Book overview Alex Delaware, Book 39 Jonathan Kellerman

Open Season (Alex Delaware #39) by Jonathan Kellerman

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains details about the plot, including the identity of the killer and the ending.

Quick Facts

Attribute Detail
Author Jonathan Kellerman
Series Alex Delaware (Book 39)
Publication Year 2025
Genre Crime Thriller
Setting Los Angeles, California (West L.A., Beverly Hills, Ventura County, Ohio)
Narrator Alex Delaware

Short Summary

When a woman's body is dumped at a hospital, psychologist Alex Delaware and Detective Milo Sturgis begin a hunt that soon connects to a sniper murder. Ballistics link the .308 rifle to an earlier cold case, and the team uncovers a pattern of killings tied to a protective—and deeply twisted—motive. The investigation leads to a math tutor who sees murder as a solved equation, forcing Alex and Milo to confront a predator hiding in plain sight.

Full Summary

The book opens with Milo Sturgis showing Alex Delaware a surveillance tape of a hooded man dumping a young woman's body at a hospital. The victim is identified as Marissa French, an aspiring actress. Fingerprints lead Milo to her social media, where a photo shows her with a middle-aged man. Investigating further, the detectives learn Marissa worked as a caregiver and had minor acting credits. Her friends reveal she was excited about a "producer" and had distanced herself from them.

Detective Petra Connor calls Milo about a murder: Paul O'Brien, a tenant shot on his balcony with a .308 full-metal-jacket round. Inside his apartment, they find Marissa's clothes and purse, along with date-rape drugs (GHB and Valium). The evidence confirms O'Brien drugged and accidentally killed Marissa. Now O'Brien is dead, and the ballistic match links the rifle to a two-year-old unsolved murder of Jamarcus Parmenter, an aspiring rapper.

The department forces Milo and Petra to collaborate, and a task force is assembled. They interview Gerald Boykins, a wealthy former gang member and music producer whose daughter Keisha was threatened in Parmenter's rap lyrics. Boykins reacts strongly to Parmenter's photo but denies involvement. Meanwhile, a tip leads to a witness who confirms O'Brien's predatory pattern of bringing unconscious women home.

The scope widens when the same .308 rifle is linked to the murder of Whitney Killeen, a mother shot while in a rowboat with her toddler son. Her ex-husband, Jay Sterling, becomes a suspect but has an alibi. Alex discovers that O'Brien left another victim: Victoria Saucedo, who survived but is now blind and quadriplegic. The hospital settled a malpractice suit with a non-disclosure agreement.

The team investigates two old Ohio shootings—hunting "accidents"—that might be early kills by the same shooter. Alex's partner Robin suggests the murders might be acts of "selfish love" for children. Researching the Ohio victims leads Alex to Cameron Flick, a math tutor who studied at Oberlin College near the Ohio sites. Flick tutored Keisha Boykins, Errol Moffett (a student who committed suicide after a B-minus grade from teacher Emmanuel Rosales), and Rhiannon Sterling (Jay Sterling's daughter). After teacher Emmanuel Rosales is shot with the same .308, the team focuses on Flick.

Surveillance of Flick reveals he owns a Winchester .308 and shoots targets at a range, always aiming for the neck. A photo places Flick at an art gallery the night Marissa French died. The team obtains a warrant and arrests Flick. At his home, they find a hidden arsenal and a computer with files on each victim labeled "Ansatz" and ending "QED" (Latin for "what was to be demonstrated"), showing his view of murder as a mathematical proof.

In jail, Flick fires his lawyers and attempts to represent himself. During an interview with Milo and Alex, he boasts of his genius but becomes enraged when Milo reveals he was expelled from his PhD program. Flick threatens them but is subdued. Three days later, Flick is found dead in his cell, having used a pen clip to slit his wrist and overdosed on Tylenol. Milo worries that his questioning caused the suicide, but Alex argues Flick was deeply disturbed and his death spares the victims' families a traumatic trial. Alex writes down the victims' names and concludes there is no reason to give Flick's death more thought.

Main Characters

  • Alex Delaware – Child psychologist and Milo's partner. He analyzes profiles, uses social-media research, and identifies the killer through academic and geographic connections.
  • Milo Sturgis – Homicide detective leading the investigation. He is weary but sharp, and works closely with Alex and Petra Connor.
  • Cameron Flick – The serial killer. A math tutor who murders people he considers threats to his vulnerable students, framing each killing as an "Ansatz" and ending with "QED." He uses a .308 Winchester rifle.
  • Petra Connor – Detective who links the sniper murder of Paul O'Brien to the cold case of Jamarcus Parmenter, then joins Milo's task force.
  • Robin Castagna – Alex's partner. She offers emotional support and helps Alex identify the protective theme connecting the victims.
  • Marissa French – First murder victim. An aspiring actress who was drugged and accidentally killed by Paul O'Brien. Her body is dumped at a hospital.

