| Title | : | Movieland (Eve Ronin, #4) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 352 |
| Publication | : | First published June 21, 2022 |
For decades
Movieland (Eve Ronin, #4) Reviews
-
Movieland by Lee Goldberg
(Eve Ronin #4)
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department homicide detectives Eve Ronin and Duncan (Donuts) Pavone have their work cut out for them in the last two weeks before Duncan retires. When investigating a murder at Malibu Creek State Park, they find that park officials have hidden a slew of shooting incidents that took place on park grounds. The park officials didn't want to squelch park attendance with visitors being afraid to visit the park because there might be a park sniper. Of course not, no need to warn people that they are in danger of injury or death. Nothing going on here, folks, have a nice visit at the park!
There have been seven victims over fourteen months, maybe more, since reports have been buried and it's impossible to know what officials aren't revealing. Duncan is sure there is a sniper, Eve's pretty sure, and they know more people are going to be hurt. Of course, I'm afraid Eve will be hurt, this fourth entry in the Eve Ronin series wouldn't be complete without Eve landing in the hospital. Can she manage to keep her body parts intact this time?
Duncan is funny as usual and he is looking forward to working at a consultant on the TV series with Eve and about Eve and her illustrious career so far. Food is catered on the studio lots, so much to look forward to for Duncan, who is always thinking about and/or eating food. Even though Duncan is Eve's mentor, he is also learning from her and he's going to make waves in his last weeks of work, if authorities don't stop hiding that there is probably a park sniper. He learned about making waves from Eve.
Pub June 21st 2022
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for this ARC. -
Movieland by Lee Goldberg is the fourth book in the Eve Ronin police procedural and crime thriller series and is set in and near Calabasas, California. It’s full of action and amazing characters, as well as some humor, and this reader couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Dispatched to a break-in, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) Robbery-Homicide Detective Eve Ronin and her soon to retire partner Duncan (Donuts) Pavone get an urgent call that hikers have found a woman shot in nearby Malibu Creek State Park, once the setting of many Hollywood movies and TV series. Duncan fears this is just the latest in a series of sniper attacks that began before Eve came to the Lost Hills police station. However, officials refuse to see a connection and tell them to focus only on the current case.
Eve is an energetic, ambitious, and compelling main character and definitely someone you can root for. She works tirelessly, makes a few rookie mistakes while learning her job, but has clear goals and good instincts that influence the plot. Her motivations seemed believable, with well-drawn and appropriate emotions. Many of her co-workers feel she didn’t earn the promotion to detective. Additionally, the way she challenges things sets others on edge and affects them and her. Reading the first three novels in the series provides the reasons for this added drama. Duncan’s character has more depth in this novel. While the case is not straightforward, Eve and Duncan move forward with seeking the truth and justice for victims. Several secondary characters from previous novels show up in various supporting or antagonistic capacities, along with several new ones to lend a freshness to the story.
The writing is terrific and well written. Readers easily become mentally and emotionally involved with the characters as well as the story. Visual and auditory imagery comes through vividly. The plot is absorbing and intriguing with a storyline that definitely packed a punch. Themes include justice, rules, corruption, egos, assault, murder, and integrity, coupled with forensics, good instincts, and solid, basic police work.
Overall, this is a tense, gritty, and engaging novel with wit, suspense, action, and some great twists as well as some violence. It is fast-paced and action-packed. If you enjoy excellent crime thrillers and police procedurals, then I recommend that you check out this one. This series should be read in order since Eve’s background and prior cases are important. I am looking forward to finding out what happens on Eve’s next case.
Thomas & Mercer and Lee Goldberg provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for June 21, 2022. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
----------------------
Review coming soon. -
"Old Hollywood is just like a desert water hole in Africa. Hang around long enough and every kind of animal in the world will drift in for refreshments." (Will Rogers)
Some things never change. The hills of Calabasas, California and the area surrounding Malibu Creek State Park were the prime backdrop for Hollywood movie filming. The terrain could reflect anywhere in the world that the director envisioned. It still provides hidey holes for people with bad intentions.
Lee Goldberg takes us back to Calabasas and into the L.A. County Sheriff's Department located at the Lost Hills station. We'll come upon the duo of Detective Eve Ronin and Detective Duncan "Donuts" Pavone. Eve is the youngest detective serving in the robbery/homicide division. Eve has a reputation for being head-strong with a touch of defiance. But she's more than earned it after coming against some crooked individuals in her department. She's made plenty of enemies along the way. And Pavone is just clockin' time until he retires after thirty years of dedicated service.
