"Powerful police procedural"
Los Angeles psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware is stunned to
receive the binder containing grisly police photographs of
crime scenes with an outside logo, "THE MURDER BOOK". He
shows his "gift" to his friend, long term police veteran
Detective Milo Sturgis, who is equally shocked by the book,
but one particular picture haunts him. The book includes
the picture of one of his first cases, the mutilated body
of Hollywood High student Janie Ingalls, killed two decades
ago. Milo remembers that as a rookie he was teamed with veteran
Pierce Schwinn, but as they began to put the case together,
they were removed. Milo believs his first detective
partner sent the book in order to tease the duo into
investigating the cold case. Milo and Alex follow a trail
that takes back to high society, a place where Schwinn
reached twenty years ago before they were yanked off the
investigation, but the trail remains frozen though the duo
methodically progress one slow clue at a time. THE MURDER BOOK is a powerful police procedural that is the
best Delaware tale in several years. The story line
absorbs the audience with the systematic scrutiny of the
evidence one ugly step at a time. The support cast is
abundant and overwhelming at times, but the lead sleuthing
couple keeps things in perspective and provides the bonus
of seeing Milo as a tyro. Jonathan Kellerman, who has a
mantelpiece filled with deserving awards, may have his
SHAMUS this time. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted October 9, 2002
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