Themes

  • Protection of children – Multiple victims are linked to children or students the killer perceives as threatened, driving his twisted vigilante actions.
  • Mathematical justification of murder – Cameron Flick frames each killing as an "Ansatz" and ends files with "QED," treating homicide as a cold, logical proof.
  • Predation and vulnerability – Predators like Paul O'Brien drug and assault aspiring actresses, while the killer preys on those he deems harmful.
  • Hollywood illusion and ambition – Marissa French and other hopefuls chase dreams that make them easy targets for exploitation and violence.
  • Moral ambiguity in justice – The team wrestles with using unethical methods, and the killer's death spares families a trial but leaves questions about accountability.

Symbols

  • .308 Winchester rifle – The consistent weapon used in all sniper murders, traced ballistically to link the killings.
  • Ansatz and QED – Cameron Flick labels his murder files "Ansatz" (approach) and ends them with "QED" (thus proven), showing his view of killing as a solved equation.
  • GHB and Valium – Date-rape drugs used by Paul O'Brien to incapacitate women, symbolizing the predation that initiates the plot.
  • Hooded figure and trash bag – The killer's disguise and method of carrying the rifle, representing concealment and the ability to blend into urban settings.

Ending Overview

Cameron Flick is arrested and jailed. After attempting to represent himself, he is found dead in his isolation cell, having committed suicide with a pen clip and a Tylenol overdose. Milo fears guilt, but Alex argues Flick was deeply disturbed and his death provides closure without a trial. Alex writes down the victims' names and moves on, concluding the case is over. For a deeper analysis, see the ending explained page.

Chapter-by-Chapter Breakdown

Chapter Title Summary Full Summary
1 By Jonathan Kellerman Front matter listing author's bibliography. No narrative events. View
2 Chapter 1 Milo shows Alex a surveillance tape of a body dumped at a hospital. The victim is unidentified. View
3 Chapter 2 Forensic tech identifies the victim via fingerprints. Milo and Alex discuss the dump site. View
4 Chapter 3 The victim is Marissa French, an aspiring actress. A photo shows her with a man who likely drugged her. View
5 Chapter 4 Milo and Alex review Marissa's photos and contact her friends. The suspect is dubbed "Joe Beef." View
6 Chapter 5 Interview with Beth Halperin and Yolanda Echeverria; they identify Joe Beef as a "producer." View
7 Chapter 6 Petra Connor reports Paul O'Brien shot dead with a .308. Marissa's ID found in his apartment. View
8 Chapter 7 Search of O'Brien's apartment uncovers date-rape drugs. Detectives consider a vigilante theory. View
9 Chapter 8 Milo and Alex learn O'Brien was a stuntman. They plan to interview Tori Burkholder. View
10 Chapter 9 Interview with Tori and Bethany; Marissa was isolated and ambitious, making her vulnerable. View
11 Chapter 10 Ballistics link the same .308 rifle to Jamarcus Parmenter's murder two years earlier. View
12 Chapter 11 Task force meeting. Petra presents evidence; Buxby shares details on Parmenter's murder. View
13 Chapter 12 Interview with Gerald Boykins, former gang member now wealthy music producer. He denies involvement. View
14 Chapter 13 Alex speculates O'Brien may have assaulted Boykins's daughter. Milo gets a witness lead. View
15 Chapter 14 Former roommate Martin Kehoe confirms O'Brien's predatory pattern with unconscious women. View
16 Chapter 15 Alex researches hospital dumpings. Milo reports a new .308 sniping in Ventura County. View
17 Chapter 16 Visit to Ventura lake community; Whitney Killeen shot dead in rowboat. Suspect is ex-husband. View
18 Chapter 17 Interview with Whitney's mother Donna Batchelor; she believes ex-husband Jay Sterling is guilty. View
19 Chapter 18 Milo and Alex discuss hit-man theory. Alex gets a cryptic call from Lee Falkenburg. View
20 Chapter 19 Lee reveals a woman was dumped at a hospital after GHB overdose; Victoria Saucedo is now blind and quadriplegic. View
21 Chapter 20 Alex investigates Victoria Saucedo, linking her to Paul O'Brien. He faces moral compromise. View
22 Chapter 21 Alex tracks down Sherilyn Dorsey-Komack, friend of Saucedo, posing as police. View
23 Chapter 22 Updates: hooded figure sightings, rap lyrics threaten Boykins's daughter. Sterling moved back to L.A. View
24 Chapter 23 Interview with Jay Sterling; he is frustrated with the investigation and signs a financial release. View
25 Chapter 24 Alex researches Whitney's family; stepsibling provides background on her shyness. View
26 Chapter 25 Motive investigation: estate small, no financial leads. Local shooter theory emerges. View
27 Chapter 26 Alex researches Kiki Boykins; speculates she may have hired a shooter to protect Keisha. View
28 Chapter 27 Alex stakes out Boykins home; new security guard. Swanson fired or missing. View
29 Chapter 28 Alex observes Swanson's home; sees him with sick wife. Moral ambiguity deepens. View
30 Chapter 29 Task force meeting: Swanson investigated, old Ohio shootings discussed. Another murder reported. View
31 Chapter 30 New murder: retired teacher Emmanuel Rosales shot with .308 near police station. View
32 Chapter 31 Investigation of Rosales's murder; he was a math teacher with a physics degree. View
33 Chapter 32 Notification of Rosales's family; no known enemies. Suspect past relationship. View
34 Chapter 33 Interview with teacher Hannah Gardener; Rosales gave a B-minus to student Errol Moffett who later committed suicide. View
35 Chapter 34 Examination of Errol Moffett's death certificate; parents blame Rosales. View
36 Chapter 35 Robin suggests "family rage" motive. Alex theorizes "selfish love" for children. View
37 Chapter 36 Alex discovers Cameron Flick tutored Keisha Boykins, Errol Moffett, and Sterling's daughter. Links to Ohio. View
38 Chapter 37 Alex presents Cameron Flick as the serial killer; Robin helped identify the protective theme. View
39 Chapter 38 Alex presses Lee for witness contact; anonymous caller provides partial license plate. View
40 Chapter 39 Flick owns no rifle but uses a shooting range. DMV photo shows ordinary face. View
41 Chapter 40 Surveillance plan discussed. Alex explains Flick's self-justifying psychology. View
42 Chapter 41 Alex learns Flick was dismissed from PhD program. Will Steckel confirms brother's suspicious death. View
43 Chapter 42 Surveillance of Flick at shooting range; evidence collected. Photo places Flick at art gallery. View
44 Chapter 43 Ballistics match; arrest warrants issued. Flick drives erratically, leading to a night chase. View
45 Chapter 44 Surveillance continues as Flick crawls through Sepulveda Pass, then stops and starts again. View
46 Chapter 45 Flick returns home; Milo and team arrest him. He spits at Alicia, demands lawyer. View
47 Chapter 46 Lab tests confirm evidence. Flick's computer contains "Ansatz" and "QED" files. View
48 Chapter 47 Flick's sister Crystal describes his lifelong cruelty and cold anger. View
49 Chapter 48 Flick fires two lawyers; plans to represent himself. View
50 Chapter 49 Interview with Flick in jail; he becomes enraged when Milo reveals he was expelled. View
51 Chapter 50 Flick found dead in his cell from suicide. Milo worries about guilt; Alex argues for closure. View