The pair is in the midst of a report of a break-in at the local water district when they are radioed to attend to a shooting at the Malibu Creek State Park. A woman has been killed and another seriously injured near a pond. From all indications, it appears to have been a sniper attack. Eve, Duncan, and the crew search the area, but there is no longer a shooter on site. The park is made up of thousands of acres. No eyewitnesses. Limited evidence.
To complicate matters, the surviving woman is Zena Faust who is an activist blogger for the Malibu Beat. Zena prides herself on taking down anyone who interferes with the flora and fauna of the area. She also is known for keeping public servants in check through her blog. Kim, the murdered woman, was her partner. Healing is going to take on more than just physical injuries. She's going to hold Eve's feet to the fire. Zena has plenty of enemies to sift through.
Movieland straight-up can be read as a standalone. Lee Goldberg does a fine job of providing fill-ins here and there for backstories. Goldberg also sets out multitudes of possibilities as to who the shooter is. Duncan fesses up that there have been other shootings similar to this one before Eve came onboard. No deaths until now. The park rangers haven't always reported them. Vehicles have been damaged from bird shot as well. Someone is keeping to a demented agenda. And when another death occurs and Eve is injured, it's time to get more than serious.
Movieland takes on an even deeper storyline in this fourth edition. Eve, although sometimes impulsive, is taking on the bones of a more seasoned detective. So young, but with the skills of a bloodhound. This case is a complicated one. More to love. And the trail will widen into some barbed wire covered paths leading to much much bigger game. A winner, Goldberg.
I received a copy of this novel through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to Lee Goldberg for the opportunity. -
I’ve become a fan of Lee Goldberg and his Eve Ronin series. Goldberg is a tv series writer and it shows with this well paced mystery. There’s humor (my husband kept asking me why I was laughing out loud), well defined characters and plenty of action. Goldberg also writes scenes that are easy to envision. This isn’t great literature by any stretch but it’s good entertainment.
This time around, someone is shooting at folks with a shotgun. All the shootings occur in or around the Malibu Creek State Park. After one woman is killed and her companion injured, it turns out there were plenty of other shootings that the Park Service swept under the rug.
Eve is a great main character. She’s dedicated, hardworking and not afraid to antagonize others. Her tendency to forget the rules lands her in constant trouble with her superiors. She recognizes her lack of experience and worries how she’ll cope once her partner Duncan “Donuts” Pavone retires in two weeks.
This is the fourth in the series and I recommend reading them in order to fully appreciate Eve’s situation. Make sure to read the Author’s Note to see the actual incident that inspired the story.
My thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of this book. -
I really like this series set in and around the city of Calabasas and the mega-expensive beachside homes at nearby Malibu, California. This is book 4 and so far we’ve seen young police officer Eve Ronin attract the animosity of a large number of her colleagues for the way in which she’s managed to hop over many of them to the position of homicide detective. Furthermore, she’s already ruined a few of their careers as a result of actions they’ve taken in an attempt to bring her down. Yes, it’s fair to say that she’s not the most popular cop in the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department.
Eve has been partnered with soon to retire veteran detective Duncan ‘Donuts’ Pavone since her promotion and in this episode they’re called to investigate a shooting at Malibu Creek State Park, an eight thousand acre recreation area in the Santa Monica Mountains. A woman has been killed and another injured, but Pavone fears that this might be just the latest in a series of shooting events in the past fourteen months. Because of the way legal responsibility is divvied up here, those responsible for security within the park itself have managed to keep the earlier occurrences largely under wraps.
So Eve and Duncan now have to battle with those wanting to avoid the adverse publicity that would arise from reports of a pattern of shootings, as this might cause a reduction in the number of visitors to the park and a consequential loss of income for the area. None of the previous events had caused a fatality and therefore it had been reasonably easy for the powers that be to hush them up. Now, given the fact that Duncan is only two weeks away from retirement they’re going to have to get a shuffle on if they’re going to crack this one!
Of course, there turns out to be an awful lot more going on under the surface and this partnered with Eve’s ongoing battle with those who would love to see her gone means that it’s all going to get pretty hectic. The characters here are brilliant: from the ambitious but dedicated Eve to the food machine come mentor that is Donuts and the political and self serving senior police officers, there is a combustible mix which delivers a delicious cocktail of humour and eruptive and confrontational interaction.
