What do you think?
Rate this book
Clay Edison #1
Crime Scene
Natural causes or foul play? That's the question Clay Edison must answer each time he examines a body. Figuring out motives and chasing down suspects aren't part of his beat--not until a seemingly open-and-shut case proves to be more than meets his highly trained eye.
Eccentric, reclusive Walter Rennert lies cold at the bottom of his stairs. At first glance the scene looks a once-respected psychology professor, done in by booze and a bad heart. But his daughter Tatiana insists that her father has been murdered, and she persuades Clay to take a closer look at the grim facts of Rennert's life.
What emerges is a history of scandal and violence, and an experiment gone horribly wrong that ended in the brutal murder of a coed. Walter Rennert, it appears, was a broken man--and maybe a marked one. And when Clay learns that a colleague of Rennert's died in a nearly identical manner, he begins to question everything in the official record.
All the while, his relationship with Tatiana is evolving into something forbidden. The closer they grow, the more determined he becomes to catch her father's killer--even if he has to overstep his bounds to do it.
The twisting trail Clay follows will lead him into the darkest corners of the human soul. It's his job to listen to the tales the dead tell. But this time, he's part of a story that makes his blood run cold.
A former star athlete turned coroner’s investigator is drawn into a brutal, complicated murder in this psychological thriller from a father-son writing team that delivers “brilliant, page-turning fiction” (Stephen King).
Eccentric, reclusive Walter Rennert lies cold at the bottom of his stairs. At first glance the scene looks a once-respected psychology professor, done in by booze and a bad heart. But his daughter Tatiana insists that her father has been murdered, and she persuades Clay to take a closer look at the grim facts of Rennert's life.
What emerges is a history of scandal and violence, and an experiment gone horribly wrong that ended in the brutal murder of a coed. Walter Rennert, it appears, was a broken man--and maybe a marked one. And when Clay learns that a colleague of Rennert's died in a nearly identical manner, he begins to question everything in the official record.
All the while, his relationship with Tatiana is evolving into something forbidden. The closer they grow, the more determined he becomes to catch her father's killer--even if he has to overstep his bounds to do it.
The twisting trail Clay follows will lead him into the darkest corners of the human soul. It's his job to listen to the tales the dead tell. But this time, he's part of a story that makes his blood run cold.
A former star athlete turned coroner’s investigator is drawn into a brutal, complicated murder in this psychological thriller from a father-son writing team that delivers “brilliant, page-turning fiction” (Stephen King).
408 pages, ebook
First published August 1, 2017
About the author
Jonathan Kellerman
246 books5,450 followersJonathan Kellerman was born in New York City in 1949 and grew up in Los Angeles. He helped work his way through UCLA as an editorial cartoonist, columnist, editor and freelance musician. As a senior, at the age of 22, he won a Samuel Goldwyn Writing Award for fiction.
Like his fictional protagonist, Alex Delaware, Jonathan received at Ph.D. in psychology at the age of 24, with a specialty in the treatment of children. He served internships in clinical psychology and pediatric psychology at Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles and was a post-doctoral HEW Fellow in Psychology and Human Development at CHLA.
IN 1975, Jonathan was asked by the hospital to conduct research into the psychological effects of extreme isolation (plastic bubble units) on children with cancer, and to coordinate care for these kids and their families. The success of that venture led to the establishment, in 1977 of the Psychosocial Program, Division of Oncology, the first comprehensive approach to the emotional aspects of pediatric cancer anywhere in the world. Jonathan was asked to be founding director and, along with his team, published extensively in the area of behavioral medicine. Decades later, the program, under the tutelage of one of Jonathan's former students, continues to break ground.
Jonathan's first published book was a medical text, PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF CHILDHOOD CANCER, 1980. One year later, came a book for parents, HELPING THE FEARFUL CHILD.
In 1985, Jonathan's first novel, WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS, was published to enormous critical and commercial success and became a New York Times bestseller. BOUGH was also produced as a t.v. movie and won the Edgar Allan Poe and Anthony Boucher Awards for Best First Novel. Since then, Jonathan has published a best-selling crime novel every year, and occasionally, two a year. In addition, he has written and illustrated two books for children and a nonfiction volume on childhood violence, SAVAGE SPAWN (1999.) Though no longer active as a psychotherapist, he is a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics and Psychology at University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine.
Jonathan is married to bestselling novelist Faye Kellerman and they have four children.
Like his fictional protagonist, Alex Delaware, Jonathan received at Ph.D. in psychology at the age of 24, with a specialty in the treatment of children. He served internships in clinical psychology and pediatric psychology at Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles and was a post-doctoral HEW Fellow in Psychology and Human Development at CHLA.
IN 1975, Jonathan was asked by the hospital to conduct research into the psychological effects of extreme isolation (plastic bubble units) on children with cancer, and to coordinate care for these kids and their families. The success of that venture led to the establishment, in 1977 of the Psychosocial Program, Division of Oncology, the first comprehensive approach to the emotional aspects of pediatric cancer anywhere in the world. Jonathan was asked to be founding director and, along with his team, published extensively in the area of behavioral medicine. Decades later, the program, under the tutelage of one of Jonathan's former students, continues to break ground.
Jonathan's first published book was a medical text, PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF CHILDHOOD CANCER, 1980. One year later, came a book for parents, HELPING THE FEARFUL CHILD.
In 1985, Jonathan's first novel, WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS, was published to enormous critical and commercial success and became a New York Times bestseller. BOUGH was also produced as a t.v. movie and won the Edgar Allan Poe and Anthony Boucher Awards for Best First Novel. Since then, Jonathan has published a best-selling crime novel every year, and occasionally, two a year. In addition, he has written and illustrated two books for children and a nonfiction volume on childhood violence, SAVAGE SPAWN (1999.) Though no longer active as a psychotherapist, he is a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics and Psychology at University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine.
Jonathan is married to bestselling novelist Faye Kellerman and they have four children.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 828 reviews
July 2, 2017
Great new series from father and son team Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman!
There are 5 manners of death. It’s up to the investigators in the Coroner's office to determine what category they each fall into.
Deputy Sheriff Clay Edison of the Coroner's office is called to a home in the Berkeley area to investigate a seemingly accidental death. A body at the bottom of the stair case. Simple enough - people trip and fall down the stairs all the time, right? Well, the dead mans’ daughter Tatiana is on the scene and is positive he was murdered. She’s doing her best to convince the investigators to see it her way. Against his better judgement, Clay begrudgingly probes deeper than he feels is necessary, only to find that there may in fact be more to this death than just an accidental fall.
I've been a huge fan of Jonathan and Faye Kellerman for years reading their separate series and combined efforts. I haven’t read anything from their son Jesse, though I’ve been meaning to. I’m not sure of the contribution of each author to this book but I can definitely feel the flavor of Jonathan Kellerman. His main characters, Alex Delaware and long-time girlfriend Robin make a cameo appearance in this book too! Bonus!
The main character Clay is strong and very likeable. We are given a good deal of insight into his background and character, flaws and all! This book reads very easily and quickly. I enjoyed every page, beginning to end. My only issue was there were so many characters, at times I had difficulty keeping them straight.
The foundations seem set for this to be a new and potentially long successful series. Fingers crossed! I am definitely a fan of this new series and will be watching and waiting for the next installment. Highly recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman
There are 5 manners of death. It’s up to the investigators in the Coroner's office to determine what category they each fall into.
