| Title | : | Lost Hills (Eve Ronin, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 237 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 2020 |
Now Eve, with a lot to learn and resented by her colleagues, has to justify her new badge. Her chance comes when she and her burned-out, soon-to-retire partner are called to the blood-splattered home of a missing single mother and her two kids. The horrific carnage screams multiple murder—but there are no corpses.
Eve has to rely on her instincts and tenacity to find the bodies and capture the vicious killer, all while battling her own insecurities and mounting pressure from the media, her bosses, and the bereaved family. It’s a deadly ordeal that will either prove her skills…or totally destroy her.
Lost Hills (Eve Ronin, #1) Reviews
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Lost Hills (Eve Ronin #1)
by Lee Goldberg, Nicol Zanzarella (Narrator)
Lost Hills, the first book in the Eve Ronin series, is not a long book. It's mostly to the point, with Eve being extremely dedicated to her job, so much so that she seems to have no life outside of it. She does have to fend off her mom, who has forever been looking to be discovered by Hollywood and thinks that Eve should welcome a TV series about her rising fame. The fact that her mom has been on the set of cop shows, somewhere in the background as another nobody part of the scenery, makes her mom think that she is an expert on all aspects of Eve's job.
Eve is where she is now, the youngest female homicide detective in the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department's history, thanks to sudden internet fame. A video of Eve punching a popular Hollywood star went viral and Eve was able to parlay that fame into obtaining her homicide detective job, jumping over all the folks who should have been ahead of her for the job. This is a coup that could have taken her ten years to acquire, if ever. Eve's passed over co-workers have legitimate reasons to resent her but Eve is unapologetic for her luck in snagging a job she didn't have to earn.
Eve is not very likable, especially when I see that she gets on her righteous high horse and expects others to jump on her band wagon or else. My favorite character is her donut loving partner Duncan aka Duncan Donuts. If she would only listen to him, he has the years and experience to make her a great homicide detective. But Eve is going to do things her way, unwilling to stop and listen to thoughts of others who could teach her a thing or two. I have this horrible feeling, as Duncan counts down the days to his retirement, that his countdown is foreshadowing more than "just" his days to his retirement. Eve doesn't seem to have the forethought to make sure she doesn't destroy others on her march to do what she thinks is right.
The crime is a shocker and it's hard to figure out what is going on. No worries, Eve's going to save the day, it's like she a one woman battering ram, breaking through any barriers, whether it's jealous co-workers undermining her or real roadblocks that keep everyone but her from getting through. She's going to be the super hero who shows everyone how it's done. I might be too hard on Eve but I'm not sure her ability to just bulldoze her way to what she wants would be very realistic. Still, I want to see where this all goes and I'm already on to the next book.
Pub January 1, 2020
This is a Kindle Unlimited selection. -
Lost Hills by Lee Goldberg is a 2020 Thomas & Mercer publication.
This new series is off to an impressive start!
Eve Ronin has leveraged the viral YouTube video of her off duty arrest of a famous Hollywood actor into a promotion to robbery/homicide. Everyone knows that, although she might be capable, her promotion was mainly police department cosmetics, and her colleagues don’t bother trying to hide their resentment towards her.
Eve is partnered with a jaded, worn out, veteran detective about to retire. Her first case brings her to a home saturated in blood- but the occupants- a mother and her two children, and the family dog, are nowhere to be found.
As Eve doggedly pursues leads, slowly building her case, she must also contend with her mother’s constant criticisms and aspirations, while wildfires rage in the background.
I’ve read this author’s books for years, but mostly his lighter fare. So, this book came as a bit of a surprise.
This is a dark, gritty police procedural which captured the essence of California, which hides a seedy underbelly behind it’s glamorous façade. The story is realistic and very graphic, so be aware- there is blood- lots of blood!
Eve is a great protagonist, though, and I instantly like her. Her inexperience causes her problems, but she’s tenacious, and determined to prove herself, despite her self-doubt. I think she could become a huge fan favorite in the crime fiction category.
Overall, Goldberg has ramped up the ordinary police procedural by mingling vivid scenery with realistic crime procedures and well-drawn characters, along with a tension filled, edge of your seat conclusion. Looking forward to Eve's next case!
