Rage, Jonathan Kellerman

"Rage" by Kellerman is a novel about Alex Delaware, clinical psychologist in Los Angeles. Alex works with the LAPD in consulting on cases with Milo Sturgis, a detective on the force. The story begins with the murder of a two year old girl abducted from a mall and killed by two teenage boys. One boy was killed in the CYA and the other made it through the sentence of eight years. Rand, the other killer, called Alex and wanted to meet with him, to tell Alex "he was a good person". Rand never showed for he was murdered. Alex and Milo assumed the father of the girl was the suspect. More dead bodies were uncovered which led to more speculation that headed in another direction. The killing of the toddler might have been a contract killing. The speculation between Alex and Milo gets so involved that the story gets twisted and makes the reader confused. The motivation of the real killer is bizarre and so far out there, that it is hard to believe that a psychologist can come up with this. The ending was very abrupt and leaves the reader with many unanswered questions. The book was a good read but his earlier novels are better.