Deputy Sheriff Clay Edison of the Coroner's office is called to a home in the Berkeley area to investigate a seemingly accidental death. A body at the bottom of the stair case. Simple enough - people trip and fall down the stairs all the time, right? Well, the dead mans’ daughter Tatiana is on the scene and is positive he was murdered. She’s doing her best to convince the investigators to see it her way. Against his better judgement, Clay begrudgingly probes deeper than he feels is necessary, only to find that there may in fact be more to this death than just an accidental fall.
I've been a huge fan of Jonathan and Faye Kellerman for years reading their separate series and combined efforts. I haven’t read anything from their son Jesse, though I’ve been meaning to. I’m not sure of the contribution of each author to this book but I can definitely feel the flavor of Jonathan Kellerman. His main characters, Alex Delaware and long-time girlfriend Robin make a cameo appearance in this book too! Bonus!
The main character Clay is strong and very likeable. We are given a good deal of insight into his background and character, flaws and all! This book reads very easily and quickly. I enjoyed every page, beginning to end. My only issue was there were so many characters, at times I had difficulty keeping them straight.
The foundations seem set for this to be a new and potentially long successful series. Fingers crossed! I am definitely a fan of this new series and will be watching and waiting for the next installment. Highly recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman
September 25, 2017
2.5 rounded up to be nice
Years ago I was a devoted Jonathan Kellerman fan and even read some of his wife's books. Kellerman has a way with prose that is so easy, flowing and gentle that you simply go merrily along from beginning to end. Which, unfortunately, was my problem. I like a bit of a challenge in my reading, whether it's a classic, a comedy or a cozy mystery. Excite me, teach me, tell me something I don't know. Sadly, Kellerman's books are so formulaic that they all just blend together.
Crime Scene is written in tandem with his son, Jesse. However, based on the type of writing in this book, I suspect it was written more by the latter than the former. There are passages that don't flow well, references that don't lead anywhere and I honestly thought I had entered a series in the middle because it felt as though I should have known things about the characters that I did not and which were not explained until near the ending of the book. They weren't crucial to the plot, just out of place facts that should have been dealt with up front. The plot itself wasn't bad but, again, it all had been done before and was very predictable from the start.
Despite all of that, if you like Kellerman, you will probably like this book. Meh. It's passable but nothing exciting. If I had not been stuck on a plane I would not have finished it.
Years ago I was a devoted Jonathan Kellerman fan and even read some of his wife's books. Kellerman has a way with prose that is so easy, flowing and gentle that you simply go merrily along from beginning to end. Which, unfortunately, was my problem. I like a bit of a challenge in my reading, whether it's a classic, a comedy or a cozy mystery. Excite me, teach me, tell me something I don't know. Sadly, Kellerman's books are so formulaic that they all just blend together.
Crime Scene is written in tandem with his son, Jesse. However, based on the type of writing in this book, I suspect it was written more by the latter than the former. There are passages that don't flow well, references that don't lead anywhere and I honestly thought I had entered a series in the middle because it felt as though I should have known things about the characters that I did not and which were not explained until near the ending of the book. They weren't crucial to the plot, just out of place facts that should have been dealt with up front. The plot itself wasn't bad but, again, it all had been done before and was very predictable from the start.
Despite all of that, if you like Kellerman, you will probably like this book. Meh. It's passable but nothing exciting. If I had not been stuck on a plane I would not have finished it.
December 7, 2017
In another joint effort, Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman seek to hit the reset button after a miserable writing venture about monsters and other such inane topics. After taking a breather, this piece allows their true colours to shine through, crafting a superior series debut novel. Clay Edison has quite the life as a deputy sheriff with the county coroner’s office. Edison attends crime scenes to help move along the manner of death and working to notify families of loss, when appropriate. While the job has its macabre side, Edison can find small crumbs of interest, especially when a case takes on an unexpected twist. Attending the scene of an apparent fall, Edison encounters a distraught Tatiana Rennert-Delavigne, daughter of the victim, one Walter Rennert. Edison must calm Tatiana, who is sure that her father’s death was anything but accidental, citing an old murder from 1993 that bore similarities. Unable to provide any concrete answers at the scene, Edison assures the distraught woman that he will be in touch, his brain curious about the aforementioned murder from the nineties. The autopsy seems to back up the suspected accidental death from a fall, showing heart issues, but that only piques Edison’s curiosity even more. Medication prescribed to Rennert seems to have come from an unlikely source and Edison runs a little longer with this 1993 murder to see if there are truly parallels. There appears to be something, as Rennert was a psychology professor running an interesting study in years past, seeking to find a parallel between violent video games and the behaviour that came from it. When one of the test subjects, Julian Triplett, was charged and convicted with the murder of Rennert’s student assistance on the study, the academic exploration’s relevance seems to heighten. Now, all these years later, Edison must try to determine if Triplett could have something to do with Rennert’s death, while not being completely convinced that there was foul play at all. With a handful of cases cluttering up his desk and the desire not to get too involved with Tatiana, Clay Edison must remember the limits to his job and let those in a position of authority crack the case, if there is one at all. The Kellermans prove that they can work together to create a wonderful story and thriller, given the proper tools. I had written them off as a team, but must now rethink my critique, as long as they stick to series like this. Surely, crime thriller lovers will want to test the waters with this piece, which has all the ingredients for a successful novel.
I will admit to being a long-time Jesse Kellerman fan and have heard much about his father. Excitement spilt over when I heard they penned a novel together, but that turned to disappointment when I read the poorly crafted piece that significant undershorts the NYT Bestselling Author moniker both have procured. Slowly, I thawed to the idea of returning to one of their novels, seeing others praise this collaboration, and am now glad that I gave them the chance. Clay Edison proves to be an interesting character, packed full with a backstory that will lure the reader in a little further. A college basketball star who remained local, allowing is past glory envelop him for those who remember his court antics. Now, working in that job that straddles the coroner with police authority, Edison’s work pushes him to the limits and allows him a little chance to sleuth around, without the gun or cuffs. Pairing him with a few strong secondary characters, the Kellermans allow Edison’s various character flaws to come through, as well as the strength of his determination. The attentive reader will even see one of Jonathan Kellerman’s protagonists play a cameo role in part of the story, which seems to enrich at least that portion of the tale. The story itself is intriguing, though one cannot call it entirely unique. A killer potentially on the loose and seeking some form of retribution for his crime. It does have aspects of a beaten, dead horse, but it is the way the Kellermans present it that keeps the reader wanting to know more. I am curious, I will admit that, though I am still not sure how deep this series can go. I would like to see more before diving head-long into complete praise, but have seen a great deal of potential here.
Kudos, Messrs. Kellerman, as you embark on what I can only hope is a more successful and less asinine journey than Golem work. I am intrigued and hope the literary vapours that seep from your family will create more successful novels soon.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
I will admit to being a long-time Jesse Kellerman fan and have heard much about his father. Excitement spilt over when I heard they penned a novel together, but that turned to disappointment when I read the poorly crafted piece that significant undershorts the NYT Bestselling Author moniker both have procured. Slowly, I thawed to the idea of returning to one of their novels, seeing others praise this collaboration, and am now glad that I gave them the chance. Clay Edison proves to be an interesting character, packed full with a backstory that will lure the reader in a little further. A college basketball star who remained local, allowing is past glory envelop him for those who remember his court antics. Now, working in that job that straddles the coroner with police authority, Edison’s work pushes him to the limits and allows him a little chance to sleuth around, without the gun or cuffs. Pairing him with a few strong secondary characters, the Kellermans allow Edison’s various character flaws to come through, as well as the strength of his determination. The attentive reader will even see one of Jonathan Kellerman’s protagonists play a cameo role in part of the story, which seems to enrich at least that portion of the tale. The story itself is intriguing, though one cannot call it entirely unique. A killer potentially on the loose and seeking some form of retribution for his crime. It does have aspects of a beaten, dead horse, but it is the way the Kellermans present it that keeps the reader wanting to know more. I am curious, I will admit that, though I am still not sure how deep this series can go. I would like to see more before diving head-long into complete praise, but have seen a great deal of potential here.