*This book is available with your Kindle Unlimited Subscription- with audio. I switched back and forth between reading on my Kindle and listening to the book on my echo device. The audio is very well done too- so if you have KU be sure to give the audio a try. -
So often, the protagonist in a police procedural is a grizzled old detective, who has been solving crimes for a coon’s age. Here, we have Eve Ronin, a newbie to the Homicide department. Plucked from the ranks after a viral video of her off duty arrest of an abusive movie star, she becomes the youngest detective in the department. Needless to say, the other detectives don’t welcome her with open arms. Her partner is six months away from retirement and already had one foot out the door. So, when a gruesome homicide falls into their laps, she’s the one that has to solve the crime.
And gruesome is the key word. This is not a book for those that want a cozy mystery. But if you like dark and gritty, this one’s for you. Goldberg has created a great MC in Eve. She just felt so real as she struggles to find her way, making rookie mistakes, solve the murder and earn the respect of the other detectives. The young murder victims have a lot in common with her youth- growing up with a mother more into her acting “career” than being a mother. In fact, her mom provides the teeny bit of humor there is. The secondary characters aren’t well defined, but this one’s all about Eve.
This book is fast paced and picks up in intensity at the end. I didn’t see that ending coming at all! I could see this being converted into a movie or mini-series. It’s that action packed.
I listened to this and thought Nicol Zanzarella did a fine job. -
In a world where everybody and their great aunt thinks they can write a police procedural, it's Lee Goldberg who shows us how it's done. Set in Calabasas and Topanga, just west of Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley, the first book in the Eve Ronin series is a fastreading, hard-to-put-down page-turner that draws the reader in from page one right to the end. Ronin is a newly minted Sheriff's Homicide Detective, promoted to the chagrin of her colleagues based on a viral video of a celebrity arrest, Ronin proves her worth in solving a triple murder so bloody even the Manson clan would've been scared to enter. The writing is smooth, and should find wide appeal. The characters are drawn so well they come alive and the settings are legitimate. It's obvious that the author has a strong familiarity with the area.
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LOST HILLS by Lee Goldberg is first book in the Eve Ronin police procedural and is set in California. In this book, the reader is introduced to Homicide Detective Eve Ronin. When a video went viral of her when she was a deputy for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), the sheriff quickly promoted her to detective. The LASD desperately needed some positive press, but Eve is resented by her colleagues, teamed up with a soon-to-retire partner, and feels pressure to prove herself to everyone. When she and her partner get a call to a home where there is a lot of blood as well as several people missing, she gets the chance to lead a major case. Will she succeed? Will she go back to being a deputy? Whose blood is in the house? Where are the missing people? What really happened?
Eve is a dynamic main character and definitely someone you can root for. She works tirelessly, makes a few mistakes, but has clear goals that influenced the plot. Her motivations seemed believable, with well-drawn and appropriate emotions. As a reader, we begin to understand how Eve’s past affects her actions and emotions on this case. The secondary characters do not have a lot of depth yet, but the relationships between Eve and them seemed believable and not contrived.
Overall, this was an exciting new police procedural novel that introduces us to Detective Eve Ronin. It is dark, gritty, fast-paced and action packed. The imagery (visual, auditory and olfactory) came through vividly. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series which will be published in January of 2021. -
I’m so excited to share this shiny, new mystery thriller series from Lee Goldberg! My first book from him, and now I know why he’s a bestseller!
Lost Hills is the first installment in the Eve Ronin series. Eve becomes a high profile cop when she arrests an abusive movie star, and in turn, the sheriff promotes her due to the need for good press for the department. You see, the arrest is well-received by the community, and Eve becomes popular overnight. Now she’s the youngest female homicide detective on the force, and she’s green. She has much to prove, too.
Eve’s first case involves a possible multiple murder. This is her chance. She has to find the bodies of the missing victims, solve the crime, find the killer, manage the media, while also helping the grieving family. Will Eve prove herself worthy?
Lost Hills is such a thrill ride. Eve is an amazing character- fallible and formidable at the same time. You really get inside her head with this one, and the honestly in her thoughts was refreshing. I’m not the most regular reader of police procedurals, but if they were always written in this style, I would be on board every time.
Overall, Lost Hills is a promising new series with a stellar main character to carry it. It kept me guessing and invested, and I’m looking forward to book two!
I received a complimentary copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog:
www.jennifertarheelreader.com -
Since I got the arc of book 4 in this series I thought I’d read the earlier books first. I already had 2 languishing on my kindle app anyway. This book introduces Detective Eve Ronin of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD). She is the youngest female homicide detective ever in the department. After an off-duty takedown of an abusive movie star (I think known for his role as Deathfist) Eve is promoted to homicide by a Sheriff desperate for good publicity. But Eve has to endure a lot of not so nice sexist banter and her new nickname - the Deathfist!
