#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Alex Delaware and LAPD detective Milo Sturgis investigate the death of Alex’s most mysterious patient to date in the sensational new thriller from the master of suspense, #1 New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Kellerman.
At nearly one hundred years old, Thalia Mars is a far cry from the patients that child psychologist Alex Delaware normally treats. But the charming, witty woman convinces Alex to meet with her in a suite at the Aventura, a luxury hotel with a checkered history.
What Thalia wants from Alex are answers to unsettling questions—about guilt, patterns of criminal behavior, victim selection. When Alex asks the reason for her morbid fascination, Thalia promises to tell all during their next session. But when he shows up the following morning, he is met with silence: Thalia is dead in her room.
When questions arise about how Thalia perished, Alex and homicide detective Milo Sturgis must peel back the layers of a fascinating but elusive woman’s life and embark on one of the most baffling investigations either of them has ever experienced. For Thalia Mars is a victim like no other, an enigma who harbored nearly a century of secrets and whose life and death draw those around her into a vortex of violence.
Heartbreak Hotel is classic Delaware and classic Kellerman.
Praise for Heartbreak Hotel
“Easy to dive into for mystery fans unfamiliar with the series, and a welcome treat for readers who have been with Officer Sturgis and Dr. Delaware since the beginning.”—Booklist
Praise for Jonathan Kellerman
“Jonathan Kellerman’s psychology skills and dark imagination are a potent literary mix.”—Los Angeles Times
“Kellerman doesn’t just write psychological thrillers—he owns the genre.”—Detroit Free Press
“A master of the psychological thriller.”—People
Been a long time since I caught up with Alex and Milo. This has been on my Kindle forever so while avoiding reading other books I started and didn't get into, i decided to crack this one open.
Alex receives a phone call from 100 year old Thalia who asks him to come visit her at the hotel she lives at for a consult. Intrigued, Alex overcomes his reluctance and visits her for an interesting but mystifying first meeting. The next day, returning as promised, Alex finds Thalia has died in bed. A sharp-eyed paramedic notices something amiss and Alex and Milo are plunged into another murder case.
I loved the premise of this. There was a victim but no other information. No why, no who. A complete mystery from the start and yet Alex and Milo slowly uncover each detail. I've always enjoyed the relationship between Alex and Milo and it's always great fun to watch them work. This one ended up being part historical mystery and part modern day mystery, with the roots beginning in the gangster filled 30s and 40s in what was then a largely corrupt Los Angeles leading up to the current day largely corrupt Los Angeles (some things never change I guess.) but untwisting the mystery page by page kept me glued to the book and kept me guessing when I wasn't.
In a series spanning 30 years with only one MISS I can think of, this series never fails to capture me and lead me through thrilling and captivating plots. If you've never read Kellerman, I definitely recommend.
Reading updates
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31 August, 2020:
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31 August, 2020:
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Started reading
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31 August, 2020:
Finished reading
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31 August, 2020:
Reviewed