This series has quickly found its way in to my list of favourites. It’s somewhat lighter in tone that Connelly’s Bosch books, but to even mention a series in the same breath is praise in itself. For lovers of crime fiction, I can’t recommend these books highly enough. My thanks to Thomas & Mercer for providing a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. -
Metro law eforcement agencies across the country all have unique policing problems. The Los Angeles area might have the most diverse challenges. There is almost every geographical area and their features, well, maybe not icebergs or active volcanoes. Natural disasters strike often and long term. There are the fault lines of corruption brought by the movie business and other big money. There are huge recreational areas within urban areas. Many cities and towns are without their own police departments. The biggest problem for policing is who the heck has jurisdiction where?
All of these problems go to make up the outstanding Movieland (Eve Ronin # 4) Jurisdictional issues seem to be the largest problem when LA County Sherriff Dept detectives Eve Ronin and her partner Duncan Pavone are sent to investigate a shooting inside the Malibu Creek State Park where the park supervisor and the State Park police all think they are the top guns. This shooting turns out to be a severe shotgun injury and a dead woman; both well known eco activists.
Pavone confesses to Eve this is the seventh shotgun shooting situation in or from within the park in the prior fourteen months, although no one was injured in those other shootings. Everyone with any rank forced Pavone to bury the investigation, insisting they were not connected. Nope, no, nein, non, no connection. What could possibly go wrong with that attitude? Come on in folks! Safest place in California. This is the one thing all of the jurisdictional bosses agreed on from the Sheriff up to Sacramento.
So, there is no Malibu Creek State Park Sniper, there are no other past shooting victims, there won’t be more shotgun victims. Come on in, to the usual Carnival of Lies, once again led by the Sheriff’s Department.
While dealing with the shootings, Eve is also having to deal with the TV show based on her life and short career ( both possibly growing shorter every day) in the Robbery /Homicide division. Then there are also her very aggravating parents, a wrongful death lawsuit and the too-soon- retirement of Pavone, probably one of the few members of the Lost Hill’s division of the SO who doesn’t want to see Eve dead. Pavone is her partner, friend and mentor.
Lee Goldberg is a longtime TV and movie script writer, along with several crime novels. He definitely knows his way around writing crime fiction, although I had a bit of trouble here and there with his forensics, especially with his shotgun evidence.
Eve Ronin is truly the detective most of her co-workers hate, she is abrasive, stubborn and will ignore the ‘thin blue line’ in order to see justice done. She is also not above using blackmail to get what she wants from the Sheriff’s Dept, also earning the brass’s dislike. Not for personal gain but for doing what is best for the department. Huh, imagine that. However, Eve is beginning to tone down her attack dog style, trying to play well with others. Maybe its all those trips to the hospital.
The descriptions of Malibu Creek State Park left no doubt about how stunning the area remains, even though fires have damaged large areas of the park and surrounding areas.
There are small shocks-when characters are turned on their heads-and larger shocking acts from those whom you expect to cause trouble.
One of the arrest scenes is one of the funniest I’ve read. Some people just aren’t too bright. Pavone and his proclaimed love of hospital food is just too funny. This book is a fast moving, grim look at how it can be “to live and die in LA” so a bit of humor is welcome. Have I mentioned how much I like dark, well written crime stories? My five stars should show it. You know what, this would make a great TV series produced by Shondraland…..oh wait, that would be too weird.
Oh, the most shocking part of the book? Read the acknowledgements.
Thanks to NetGalley sending me an ARC for review purposes. -
Like the previous three books in this series, Movieland was an entertaining and well plotted thriller.
It starts with a shooting in the Malibu State Park. Zena Faust, rabid environmentalist blogger is found shot through with birdshot but grimly hanging onto life. Her girlfriend Kim was not so lucky. The pair had gone to the park for a quiet weekend of camping and relaxation when they were attacked.
Eve Ronin’s partner Duncan (donuts) Pavone points out there have been previous reports of shotgun shooting at caravans, tents and homes although it is not obvious that there are any links. Not long after, a man, Netter, is shot in the head while driving home in the same area. His car crashes down an embankment and he dies instantly. Interesting but does it mean anything? To cap it all Eve herself is shot at as is doing some reconnaissance in the area. She is injured but still raring to go and she is very, very angry!