She is partnered with an experienced older cop who is counting the days to retirement when they catch a terrible case. They are called to the home of a single mother with two children and the house is a bloodbath. Clearly three people died here, there is just too much blood,but there are no bodies. Eve keeps returning the scene as something is niggling away at her.
Before long they have a potential suspect but the puzzle pieces still don’t quite seem to fit. I won’t go into detail but there is logic trail for all this reasoning. Without giving anything away though, after one last walk through of the house Eve finally works it out. They have been looking at this all wrong! She heads back to the station keen to share her news but the Captain and the Sheriff, and even her partner, do not agree. With a wildfire threatening homes in the area, Eve heads off again in a desperate bid to save the day.
Eve seems like a very caring, passionate and professional person and I really liked her. I didn’t get much of a feel for the others but I’m sure they’ll be developed in future books. It was an entertaining and enjoyable story. As yet there is no love interest and I’m so grateful for that. Not every book needs a romantic element! I’ll get to the other 3 published books soon. -
I was attracted to this book by the promise of ‘the real world grit and glitz of LA County crime’ and ‘this book takes no prisoners’. Yeah, sounds right up my alley! I hadn’t come across Lee Goldberg before but a quick bit of research told me that he is the author of more than half a dozen series as well as having written extensively for television. OK, good enough for me, I’m in.
Deputy Eve Ronin was recently promoted to detective after a relatively short time on the force. Her rapid rise was a result of her having arrested a film actor who had publicly struck his girlfriend, an incident filmed by a witness to the act. The video went viral as soon it was uploaded to the web and this was seen as good publicity for the local police force and proved to be even better news for Eve. Except that ever since she has suffered from continued ribbing from colleagues who constantly remind her that she didn't earn her promotion the hard way, as everyone else has had to. It’s thrown doubt over her abilities to do the job, so what she really needs is a meaty case through which she can prove her worth.
Eve’s partner is six months from retirement and keen to ease his way to the finish line. So when a call pulls them to a house that, on the inside, looks more like an abattoir with the animals removed he takes a step back and gives her the lead. What has happened here - woman and her two children are missing, have they been slaughtered and the bodies removed? If so, who’s the perpetrator: perhaps an ex-husband and father of the children or the current boyfriend? On the other hand, with no bodies on site it’s possible that this is an abduction case. It’s all far from clear.
The action takes place in the hills close to Malibu and the pace never lets up. Eve is resourceful and driven, but she’s never led a case before and to make matters worse the local police hierarchy are quickly on her back demanding meaningful progress. All the characters here are well drawn and Eve, in particular, is someone I’d really like to meet up with again. And the overall story really grabbed me, it's well constructed and comes together with a really explosive finish. A brilliant read and one that really did live up to the hype!
My sincere thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. -
Eve Ronin, the youngest female homicide detective in the history of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, and her soon-to-retire partner are called to the blood-splattered home of a missing single mother and her two kids but there are no bodies.
This is the first book by Lee Goldberg that I've read and I only decided to read it after greedily clicking on Read Now for Book #4 in this series and then realizing I knew nothing about the series. Apparently Mr. Goldberg wrote the books that the "Monk" tv series is based on and I loved that series so that's a good sign.
This book was a pleasure to read in spite of the bloodshed and I really liked Eve Ronin as a character. She doesn't take any crap from anyone, including her co-workers, and goes above and beyond to investigate the case. The story is fast-moving and totally believable. I liked the tip of the hat to the Monk tv show in this book. Very clever!
