book diary: Jonathan Kellerman
Jonathan Kellerman - Flesh and Blood
I keep comparing him to Michael Connelly - I tried them close together, liked them a comparable amount and they are both crime writers setting their stories in LA. This one rather emphasises their differences: Kellerman is a better writer of prose and dialogue, and the psychological insight he brings to his books is genuine and substantial; but on the other hand the plot here depends on some big contrivances and coincidences to work, and the fact that Dr Alex Delaware gets to solve so much ahead of the police is especially forced and implausible. Nonetheless, like Connelly they go down very easily, and they are a real pleasure along the way.
I keep comparing him to Michael Connelly - I tried them close together, liked them a comparable amount and they are both crime writers setting their stories in LA. This one rather emphasises their differences: Kellerman is a better writer of prose and dialogue, and the psychological insight he brings to his books is genuine and substantial; but on the other hand the plot here depends on some big contrivances and coincidences to work, and the fact that Dr Alex Delaware gets to solve so much ahead of the police is especially forced and implausible. Nonetheless, like Connelly they go down very easily, and they are a real pleasure along the way.