The Recurring Cast
Character guide · 55 books · 1985 to 2026 · Set in Los Angeles

Jonathan Kellerman

Crime and mysteryThriller and suspensePolice proceduralPrivate eyeForensicPsychological suspense

Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis have worked Los Angeles murders together since 1985. Petra Connor, Moe Reed and Aaron Fox cross between Kellerman’s series, and the Clay Edison and Golem books are written with his son Jesse.

Best estimate, compiled from series guides, publisher descriptions and reviews where available, and from memory otherwise. Book level only, not chapter level. Minor includes cameos and brief references. Each book carries a confidence rating in its tooltip. The two novella collections written with Faye Kellerman, Double Homicide and Capital Crimes, are left out because their detectives appear only there.

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Who appears in which book

Click a name to follow that character from book to book, or a book title to see its cast.

LLeadMMajor·MinorHas a note
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Jonathan Kellerman books in order

Each series in publication order, with its lead characters. Where the story runs in a different order, switch to Story order. Crossover books are marked and listed under their main series. Use My books to track what you have read.

Alex Delaware

41 books · Set in Los AngelesPsychological suspensePolice procedural
  1. 1When the Bough Breaks1985With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  2. 2Blood Test1986With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  3. 3Over the Edge1987With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  4. 4Silent Partner1989With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  5. 5Time Bomb1990With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  6. 6Private Eyes1992With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  7. 7Devil’s Waltz1993With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  8. 8Bad Love1994With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  9. 9Self-Defense1995With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  10. 10The Web1996With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  11. 11The Clinic1997With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  12. 12Survival of the Fittest1997With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  13. 13Monster1999With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  14. 14Dr. Death2000With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  15. 15Flesh and Blood2001With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  16. 16The Murder Book2002With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  17. 17A Cold Heart2003CrossoverWith Alex Delaware · Also a Petra Connor bookAlso part of Petra ConnorBuy on Amazon
  18. 18Therapy2004With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  19. 19Rage2005With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  20. 20Gone2006With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  21. 21Obsession2007With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  22. 22Compulsion2008With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  23. 23Bones2008With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  24. 24Evidence2009With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  25. 25Deception2010With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  26. 26Mystery2011With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  27. 27Victims2012With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  28. 28Guilt2013With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  29. 29Killer2014With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  30. 30Motive2015With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  31. 31Breakdown2016With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  32. 32Heartbreak Hotel2017With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  33. 33Night Moves2018With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  34. 34The Wedding Guest2019With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  35. 35The Museum of Desire2020With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  36. 36Serpentine2021With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  37. 37City of the Dead2022With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  38. 38Unnatural History2023With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  39. 39The Ghost Orchid2024With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  40. 40Open Season2025With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon
  41. 41Jigsaw2026With Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon

Petra Connor

2 books · Set in Los AngelesPolice procedural
  1. 1Billy Straight1998With Petra Connor and Billy StraightBuy on Amazon
  2. 2Twisted2004With Petra ConnorBuy on Amazon

True Detectives

1 book · Set in Los AngelesPrivate eye
  1. 1True Detectives2009CrossoverWith Moe Reed and Aaron Fox · Also a Alex Delaware bookAlso part of Alex DelawareBuy on Amazon

Clay Edison

6 books · Set in Los AngelesForensic
  1. 1Crime Scene2017CrossoverWith Clay EdisonClay Edison also appears in books by Jesse KellermanBuy on Amazon
  2. 2A Measure of Darkness2018CrossoverWith Clay EdisonClay Edison also appears in books by Jesse KellermanBuy on Amazon
  3. 3Half Moon Bay2020CrossoverWith Clay EdisonClay Edison also appears in books by Jesse KellermanBuy on Amazon
  4. 4The Burning2021CrossoverWith Clay EdisonClay Edison also appears in books by Jesse KellermanBuy on Amazon
  5. 5The Lost Coast2024CrossoverWith Clay EdisonClay Edison also appears in books by Jesse KellermanBuy on Amazon
  6. 6Coyote Hills2025CrossoverWith Clay EdisonClay Edison also appears in books by Jesse KellermanBuy on Amazon

Golem

2 books · Set in Los AngelesPolice procedural
  1. 1The Golem of Hollywood2014CrossoverWith Jacob LevJacob Lev also appears in books by Jesse KellermanBuy on Amazon
  2. 2The Golem of Paris2015CrossoverWith Jacob LevJacob Lev also appears in books by Jesse KellermanBuy on Amazon

Standalone

3 books · Set in Los AngelesPsychological suspense
  1. 1The Butcher’s Theater1988With Daniel SharaviBuy on Amazon
  2. 2The Conspiracy Club2003With Jeremy CarrierBuy on Amazon
  3. 3The Murderer’s Daughter2015With Grace BladesBuy on Amazon

Characters

31 recurring and key characters, with the book each one first appears in.

Delaware circle

Rick Silverman

ER doctor; Milo’s partner. Usually a passing presence, so marked across the series as an estimate

41 books · 1985 to 2026First appears in When the Bough Breaks
Buy the first book

Patients and colleagues

Milo’s squad and the True Detectives

Sean Binchy

Detective on Milo’s team. A frequent minor presence, so marked across the later books as an estimate

19 books · 2008 to 2026First appears in Bones
Buy the first book

Petra Connor circle

Clay Edison circle

Other leads