Alex Delaware

Alex Delaware is a literary character created by American writer Jonathan Kellerman. The Alex Delaware detective series begins with When the Bough Breaks, published in 1985. Delaware appears in 38 of Kellerman's popular murder mysteries. Kellerman set the series in Los Angeles. Delaware is a forensic psychologist, although Kellerman wrote a back story in which Delaware practiced as a child psychologist. Delaware has a friend, Milo Sturgis, who is a gay LAPD detective. Delaware helps Sturgis in his investigations, and the detective, who eventually reaches the rank of lieutenant, appears in each book in the series. As the series progresses, Delaware's relationship with Robin Castagna evolves, despite two long separations, during which various other romantic interests are introduced. In some of the more recent books in the series, Detective Petra Connor, introduced in Kellerman's standalone novel Billy Straight, also makes an appearance.

Alex Delaware (born in 1951) is empathetic and caring with particular emphasis on his concern for children. In Alex Delaware, Kellerman draws a hero who appears to be "a levelheaded, appealingly thoughtful guy". 'I tried to create Alex as a good psychologist,' says Kellerman, 'Actually he's much more sensitive than I am. But then, I get to rewrite his dialogue   When you do therapy as a psychologist you focus on the patient,' [Kellerman] says. 'You keep yourself out of it as much as possible. Basically you sit there and try to get that person to communicate to you. So Alex asks people to talk to him. He doesn't inject a lot of himself in there. '—Jonathan Kellerman
Kellerman's characterization of Delaware is typical of the "Post Modern Detective" whom Professor Dick Gibson defines as "often an untrained amateur   often sensitive, caring, thoughtful and socially aware, and he is often from a traditionally noninvolved group." Delaware's friend Milo Sturgis, adds to the portrayal of the post modern detective. As Gibson explains: "[The] other important male role is Milo, a career policeman, a big shambling bear of a man, but, in a stunning role reversal, he is gay."

The first novel in the series, When the Bough Breaks, was adapted as a 1986 film starring Ted Danson as Alex Delaware and Richard Masur as Milo Sturgis.