I hope to find time to read Books 2 and 3 as well but next I'll read Book 4 as it's a Netgalley read and the publishing date is fast approaching. I borrowed this book via my Kindle Unlimited account. -
I was eager to get my hands on this latest novel by Lee Goldberg, hoping that it would be as exciting and full of twists as some of his other work. I was not disappointed with this crime thriller that kept me guessing as the story progressed. Eve Ronin had her fifteen minutes of fame when she took down a criminal and someone posted the entire event to YouTube. That notoriety has made her a household name in the Los Angeles environs and catapulted her into the highest ranks of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. A new detective in the Homicide Squad, Ronin is still trying to get her feet under her, made more difficult when no one will take her seriously. When Ronin and her partner are called to the home of a woman presumed missing, things take a turn for the worse. There are some signs of a skirmish on the outside of the house, but when Ronin enters, things are horrific, with blood covering many of the walls and floors, and slashes over much of the furniture. This dull day has turned into the search for a woman and her two young children, though the crime scene lends it to being a homicide investigation. While Ronin must work with the crime scene techs, careful not to step on any toes, she is also trying to hunt down a killer. Ronin tries to piece it all together when she is attacked at the crime scene. This only spurs her on to find new suspects that might help her solve this case. Could it be her ex-husband, who lives hours away? Perhaps the boyfriend who has made it clear he cannot stand the children? All the while, she has a bad feeling about this case, which seems to thrust her into the limelight when all she seeks is to find justice for the victims. Lee Goldberg has done it again as he keeps the story sharp and the narrative flowing. Recommended for those who enjoy a great police procedural, as well as the reader who needs a quick-read thriller to fill their reading list.
I have always enjoyed Lee Goldberg novels when I have a chance to read them, as they are both full of information and succinct at the same time. The crimes are realistic and there is just enough realism in the situations that I can almost picture myself with the story. This new series could have some great potential and Eve Ronin is a wonderful protagonist. Trying to step away from the limelight that was thrust upon her, she wants to do her job, but is constantly reminded of those fifteen minutes and one million clicks that her video amassed. Still, she is gritty and determined to find her place within the Los Angeles community, even as her mother nags her to ‘get found’. Her skills are such that she never stops working and looking for that piece of the crime that everyone missed. She is surrounded with many interesting characters, some of whom I hope make a return appearance in any forthcoming novels within the series. The story itself flows well and keeps the reader’s attention. There is still a period of trying to get a feel for the scenario, but the plot kept me wanting to learn more and the narrative flows with ease. Goldberg mixes chapter lengths to lure the reader in and keep their attention, which is effective in trying to make sense of this horrible crime. I’ll be back for more whenever new books are added to this or his other series I have come to enjoy. A perfect book for any reader looking to find a new author that might make a blip on their radar.
Kudos, Mr. Goldberg, for another wonderful piece. I am eager to see what you have in store for fans soon!
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge:
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/... -
Deputy Eve Ronin when off duty tackles an abusive movie star on the street and a video of it goes viral.
The sheriff looking for some positive PR for his department promotes her to homicide detective, the youngest in the forces history, and partners her with a veteran six months from his retirement.
The other detectives resent her, thinking she doesn’t have what it takes and is only in that position because of politics. When a triple murder happens on her doorstep it’s her chance to prove she does have what it takes, but if she doesn’t catch the killer, the case could end her career before it’s begun.
This is a decent story, no more. Quite graphic, the story is fairly simple with a few small twists towards the end to wrap up unanswered questions.
Eve is a decently written character but nothing exceptional. After reading a lot of police procedurals with female lead detectives based in the UK and Ireland, she was a little underwhelming as a main character.
The book is quite short at under 250 pages but still felt a little long for what it was. Kind of like a padded out novella.
There was nothing particularly bad about the book. It was just all a little underwhelming. Nothing that had me gripped(despite a quite exciting and fast paced ending) or had me on the edge of my seat.
I have the second in the series still to read so hopefully it develops more in that one. -
3.75 stars
Short review. I enjoyed this book a lot, it’s more gruesome in crime than I usually read but I thought it was a good mystery and a good story. I love strong female characters and I liked reading about a female cop being good at her job.
Fun fact, I actually work in the area this book is placed in and I just had a fun time seeing it exist properly in a book. I love when people who live in LA write in LA. No one else gets it right. -
I loved this book! I love Lee Goldberg's Monk books too, but I do think this is the best thing he has written. Homicide detective Eve Ronin is a brilliant, amazing protagonist, the supporting characters are very well portrayed, the pace is fast, the writing is excellent, the Calabasas area in the throes of Santa Ana winds and wildfire is vividly depicted, and the ending totally surprised me. I'm eagerly looking forward to the next Eve Ronin book.
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This was a good solid read. I choose to do this on audio and it was a shorter one but did not lack substance. The narrator was good and I enjoyed the story. I enjoyed the protagonist, sometimes with this genre I feel like it’s harder to connect with the characters but I thought this had more substance than most in that area. It wasn’t too technical and kept me guessing. It was very descriptive and felt original. This is my first book by this author and I was not disappointed.
