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None the worse for wear after 32 outings, Dr. Alex Delaware is curious about what nearly 100-year-old Thalia Mars wants to tell a child psychologist when she summons him to meet with her at L.A.'s Aventura Hotel. Turns out it's his expertise as a consultant on criminal cases that the hotel resident needs. After picking his brain about psychopathy and guilt, she promises to tell him what's behind her questions if he comes back the next day, but poor Thalia is murdered before Delaware can return. For a change, this time it's Delaware bringing a case to homicide detective Milo Sturgis. Their investigation takes them back to 1950s LA and the mobsters who had a hand in everything, from movies to municipal bonds. 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.--Keefe, Karen Copyright 2017 Booklist

Publishers Weekly
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L.A. psychologist Alex Delaware specializes in "evaluating the mental health of injured, neglected, or traumatized children," but in Edgar-winner Kellerman's so-so 32nd series entry (after 2016's Breakdown) he accepts the invitation of 99-year-old Thalia Mars, a retired accountant, to meet her at the Aventura, the hotel where she lives on Sunset Boulevard. The charming Thalia asks Alex to share with her "the current psychological wisdom with regard to guilt" without explaining why she's interested in this topic. Tired, she ends their interview after a short while, but Alex agrees to visit her the following day to continue the discussion. On returning to the Aventura, he learns to his sorrow that Thalia has died, just weeks before her 100th birthday. Alex is angered when an alert paramedic finds evidence that Thalia didn't die of natural causes. Alex and his friend on the LAPD, Milo Sturgis, look into Thalia's past in an effort to identity the killer and the motive. The psychological insights Alex typically displays are few and barely relevant to the inquiry or its solution. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.