Kudos, Messrs. Kellerman, as you embark on what I can only hope is a more successful and less asinine journey than Golem work. I am intrigued and hope the literary vapours that seep from your family will create more successful novels soon.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
July 21, 2017
This book does not disappoint! A solid thriller!
Crime Scene by father and son duo, Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman, is the first book in a new exciting series that features Clay Edison, a Deputy Sheriff with the Coroner's Office, and former basketball star. Clay will easily become a fan favorite with his winning personality and strong character.
Clay Edison finds himself drawn into a complicated investigation, the death of Walter Rennert, a retired psychology professor. His death brings on multiple new questions about an old crime where one of his students was brutally murdered.
Tatiana, Walter's daughter, insists he was murdered - pushed down the stairs. Clay believes he died of natural causes - Walter had a history of drinking and heart problems. The more Clay digs deeper into Walter's investigation, the more it seems to have to do with an old case. Will Clay discover the truth? Will he lose his job for digging deeper into the past?
Extremely well-written with a well thought out plot and well-developed characters... A fantastic start to a new character and new series! I'm already waiting for the next book. Highly Recommend!
*I want to thank NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine for this ARC.
Crime Scene by father and son duo, Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman, is the first book in a new exciting series that features Clay Edison, a Deputy Sheriff with the Coroner's Office, and former basketball star. Clay will easily become a fan favorite with his winning personality and strong character.
Clay Edison finds himself drawn into a complicated investigation, the death of Walter Rennert, a retired psychology professor. His death brings on multiple new questions about an old crime where one of his students was brutally murdered.
Tatiana, Walter's daughter, insists he was murdered - pushed down the stairs. Clay believes he died of natural causes - Walter had a history of drinking and heart problems. The more Clay digs deeper into Walter's investigation, the more it seems to have to do with an old case. Will Clay discover the truth? Will he lose his job for digging deeper into the past?
Extremely well-written with a well thought out plot and well-developed characters... A fantastic start to a new character and new series! I'm already waiting for the next book. Highly Recommend!
*I want to thank NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine for this ARC.
June 23, 2017
Gosh that Jonathan Kellerman fella sure can write. I can tell from all of the awards he has won over the years.
Seriously now, wife Faye Kellerman is also an outstanding writer, so son Jesse has some serious writing chops in his background. Jonathan and Jesse have teamed up to write the first in a series featuring Clay Edison, a deputy assigned as a death investigator with the Coroner's bureau of Alameda County in California.
Edison's job is strictly to help determine the manner of death whether it be homicide, suicide, accidental, natural causes or undetermined. He investigates the scene of the death looking for information that would aid in the determination. Is there a shoe untied on the body near a flight of stairs? Is there a knife sticking out of the body? It is not Edison's job to figure out the who or the why, just the how.
But in the recent death of Dr Walter Rennart he is drawn into a deeper investigation by the doctor's beautiful daughter Tatiania who insists her father was murdered despite everything pointing to a natural death. It is an earlier murder of a young coed that Dr Rennart lost his reputation over that soon piques Edison's interest.
There is a special delight in getting in on the ground of a new series, especially one that seem like it will go places. Clay Edison is a thoughtful character who has much room to grow in the following books.
I've always read Jonathan Kellerman. He writes a hell of a story. Problem is, I'm not overly fond of elitist Dr. Delaware. So I am hoping I continue to like Clay Edison as much as I do in this book.
I'm not sure if this makes much sense but I really liked the plot, it was very well -written, however the whodunnit was way too easy to figure out. I didn't feel challenged at all.
I mentally took half star off for using the word spectating. Why did spectate/spectating as a verb suddenly start showing up? What's wrong with watch? Maybe Edison was just using it ironically.
This is a great start to a new series. Oh heck, I just realized the drawback of a new series, waiting another year for the next installment.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Seriously now, wife Faye Kellerman is also an outstanding writer, so son Jesse has some serious writing chops in his background. Jonathan and Jesse have teamed up to write the first in a series featuring Clay Edison, a deputy assigned as a death investigator with the Coroner's bureau of Alameda County in California.
Edison's job is strictly to help determine the manner of death whether it be homicide, suicide, accidental, natural causes or undetermined. He investigates the scene of the death looking for information that would aid in the determination. Is there a shoe untied on the body near a flight of stairs? Is there a knife sticking out of the body? It is not Edison's job to figure out the who or the why, just the how.
But in the recent death of Dr Walter Rennart he is drawn into a deeper investigation by the doctor's beautiful daughter Tatiania who insists her father was murdered despite everything pointing to a natural death. It is an earlier murder of a young coed that Dr Rennart lost his reputation over that soon piques Edison's interest.
There is a special delight in getting in on the ground of a new series, especially one that seem like it will go places. Clay Edison is a thoughtful character who has much room to grow in the following books.
I've always read Jonathan Kellerman. He writes a hell of a story. Problem is, I'm not overly fond of elitist Dr. Delaware. So I am hoping I continue to like Clay Edison as much as I do in this book.
I'm not sure if this makes much sense but I really liked the plot, it was very well -written, however the whodunnit was way too easy to figure out. I didn't feel challenged at all.
I mentally took half star off for using the word spectating. Why did spectate/spectating as a verb suddenly start showing up? What's wrong with watch? Maybe Edison was just using it ironically.
This is a great start to a new series. Oh heck, I just realized the drawback of a new series, waiting another year for the next installment.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
July 24, 2017
Clay Edison is an investigator for coroner’s office of the sheriff's department when he gets a call to come investigate a possibly suspicious death. Arriving at the scene the victim's daughter, Tatiana, has insisted that her father was pushed down his stairway and that it couldn't possibly have been an accident. Tatiana insists her father has been living in fear of a man from his past for years that had already killed someone else.
After digging into the scene and the evidence including an autopsy of the victim Clay is pretty certain that the death was not a homicide. Something about Tatiana's story though intrigues Clay to look further into her father and his past until he finds himself following clues from years before and unable to just close his current case.
Crime Scene is the first book in the new series Clay Edison by Jonathon and Jesse Kellerman. Being new to anything by either Kellerman I was eager to give this book a try after hearing good things and wanting to check out their work. I'm happy to say that this was a nice little mystery/thriller following along the twists and turns to find out the truth to what happened.
My only thing I wondered about while reading this story that had me a bit curious was Clay only seems to keep digging into the case due to his attraction to Tatiana, not sure if I find that completely believable as most would have a lot more work coming their way. I also found this a tad slow in parts to me but still enjoyed the story quite a bit and will definitely look for more from the Kellermans.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
After digging into the scene and the evidence including an autopsy of the victim Clay is pretty certain that the death was not a homicide. Something about Tatiana's story though intrigues Clay to look further into her father and his past until he finds himself following clues from years before and unable to just close his current case.
Crime Scene is the first book in the new series Clay Edison by Jonathon and Jesse Kellerman. Being new to anything by either Kellerman I was eager to give this book a try after hearing good things and wanting to check out their work. I'm happy to say that this was a nice little mystery/thriller following along the twists and turns to find out the truth to what happened.
