Survival of the Fittest (Alex Delaware)

one of the best of Jonathan Kellerman...incorporates characters from other novels....like being with old friends again! can't put down...and can't guess the antagonist....such a good read

This one is sooooooo GOOD! First off, several characters from other book series pop up in this one. We meet an Israeli detective named Daniel Sharavi who first appeared in J Kellerman's non-Delaware novel The Butcher's Theater; we meet Hollywood detective Petra Connor who would go on to have her own series (well, two books of her own so far: Billy Straight and Twisted), and there is even a mention of detective Peter Decker who was created by JK's wife, Faye Kellerman. I love a good crossover, so this was fun. This is the first Delaware novel I've read that switches POV. Most of it is still told in the first person by Alex, but there are some chapters told in the third person from other character's POV. That's the way Billy Straight is told and it kind of irritated me with that book, but really didn't bother me as much with this one. Plus, we get an actual description of Alex, who never describes himself. It starts with a young policeman killing himself in public. This policeman's sister is a nurse at Cedars-Sinai, where Rick (Milo's lover) works and Rick asks Alex to talk with her because she is really shook up by it all. But then, Milo asks for some help with a cold case he's been assigned - a case with international overtones. The daughter of an Israeli diplomat was murdered and the original investigators got nowhere. This is where Daniel Sharavi comes in. The investigation leads to some shocking revelations and Alex agrees to go undercover to investigate. This almost gets him killed. MAN, does he come close to kicking the bucket in this one! Both Daniel and Milo are more-or-less abducted by their respective superiors, which keeps them from backing up Alex and there is a BRILLIANT scene where Milo fakes a heart attack to get away. I mean it - who knew Milo was such a good actor? And we've never seen Milo so frightened and upset and flat out angry because, of course, he blames himself for endangering Alex in the first place, even though it was Alex who talked him into it. All's well that ends well, though, so I won't give anything else away. These books just keep getting better!

I disagree with many of the other reviews. I think this novel was very well done, and Jonathan Kellerman delivered--like usual! This novel starts out with a policeman that commits suicide--in public--which comes together much better later in the novel. Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis go on an unbelievable journey to solve their mystery of a murderer killing people who are mentally challenged! This novel's plot will keep you guessing until the very end!

"Survival of the fittest" was the first book I ever read from Jonathan Kellerman and I must admit I really liked his writing style because he unfolds the story so professionaly."Survival of the fittest"A cop commits suicide in public.A retarded fifteen years old girlis found dead. She happens to be the daughter of an Israeli diplomat and (the poor thing doesn't get enough publicity so the killer would be found a bit easier) this is because criminals may get encouraged to target other diplomats children. Later on,another girl is found dead - and she happens to be just a street girl even though she was strangled to death too...A detective Milo Sturgis, has all the help he needs to solve these crimes and all that help comes from a psychologist AlexDelaware...If you enjoy psychological thriller this book wont dissapoint you at all.

You start this book with no concept that it's going to go to one of the most reprehensible areas of humanity--eugenics. But Kellerman handles this with great finesse and holds us spellbound right up to the end. Dr. Alex Delaware gets better and better with each book. And now we have a new hero, Daniel Sharavi, who makes a repeat appearance here and certainly warrants future books of his own. Kellerman continues to provide meaty, exciting thrillers with a very human quality that doesn't let you put the book down until you've lived each and every line right along with his heroes and heroines. This is a great one and well worth the time spent. It also leaves us pondering the ethics and morality involved and wondering if it's fiction or a very real dilemma of the very real world we live in.

I have liked all of Jonathan Kellerman's books but I would have to say that this one is now my favorite. This book has it all, it is exciting, thrilling, intelligent and very chilling. Kellerman brings back a hero from one of his earlier non-Deleware books (The Butcher's Theater), Daniel Sharavi. He along with a skeptical Milo and Alex try to solve a horrible murder of the daughter of an Israeli diplomat. Kellerman's characters are so well drawn and his attention to detail is as always superb! If you like a fast moving thriller this book is one of the best!Ree-views