How do all these incidents link together, if indeed they even do? A suspect has been arrested but Eve is dubious. As usual Eve throws herself headlong into the action, risking life and limb. Donuts despairs of her as he is retiring in a week and she seems not to have learned any restraint. Who will have her back when he is gone? The Sheriff and her Captain are losing patience with her unorthodox and lone wolf shenanigans.
To be frank, I am too. The books are very entertaining with lots of exciting action but Eve cannot continue to punish her body in this way. I hope she learns to slow down just a little in future stories, to use her brain more than other “Deathfist”! Many thanks to Netgalley and Thomas &Mercer for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly. -
Hikers have found a woman shot in Malibu Creek State Park, once the setting of many Hollywood movies and TV series. Detective Eve Ronin and her soon-to-retire partner Duncan are dispatched to the scene where they find a seriously wounded woman who directs them to a nearby pond where her friend has died from her wounds. Duncan fears this is the latest in a series of sniper attacks that began long before Eve came to Lost Hills and that the powers-that-be refuse to acknowledge as being related.
This is Book 4 in the Eve Ronin series. Although I really enjoyed Book 1 in this series, I didn't like this one quite as much. The writing is just as enjoyable as the first book as are the characters but I didn't like the story nearly as well. There are quite a few new characters and I had a hard time keeping track of them all. I was a little surprised that Duncan was still on the scene because he was soon to retire in Book 1 but since I haven't read Books 2 and 3 yet, maybe not that much time has passed! He's a great support for Eve and a steadying influence. Poor Eve takes some spectacular punishments which I imagine would translate well to the small screen if that's where this series is headed. Coincidentally, in the book, Eve's experiences are being made into a tv series which gets her mom and dad involved and they're very entertaining characters. 3.5 stars rounded up!
I still hope to read the 2nd and 3rd books in the series at some point but I think this could be read as a standalone. If a person were familiar with this area of California I would imagine their enjoyment would be heightened and I must say, I love that cover!
My thanks to Thomas & Mercer via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this installment. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: June 21, 2022 -
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Lee Goldberg, and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Always eager to get my hands on the latest publication by Lee Goldberg, I turned to the new Eve Ronin novel. Working on an intriguing angle, Goldberg helps progress his protagonist’s development while reminding readers of some important backstory. With an intense crime thriller woven into the larger narrative, the book takes many twists until its culmination, while also offering a few tantalizing subplots to offset the main themes. Goldberg shows that he’s well worth the time invested in this novel.
Eve Ronin has never had it easy within the Los Angeles Sheriff Department (LASD), having risen to fame after an amateur video depicted her defending a helpless individual. The animosity of her quick promotion has surrounded her, as she’s been unable to work with any of her colleagues, save one. Her current partner, Duncan ‘Donuts’ Pavone, has stuck by her, mostly because his retirement is only weeks away.
When Ronin and Pavone are called to the scene of a shooting, they are left baffled as to what’s happened. Two campers were shot in the field of a property used by some movie studios, one dead from her injuries. Ronin works as many angles as she can, trying to determine who might have wanted these women killed and why. Unbeknownst to her, the surviving victim is an active blogger who has amassed a number of enemies in the social media world.
As Ronin and Pavone try to make headway, other shootings from the past come to light, leaving them to wonder if this might be part of a larger crime spree. The evidence has yet to confirm that and the forensics are sparse, leaving the LASD detectives to pull at any threads before them. When a prominent leader in the community is shot, things ramp up to a new level of intensity, forcing Ronin and Pavone to take a second and third look at the evidence before them.
All the while, Ronin is trying to juggle work with the news that her life story and crime fighting is being turned into the latest direct-to-streaming television program. With writers trying to paint her in ways that are not entirely realistic to parents who have come out of the woodwork to offer up their own services, and even Pavone who wants in on the action as a creative consultant. Ronin will have to keep it all in check, as a shooter and killer remains at large. Could it all come crashing down before it’s even started? Goldberg does well with their fourth novel in the series, showing that there is a lot left to discover about Eve Ronin and those around her.
Having been saddled with a number of heavier reads in the last few weeks, I needed something a little lighter. Goldberg’s piece was the perfect pick, as it mixes a quick narrative with a captivating story that kept me entertained throughout. While it may be a but of irony, I could see the novel (and the rest of the series) working well as a television program, with the perfect balance of crime thriller and humour throughout. Goldberg has a great deal of experience when it comes to writing in all forms and it shows with this piece, which is both an easy and quick read for those seeking something light.