My only thing I wondered about while reading this story that had me a bit curious was Clay only seems to keep digging into the case due to his attraction to Tatiana, not sure if I find that completely believable as most would have a lot more work coming their way. I also found this a tad slow in parts to me but still enjoyed the story quite a bit and will definitely look for more from the Kellermans.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
June 16, 2017
If the name Kellerman is on it, it's a pretty sure bet I'll like it. Over many years, I've devoured just about every book by Jonathan, his wife Faye, and their son Jesse. I've also learned, though, that collaborations don't always live up to their hype, and sometimes the first book in a series falls flat. But neither am I one to look a gift horse in the mouth: Pass up an opportunity to read an advance copy of anything written by favorite authors in exchange for an honest review? Just ain't gonna happen.
And honestly? I enjoyed it thoroughly. Perhaps most importantly, I really love the new character, Clay Edison, a deputy in the Coroner's Bureau (a bit of a twist on the standard-issue police detective). He comes with a few flaws - his brother is in jail, a serious knee injury put the kibosh on a possible superstar career in basketball, and he's got a shaky relationship with his parents. There's also no main squeeze, thus paving the way for him to be at the mercy of any gorgeous female character he meets. On the other side, while his degree in psychology doesn't put him anywhere near the big leagues, it does give him a leg up when it comes to reading people, whether they be co-workers (like his hypochondriac partner Zaragoza), victims or perpetrators.
As this one begins, reclusive former psychology professor Walter Rennert is found dead by his daughter Tatiana (cue in that gorgeous female character). It appears that daddy simply fell down the stairs, but Tatiana insists her father was murdered. She continues to believe that even after the evidence reveals that his history of drinking and a bad heart are to blame. Clay, of course, is intrigued with Tatiana and agrees to take a closer look, to the dismay of his superiors who want the case closed.
As he digs deeper, he learns that Rennert resigned in disgrace when a coed was murdered by a mentally unstable participant in one of the professor's experiments. A few other clues throw more suspicion on the circumstances surrounding Rennert's death; and the deeper Clay digs, the more he wants to know about that experiment and precisely what went wrong. That, in turn, means Clay must call on one of Kellerman Senior's best-known characters, Dr. Alex Delaware, for help. The psychologist and LAPD consultant, it seems, had offered expert testimony at the trial of the young man who confessed to the coed's murder, who has since been released from jail.
As an aside, Dr. Delaware has long been on my Top 10 list of favorite male characters, so I was happy to see him show up here. But I must say I thought he came across a bit snarky during his meeting with Clay, even allowing for the constraints of doctor-patient privilege. Then again, maybe it was just me; as I was reading that part, I realized I'd been so engrossed that I'd kept reading more than an hour past my usual dinnertime.
In the end, as I said at the beginning, this is a very well written book with interesting, well-developed characters (especially Clay). Already, I'm looking forward to his next appearance.
And honestly? I enjoyed it thoroughly. Perhaps most importantly, I really love the new character, Clay Edison, a deputy in the Coroner's Bureau (a bit of a twist on the standard-issue police detective). He comes with a few flaws - his brother is in jail, a serious knee injury put the kibosh on a possible superstar career in basketball, and he's got a shaky relationship with his parents. There's also no main squeeze, thus paving the way for him to be at the mercy of any gorgeous female character he meets. On the other side, while his degree in psychology doesn't put him anywhere near the big leagues, it does give him a leg up when it comes to reading people, whether they be co-workers (like his hypochondriac partner Zaragoza), victims or perpetrators.
As this one begins, reclusive former psychology professor Walter Rennert is found dead by his daughter Tatiana (cue in that gorgeous female character). It appears that daddy simply fell down the stairs, but Tatiana insists her father was murdered. She continues to believe that even after the evidence reveals that his history of drinking and a bad heart are to blame. Clay, of course, is intrigued with Tatiana and agrees to take a closer look, to the dismay of his superiors who want the case closed.
As he digs deeper, he learns that Rennert resigned in disgrace when a coed was murdered by a mentally unstable participant in one of the professor's experiments. A few other clues throw more suspicion on the circumstances surrounding Rennert's death; and the deeper Clay digs, the more he wants to know about that experiment and precisely what went wrong. That, in turn, means Clay must call on one of Kellerman Senior's best-known characters, Dr. Alex Delaware, for help. The psychologist and LAPD consultant, it seems, had offered expert testimony at the trial of the young man who confessed to the coed's murder, who has since been released from jail.
As an aside, Dr. Delaware has long been on my Top 10 list of favorite male characters, so I was happy to see him show up here. But I must say I thought he came across a bit snarky during his meeting with Clay, even allowing for the constraints of doctor-patient privilege. Then again, maybe it was just me; as I was reading that part, I realized I'd been so engrossed that I'd kept reading more than an hour past my usual dinnertime.
In the end, as I said at the beginning, this is a very well written book with interesting, well-developed characters (especially Clay). Already, I'm looking forward to his next appearance.
October 20, 2022
Book Blog | Bookstagram
I forgot there's a reason I haven't read Kellerman in a long time. His writing doesn't work for me. I find it formulaic and boring as hell. And I know that's sacrilegious for Alex Delaware fans, but whatever. I am who I am. You can't change me!
Crime Scene was so boring to me that I read this book like a month ago and completely whiffed on writing a review. It just slipped from my mind, uneventful and easy to forget.
It doesn't really seem to me that anything happened in this book.
You have Clay Edison, a death investigator dude working for the coroner's office, who gets caught up in the death of a man who very clearly seems to have died of natural causes. But because Edison fucks the dead guy's daughter, he becomes borderline obsessed with the idea that there is something more sinister that took place.
I mean, of course, he's right about the sinister bad stuff (otherwise there would be no book,) but the fact that it took penis-in-vagina to get his interest piqued and the plot moving, had my eyes rolling so far back into my head that I think I sprained an optic muscle.
Edison's "I just know something else is happening" shtick got real old, real fast. The procedural aspect of the novel started taking such nonsensical leaps based on his apparently super intense intuition, that even other characters were telling him to gather more compelling evidence the right way.
I don't know if Edison's whole "doing the right thing just because it's right" vibe was supposed to be charming or what, but I found him to be a douchebag that needed to chill the fuck out. Like 100% he used to be a frat bro on a sports scholarship.
The plot was pretty predictable and could have been edited down had the storyline not been interspersed with random side plots, scenes that didn't further the story and romance grossness that messed with the suspense and mystery. The pacing was just a tedious ride from point A to point B.
Perhaps part of that writing choice came down to the fact that working in a coroner's office seems to actually be pretty boring? The only reason Edison had a case to investigate is that he stepped out of line and wasn't doing his job anymore. This left him with little authority to find out anything, seemingly road-blocked on a constant basis.
But filling in that space with illogical plot jumps, personal life drama and excessive "thinking" didn't work as a band-aid for me.
Seriously, the romance subplot can GTFO.
Edison is not charming and it was annoying.
Don't @ me about it.
This is kind of disappointing because most reviews are so full of praise, but this was just a big old "meh" for me.
⭐⭐½ | 2.5 stars rounded down
I forgot there's a reason I haven't read Kellerman in a long time. His writing doesn't work for me. I find it formulaic and boring as hell. And I know that's sacrilegious for Alex Delaware fans, but whatever. I am who I am. You can't change me!
Crime Scene was so boring to me that I read this book like a month ago and completely whiffed on writing a review. It just slipped from my mind, uneventful and easy to forget.
