Jonathan Kellerman

Jonathan Kellerman (born August 9, 1949) is an American novelist and clinical psychologist, best known for his psychological thrillers featuring child psychologist Alex Delaware. Born in New York City and raised in Los Angeles, Kellerman earned his Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Southern California and built a career specializing in child psychology before turning to fiction full-time.

His debut novel, When the Bough Breaks (1985), introduced Alex Delaware, a retired child psychologist who assists LAPD detective Milo Sturgis in solving complex crimes. The book won the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best First Novel and launched one of the longest-running detective series in American fiction, now spanning more than forty titles, including Blood Test, Over the Edge, Silent Partner, The Murder Book, and The Wedding Guest.

Kellerman has also written standalone thrillers such as The Butcher's Theater and Billy Straight, along with children's books and nonfiction works on psychology. He frequently collaborates with his wife, bestselling mystery writer Faye Kellerman, and their son Jesse is also a published novelist. Renowned for blending authentic psychological insight with suspenseful plotting, Kellerman is widely regarded as a master of the modern crime genre.