Compulsion by Jonathan Kellerman (2008, Paperback, Reprint)

What's not to like about a mystery where the hero is clued in to both eBay and PayPal? And craigslist even plays a part in a pivotal plot point!

That said, whether you like this book or not will depend in part on whether or not you can accept the premise of all Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware books, namely that the Los Angeles Police Department would give psychologist Alex Delaware his own special consultant's badge and turn him loose to fight crime right alongside his sidekick, curmudgeonly gay lieutenant-cum-detective Milo Sturgis.

If you're willing to go along with that set-up, then the somewhat far-fetched piecing together of clues probably won't bother you either.

In this 22nd edition of their adventures together, Alex and Milo must track down a killer with a penchant for sleek, black cars -- and cross-dressing. His bloody trail leads from urban and suburban LA to the tiny town of Ojo Negro to New York City and back again, with tendrils reaching all the way to Europe.

While they're at it, the clever duo also turn their attention to cracking a heartbreaking cold case, which they manage to do in the book's final pages.

The exposition is a little wordy, but the wind-up and the finale itself are gripping. And as always, even the minor characters are brilliantly drawn; they all get right up off the page and walk around. In this book, I particularly liked Tasha LaBelle (born Robert Gillaloy), the transvestite hooker who helps Alex and Milo crack the case and who at one point tells Milo poignantly, "Sir, I am human. Not plumbing."

If you enjoy psychological drama and police procedurals, then "Compulsion" will be just your cup of hemlock.

And don't be afraid to jump right into the series starting with this book, because Kellerman always includes enough of the characters' backstories that you won't feel out of the loop. Just think: If you like this one, then you'll have 21 more treats in store.

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