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Unnatural History  By  cover art

Unnatural History

By: Jonathan Kellerman
Narrated by: John Rubinstein
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Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The most enduring detectives in American crime fiction are back in this electrifying thriller of art and brutality from the #1 New York Times bestselling master of suspense.

Los Angeles is a city of stark contrast, the palaces of the affluent coexisting uneasily with the hellholes of the mad and the needy. That shadow world and the violence it breeds draw brilliant psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware and Detective Milo Sturgis into an unsettling case of altruism gone wrong.

On a superficially lovely morning, a woman shows up for work with her usual enthusiasm. She’s the newly hired personal assistant to a handsome, wealthy photographer and is ready to greet her boss with coffee and good cheer. Instead, she finds him slumped in bed, shot to death.

The victim had recently received rave media attention for his latest project: images of homeless people in their personal “dream” situations, elaborately costumed and enacting unfulfilled fantasies. There are some, however, who view the whole thing as nothing more than crass exploitation, citing token payments and the victim’s avoidance of any long-term relationships with his subjects.

Has disgruntlement blossomed into homicidal rage? Or do the roots of violence reach down to the victim’s family—a clan, sired by an elusive billionaire, that is bizarre in its own right?

Then new murders arise, and Alex and Milo begin peeling back layer after layer of intrigue and complexity, culminating in one of the deadliest threats they’ve ever faced.

©2023 Jonathan Kellerman (P)2023 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“This is Kellerman at his very best. Just the dialogue between Sturgis and Delaware is worth it. But also, the depiction of Los Angeles is always the star.”Mystery & Suspense magazine

“Still one of the most talented authors working today, Kellerman dials up yet another page-turning adventure starring Alex Delaware. Riveting and full of twists and turns that’ll keep you glued to the pages, I found this to be one of Kellerman’s best books to date . . . and that’s really saying something when you look at his extraordinary body of work.”The Real Book Spy

“Kellerman, a trained psychologist, brings authenticity to his thoughtful protagonist, as well as a genuine touch of humanity. . . . This long-running series is still going strong.”Publishers Weekly

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What listeners say about Unnatural History

Average customer ratings
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  • NS
  • 02-12-23

Great performance, story lacking

I’ve read all of Kellermans books. This one was one of my least favorites. Just couldn’t get into the story. Love the voice actor, he’s amazing!

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Another great Alex Delaware story

The end was a surprise and this one kept me listening late into the night. I love Alex and Milo’ dynamic.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Another great Alex and Milo case!

Can’t wait for the next one! Always entertaining. Would not be the same without John Rubinstein.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Kellerman never fails

I’ve enjoyed every one of these murder mystery novels. They always start out as such head-scratchers and it doesn’t seem that they’ll ever make any sense. But, of course, they always do make sense in the end and it’s impossible to stop listening—I always take lots of extra walks with my headphone when one of these is available. Lots of philosophy and observation that is good for the soul along with the necessary unpleasantness—all good!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Fun to have it back

Stylistically the same,blind corners everywhere! This is what make the Alex Delaware novels fun!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Good story

Entertaining book. Will look for similar books to read. Thanks for sharing with our family.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Too complicated.

This story was too complicated with periods of boredom. Kellerman seems to be putting filler into the story and I’m not glad for it. His earlier works were educational and entertaining. This one was neither.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Love Alex Delaware!

Narrator is outstanding, his voices are spot on. I love listening to this series, so good!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Another great classic book by Jonathan Kellerman

Always eagerly look forward to any of Jonathan Kellerman‘s books. This is another great and captivating one. Highly recommend and hope the series continues. Enjoyed the twists and turns and his continued descriptive writing style.

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7 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Top read!

This is one of Kellerman’s best. Too bad it took so long to get the little boy’s potty mouth cleaned up. I truly enjoyed hearing Milo show his humanity. Keep up the good work

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2 people found this helpful