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I’ve read and adored this author’s two Ian Ludlow thrillers, and happily have an ARC of the third up soon. While those are clever and funny spoofs of the action genre, this was a more traditional straight police procedural that reads like an homage to the Harry Bosch series - he is even mentioned so I’m not imagining it! It’s an exciting cinematically-written thriller, with a suitably kick-a** heroine, but is just a little too derivative to earn 5 stars.
Eve Ronin is the youngest detective in the LA Sheriff’s office, promoted from the burglary division after a video of her arresting a movie star for assault went viral, earning her the nickname Deathfist, and the antipathy of her new colleagues. When the home of a young actress and her children is found drenched in blood, but with no bodies to be found, Eve is put in charge of the case. How will she catch the killer when no one trusts her skills?
I was pleased that this didn’t quite follow the usual murder mystery plot line and that the author manages to wrong-foot us about what’s going on. I liked Eve even though in some respects she’s a carbon-copy Driven Detective With Issues (but not an alcoholic, for a nice change.) Goldberg has imitated the slightly tedious Connelly habit of describing and naming every street our protagonist drives or rides down, which is probably fun if you know LA but to me felt like padding. There are the usual departmental politics and difficult bosses, loveable side-kick and comic relief pair of detective colleagues.
Overall this is an enjoyable first outing for a series that I’d be happy to continue, but hope that the author has the confidence to inject more of his own style rather than mimicking Michael Connelly’s. My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC which allowed me to give an honest review. Lost Hills is available now. -
![Terence M - [back to abnormal :]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1652839090i/6658001._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
4-Stars - "I really Liked It!"
Lee Goldberg - Lost Hills (Eve Ronin, #1) [Audible]
Audiobook - 06:41 Hours - Narrator: Nicol Zanzarella
From my Reading Activity:
(1) "A most enjoyable zingy new crime novel, although at 6:41 hours, probably a little short?"
(2) "An excellent crime/police procedural, with an interesting main protagonist, Homicide Detective Eve Ronin. Listened in two sittings (while lying down) and most enjoyable."
How often do we (meaning me I guess) complain about a book being too long and in need of a good editor? Pretty frequently? Sure we do! Well, I am not making that complaint about "Lost Hills, by Lee Goldberg", despite the 'probably a little short?' comment in my Reading Activity.
I think it was a very well-paced police procedural, with an interesting and credible plot/storyline that did not require too much lifting of the plausibility veil. I was intrigued by the way Detective Eve Ronin was introduced into the Robbery/Homicide Division and pleased that she was not characterised as another ballsy woman detective 'giving as good as she got' when dealing with the misogynists already in the squad.
The story was well read by an obviously competent actor/narrator, Nicol Zanzarella, of whom I had not heard before buying this title. I am eagerly looking forward to "Eve Ronin, #2" and beyond. -
I’ve read a few Lee Goldberg books in the past and was hoping this book would be as good as the previous novels. Detective Eve Ronin is a new character and I was curious if the author could create someone different and still achieve the same impact as his other series.
Detective Eve Ronin is new to her department, and her fresh status causes the veterans to question her skills. At times, her knowledge comes off as bravado and she makes plenty of rookie mistakes, exposing her as human rather than a cardboard cutout superwoman. Pushed into a lead position on a high-profile murder case by her partner Duncan, Eve is caught in what could easily be a losing situation. Any mistake could cause her to lose the little respect she has with other officers and detectives.
Mr. Goldberg pushes the story on every page, keeping the action in high gear. This is not to mean this is a high adrenaline novel; rather, the detectives are searching for clues and following up on any potential lead in their search for the killer. The author’s quirky descriptions add humor and spice up the descriptions. If you’ve never read a Lee Goldberg mystery, this is a great place to start. Five stars. -
Empieza fuerte y con un misterio bastante atractivo. Pero pierde fuelle en poco tiempo y acaba siendo una novela negra del montón.
La detective es como una super heroína, más lista que nadie... no es creíble.
Me he aburrido en bastantes partes, así que mi nota no es alta. Pasable. -
4 Stars. This is my first Lee Goldberg book. Definitely an author to follow!
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What a good young rival to Harry Bosch in his younger days when he took no bullshit and did it his way without being over the top. I look forward to more stores involving Detective Eve Ronin. A very good story. A good tight pace to it and good on the procedure. Good main characters and I hope her partner stays on, but if not that is how it rolls. I liked how she mentioned she read Harry Bosch books and felt sorry for him lol. The good thing is that she is not a female copycat of Harry, there is enough difference between the two. If you like Harry then go out and give this one a spin 10-4
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The only books by Goldberg I have read so far were the series he wrote with Evanovich. I guess that's why I expected something light and funny. This is something completely different. Nevertheless, I really liked what I got.
