Sherwood Gazette

Sherwood Gazette (18) February 2010
View from the DEN
by D. E. Nightingale
“Evidence”
By Jonathan Kellerman
The intention of the building is obvious. Someone wants to own the biggest mansion on one of the most luxuri-
ous lots in the city of Los Angeles. For some reason, however, the construction was started, but has now stopped
and the place remains a pile of ugly raw lumber. The owners, for some unknown reason want the place guarded
and hire an elderly man to check it once a day, every day. What he normally finds is nothing. One day, however,
what he finds starts an intensive investigation spanning the globe. Two people have been murdered, found naked
and placed in a gruesome position for someone to discover.
Alex Delaware, a psycologist, had been asked numerous times to assist law enforcement agencies in some of the
more bizarre cases on record. Initially, no obvious leads are apparent in the double homicide. Attempts to learn
something about the woman prove unsuccessful. As the case developed, however, the man is identified as Des-
mond Backer, an architect who was known for his attempts to promote sane ecology practices in the building
trade. Why he was even at the unfinished mansion, however, seems counter to his normal attitudes and activities.
The head police investigator, Milo Sturgis, who thought he had seen every possible homicide case becomes so
baffled he calls Alex for help.
Development of the connection between Backer and the mansion become the starting point of the investigation.
The architect’s employer, Helga Gemein, is less than helpful concerning both the murders or Backer. Even though
Backer was known for his successful tendency of romancing many women, Gemein appears to be completely
turned off at the thought of any involvement with him. Her aloof attitude earns her a spot on the possible sus-
pects list along with the guard who had found the bodies. A minor lead then turns Milo and Alex toward one of
Backer’s ex-lovers and her husband.
The list of suspects expands again to include a foreign prince who prefers the American life as long as it doesn’t
interfere in his somewhat sickening definition of romance. The plot becomes even more entangled with the intr-
oduction of conspiracy and blackmail and the fact that Alex and Milo become the hunted instead of the hunters.
Author Jonathan Kellerman has really turned up the heat in this book. It is a detailed account about how a crime
is truly solved -- not by glitzy, feel good, clues that fall in the lap of the police, but how each little clue becomes
part of the total that will eventually lead to the demise of the criminal. It is a truly enjoyable story.
DEN