It doesn't really seem to me that anything happened in this book.
You have Clay Edison, a death investigator dude working for the coroner's office, who gets caught up in the death of a man who very clearly seems to have died of natural causes. But because Edison fucks the dead guy's daughter, he becomes borderline obsessed with the idea that there is something more sinister that took place.
I mean, of course, he's right about the sinister bad stuff (otherwise there would be no book,) but the fact that it took penis-in-vagina to get his interest piqued and the plot moving, had my eyes rolling so far back into my head that I think I sprained an optic muscle.
Edison's "I just know something else is happening" shtick got real old, real fast. The procedural aspect of the novel started taking such nonsensical leaps based on his apparently super intense intuition, that even other characters were telling him to gather more compelling evidence the right way.
I don't know if Edison's whole "doing the right thing just because it's right" vibe was supposed to be charming or what, but I found him to be a douchebag that needed to chill the fuck out. Like 100% he used to be a frat bro on a sports scholarship.
The plot was pretty predictable and could have been edited down had the storyline not been interspersed with random side plots, scenes that didn't further the story and romance grossness that messed with the suspense and mystery. The pacing was just a tedious ride from point A to point B.
Perhaps part of that writing choice came down to the fact that working in a coroner's office seems to actually be pretty boring? The only reason Edison had a case to investigate is that he stepped out of line and wasn't doing his job anymore. This left him with little authority to find out anything, seemingly road-blocked on a constant basis.
But filling in that space with illogical plot jumps, personal life drama and excessive "thinking" didn't work as a band-aid for me.
Seriously, the romance subplot can GTFO.
Edison is not charming and it was annoying.
Don't @ me about it.
This is kind of disappointing because most reviews are so full of praise, but this was just a big old "meh" for me.
⭐⭐½ | 2.5 stars rounded down
August 13, 2017
Two words. Boring and disappointing. I am a big fan of Jonathan Kellerman, his wife Faye and his son Jesse, but this book did not live up to the Kellerman family reputation. It plodded a long. Took me three days to get through it because I kept putting it down out of boredom. There is very little, if any, suspense and the ending is blah. The book flap says "The twisting trail Clay follows will lead him into the darkest corners of the human soul. It's his job to listen to the tales of the dead. But this time, he's part of a story that makes his blood run cold." Sounds good, right? Wrong. Nothing like this happens in the book. I have no idea why the book flap would make such a claim. I am very surprised at this book. It's pablum.
July 29, 2017
A police procedural from a different perspective, from the Coroner..Wonderful writing by Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman, father and son! I have long been a fan pf anything Jonathan wrote and this story is no exception. Deputy Sheriff Clay Edison works in the coroners office, where he tries to put peoples minds at ease when investigating the death of a loved one. Called to a 'fall' death, he meets the daughter of the deceased, a young woman who believes her dad was pushed/murdered. This starts an investigation in which Clay has to question himself,what is he hoping to prove, and how far is he willing to go behind the work of fellow officers! AS he keeps investigating there is pushback from other cops who worked a connected case years ago,putting Clay's job in jeopardy. The characters are strong, you either like someone or you don't,with intense scenes as this young officer keeps investigating where others feel he doesn't belong..I really enjoyed the viewpoint from the coroners office, causing this to be 'not your regular police story',an enjoyable read and great teamwork from the Kellermans..
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley, the author and publisher from which I am able to write my thoughts and I thank them.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley, the author and publisher from which I am able to write my thoughts and I thank them.
March 6, 2024
Here is another memory that came up on my Facebook page that I am now bringing my review to Goodreads.
This is a first book in the series by the father/son writing duo who have done fairly well on their own.
This book features Clay Edison, a Deputy Sheriff with the Coroner's Office, and former basketball star. Clay will easily become a fan favorite with his winning personality and strong character.
Clay Edison finds himself drawn into a complicated investigation, the death of Walter Rennert, a retired psychology professor. His death brings on multiple new questions about an old crime where one of his students was brutally murdered.
The question isn’t just natural causes or foul play but how do these old cases play in to this new death?
I was happily engaged with the plot, and well-developed characters.
Although, I am a bit tainted by some of Jonathan Kellerman’s tendency to overdraw some of his past characters into complacency and formulaic writing, I am hopeful about this series.
This is a first book in the series by the father/son writing duo who have done fairly well on their own.
This book features Clay Edison, a Deputy Sheriff with the Coroner's Office, and former basketball star. Clay will easily become a fan favorite with his winning personality and strong character.
Clay Edison finds himself drawn into a complicated investigation, the death of Walter Rennert, a retired psychology professor. His death brings on multiple new questions about an old crime where one of his students was brutally murdered.
The question isn’t just natural causes or foul play but how do these old cases play in to this new death?
I was happily engaged with the plot, and well-developed characters.
Although, I am a bit tainted by some of Jonathan Kellerman’s tendency to overdraw some of his past characters into complacency and formulaic writing, I am hopeful about this series.
April 14, 2018
I liked The Murder Book one of Jonathan Kellerman's earlier books, much better than this one. The paperback Crime Scene I'm sorry to say I just didn't get into.
October 11, 2017
I liked this book. I liked the mix of psychology and forensics. The characters are likable , at least the ones you’re supposed to like are. I’ll read more. Definitely.
August 18, 2017
This book was VERY different from the usual Kellerman books. It was really a story about going above and beyond the call of duty for no other reason but it being the right reason. Deputy coroner Clay Edison was a charmer that I could clearly visualize from the words written about him. I hope this isn't the only glimpse into his life that I'll get.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy to review.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy to review.
June 14, 2020
I do spend a substantial amount of time selecting books I believe I may enjoy reading and after analyzing what was on offer from my library I decided on a trio of books, the third yet to be published but on hold. Happily I have the second book of the series ready to roll as I very much enjoyed this first one introducing us to coroner deputy Clay Edison, a young, earnest Californian.
We meet him exercising the grim duties of his position being called out to assess matters when a death is reported. Was it a simple fall down the stairs, or was there something more to it as the distraught daughter insists?
It takes until almost 70% mark of the book to get the family background/portrait that reveals Clay has a brother in prison. Up until that point there is no sign of what drives him to live a strictly sober life beyond knowing he had been a basketball star until a serious knee injury during a championship game at Cal. His life and job are centered in Oakland/Berkeley area. He takes up investigation far beyond his assigned work, gets in trouble for it, of course, and makes for an interesting character.
Very happy I have the next book on hand to roll into. This is a father/son authorship and that is also interesting to me. I am also amused to think of a restaurant featuring highly caloric steak sandwiches finding a home in Berkeley, "land of the fruits and nuts."
We meet him exercising the grim duties of his position being called out to assess matters when a death is reported. Was it a simple fall down the stairs, or was there something more to it as the distraught daughter insists?
It takes until almost 70% mark of the book to get the family background/portrait that reveals Clay has a brother in prison. Up until that point there is no sign of what drives him to live a strictly sober life beyond knowing he had been a basketball star until a serious knee injury during a championship game at Cal. His life and job are centered in Oakland/Berkeley area. He takes up investigation far beyond his assigned work, gets in trouble for it, of course, and makes for an interesting character.
Very happy I have the next book on hand to roll into. This is a father/son authorship and that is also interesting to me. I am also amused to think of a restaurant featuring highly caloric steak sandwiches finding a home in Berkeley, "land of the fruits and nuts."