Goldberg knows his craft very well. He can easily write a solid story with likeable characters and an intriguing end. It's not for those who like a lot of twists, at least when it comes to the first half of the book because there are many surprising and thrilling moments in the second half. Those who appreciate decent, systematic police work will be fully satisfied. I really appreciate the fact that the police rely on evidence, experience and deduction, rather than guessing and making conclusions based on nothing in particular. Thanks to this, the story, though complicated in the end, looks coherent and well thought out.
You can read this book really quickly. Which is also due to Goldberg's specific writing style. The author is very sparing in words. He does not lose space for long descriptions and unnecessary arguments, he goes straight to what is interesting. He focuses on what is important to the story. There are no side threads. You immediately know what is the most important in this book, the book has one goal - to entertain you and it succeeds. I like this style of writing. It's not a long book, but it has everything you need.
This does not mean, however, that this book is completely humorless. There is a certain lightness and subtle humor in it. This is more like a wink at the reader than something to label as jokes.
Again, this shows the great craft of the author. Who is able to use well-known stereotypes masterfully, so as to make the characters seem not only funny, but also familiar. At the same time, he is able to give them a unique personalities that intrigue the reader. And Goldberg flawlessly succeeds what so many other authors do not. Showing, not telling. We get to know his characters through particular scenes and their reactions, descriptions are redundant. And I really like Eve and Duncan's partnership.
The plot is also very well thought out. I really liked the final twist. I had this incredibly fantastic feeling when all the pieces of the puzzle suddenly clicked into place. When all the little details you thought were irrelevant, suddenly start to make sense And although I was able to predict some things, there were many others that I was pleased to discover.
This is a very well written book that is definitely worth reading. I've already started reading another book in this series, I couldn't help myself. -
I can't help but to compare Lost Hills to Harry Bosch series. I keep thinking Eve will run into Bosch at some point, lol. I think the plot was good with likable main characters. Eve is a rookie detective assigned to work with a soon to retire partner who can show her the ropes. Seems to be the other way around.
I missed humor from Lee Goldberg, there were a few jokes here and there but that's how I remember his writing. Will definitely read the next one. 3.5 stars -
It's probably closer to a 3.5 stars. My failure to round it up was because this seems to core Eve as almost a super power of some kind. For me, she's just a bit over the top. And the amounts of carnage here are also expansive to the point that any subtlety in undertones of characterizations are just lost.
But- there are huge amounts of upside to this particular Goldberg invention. For one thing he writes concise and the entire novel is not too long; it does not hold excess dialog or "he said, she said" duplication. Nor is there huge redundancy in family. workplace, other hierarchies placements "explanations" either. And that's saying a LOT- for this genre, the newest of introduction to the partners etc. Rare to have such flip and crux heavy conversations which go directly to the "gist" so early and so cleanly. That quality is a full 4 stars.
It's super commercial writing. Done well, better than the average. Not as good as Horowitz or Lee Child- but close. You could absolutely see this entire thing done on the screen easily. The juxtapositions are done from screen writing excellence practice, IMHO. Not only the first arrivals at the scene but all the levels of observation are extremely well set.
The case is complicated to the point of "hard to believe". But hey, everything done in such surroundings of urban density seems nearly impossible to pull off to me. Yet, terrible complex occurrence crimes do occur. Speck in Chicago or Bundy at that poor Gainesville sorority house come to mind. Multiples done within masses of other people and then just walkaways for the perp.
But what is going to be 4 and 5 star to most readers of Lost Hills is the rich, current, LA aware, movie star surround cognition and ambiance verve. And the snappy dialog and association for film making and elated elites' living surrounds that go with it. Most of this is within $12 per cupcake territory of stores.
I heard it compared to Bosch. There are parallels. But Bosch is far more flawed, likeable and blue collar "eyes". This prime has a sister who is a doctor and an ever phone calling Mom who is a lifelong extra on sets wantabee star past her third boob job. She phones continually and always when Eve gets news "camera" time and fails to wear makeup or use her "eyes" correctly in front of the media.
So there is humor here. He is going to sell. Hope he lets her eat and sleep once in awhile, myself. -
oh my
I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, this was a serious page turner and the narrator Nicole really outdid herself.
