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Book Review – The Museum of Desire, by Jonathan Kellerman

The Museum of Desire by Jonathan Kellerman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The Museum of Desire is Jonathan Kellerman’s latest entry in his long-running Alex Delaware/Milo Sturgis series. Like most of the books in the series, it involves the investigation of a bizarre murder with deep psychological underpinnings. Kellerman is a master of setting as character, and this book does not disappoint with its insightful descriptions of Los Angeles. The characterization is also excellent–we meet a number of diverse and well rounded characters throughout the book. A minor point–Alex’s s.o., Robin, has become little more than window dressing in the later books, and this one is no exception. However, the portrayal of the investigation falls somewhat flat–many passages read like Alex and Milo are just going through the motions. Perhaps Kellerman is getting tired of the series at last. The ending is meh–it’s suitably twisted, but the motivations of the killer were unclear, other than evil for it’s own sake, which always falls flat for me.



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Book Reviews – The Silent Patient, by Alex Michaelides

The Silent Patient

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The Silent Patient is a 5-star psychological thriller. It’s the story of a British psychotherapist who becomes fascinated with a woman, Alicia Berenson, who ostensibly murdered her husband by shooting him in the face five times, and then refused to speak a word in her own defense. Naturally, she was convicted and incarcerated in a mental institution, where she continued to maintain her silence. Theo Faber, the protagonist, gets a job at the institution where she’s locked up, and becomes her therapist, obsessed with getting her speaking agin.
The book is written in a first person POV from Theo’s perspective, interspersed with entries from Alicia’s diary. The interplay between Theo and Alicia is well-done, and this is no mean feat, seeing that she remains silent for most of the book. The other characters are all well-drawn, even the minor ones. The plot is cohesive, and while I did figure out the final twist before it was revealed, it was artfully concealed, yet logical. The chapters are short, which makes for a quick read.



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Book Review – 365 Marks on the Wall, by Byn Always

***** – Byn Always has written a psychological thriller of the first water – a book that can stand with Robert Bloch’s Psycho or Stephen King’s Gerald’s Game. The story is a simple one – a young woman is kidnapped by a madman and kept prisoner in a basement for a year. The ensuing chain of events is simultaneously predictable, surprising, logical and warped enough to keep the reader enthralled. I read the book in a single sitting, and my hat’s off to anyone who can put it down. The story is eminently dark (how could it be anything else?) but surprisingly, it left me filled with the power of hope, friendship, loyalty and life. It’s a remarkable story that should not be missed.