Kellerman's psychologist/sleuth Alex Delaware nimbly executes tricky steps of his own when called in to consult on the mysterious ailments afflicting a baby being seen at his training hospital in Los Angeles. In his seventh appearance (after Private Eyes ), Delaware is in top form, carefully pursuing the possibility that 21-month-old Cassie Jones may be the victim of Munchausen's Disease by Proxy, a complex syndrome in which a parent, usually the mother, secretly causes the symptoms that endanger the child. That Cassie is the only grandchild of the hospital's new CEO, a corporate hotshot who has demoralized the staff with cutbacks and a new administration of "paramilitary types," adds political twists to the case's knotty psychological aspects. After a doctor involved in computer research is murdered in the hospital parking lot, Delaware calls on his friend Milo, a gay LAPD homicide cop currently serving as an input clerk. They link an earlier murder to the hospital and then key into a secret federal investigation, all the while trying to keep Cassie safe. With familiar characters, including Delaware's woodworking girlfriend Robin, and some well-developed new ones, notably the hospital's thuggish security head and an uptight pediatric nurse, Kellerman steadily turns up the suspense, reserving some surprises to spring near the end of this intricate tale, the best of recent Alex Delaware stories.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

YA-- This psychological mystery centers on a disorder called Munchausen Syndrome, in which a primary caregiver--usually the mother--inflicts harm upon her child in order to focus attention on herself as a concerned parent. The suspicion of this crime alerts Dr. Stephanie Eves to consult with her long-time friend and colleague, Dr. Alex Delaware, a retired child psychologist. So begins Devil's Waltz . Cassie Jones, daughter of devoted parents and beloved granddaughter of the hospital's financial savior, suffers from a variety of medical symptoms, made all the more alarming by the earlier SIDS death of her brother. As Dr. Delaware begins to unravel the mystery of Cassie's continuing medical traumas, he uncovers two related murders and a web of hospital intrigue. A surprise ending makes readers want to re-read the novel to see what clues they have missed. Fans of Alex Delaware will not be disappointed in his latest adventure.
- Katherine Fitch, Lake Braddock Secondary School, Burke, VA
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.