May 30, 2023
CRIME SCENE
Jonathan Kellerman
I LOVED Clay Edison... he is the best deputy Medical examiner that I never got to work with. I adored his smarts, his dedication, and his professionalism. HE ROCKED. The DME (deputy medical examiner) is the guy that runs the initial inquest which is really their investigation of what happened. They make a preliminary decision about natural or some other type of death. But they don't go as far as he did...
When reclusive Walter Rennert dies at the foot of his stairs with his crystal tumbler in his hand and his beautiful daughter Tatiana standing on the driveway Edison has to make the initial call. Then he goes above the norm to find out the backstory.
Clay uncovers an amazingly interesting history that might have something to do with Walter's death, and there is a death of a close friend of Walter's that is just like his... two deaths that look the same are a lot of coincidence.
The ride is a great one, but the one Clay is taking could get him fired... Well worth the read. The characters are dimensional, completely drawn, and real. The timing of the action is spot on and the procedures are good.
5 stars
Happy Reading!
Jonathan Kellerman
I LOVED Clay Edison... he is the best deputy Medical examiner that I never got to work with. I adored his smarts, his dedication, and his professionalism. HE ROCKED. The DME (deputy medical examiner) is the guy that runs the initial inquest which is really their investigation of what happened. They make a preliminary decision about natural or some other type of death. But they don't go as far as he did...
When reclusive Walter Rennert dies at the foot of his stairs with his crystal tumbler in his hand and his beautiful daughter Tatiana standing on the driveway Edison has to make the initial call. Then he goes above the norm to find out the backstory.
Clay uncovers an amazingly interesting history that might have something to do with Walter's death, and there is a death of a close friend of Walter's that is just like his... two deaths that look the same are a lot of coincidence.
The ride is a great one, but the one Clay is taking could get him fired... Well worth the read. The characters are dimensional, completely drawn, and real. The timing of the action is spot on and the procedures are good.
5 stars
Happy Reading!
September 29, 2021
Crime Scene by Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman is the 1st in the Clay Edison series.
Series Background:
Clay Edison is a Deputy Sheriff, working for the Alameda Coroner's office in California. His job is to determine whether there has been foul play or if an accident is responsible for the dead bodies they assess. He majored in psychology, and has a bum knee that ruined his basketball career. His partner, Deputy Zaragoza, is a neurotic hypochondriac. The rest of the team consists of Deputy Coroner Zaragoza , Deputy Coroner Moffett, Deputy Coroner Lisa Schupfer, Technician Daniella Botero, and their boss Sergeant Vitti.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
The body of Walter Rennert lays at the bottom of his stairs. It looks like the once-respected psychology professor fell, but his daughter Tatiana insists that her father was murdered.
Going above and beyond his job, and trying to not question his reasons, Clay starts taking a closer look at Rennert's life. Rennert had been in charge of a study that looked at the link between violent video games and murder, when one of his test subjects went to jail for murdering a young girl. Rennert's career was finished, and he lived with regret. A colleague, who had been assisting him on the study, had also died, his body found at the bottom of a set of stairs. Coincidence? So, did Rennert's death have something to do with the past or was it a case of too much alcohol and a trip down the stairs.
As Clay continues to look into the past, he is getting involved with the victim's daughter - never a good thing.
My Opinions:
This was quite good, an interesting start to the series. The perspective is a little different, as the protagonist works out of the coroner's office instead of a typical police procedural.
I liked Clay right from the beginning. He is determined, and willing to go the extra mile to get answers. I liked the other members of the team, good supporting characters. I disliked Tatiana from word go.
It sort of goes without saying that when an author's last name is Kellerman, it will probably be worth reading. It was sort of cool to have Alex Delaware and Robin make an appearance.
However, I did feel the book may have missed something. Although the plot was good, there was no "thrill", no excitement. It was a slow read, and it dragged a couple of times.
That being said, I will definitely read the next in line.
For a more complete review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, author information and a favorite quotation or two from the book), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
November 29, 2018
I like Jonathan Kellerman so I was interested to see how his son would do.
In a word: poorly.
The secondary characters seemed to come straight out of central casting. We had the obnoxious rich wife, the temptress daughter, the alcoholic ex-detective, the doubting superior, and on and on. Clay Edison, the main character, had nothing to set him apart from the 140,000 other main characters.
Even the plot line – a police official (in this case a coroner’s investigator) continues to pursue a case he’s been told to drop – has been done enough times to qualify as a cliché.
Characters hinted at things then never explained them to the reader.
Some of the conversations – mainly those set in the morgue – were near to impossible to follow. The first one in chapter 5 was especially confusing. I read it, it made no sense, I read it again, and it still made no sense. Two more readings didn’t change that. It was an attempt to capture a multi-person conversation, but it just did not work.
The last 38% of this book was tagged as page 411 in this download. By my calculation, if page 411 is 62% of the book, then this book is actually 662 pages long. Amazon, B & N, and several other sites all show this book running around 400 pages in every format. Whether the screw-up is in the first 62% or the last 38% of this download, Amazon continues its masterful ineptitude of page numbering.
And what do we get in those around 408 or possibly 662 pages? A slow-moving, dull, plodding story with no tension and as engaging as a grocery list.
Definitely a 1-star book. So, Jesse Kellerman is permanently banished from my ‘To Read’ list.
In a word: poorly.
The secondary characters seemed to come straight out of central casting. We had the obnoxious rich wife, the temptress daughter, the alcoholic ex-detective, the doubting superior, and on and on. Clay Edison, the main character, had nothing to set him apart from the 140,000 other main characters.
Even the plot line – a police official (in this case a coroner’s investigator) continues to pursue a case he’s been told to drop – has been done enough times to qualify as a cliché.
Characters hinted at things then never explained them to the reader.
Some of the conversations – mainly those set in the morgue – were near to impossible to follow. The first one in chapter 5 was especially confusing. I read it, it made no sense, I read it again, and it still made no sense. Two more readings didn’t change that. It was an attempt to capture a multi-person conversation, but it just did not work.
The last 38% of this book was tagged as page 411 in this download. By my calculation, if page 411 is 62% of the book, then this book is actually 662 pages long. Amazon, B & N, and several other sites all show this book running around 400 pages in every format. Whether the screw-up is in the first 62% or the last 38% of this download, Amazon continues its masterful ineptitude of page numbering.
And what do we get in those around 408 or possibly 662 pages? A slow-moving, dull, plodding story with no tension and as engaging as a grocery list.
Definitely a 1-star book. So, Jesse Kellerman is permanently banished from my ‘To Read’ list.
July 20, 2017
**I was given a free digital copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
I read The Golem of Hollywood by this father-son duo, and I loved it. Not surprising, my favorite fiction couple is Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis (psychiatrist and police detective duo from the mind of Jonathan Kellerman).
But I felt like I struggled through more of this story than I would like. The characters felt one sided and the crime solving was making such big leaps that even the other characters were telling Clay Edison that he needed more.
It had a fairly consistent flow, it just felt so...flat. It was a lot of Clay did this, and did this and then he did that. and neither the characters nor the plot had much development beyond the presentation.
I would give them another chance, but I'm not sure if I will read another Clay Edison. I didn't have a hard time reading this story, and I enjoyed picking it up and working through it. I just expected more, and I really hope that if they do write a 2nd one, that they'll kick it up a few notches.
I read The Golem of Hollywood by this father-son duo, and I loved it. Not surprising, my favorite fiction couple is Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis (psychiatrist and police detective duo from the mind of Jonathan Kellerman).