Common Questions and Answers

1. Who is the killer in Open Season? The killer is Cameron Flick, a math tutor who murders people he considers threats to his vulnerable students. He uses a .308 Winchester rifle and treats each murder like a mathematical proof, labeling files "Ansatz" and "QED."

2. Why does Cameron Flick kill his victims? Flick kills to protect his students from perceived predators or threats. He is driven by a twisted sense of justice, fueled by his own childhood trauma (stepfather abuse) and a need to see his actions as logical and justified.

3. Is Paul O'Brien a victim or a perpetrator? He is both. O'Brien drugged and accidentally killed Marissa French, then was himself murdered by Flick as punishment. O'Brien's predatory pattern (date-rape drugs, bringing unconscious women home) makes him a perpetrator who later becomes a victim of vigilante justice.

4. How are the murders connected? All murders are committed with the same .308 Winchester rifle, linking them ballistically. The victims are connected through Flick's tutoring: he killed those he saw as harming his students, including Paul O'Brien, Jamarcus Parmenter, Whitney Killeen, and Emmanuel Rosales.

5. What does QED mean in the context of the book? QED stands for "quod erat demonstrandum," Latin for "what was to be demonstrated." Flick uses it to signify that he has completed a murder, viewing each killing as a solved equation. It symbolizes his mathematical justification of murder.

6. Does Cameron Flick die at the end? Yes. After being arrested and attempting to represent himself, Flick commits suicide in his isolation cell by slitting his wrist with a pen clip and overdosing on Tylenol.

7. How does Alex Delaware help solve the case? Alex uses his psychological expertise to analyze victim profiles, and his social-media and academic research to connect Flick to the victims. His partner Robin helps identify the theme of protecting children. Alex also interviews witnesses and identifies the Ohio connection.

8. What is the significance of the title "Open Season"? The title refers to the idea that the killer views his victims as fair game—an "open season" on people he deems predatory. It also reflects the investigation opening up as more murders are linked, and the moral ambiguity of vigilante justice.

Further Reading