Reviews for Gone an Alex Delaware novel / [sound recording] :

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

In a reality show episode that backfired, two twentysomethings fake a kidnapping to jump-start their acting careers. When criminal psychologist Alex Delaware is called in to evaluate one of the pair, Michaela Brand, he learns a few details that come in handy later, after she's found brutally murdered, and the case has fallen into the lap of Alex's buddy, Lieutenant Milo Sturges. The murder trail leads back to an acting studio operated by wealthy, drug-addled Nora Dowd; a steady stream of starstruck would-be thespians arrive at the studio--and then sometimes disappear. Gradually, the pool of suspects widens, as more people turn up missing and dead. As usual, Kellerman maintains a tight balance between suspense and characterization, using dialogue to push things quickly along: Delaware and Sturges bounce theories off one another in rapid succession--as much from habit as necessity. Neither gets everything right; the truth is much more horrifying than either suspected. As number 19 in the long-running series, this fast, clever thriller proves again why Kellerman's books reside on best-seller lists. --Stephanie Zvirin Copyright 2006 Booklist


Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A beautiful naked girl who claims to be fleeing a kidnapper is rescued by a passing motorist, but the abduction is a publicity stunt by two young would-be actors. When the young woman is brutally murdered a few days later, Alex Delaware's detective friend Milo is put on the case. In order to solve the crime, which is just one in a series of similar deaths, Alex and Milo enter the world of the very wealthy, dysfunctional Dowd family. Drug-addicted Nora Dowd runs a drama school for aspiring actors, at no charge; cousin Reynold Petey is the voyeur maintenance man at the school; and Brad, the responsible brother, watches over eccentric sister Nora, retarded brother Billy, and the family's real estate fortune. As more of Nora's acting students are found murdered or missing, Alex and Milo uncover the gory, horrible truth about their disappearances and deaths. Gone is a satisfying, suspense-filled mystery, and John Rubinstein does an excellent job bringing the various characters to life. Highly recommended for public libraries. Ilka Gordon, Park Synagogue Lib., Pepper Pike, OH (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.


Publishers Weekly
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

In bestseller Kellerman's pulse-pounding 20th Alex Delaware novel (after 2005's Rage), the Los Angeles psychologist looks into the murder of attractive 23-year-old Michaela Brand, an aspiring actress. Soon after Michaela and a fellow acting student, 24-year-old Dylan Meserve, achieve their 15 minutes of fame by staging their abduction, their hoax is exposed and Michaela turns up dead in circumstances reminiscent of her faked assault. Delaware joins forces with his sometimes official partner in crime, LAPD detective Milo Sturgis, and together they pursue an investigative trail littered with corpses leading to an unconventional acting school and the family of the eccentric woman who runs it. While the murderer's identity may not be that surprising, the author's ability to convey the unrelenting sadness of his characters' lives and his deep psychological insights will satisfy those looking for more than mere thrills. (On sale Mar. 28) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved


Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

The abduction of two art students turns out to have been faked, but the murder that follows is very real. Alex Delaware tries to figure it all out. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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