But I felt like I struggled through more of this story than I would like. The characters felt one sided and the crime solving was making such big leaps that even the other characters were telling Clay Edison that he needed more.
It had a fairly consistent flow, it just felt so...flat. It was a lot of Clay did this, and did this and then he did that. and neither the characters nor the plot had much development beyond the presentation.
I would give them another chance, but I'm not sure if I will read another Clay Edison. I didn't have a hard time reading this story, and I enjoyed picking it up and working through it. I just expected more, and I really hope that if they do write a 2nd one, that they'll kick it up a few notches.
July 24, 2017
“Crime Scene” by Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman is a look at police procedure crime thriller written from a different perspective, that of a coroner. Clay Edison has worked in the Alameda County Coroner’s for five years. Clay’s days are filled with the ordinary and the very unordinary.
“Crime Scene” is written as a first person narrative by Clay, and this strategy delivers an interesting and insightful look at Clay’s feelings and at the events that surround him. He talks to the readers as he talks to himself. The dialogue and responses within the story reflect the characters as Clay interacts with them. Geography, problems, questions, feelings, and scenarios are as Clay sees them and makes judgments about them.
People weave in and out of Clay’s daily life. Clay’s job haunts him; it lives with him. The work clings to him. He thinks about the dead everywhere he goes. He is not haunted, but he is never quite alone. Every time Clay is called to a location, he is about to ruin someone’s day. Someone is dead, by natural causes or by homicide, but dead. With a click of a button he decides which it is.
One case nags at him, presents an underlying question. The case is not even a “homicide” that he feels compelled to solve; it is just that his mind will not let this case go. While trying to resolve this accidental death of an elderly man, he discovers a tangled web of deceit, loyalty, buried secrets, and murders. Secrets from the past creep into the present, and old cases become entangled with recent events. Nothing is really as is appears at first.
“Crime Scene” is an interesting new look at crime fiction. It is not a typical murder mystery. There is no graphic violence, no revolting accounts, just regular people doing a distinctly unpleasant job. I was “connected” with Clay and his quest throughout the book. I have read other books by the Kellermans, and this is one of the best.
I was given a copy of “Crime Scene” to review by Ballantine Books, NetGalley, Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman, and I really enjoyed it. I highly recommend this to everyone.
“Crime Scene” is written as a first person narrative by Clay, and this strategy delivers an interesting and insightful look at Clay’s feelings and at the events that surround him. He talks to the readers as he talks to himself. The dialogue and responses within the story reflect the characters as Clay interacts with them. Geography, problems, questions, feelings, and scenarios are as Clay sees them and makes judgments about them.
People weave in and out of Clay’s daily life. Clay’s job haunts him; it lives with him. The work clings to him. He thinks about the dead everywhere he goes. He is not haunted, but he is never quite alone. Every time Clay is called to a location, he is about to ruin someone’s day. Someone is dead, by natural causes or by homicide, but dead. With a click of a button he decides which it is.
One case nags at him, presents an underlying question. The case is not even a “homicide” that he feels compelled to solve; it is just that his mind will not let this case go. While trying to resolve this accidental death of an elderly man, he discovers a tangled web of deceit, loyalty, buried secrets, and murders. Secrets from the past creep into the present, and old cases become entangled with recent events. Nothing is really as is appears at first.
“Crime Scene” is an interesting new look at crime fiction. It is not a typical murder mystery. There is no graphic violence, no revolting accounts, just regular people doing a distinctly unpleasant job. I was “connected” with Clay and his quest throughout the book. I have read other books by the Kellermans, and this is one of the best.
I was given a copy of “Crime Scene” to review by Ballantine Books, NetGalley, Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman, and I really enjoyed it. I highly recommend this to everyone.
August 10, 2017
Clay Edison, deputy coroner, heads to a call of a body at the bottom of a staircase. Preliminary contact with the scene seems to indicate an accidental fall. However, the man's daughter is there and insists her father has been pushed to his death. Clay doesn't really suspect murder but he finds a couple of items in the home that seem a little out of place and his gut feeling tells him there is more to this story.
I learned about the investigators in the coroner's office. I guess I've always equated autopsy = coroners = medical examiners so I'm glad to be educated about the differences.
Clay Edison is likeable and devoted to doing his job well. He is a meticulous investigator who finds another path when he seems to run into a dead end. I think this is the start of another great series by Kellerman.
I learned about the investigators in the coroner's office. I guess I've always equated autopsy = coroners = medical examiners so I'm glad to be educated about the differences.
Clay Edison is likeable and devoted to doing his job well. He is a meticulous investigator who finds another path when he seems to run into a dead end. I think this is the start of another great series by Kellerman.
September 30, 2018
The plot was very slow to start. By page 98 I was wondering whether reading on was worth the effort. I did continue and the action picked up a bit, but I never felt as if this an "edge of your seat" story.
Protagonist Clay Edison is a likable character; his job as a deputy sheriff in the coroner's office the basis of the action. He becomes personally embroiled in what clearly appears to be a natural death when he beds the decedent's daughter. The route to justice is long and winding.
Protagonist Clay Edison is a likable character; his job as a deputy sheriff in the coroner's office the basis of the action. He becomes personally embroiled in what clearly appears to be a natural death when he beds the decedent's daughter. The route to justice is long and winding.
May 18, 2018
I’ve read a few of the Alex Delaware series but I kind of lost interest. I was hesitant to read this book written with his son but the reviews seem to like it so I gave it a shot. I’m glad I did I really enjoyed it. It was quick paced and I found the main character quite interesting. This series definitely seems promising.
August 5, 2017
Crime Scene is the first in the Clay Edison series, written by a father and son team. Big thanks to Net Galley and Random House Ballantine for the DRC, which I received in exchange for this honest review. I rate this mystery 3.5 stars and round it upward.
Edison is a coroner’s investigator, and he finds himself drawn into an ugly, complicated murder, seduced by the lovely Tatiana, who I find myself disliking much earlier than the protagonist does. There’s the psychological component here that’s similar to the movies, where the audience yells, “Don’t go through that door” as the main character strolls obliviously forward; however, where the Kellermans take the story once Edison has wised up is interesting, original, and well played.
I enjoy the snappy banter that I associate with the elder Kellerman’s other novels, and there’s a hugely entertaining side character named Afton that I’d love to see again. The setting of the down-and-out neighborhood is resonant enough that I am convinced at least one of these men has actually spent time in such a place.
That said, the first half of the story is better paced than the second, and there’s a racial component that appears well-intentioned but awkward.
This promising series is now available to the public, and is recommended to Kellerman’s fans.
Edison is a coroner’s investigator, and he finds himself drawn into an ugly, complicated murder, seduced by the lovely Tatiana, who I find myself disliking much earlier than the protagonist does. There’s the psychological component here that’s similar to the movies, where the audience yells, “Don’t go through that door” as the main character strolls obliviously forward; however, where the Kellermans take the story once Edison has wised up is interesting, original, and well played.
I enjoy the snappy banter that I associate with the elder Kellerman’s other novels, and there’s a hugely entertaining side character named Afton that I’d love to see again. The setting of the down-and-out neighborhood is resonant enough that I am convinced at least one of these men has actually spent time in such a place.
That said, the first half of the story is better paced than the second, and there’s a racial component that appears well-intentioned but awkward.
This promising series is now available to the public, and is recommended to Kellerman’s fans.
August 15, 2017
Would give it a 2.5. Co-written with his son Jesse, the start of a new series featuring Clay Edison, a deputy coroner in Alameda County in California. Will have to see how it goes as I am reading through the book. It's different from solo books by Jonathan, much looser. I have always enjoyed the Alex Delaware books. Alex Delaware had a cameo in chapter 12, which was the extent of his connection to this story.
