Self-Defence was published by Bantam Books in 1995. Lucy Lowell, a law student, is plagued by a recurring nightmare: she is a child, watching a woman being buried alive. The dream is so vivid and consistent that Lucy and Alex begin to suspect it is not a nightmare but a recovered memory — that Lucy witnessed a murder as a young child and repressed the memory. If the memory is real, the killer is still alive and may know that Lucy saw what happened.
The novel engages with the “recovered memory” controversy that roiled American psychology in the 1990s: the debate over whether traumatic memories can be repressed and later recovered, or whether “recovered” memories are confabulations created by therapeutic suggestion. Kellerman, as a working psychologist, treats the question with more nuance than partisans on either side.
Collecting Self-Defence
First edition (Bantam Books, New York, 1995): Boards with dust jacket.
Market values:
- Fine in dust jacket: $15–$25
- Very good: $8–$15
Projected values (2026–2036): Moderate appreciation.
The Recovered Memory Debate
Self-Defence was published during the height of the “recovered memory” controversy — the 1990s debate about whether memories of childhood abuse recovered during therapy were genuine or confabulated. Kellerman navigates the controversy with professional nuance: Alex takes the patient’s nightmares seriously without assuming they are literal recall, and the investigation reveals a truth more complex than either pure memory or pure confabulation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Alex Delaware series have a consistent reading order? Each novel is self-contained but benefits from sequential reading. Key developments — Alex’s relationship with Robin, Milo’s career arc, the evolution of their friendship — unfold gradually across the series. Major status-quo changes (separations, career shifts) carry forward between books.