Jonathan Kellerman Books in Order (Updated February 22, 2026)

Jonathan Kellerman is a clinical psychologist turned novelist best known for the long-running Alex Delaware crime series. Over four decades, he has built several distinct continuities: the Delaware novels, the Clay Edison series (co-written with Jesse Kellerman), a short Petra Connor sequence, the Golem novels, and multiple standalones.

Order matters most in the ongoing series. Character history, professional shifts, and relationship changes accumulate over time, especially in Alex Delaware. If you want the smoothest experience, read each series in publication order.

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Quick Answer: Where Should You Start?

• Best overall starting point: When the Bough Breaks (Alex Delaware #1)
• Prefer a modern entry with a shorter commitment? Try Crime Scene (Clay Edison #1)
• Want a true standalone? Try The Butcher’s Theatre or The Murderer’s Daughter

For most readers, starting at Alex Delaware #1 remains the safest and clearest path.

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Alex Delaware Series in Order

This is Jonathan Kellerman’s signature series, featuring psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware and LAPD detective Milo Sturgis. The books are episodic in case structure but cumulative in character development.

Publication Order (Recommended)

1. When the Bough Breaks (1985): Introduces child psychologist Alex Delaware as he is drawn into a disturbing child abuse case that establishes the psychological depth defining the series.
2. Blood Test (1986): A medical mystery involving a young cancer patient widens Delaware’s investigative scope.
3. Over the Edge (1987): A psychiatric hospital death raises questions about institutional control and manipulation.
4. Silent Partner (1989): A murder tied to a wealthy family reveals long-buried resentments.
5. Time Bomb (1990): A school shooting investigation explores trauma and moral accountability.
6. Private Eyes (1992): A psychologist’s past and a murdered former patient collide.
7. Devil’s Waltz (1993): A child’s mysterious illness may hide something more deliberate.
8. Bad Love (1994): A threatening letter pulls Delaware into a case of revenge and obsession.
9. Self-Defense (1995): A brutal attack case challenges assumptions about victimhood.
10. The Web (1996): A journalist’s murder uncovers secrets spanning decades.
11. The Clinic (1997): A reopened child abuse case threatens Delaware’s credibility.
12. Survival of the Fittest (1997): The murder of a fitness mogul exposes vanity and deception.
13. Monster (1999): A child’s disappearance escalates into psychological horror.
14. Dr. Death (2000): A wealthy woman’s violent death reveals hidden family fractures.
15. Flesh and Blood (2001): A troubled young man may be more dangerous than he appears.
16. The Murder Book (2002): An old homicide file resurfaces with deadly consequences.
17. A Cold Heart (2003): A psychologist’s murder draws Delaware into academic rivalries.
18. Therapy (2004): A missing therapist’s life proves more complicated than expected.
19. Rage (2005): A seemingly motiveless murder exposes buried resentment.
20. Gone (2006): A missing teenager case tests Delaware’s instincts.
21. Obsession (2007): A psychiatrist’s death hints at long-standing vendettas.
22. Compulsion (2008): The murder of a therapist’s wife leads to buried secrets.
23. Bones (2008): Skeletal remains reopen a cold case with modern implications.
24. Evidence (2009): A brutal homicide uncovers unexpected family ties.
25. Deception (2010): A woman found murdered in a car reveals layers of false identity.
26. Mystery (2011): A murdered mystery writer leaves behind dangerous secrets.
27. Victims (2012): A double homicide suggests long-term predatory behavior.
28. Guilt (2013): A therapist accused of misconduct becomes a murder suspect.
29. Killer (2014): A staged crime scene challenges Delaware’s profiling skills.
30. Motive (2015): A seemingly random killing reveals calculated intent.
31. Breakdown (2016): A fatal car crash hides deeper manipulation.
32. Heartbreak Hotel (2017): A wealthy woman’s death reveals toxic privilege.
33. Night Moves (2018): A missing persons case becomes a complex homicide inquiry.
34. The Wedding Guest (2019): A murder at a wedding exposes layered social tensions.
35. The Museum of Desire (2020): A staged crime scene suggests theatrical violence.
36. Serpentine (2021): A decades-old death resurfaces with unsettling clarity.
37. City of the Dead (2022): A body discovered during construction triggers a layered investigation.
38. Unnatural History (2023): The art world becomes the backdrop for calculated murder.
39. The Ghost Orchid (2024): A high-profile case intersects with deeply personal stakes.
40. Open Season (2025): A seemingly senseless killing unfolds into a calculated campaign of violence.
41. Jigsaw (2026): A fractured investigation brings multiple threads together in one of the series’ most structurally intricate cases.

Why publication order? Character relationships, especially between Alex and Milo, evolve gradually. Later books assume familiarity with prior developments.

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Clay Edison Series (with Jesse Kellerman)

This separate continuity follows Deputy Coroner Clay Edison in Northern California. These novels lean more procedural and forensic than Delaware.

1. Crime Scene (2017): Edison investigates a murdered colleague while balancing personal and professional boundaries.
2. A Measure of Darkness (2018): A decomposed body in a park leads to buried secrets.
3. Half Moon Bay (2020): A death in a coastal town ties into Edison’s family history.
4. The Burning (2021): Wildfire devastation reveals hidden crimes.
5. The Lost Coast (2024): A body found in remote terrain leads to layered deception.
6. Coyote Hills (2025): A rural discovery exposes generational secrets and territorial tension.

Read straight through in publication order.

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Petra Connor Series

A two-book Los Angeles detective thread, separate from Delaware continuity.

1. Billy Straight (1998): A homeless boy witnesses a murder in a high-rise tower.
2. Twisted (2004): A brutal crime exposes complex social divides in Los Angeles.

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The Golem Series (with Jesse Kellerman)

Myth-infused thrillers forming their own continuity.

1. The Golem of Hollywood (2014): Ancient legend collides with modern investigation.
2. The Golem of Paris (2015): The myth expands into an international conspiracy.

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Standalone Novels

These are independent works.

• The Butcher’s Theatre (1988): A psychological thriller set in Israel involving ritualized murder.
• The Conspiracy Club (2003): A psychiatrist’s patient claims to witness secret killings.
• Double Homicide (2005, with Faye Kellerman): Two novellas centered on capital punishment cases.
• Capital Crimes (2007, with Faye Kellerman): Political power and murder intersect in Washington, D.C.
• True Detectives (2009): LAPD officers investigate a baffling murder.
• The Right Thing to Do (2015): A novella exploring moral boundaries.
• The Murderer’s Daughter (2015): A psychologist confronts her traumatic past while treating a dangerous patient.

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Recommended Reading Path

New readers: Start with When the Bough Breaks and continue in order.

Prefer a shorter arc: Read the Clay Edison series in order.

Testing the style first: Choose one standalone, then decide whether to commit to Delaware.

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Latest Release Status (In February 2026)

• Most recent Alex Delaware novel: Jigsaw (2026).
• Most recent Clay Edison novel: Coyote Hills (2025).
• No officially confirmed future titles have been announced beyond these at the time of this update.

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Bottom Line

Jonathan Kellerman’s bibliography is best approached by series. For the fullest experience and complete character continuity, begin with When the Bough Breaks and follow the Alex Delaware novels in publication order. Everything else can be read independently without disrupting that core journey.