The book would have benefitted from some serious editing. It wandered, so I found it hard to persist through the book, and thus to stay connected to the story line. I don't know if that writing was purposeful and it is the plan to develop that kind of a protagonist and/or style. I would hope not. I may consider reading the next volume in this planned co-written series to see if and how it may become more focused.
The book would have benefitted from some serious editing. It wandered, so I found it hard to persist through the book, and thus to stay connected to the story line. I don't know if that writing was purposeful and it is the plan to develop that kind of a protagonist and/or style. I would hope not. I may consider reading the next volume in this planned co-written series to see if and how it may become more focused.
August 19, 2017
Hhmm.....I liked it but didn't love it. Full review to come.
October 7, 2017
Very good book from father/son writing team! I have love Jonthan Kllerman books and now I am gonna love his sons book too
August 24, 2020
Father-and-son Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman collaborate in a new series with deputy Clay Edison, recently assigned as a death investigator in Alameda County, California. His job is to ascertain the manner of death in the cases that he works on. One of the first things Clay does when examining a body is to determine whether or not the cause of death was natural or foul play. However, in this particular case, the death of reclusive Walter Rennert, the man's daughter feels certain that her father has been murdered, and she begs Clay to find out what really happened.
The more Clay digs, the more he realizes that there is a long history of scandal, violence and so much more. Then Clay recognizes a similar manner of death involving Walter Rennert's former colleague. This definitely increases Clay's curiosity, so he begins to unearth as many facts as possible, to the point of even considering his own judgment in the case at hand.
The fact that Clay was intimately involved with Rennert's daughter, Tatiana, challenges his professional interest in a case that does not even fit his job description. Will Clay be able to get to the bottom of things? Meanwhile, as this is the first book in the series, we learn what makes Clay tick and how his choices affect his job and his future.
This book was not a review title, but I am glad that I read this, as I now feel that I have gotten to know Clay and am more than eager to stay with this series as it continues to grow. The next two books in the series are A Measure of Darkness and Half Moon Bay, both which were excellent reads.
The more Clay digs, the more he realizes that there is a long history of scandal, violence and so much more. Then Clay recognizes a similar manner of death involving Walter Rennert's former colleague. This definitely increases Clay's curiosity, so he begins to unearth as many facts as possible, to the point of even considering his own judgment in the case at hand.
The fact that Clay was intimately involved with Rennert's daughter, Tatiana, challenges his professional interest in a case that does not even fit his job description. Will Clay be able to get to the bottom of things? Meanwhile, as this is the first book in the series, we learn what makes Clay tick and how his choices affect his job and his future.
This book was not a review title, but I am glad that I read this, as I now feel that I have gotten to know Clay and am more than eager to stay with this series as it continues to grow. The next two books in the series are A Measure of Darkness and Half Moon Bay, both which were excellent reads.
December 29, 2017
I usually enjoy Jonathan Kellerman's books, but this one, written together with his son, is blah. To start with, I couldn't figure out what exactly Clay Edison's role in law enforcement is. He seems to be a sheriff's deputy who works in the morgue. So he's not a detective and he's not a medical examiner and it seems that as soon as he starts asking questions, he's trespassing on other people's turf. Second, he had a short brilliant career as a basketball player in college, but was definitely sidelined by a knee injury. But he seems to have never gotten over those days (even though he publicly denies it) and I find that a rather cheap way of setting up an inner conflict in the protagonist. Third, too much of the story doesn't make sense. When Dr. Rennert is found dead at the bottom of his staircase, the dead man's daughter insists that it was murder, something to do with a lawsuit from a decade earlier, when a subject in psychological research conducted by Dr. Rennert and his graduate student, Nicholas Lindhurst, was convicted of murdering a young woman. Clay gamely starts following up this thread, even after an autopsy shows conclusively that Dr. Rennert died of a dissecting aortic aneurysm. He keeps following up even after the daughter, with whom he's gotten hot and heavy for a night or so, ditches him without warning. And even after she changes her mind and gets angry with him for doing just what she had insisted he do in the first place. Clay is strangely passive through it all. The chronology also doesn't make a lot of sense, especially with regards to the question of when Dr. Rennert acquired a gun. Clay also inexplicably fails to follow up op a clue that is practically flashing a red neon sign saying "this is the link to the missing man" - a prescription for an antipsychotic written by a urologist !
Alex Delaware makes a short cameo into the book, just enough to remind me why I love the Alex Delaware novels and didn't care for this one : those books abound with memorable descriptions of Los Angeles and secondary characters that sound like people you'd want to meet (if only to marvel at how awful they are). And Milo Sturgis, Alex Delaware's detective friend, can always be counted on to deliver some cynical one-liners. I always feel compelled to keep on reading those books, whereas this one was more of a dutiful slog, hoping for a brilliant ending - that never happened.
Alex Delaware makes a short cameo into the book, just enough to remind me why I love the Alex Delaware novels and didn't care for this one : those books abound with memorable descriptions of Los Angeles and secondary characters that sound like people you'd want to meet (if only to marvel at how awful they are). And Milo Sturgis, Alex Delaware's detective friend, can always be counted on to deliver some cynical one-liners. I always feel compelled to keep on reading those books, whereas this one was more of a dutiful slog, hoping for a brilliant ending - that never happened.
September 25, 2017
Father and son authors Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman collaborate on a thrilling new mystery, “Crime Scene,” the first in a new series.
Former star athlete turned deputy coroner Clay Edison is presented with a case of accidental death — or so it seems to the young deputy at first glance. It is one of many peculiar cases that land in the deputy’s hands.
Reclusive, eccentric, once-respected psychology professor Walter Rennert lies dead at the foot of his staircase. What looks like a case of booze and a bad heart to Clay quickly turns into a full-fledged investigation, as Clay quickly learns of the victims’ family members and close friends who all wanted the old man dead.
A catalog of suspects begins to collect on the coroner’s investigation list of people to interview, and soon Clay is embroiled in an old-fashioned case of cold-blooded murder. Some of the suspects prove difficult, not answering the deputy’s questions and prolonging the investigation.
A romantic subplot between Clay and the victim’s daughter adds character and suspense to the story, but does not advance the plot, and is mostly filler.
“Crime Scene” is a character-driven, intricately plotted whodunit that many readers have come to expect from two best-selling authors. Mystery readers will devour the book and look forward to further father and son collaboration.
Former star athlete turned deputy coroner Clay Edison is presented with a case of accidental death — or so it seems to the young deputy at first glance. It is one of many peculiar cases that land in the deputy’s hands.
Reclusive, eccentric, once-respected psychology professor Walter Rennert lies dead at the foot of his staircase. What looks like a case of booze and a bad heart to Clay quickly turns into a full-fledged investigation, as Clay quickly learns of the victims’ family members and close friends who all wanted the old man dead.
A catalog of suspects begins to collect on the coroner’s investigation list of people to interview, and soon Clay is embroiled in an old-fashioned case of cold-blooded murder. Some of the suspects prove difficult, not answering the deputy’s questions and prolonging the investigation.
A romantic subplot between Clay and the victim’s daughter adds character and suspense to the story, but does not advance the plot, and is mostly filler.
“Crime Scene” is a character-driven, intricately plotted whodunit that many readers have come to expect from two best-selling authors. Mystery readers will devour the book and look forward to further father and son collaboration.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 828 reviews