Eve Ronin has been through a great deal, as series fans will known. While Goldberg does summarise much of it in this book, the entirety of the series shows how Ronin has struggled to defend her position within the LASD. She’s been forced to juggle an intense workload with some interesting goings-on in her personal life, always keeping her on her toes. While she may never win over all those within the LASD, Ronin tries to stand tall and do her job without letting the politics drag her down. Still, there is more to Ronin that the reader has yet to discover, and I hope Goldberg will keep pursuing her development in upcoming novels.
While not all books are created equal, there are times a reader just needs something light and entertaining. This is one of those pieces, allowing the reader something exciting and fast-paced without requiring too much thinking. Goldberg uses a strong narrative and good plot development to hook the reader, while adding great characters and a story arc that provides something else to enjoy. I discovered Goldberg through another series, but find myself completely enthralled with this one as well, which inserts just enough humour to keep me coming back and excited whenever I see publication news about a new instalment.
Kudos, Mr. Goldberg, for helping ease me into the summer months with the first of what I hope are many great ‘beach’ or ‘travel’ reads. I look forward to whatever else you have in store for your fans.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/ -
This book is #4 in the series about Detective Eve Ronin and her soon-to-retire partner Duncan Pavone. Eve has agreed to cooperate with a TV show based on her life so she can have some control. She has arranged for Duncan to become a technical adviser when he retires in two weeks.
A woman is shot dead in Malibu Creek State Park. This is the 6th instance of shotgun shootings around the park area in a year. Eve was unaware of these since they occurred before her time in homicide. One of the new victims is an investigative journalist who thrives on exposing the dirt on police and rich people so suspects abound. As more shootings occur, Eve and Duncan look for ties with each incident. I spotted a clue that didn't occur to Eve at first.
I understand that author Lee Goldberg writes numerous series but this Eve Ronin series is the only one I've read. I have enjoyed every book. If you like a female police detective who is extremely competent, full of grit and totally dedicated but a bit abrasive, here is a series for you. The author puts in plenty of one-liners in the dialogue and I always enjoy a good chuckle in my reading. -
A great addition to this series.
Someone has been shooting at people in the Malibu Creek State Park area for a long time, but the whole thing is being swept under the rug as Park officials don't want citizens to be scared and stop bringing profits for the Park. Duncan, Eve Ronin’s partner, once conducted an investigation. Now that the last few days are left before his end of service and retirement, he and Eve Ronin must sort this out. Meanwhile, the threat escalated and the woman was shot.
As with the rest of the books in this series, we will find some really good plot in this one. Eve and Duncan must lead an investigation where no one, including their superiors, wants to help them, while at the same time, everyone is pressing for the investigation to be closed as soon as possible. Untrustworthy witnesses make the work of our main characters even more difficult, the shooter seems to continue his mission, and the subsequent victims do not make the situation any clearer.
As always, we can also count on an interesting ending when we discover that not everything is what it initially seemed. The stakes are high, of course, and Eve doesn't shy away from the dangers. In the background we also have a TV show that, despite Eve's reluctance, will be based on her life, which introduces some humor to the story.
I like how a close-knit pair is Duncan and Eve, who, while an unlikely pair of allies, actually get along very well and work really well together. Watching them work together is so nice.
I can't wait to see what else happens in this series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. -
Eve Ronin has a new case. Someone has just been shot in a local park, and her partner Duncan believes that there have been similar cases which were covered up. Eve has a few enemies in the department who resent the attention she's gotten for solving high-profile cases, but she didn't expect that one of them would try to kill her. She doesn't believe that the person who is arrested is the real killer, but proving who did it, or indeed if there was only one culprit, will put Eve in another challenging spot. Great characters, a twisty plot, and plenty of action made this a book I just couldn't put down--I look forward to reading about Eve's next case. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
-
This is the fourth in the Detective Eve Ronin series; it is the third that I have read.
Eve is a minor celebrity, as some of her actions in the past were caught on video, went viral, and, much to the consternation of some in the LA County Sheriff Department, led to her early promotion to detective. While she has some supporters within the department, there are still others out to get her. Eve is relentless in her pursuit of criminals, while somehow maintaining a sense of humor and resonance with the reader. Her quick thinking and ability to read clues indicate she is well deserved of her promotion….although she still has a lot to learn. She is helped in the learning process by her soon to retire partner, Duncan “Donuts” Pavone, an very enjoyable character.
