The iconic thriller series that inspired the upcoming streaming show on Prime Video , in development now! It is a case unlike any psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware has ever encountered. Five-year-old Woody Swope is ill, but his parents refuse to agree to the one treatment that could save him. Alex sets out to convince Mr. and Mrs. Swope—only to find that the parents have left the hospital and taken their son with them. Worse, the sleazy motel where the Swopes were staying is empty—except for an ominous blood stain. They have vanished into the sordid shadows of the city. Now Alex and his friend, homicide detective Milo Sturgis, have no choice but to push the law to the breaking point. They are forced to enter an amoral underworld where drugs, dreams, and sex are all for sale and fantasies are fulfilled at any price—even at the cost of a young boy’s life. Praise for Blood Test “A suspenseful thriller whose solution lies in the darker recesses of the human soul.” — The Wall Street Journal “Gripping . . . peopled with vivid characters . . . pulsing with suspense.” — The San Diego Union-Tribune “Establishes Jonathan Kellerman as a master of suspense.” — The Charlotte Observer Don’t miss the excerpt of Jonathan Kellerman’s Guilt in the back of the book! “A suspenseful thriller whose solution lies in the darker recesses of the human soul.” — The Wall Street Journal   “Gripping . . . peopled with vivid characters . . . pulsing with suspense.” — The San Diego Union-Tribune   “Establishes Jonathan Kellerman as a master of suspense.” — The Charlotte Observer Jonathan Kellerman  is the #1  New York Times  bestselling author of more than three dozen bestselling crime novels, including the Alex Delaware series,  The Butcher’s Theater, Billy Straight, The Conspiracy Club,   Twisted,  and  True Detectives . With his wife, bestselling novelist Faye Kellerman, he co-authored  Double Homicide  and  Capital Crimes . With his son, bestselling novelist Jesse Kellerman, he co-authored the first book of a new series,  The Golem of Hollywood . He is also the author of two children’s books and numerous nonfiction works, including  Savage Spawn: Reflections on Violent Children  and  With Strings Attached: The Art and Beauty of Vintage Guitars . He has won the Goldwyn, Edgar, and Anthony awards and has been nominated for a Shamus Award. Jonathan and Faye Kellerman live in California and New Mexico. CHAPTER 1 Isat in the courtroom and watched Richard Moody get the bad news from the judge. Moody’d come dressed for the occasion in a chocolate polyester suit, canary yellow shirt, string tie, and lizard skin boots. He grimaced and bit his lip and tried to lock eyes with the judge, but she outstared him and he ended up looking at his hands. The bailiff at the rear of the room held his gaze on Moody. As a result of my warning he’d been careful to keep the Moodys apart all afternoon and had gone so far as to frisk Richard. The judge was Diane Severe, girlish for fifty, with ash blond hair and a strong, kind face; soft-spoken, and all business. I’d never been in her court but knew her reputation. She’d been a social worker before going to law school and after a decade in juvenile court and six years on the family bench was one of the few judges who really understood children. “Mr. Moody,” she said, “I want you to listen very carefully to what I’m going to say.” Moody started to assume an aggressive body posture, hunching his shoulders and narrowing his eyes like a bar fighter, but his attorney nudged him and he loosened up and forced a smile. “I’ve heard testimony from Dr. Daschoff and Dr. Delaware, both eminently qualified as experts in this court. I’ve spoken to your children in my chambers. I’ve watched your behavior this afternoon and I’ve heard your allegations against Mrs. Moody. I’ve learned of your instructions to your children to run away from their mother so that you could rescue them.” She paused and leaned forward. “You’ve got serious emotional problems, sir.” The smirk on Moody’s face vanished as quickly as it appeared, but she caught it. “I’m sorry you think this is funny, Mr. Moody, because it’s tragic.” “Your Honor,” Moody’s lawyer interjected. She cut him off with the flick of a gold pen. “Not now, Mr. Durkin. I’ve heard quite enough wordplay today. This is the bottom line and I want your client to pay attention.” Turning back to Moody: “Your problems may be treatable. I sincerely hope they are. There’s no doubt in my mind that psychotherapy is essential—a good deal of it. Medication may be called for as well. For your sake and the sake of your children I hope you get whatever treatment you need. My order is that you have no further contact with your children until I see psychiatric evidence that you are no longer a threat to yourself or to others—when the death threats and talk of suicide cease, and you have accepted the reality of this divorce and are able to support Mrs. Moody in the r