The two main characters are Billy Straight, a twelve-year-old runaway and Petra Connor, an LAPD detective.

Billy has fled his deprived and abusive home and is now hiding out in a Los Angeles park. One night he witnesses the brutal slashing murder of a beautiful young woman. He notes the license plate number on the killer's car and, terrified, seeks another hiding place leaving behind a library book he's stolen.

Petra Connor and her partner Stu Bishop investigate the crime scene. The murder victim is identified as Lisa Ramsey, the ex-wife of second-rate TV star, Cart Ramsey. A search of the surrounding area reveals that there may have been a witness to the crime.

Because of the high-profile nature of the crime (described by police officers as a "white O.J."), Petra and Stu are restricted in their investigation and are pressured to solve the crime quickly. Furthermore, Petra senses that all is not well with her partner, a Mormon with a wife and six children.

Billy is desperate to remain hidden from the police and most anyone else. A sketch of him is printed in the paper that offers a reward for his discovery and endangers his life.

In the course of the investigation, Petra discovers that Lisa's death may not be an isolated event. Through solid police work and assistance from officers in other jurisdictions, details emerge that complicate the case.

One thing you can count on in a novel written by a psychologist is that every character's going to have a psychological profile, everyone's got problems. Because of the large number of peripheral characters in this story, the ubiquitous psychological backgrounds get a bit excessive. The pace of the story created by the head-hopping from one character to another is my only reservation in a whole-hearted recommendation for this book. OK, everyone's maladjusted – let's get on with the murder investigation.

The strength of this book is the characters of Billy and Petra. They are the kind of characters a reader can root for – principled, determined, clear-headed. In spite of hardships in their pasts, they haven't compromised their integrity. There are a handful of other characters who are likable (principally Sam Ganzer who finds Billy hiding in a synagogue), but whenever they were center-stage I found myself impatiently waiting for the reappearance of Billy or Petra.

Billy Straight is sure to please Jonathan Kellerman's many fans and possibly earn him some more. As for me, if Alex Delaware wants to take a longer vacation so that Kellerman can write further adventures for Billy and Petra, that'll be just fine.

--Lesley Dunlap