Bad Love

by Jonathan Kellerman

Reviewed by Coral

While working on one of his regular court-appointed family cases - should an incarcerated murderer be granted prison visitation with his two young children - Alex receives a tape filled with screams and a voice chanting "Bad love. Bad love." Afraid the murderer is trying to scare him off the case he turns to Milo, who recognizes "Bad love" from an open and shut case - psycho kills two women before being killed himself - he was stuck filling out the paperwork on.

With the campaign of terror increasing, Milo and Alex race against time, investigating it from every possible angle, trying to catch this new psycho, before it's too late.

I liked this book. Alex's involvement in the case is believable, considering he's the victim. The story isn't bogged down by too many unnecessary details. It's a good read, just don't try to solve the mystery, you'll drive yourself crazy. Truthfully I don't think we're supposed to solve anything; it's overly complicated. Just go along for the ride.

Okay, since there are none of my usual complaints in this one, and though it doesn't take anything away from the enjoyability of the story, I have a brand new complaint: the lack of Rick throughout the series.

Milo and Rick have been a couple since the first book in the series, yet he barely gets more than a few mentions and/or lines per book. The only time I remember he and Milo being in the same scene together - also in book one - he didn't get to speak. In fact, so far he's only ever interacted with Alex.

It's especially weird in this book. Robin gets to be involved in the case. Alex hides Robin at Milo and Rick's house - referred to a few times just as Milo's house - when things look too intense, but nothing. They're all supposed to be friends, they double date, so why isn't he allowed to come on scene as the concerned friend?

How long do I have to wait for a decent Rick storyline? How long until Rick's finally allowed to interact with Milo in a book and not just Alex?

Grade: B