I loved it -
Taking a break from my usual reads and trying something new. The cover caught my eye while scrolling through Goodreads and I thought hey why not. I was hooked from the start and really liked Eve so heading into book 2.
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4 stars
What starts as a straightforward police procedural, slowly becomes more complex until about 2/3 through. Then a twist leads to an acceleration of clues and surprises. The rush to the climax is superb, unputdownable in every way.
As usual with my reviews, please first read the publisher’s blurb/summary of the book. Thank you.
I enjoyed the scenes between Eve and her mom much more than I thought I would. They're deeper than cliché. The first meeting between them has a surreal quality. Very interesting and unexpected.
Full size image here
Notes and quotes:
He was old and fat and had a creative comb-over to hide his thinning hair. She was young and slim, her brown hair cut into a practical bob. They could be mistaken for a father and daughter who liked to carry Glocks.
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Lisa was barely out the door when Eve changed her mind about the nap. Sleeping wouldn’t move the case forward.
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Eve took the 99, a journey through vast expanses of pitch-black farmland where half of the nation’s fruits, vegetables, and nuts were grown. At least for now, she thought. After years of drought, the underground aquifers were being sucked dry and the crops were baking. Soon, the valley could be a dust bowl.
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“But it confirms Duncan’s Doctrine,” Biddle said, eliciting a smile from Duncan.
“What is that?” Eve asked.
“Most crimes have a Walmart connection,” Duncan said.
“It’s like six degrees of separation,” Garvey said. “Only with Walmart.”
“Almost never fails,” Duncan said and went to his cubicle.
“That’s why I have Walmart’s regional supervisor on my speed dial.”
-
“Is imitating death by electric chair an effective interrogation technique for you?”
“It doesn’t get any answers,” Duncan said, “but it never fails to amuse me.”
-
“I like that you’re confident but not overconfident,” Duncan said.
“Smart people are the ones who know how stupid they are.”
--
Lee Goldberg is a two-time Edgar Award and two-time Shamus Award nominee and the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty novels, including the Ian Ludlow thrillers Killer Thriller and True Fiction, King City, The Walk, fifteen Monk mysteries, and the internationally bestselling Fox & O’Hare books (The Heist, The Chase, The Job, The Scam, and The Pursuit) cowritten with Janet Evanovich. He has also written and/ or produced many TV shows, including Diagnosis Murder, SeaQuest, and Monk, and is the co-creator of the Hallmark movie series Mystery 101. As an international television consultant, he has advised networks and studios in Canada, France, Germany, Spain, China, Sweden, and the Netherlands on the creation, writing, and production of episodic television series.
Full size image here -
Familiar author, new character; no-brainer, then, to snap it up as my Amazon First Reads selection for December 2019. As it turns out, it's a solid police procedural that introduces L.A. County Sheriff's Department Homicide Detective Eve Ronin, who earned a transfer after pulling off a win at her previous job that resulted in considerable media facetime. Needless to say, her fellow (literally) officers are less than thrilled that she's in their midst. For the most part, that includes her about-to-retire partner, Duncan Parone, although he's a bit more willing to accept her than the rest of the department.
At the outset, Eve and Duncan get a call to investigate a possible homicide that ends up out of their hands. That's followed by a call to investigate the possible murder of a woman, her two children and their dog - this one actually in their department's jurisdiction. The home in which the possible victims lived, which belongs to the woman's boyfriend, is a bloody mess - strongly suggesting that everyone in the house has been brutally murdered even though no bodies are found.
The rush to find out what actually happened, where the bodies (assumed to have been dismembered) are stashed and, of course, who did it is complicated by characters in animal costumes, wildfires that threaten to destroy huge portions of the California landscape and department muckety-mucks who want the case solved in record time so they'll get the glory. Leads take Eve all over the place, including to Walmart and one of my favorite lines from the book as Eve reveals that she's always "hated the lighting in Walmarts. It makes everything and everyone look like they'd walked through a downpour of urine."
In the background, she must deal with a movie star wannabe of a mother (who desperately wants Eve to attain star status of her own) and a father she hasn't seen for a decade. Those attributes, plus dealing with resentment from work colleagues, make Eve not unlike several other police heroines from other series I enjoy. I will say, though, that unlike some of them, Eve isn't paranoid and doesn't constantly second-guess all her decisions - definitely a plus in my book.
