Series · mystery
Alex Delaware
The Alex Delaware series by Jonathan Kellerman has 41 books and is best read in publication order, starting with When the Bough Breaks (1985).
- Books
- 41 books
- First published
- 1985
- Status
- ongoing
- Last checked
Start here: When the Bough Breaks (1985) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The order the books were released — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
When the Bough Breaks
Alternative text for cover: Cover of When the Bough Breaks - Book 2:
Blood Test
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Blood Test - Book 3:
Over the Edge
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Over the Edge - Book 4:
Silent Partner
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Silent Partner - Book 5:
Time Bomb
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Time Bomb - Book 6:
Private Eyes
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Private Eyes - Book 7:
Devil's Waltz
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Devil's Waltz - Book 8:
Bad Love
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Bad Love - Book 9:
Self-Defense
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Self-Defense - Book 10:
The Web
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Web - Book 11:
The Clinic
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Clinic - Book 12:
Survival of the Fittest
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Survival of the Fittest - Book 13:
Monster
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Monster - Book 14:
Dr. Death
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Dr. Death - Book 15:
Flesh and Blood
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Flesh and Blood - Book 16:
The Murder Book
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Murder Book - Book 17:
A Cold Heart
Alternative text for cover: Cover of A Cold Heart - Book 18:
Therapy
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Therapy - Book 19:
Rage
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Rage - Book 20:
Gone
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Gone - Book 21:
Obsession
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Obsession - Book 22:
Compulsion
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Compulsion - Book 23:
Bones
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Bones - Book 24:
Evidence
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Evidence - Book 25:
Deception
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Deception - Book 26:
Mystery
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Mystery - Book 27:
Victims
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Victims - Book 28:
Guilt
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Guilt - Book 29:
Killer
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Killer - Book 30:
Motive
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Motive - Book 31:
Breakdown
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Breakdown - Book 32:
Heartbreak Hotel
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Heartbreak Hotel - Book 33:
Night Moves
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Night Moves - Book 34:
The Wedding Guest
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Wedding Guest - Book 35:
The Museum of Desire
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Museum of Desire - Book 36:
Serpentine
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Serpentine - Book 37:
City of the Dead
Alternative text for cover: Cover of City of the Dead - Book 38:
Unnatural History
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Unnatural History - Book 39:
The Ghost Orchid
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Ghost Orchid - Book 40:
Open Season
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Open Season - Book 41:
Jigsaw
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Jigsaw
About the Alex Delaware series
Alex Delaware is a child psychologist in Los Angeles, semi-retired from private practice by burnout and a healthy trust fund, who keeps getting pulled back into consulting on cases -- almost always at the request of his closest friend, LAPD homicide detective Milo Sturgis. Jonathan Kellerman, himself a clinical psychologist before he became a novelist, builds each book around the psychology of victims, witnesses and killers as much as the crime itself: cult dynamics, childhood trauma, family pathology and the particular damage wealth and status can disguise in Los Angeles's private schools, gated enclaves and celebrity culture. Milo, a gruff, openly gay detective operating in a department not always comfortable with that, does the police-procedural legwork while Alex reads the people involved -- a duo dynamic that's held the series together since When the Bough Breaks in 1985.
The series is known for dense, dialogue-driven plotting, a strong sense of L.A. geography and class stratification, and a slow-burn central relationship: Alex's on-and-off romance with forensic sculptor Robin Castagna anchors the domestic side of the books across four decades. With over 40 entries and still going strong, it's one of the longest-running psychological crime series in the genre, appealing to readers who want their whodunits grounded in real clinical insight into why people do terrible things, alongside a satisfying, familiar investigator partnership.
How to read this series
Publication order, starting with When the Bough Breaks. Alex and Milo's friendship, Alex's relationship with Robin, and Milo's standing at the LAPD all evolve gradually, but each book's central mystery is self-contained, so the series is unusually easy to jump into anywhere -- many readers start in the middle and backfill later. Starting from the beginning is still recommended for the fullest sense of how the Alex/Milo partnership and Alex's own backstory develop across the decades.
Frequently asked questions
How many books are in the Alex Delaware series?
There are 41 novels as of Jigsaw (2026), published from 1985 to the present.
What order should I read the Alex Delaware books in?
Publication order, starting with When the Bough Breaks, gives the fullest picture of Alex and Milo's friendship, but each book's mystery is self-contained enough that you can start almost anywhere.
Is the Alex Delaware series finished?
No, it's ongoing. Jonathan Kellerman has published a new Alex Delaware novel almost every year since 1985, most recently Jigsaw (2026).
Do I need to read Jonathan Kellerman's other series first?
No. Kellerman's other work (including books co-written with his wife Faye Kellerman, or their son Jesse Kellerman's novels) is unrelated; Alex Delaware stands alone.
Is Alex Delaware a detective?
No -- he's a child psychologist who consults with the LAPD, primarily through his best friend, homicide detective Milo Sturgis, rather than a sworn police officer or private investigator.
Reading order last verified .