Part of Alex Delaware, book 15
First published 2002
Dr. Alex Delaware faces Lauren Teague across his office. The beautiful teenager radiates defiance and anger. Her parents want help. Lauren wants nothing to do with therapy. Alex watches his efforts fail as Lauren rejects every attempt at connection. Years pass before they meet again in a moment that leaves both doctor and former patient burning with shame. Days later, Lauren turns up dead in an alley, her body bearing signs of brutal violence. LAPD detective Milo Sturgis warns Alex to stay away from the case. Alex ignores his friend's advice. His pursuit of Lauren's killer threatens his relationship with Robin Castagna and pulls him into Los Angeles's darkest corners. He discovers a world of experimental psychology and commercial sex where money and desire create deadly combinations. The investigation forces Alex to confront his own failures while navigating threats that could cost him his life.
Genres: mystery, crime, detective, psychological-thriller
Vibes: dark, emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, enemies-to-lovers, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Los Angeles
437 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Ballantine Books
Content warnings: violence