It’s the birthday of Jonathan Kellerman (b. 1949), who started out as a psychologist specializing in pediatrics, began writing bestselling crime novels, and eventually left his practice to write full time. He’s especially known for his books featuring a child psychologist, Alex Delaware, who consults for the L.A.P.D.

Kellerman was born in New York City but lived in Los Angeles from the age of nine. Thanks to book-loving parents, Kellerman read widely as a child, including “clearly inappropriate stuff” such as stuff by James T. Farrell. When asked which assigned reading in school had the biggest impact on him, Kellerman replied, “The huge load of biblical and Talmudic material I was offered during twelve years of Jewish day school. So much of Scripture deals unflinchingly with the worst aspects of human behavior. The perfect education for a crime novelist.”

Kellerman received his BA from UCLA and his PhD in from USC, both in psychology, and then did some important research into the effects of isolation on children with cancer who had to stay in plastic bubble units; simultaneously, he worked to improve care for these children and founded “the first comprehensive approach to the emotional aspects of pediatric cancer anywhere in the world” (from his website here). He first published books in his field: Psychological Aspects of Childhood Cancer (1980) and Helping the Fearful Child (1981). Then his first published novel, When the Bough Breaks, appeared in 1985 and was a smashing success critically, commercially, and awardly, winning the Edgar Allen Poe Award for Best First Novel and the Anthony Boucher Award for same. He’s gone on to publish a bazillion more successful crime novels, which, if we’re going to be scrupulously honest to the data, is something over 40.

Kellerman is married to another bestselling crime writer, Faye Marder Kellerman, and they have four children, two of whom are also writers. (It’s like they’re trying to catch up to the Stephen King family. Good luck to them.) Kellerman’s most recent novel is The Wedding Guest (2019), another Alex Delaware novel.

Have a green and sunny Friday, get to whatever baking projects await you, and stay scrupulously honest to the data.