I picked up Victims off the book exchange table at my manicurist’s salon. Who doesn’t love a free thriller with their top coat? The name Kellerman rang a vague bell, and I figured even if it was a dud, I was only out zero dollars.
This book wastes no time. Page one: Brutal murder. Buckle up. The crime scenes are gruesome, the kind that make you stop and think, Surely no one would actually do that in real life...right? (Insert my own naïve horror here.)
We follow psychologist Alex Delaware and LAPD detective Milo Sturgis, aka the Dynamic Duo of solving twisted crimes. I love their partnership. Alex brings the psychological insight, Milo brings the procedural grit, and together they somehow make sense of chaos. It’s a great formula, and it works.
The psychological angle here felt especially real. The killer wasn’t some misunderstood soul. You’re looking at someone empty inside from childhood. It’s chilling, and also weirdly compelling. When the full picture comes into focus (including the fact that two psychopaths were in on this together!), I was genuinely surprised. The twist caught me completely off guard, and I read a lot of twisty books.
I didn’t hit any draggy middle sections or unnecessary filler. It kept up the momentum all the way to a tidy, satisfying ending. No weird cliffhangers, no confusion, just a case closed and the sense that maybe I need to go find a few more Kellerman books to round out my Delaware knowledge.
I would definitely recommend Victims to someone brand new to the series. It works as a standalone though having some background on Alex and Milo would definitely make the ride even richer. It's a smart, gruesome, fast-paced crime novel with a psychological edge and a surprisingly satisfying conclusion. Not bad for a free salon grab.