost Orchid. All opinions stated in this review are mine.