Gone - Jonathan Kellerman

Summary: Missing acting students Dylan and Michaela are found on the remote mountains of Malibu, battered and terrified after a harrowing ordeal at the hands of a sadistic abductor. But forensic evidence soon exposes the incident as a hoax, and the kids are charged as criminals themselves. After examining Michaela, psychologist Alex Delaware is certain that there is more to this sordid psychodrama, and his instincts prove dead-on when she is savagely murdered. Casting their dragnet in to the murkiest corners of L.A.,Delawars and homicide cop Milo Sturgis unearth more questions than answers--and a host of eerily identical killings. What bizarre and brutal epidemic is infecting the city with terror, madness, and sudden twisted death? (Summary: back of book, photo: google)

My Review: First off. I did NOT finish this book. I need to be very upfront with that fact. Now, let me explain why.

This was my first book of Kellerman's. I am not sure if I will pick up another one. I read 104 pages and was absolutely bored stiff. I am not usually the type to put down a book just because it drags a little, especially a mystery, I always have to persevere because I want to know "who done it". I have no desire to do that with this book.

Kellerman's writing is choppy, his dialogue between characters is weak and overly sarcastic. I felt no connection to the acting students characters as they were introduced in a very odd almost silly way. And I felt even less of a connection to Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis, who play leads in the story.

Delaware, who I believe is supposed to be the focus of the story, is kind of a weepy, "woe is me" sort of guy. The only real thing that I remember about him, other than the fact that he is incredibly dull, is that he is a shrink.

There is not much I can say about the plot. Again, it is very weak and very run of the mill. I cannot say if the ending would have changed my view on that, but I kind of doubt it.

My Rating: 1 STARS

Sum it up: This book is proof that even a big name like Kellerman can flop. I hope his others are more on the target, but I will probably never know.