Crime Scene Book Review

Crime Scene Book Review
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Title: Crime Scene
Author: Jonathan Kellerman, Jesse Kellerman
Published: August 1, 2017, Ballantyne Books
No. of Pages: 401
Cover Price: $28.99 Hardcover, $14.99 Kindle



Jonathan Kellerman, veteran bestselling author of the Alex Delaware series, as well as other standalone thrillers, has teamed up with his son, Jesse Kellerman, in CrimeScene. Clay Edison is a deputy coroner who works closely with the police and is called to a death where Walter Rennert is found dead at the bottom of a staircase. Although the autopsy comes back showing Rennert died of a natural heart attack, his daughter Tatiana insists that he was murdered. As Clay investigates what looks like a natural death, he oversteps his bounds and almost loses his job when he becomes involved in looking into the twelve-year old death of Rennert’s partner who died in almost the same way as Rennert. At the time, both were running a psychological study regarding seeing violence in video games and its connection to real-life violence. Julian Triplett, a student with a very low IQ, who was in the study, was convicted of the brutal murder of a coed; Julian is now out of prison. Because of the study, Rennert had resigned his position as professor of psychology and felt shamed because of the consequences of the study and the subsequent murder which he blamed on himself.

Having read all of Jonathan Kellerman’s novels, it was not unexpected that this would be good; it seems Jonathan has had a good influence on his son Jesse, and Jesse is an excellent storyteller in his own right. Being the son of a bestselling author has its perks, too, and Clay Edison calls on Alex Delaware (Jonathan’s famous and beloved character) to help with his investigation. As the novel progresses, it is a bit disappointing that Edison becomes romantically involved with Tatiana (which would never happen in his father’s books). Luckily it isn’t an ongoing romance, since Tatiana isn’t particularly good for Clay and wouldn’t be a viable ongoing character in subsequent novels.

The book flows easily and the suspense builds throughout; readers won’t want to put this book down and once they discover that things are not as they appear, will be impatient for the outcome. Most of the characters are likeable, especially Clay Edison, and it won’t be a surprise if this novel becomes the first in a series starring him. Readers who enjoy the Kellerman’s (both Faye and Jonathan) novels will certainly enjoy this novel. It seems their son is also talented and has the Kellerman flair for writing.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.





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