The last few chapters turn into a frenzy of activity (which I won't discuss because it could spoil things for those who haven't read the book yet). Honestly, it's almost too frantic for my tastes, but on the other hand, I must admit that from that point on I couldn't put the book down (yet another of those "Just give me 5 more minutes, honey, and I'll come to bed" scenarios). Overall, it's a great start to a new series and I look forward to more of both Eve and Duncan. -
TIL that Lee Goldberg is a man. This is apropos of nothing but for some reason I thought the name = a woman. I also learned that he is responsible for a bunch of stuff I love like Monk so I will probably be hunting down more of his work.
This is a December First Reads book for Prime Members and let me say I am pleased with my choice. This is a very readable, fast paced, mystery featuring a character who is compelling and troubled without being a total psycho. In the book Goldberg h/ts Michael Connelly's Bosch series.
Our main character is Eve Ronin aka Deathfist. She is an LASD [Los Angeles Sheriff's Department] detective whose meteoric rise began when she arrested an famous actor for drunk driving and domestic abuse publicly, and it went viral (think Sugar Tits). Now she is the Youngest female detective in the LASD and has her share of doubters. She's partnered with a detective who is in his last year before retirement who is happy to do paperwork and sit in the car and let her run the case. Eve is a good cop who has to deal with resentment from her colleagues and is still finding her feet.
The case is one that will make or break her career and the case is a doozie. It's a slaughterhouse of over kill having just read the Douglass book definitely a disorganized offender. The crime is incredibility brutal and the reader is taken on many trips through the crime scene.
Eve's mother is a failed actress who has mentally exaggerated her minor roles into reality and who constantly critiques her daughter for wasting her screen time, think press conferences or quick sound bite interviews.
The book is very readable and the character is relatable. Unfortunately the Next book in the series isn't due until 2021. -
The first book in a new series from
Lee Goldberg featuring Eve Ronin of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Eve is now a homicide detective in the LASD Robbery-Homicide Division thanks to the arrest she made of an abusive movie star that was caught on video, posted to YouTube, and went viral. The LASD was embroiled in a scandal and Eve's promotion as the youngest female homicide detective in the department’s history will give the department some much needed positive press. But colleagues resent her promotion and she will need to prove herself.
She gets that chance when she and her partner get a call to a home. A woman, Tanya Kenworth, is missing. When they enter the house they find blood in every room in the house. There are two children who appear to be missing too. It is obvious something horrific has happened here but there are no bodies. Just blood. On the floors, walls, even the ceiling. Her partner, Duncan Pavone, is going to retire in six months. He tells Eve she will be the lead detective on this one.
Eve is hard working and driven. She wants to prove herself and let everyone know the promotion wasn't a gift. Forensic evidence indicates three people died in that home. She wants justice for Tanya and her children. Other detectives may not show her any respect but she is willing to ignore that in order to get the job done.
I have read the Ian Ludlow series by
Lee Goldberg and there was lots of humor in those stories. That is missing in this story. There was some humor … her partner, Duncan, loves donuts and the other detectives call him "Dunkin Donuts". This is a dark story about a monster and a horrific crime. Eve is dedicated, driven, and hard working but apparently she needs to prove herself because she is a woman and was promoted in order to give the LASD good publicity.
The end of the story was intense and has a surprise twist. I don't think it is a spoiler if I say that Eve will prove herself. I am looking forward to reading the next story in this series …
Bone Canyon. -
Lee Goldberg is a new author for me and the description of the book was intriguing so I selected this story from the Amazon First Reads program for December.
The investigative team is made up of the older veteran who is literally counting down the days before he retires and a female detective brand spanking new to the Robbery/Homicide Division. The two work well together, quite realistically in fact, since Duncan Pavone and Eve Ronin have settled on the division of duties in their team; Pavone is going to take a step back to protect himself for his future retirement and Eve is going to be in charge of the investigation they are assigned.
Eve is very young and inexperienced to be a detective and she unashamedly admits to taking advantage of a situation in order to get her promotion to detective. That's not a usual character type for a female police officer and I am glad to say this author handled that situation in a way that kept me from disliking Eve. The descriptions of the crime scene are definitely more than a little unsettling and you need to know that is not going to bother you before you begin reading because those descriptions go on for a long, long time. This story also involves young children as victims with injuries that made me uncomfortable.
There are some revelations at the end of the story which were definitely unexpected by me and even with the hints I could see with hindsight I still didn't work out all the details of the crime. I was a little disappointed with the ending because it seemed more abrupt than necessary. The book is less than 250 pages long; surely there was enough room to finish off two threads to let readers know what the results were with those two situations.
