...and wrote it well. Jonathan Kellerman's 16th Alex Delaware novel (his first Ballantine hardcover), The Murder Book, was lauded by PW as his best in years; it's enjoying its second week on the PW list in the #5 spot. There are 325,000 copies after two trips to press; his previous Delaware bestseller, Flesh and Blood, was launched in mass market by Ballantine with a 1,250,000 first printing. The author has done lots of publicity in his hometown, Los Angeles, and Ballantine has done national print ads as well as TV ads on the Today show and on CNN. The Random House audio division reports large increases in the sales of The Murder Book unabridged tapes and CDs over Kellerman's previous titles.