内容简介
Jonathan Kellerman is a master at creating psychologicallynuanced novels of suspense--an author whose name is synonymous withunrelenting action, intriguing plot twists, and penetrating insightinto the criminal mind. Now he ventures into bold, new territorywith his biggest and best novel yet. "A Cold Heart" featuresKellerman's brilliant signature style--but in this tour-de-force hemines even deeper the emotional landscape of his characters:psychologist-sleuth Alex Delaware, LAPD homicide detective MiloSturgis, Milo's colleague Petra Connor, and Alex's ex-lover, RobinCastagna--bringing them all vividly to life as never before. ""I'vegot a weird one, so naturally I thought of you,"" says MiloSturgis, summoning his friend Alex to the trendy gallery where apromising young artist has been brutally garroted on the night ofher first major showing. What makes it "a weird one" is the lack ofany obvious motive, and the luridly careful staging of the murderscene--which immediately suggests to Alex not an impulsive crime ofpassion . . . but the meticulous and taunting modus operandi of aserial killer. Delaware's suspicion is borne out when he comparesnotes with Milo's associate, Petra Connor, and her new partner, astrange, taciturn detective with a past of his own named EricStahl. The Hollywood cops are investigating the vicious death ofBaby Boy Lee, a noted blues guitarist, fatally stabbed after alate-night set at a local club. What links Baby Boy's murder withthat of painter Juliet Kipper is the shadowy presence of anabrasive fanzine writer. This alias-shrouded critic'slove-the-art/disdain-the-artist philosophy and his morbidfascination with the murders leads Alex and the detectives tosuspect they're facing a new breed of celebrity stalker: one with afetish for snuffing out rising stars. Tracking down the killerproves to be maddening, with the twisting trail leading fromhalfway houses to palatial mansions and from a college campus tothe last place Alex ever expected: the doorstep of his ex-loverRobin Castagna, whose business association with two of the victimscasts her as an unavoidable player in the unfolding case. As moreand more killings are discovered, unraveling the maddening puzzleassumes a chilling new importance--stopping a vicious psychopathwho's made cold-blood murder his chosen art form.