Obsession: An Alex Delaware Novel

By Jonathan Kellerman

#1 WASHINGTON POST BESTSELLER • “Jonathan Kellerman’s novels are an obsession; once started it is hard to quit.”—Orlando Sentinel 

Tanya Bigelow was a solemn little girl when Dr. Alex Delaware successfully treated her obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Now, at nineteen, Tanya returns with a curious request: that Delaware investigate her aunt’s deathbed confession of murder. While Delaware doubts that Patty Bigelow was capable of such a horrific act, he agrees to look into the matter. Armed with only the vaguest details, Delaware and LAPD detective Milo Stugris retrace Patty’s and Tanya’s nomadic and increasingly puzzling life. Then a very real murder tears open a terrifying tunnel into the past, where secrets—and bodies—are buried. As the tension mounts, Delaware and Sturgis uncover a tangled history of desperation, vengeance, and death—a legacy of evil that refuses to die.

Praise for Obsession

“The characters are rich, the story’s well-plotted and you won’t stop reading.”—Boston Herald

“Filled with Kellerman’s psychological insight and action-packed drama.”—Toronto Sun

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Mar 27, 2007
• ISBN: 9780345500144

Jonathan Kellerman

Jonathan Kellerman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty bestselling crime novels, including the Alex Delaware series, The Butcher’s Theater, Billy Straight, The Conspiracy Club, Twisted, and True Detectives. With his wife, bestselling novelist Faye Kellerman, he coauthored Double Homicide and Capital Crimes. He is also the author of two children’s books and numerous nonfiction works, including Savage Spawn: Reflections on Violent Children and With Strings Attached: The Art and Beauty of Vintage Guitars. He has won the Goldwyn, Edgar, and Anthony awards and has been nominated for a Shamus Award. 

Reviews for Obsession

[allthesedarnbooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fast, twisted Kellerman. A good read.

[marthahuntley · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I read Jonathan Kellerman books years ago and really liked them, and then for some reason stopped. This one I got as an audio book, and find that, for me, Kellerman is perfect for listening-in-the-car. The dialogue is engaging, very interesting and clips along and there is enough of it that it simplifies trying to keep the somewhat complicated plot in mind. This story was bloody and sad, but certainly held my attention and had me rooting for the good guys and "agin" the villain. I thought the ending,which was criticized by some other readers, indeed left a lot of things up in the air, but was very satisfying. I liked Rage so much as an audio read that I went out and bought three more Alex Delaware audio books.

[fantasma_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I really like Kellerman's books, but I was always feel he goes on and on for too long...

[jenspeaks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Audiobook - listening to it on commute.Typical Kellerman - good stuff if disturbing subject matter.

[darrol_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Okay story about an adoptive mother's death bed attempt to protect her daughter leading into the world of a petty psychopathic individual. It is so unlikely that this thin hint would actually absorb the time of a small handful of investigators from two police jurisdictions.

[fmrox · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware and Lt. Milo Sturgis work together to solve the mysterious deathbed confession of a nurse plagued with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.This one isn't so fast paced as some of the other Kellerman's novels. And, for this reason the plot is a bit further developed and so are the new characters. Delaware and Sturgis don't grow any though. Petra Connor is brought in from another Kellerman series. For some reason, the new dog in Alex and Robin's life fills a lot of pages.

[carol420 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A former patient, Tanya Bigelow, wants his help in contacting Milo to get some help in checking out what seems to be a death-bed confession from her adopted mother, Patty, a highly regarded ER nurse. Alex correctly points out that there may be no crime at all, but Tanya wants to know. Tanya becomes Alex's patient again as her obsessive-compulsive tendencies resurface in the wake of becoming an orphan for the second time.

If you have not read any of this series, I would encourage you to avoid this one. Many of the early ones in the series are outstanding. This one is just mediocre. I gave it three stars because I like Blanche, the dog.

[chasidar_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Not one of Kellerman's better books. Very convoluted.

[annbury_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Having been lured back to the Alex Delaware series by "Killer", I moved on to "Obsession" and found myself sadly disappointed. Before getting to the reason why, I should note one major positive. Like "Killer" (and unlike several other fairly recent books in the series), "Obsession" does show Alex functioning as a believable psychologist, and it does develop a real relationship between him and his patient, even going into what he tries to do to help her. But the story seems wrapped up in in talk: events are retailed though long discussions and conversations, characters get blurry, and at times the plot was less than clear. Also, the violence seems almost gratuitous, and there is a simmering undertone of anger in a lot of the conversation, particularly among the cops. I'm sure that's realistic, but it's not related to the story, and it gets wearing. After reading "Killer", I was ready to jump back on the Delaware train, but this book doesn't provide much incentive to stay there.

[reneemrobbins · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another great book!

[herschelian · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book was something of a curate's egg - good in parts. As far as I was concerned, the plot strained credulity, and I kept loosing track of who the characters were. My habit of finishing a book I've started kept me going to the end, but I wonder why as I rushed through the last chapters just to get it over with. Having said that, there was some interesting stuff about OCD and how psychologists deal with it that were worth reading.

[porchsitter55 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Classic Jonathan Kellerman, this novel was extremely readable... the memorable characters Dr. Alex Delaware & Detective Milo Sturgis, both complete with heart and quick wit, as usual... and the story, both compelling and intriguing.The only complaint I have was that it seemed to bog down a bit with too many "what-if's". As they tried to figure out the whodunit, there just seemed to be too many variables that made my head spin more than once. I was able to follow along, however, and as the author does so well, the tale was spun and I was turning pages well into the night.I enjoyed the little twist at the end. **smile**Good book, four stars!

[bruderbane · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

More a “what was done” than a “who did it,” “Obsession” by Jonathan Kellerman is an excellent addition to his series of Alex Delaware psychological crime novels. Although we’ve already seen Mr. Kellerman use the plot device of young psychopathic killer who knows no bounds in past books –“Murder Book-” this time around he has us guessing as to what must have happened in order for these bizarre events to occur. Lucid writing, swift pacing and highly eloquent language mark this book as a definite good read and Mr. Kellerman fans will thoroughly enjoy the familiar characters sprinkled throughout.

[junco1312 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Slow getting into; not sure if I would read any other books by this author

[phoenixcomet · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Kellerman writes an intelligent, compelling story. Psychologist Alex Delaware moves the story along. In this tale, Tanya Bigelow suffers from OCD. Her aunt/mother makes a death bed confession that causes her to seek Alex and Milo Sturgis' help. Each event unfolds on the next leading eventually to the killer(s).