Eve’s case in Movieland involves a shooting in Malibu Creek State Park, which was once the location of many films (hence, the title!). It seems there is a history of shootings here that have been covered up. Is a serial killer loose?
This book, as were the prior ones I have read, was well written and fast moving with good character development and touches of humor. I read a lot of mysteries/police procedurals; this series seems to be a cut above many others. This reads well as a standalone, but it should encourage readers to seek out the prior ones in the series. -
My thanks to Thomas & Mercer, as well as to NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Movieland.
When a female camper is gunned down in the Malibu Creek State Park, it becomes the start of a killing ground. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department homicide detectives Eve Ronin and Duncan Pavone are assigned to catch the Malibu Sniper…
I really love this series and what a great plot Movieland has! We have break-ins, shootings, car crashes, bribes, and firebombs, not to mention a few laugh-out-loud dialogs!! Eve is tenacious and oh so young. Duncan is her side-kick who is about to retire. They both race to keep the public safe, while the brass just wants a cover-up. It was interesting reading the author's notes at the back of the book and finding out which parts of the book have their roots in reality.
I absolutely recommend Movieland and I can't wait for the 5th book in the series!!! -
Another fun read from an author who rarely disappoints. Movieland is the fourth instalment of the Eve Ronin series, about a young homicide detective with the LA County Sheriff’s Department whose colleagues resent her because of her rapid promotion and popularity with the public. These work best if read in order, as there are various ongoing plot threads and recurring characters, although would be readable as a stand-alone if you’re not worried about the backstory. These are well written engaging police procedurals with an intriguing heroine - not too dark, with plenty of humorous banter between our leads.
Eve and Duncan, who is a week from retirement, are called to a murder in a State Park popular with hikers and campers. A woman has been killed and her journalist partner seriously injured while night swimming, and they learn that multiple other shotgun attacks have been covered up by officials worried that negative publicity will deter the visitors that the area desperately needs. Eve has her own problems - a TV series based on her life is going ahead, which her family all want to be involved in, she’s facing a wrongful death suit from the family of a deputy who committed suicide when she exposed his criminal activities, and she’s still a target for members of her own department. Can they solve the case before the “Malibu Sniper” strikes again?
I’ve enjoyed all of these books and this was another highly readable outing for feisty Eve and relentlessly hungry Duncan. I like the dynamic between the two detectives - with Duncan always looking out for Eve but also keeping her from giving into her own worst enemy - herself. There are various references to Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch books, which these remind me of - I always picture Barrel (or is it Crate?) from the TV series when Duncan appears - I but this one also brought to mind the Lucifer series, without the supernatural elements of course. This one had a lot of minor characters to keep track of - I was grateful for the search function on my Kindle to remind me who was who, and I don’t even try to understand the complexities of the LA police system. There were plenty of clues and red herrings, and a satisfying resolution to the mystery; I look forward to continuing this series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily. Movieland is published on June 22nd. -
This was a quick, fun and exciting read! Eve Ronin is such an intriguing character and the struggles she faces seem insurmountable. Yet she refuses to let them win. Which is saying something when your coworkers are actively trying to kill you. She embodies what a law enforcement officer should be and is determined to root out the bad apples. Movieland is a summation of what is happening in our country today and is representative of the personal sacrifices needed to get us back on track.
Thank you Joel Goldberg, Thomas & Mercer, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of Movieland! -
Goldberg’s fourth offering in the Eve Ronin detective series has LA County Sheriff Detectives Eve Ronin and Duncan Pavone investigate a shooting in Malibu Creek State Park. The shooter used a shotgun filled with birdshot to wound the activist blogger Zena Faust, and kill her lover, the yoga instructor Kim Spivey. It seems that there have been a dozen shooting incidents over the past 18 months; but it is only with the subsequent shooting death of Calabasas City Councilman Clark Netter that the authorities make solving the case a major priority.
While this offering can be read as a stand-alone, readers would benefit from reading the series in order. The abrasive, young detective Eve Ronin and the calm, experienced Duncan Pavone make an engaging team. I look forward to the next offering in the series. -
A well-paced mystery, interesting characters, and a bit of humour for good measure. Goldberg’s experience in writing for television is a strength here- building a compelling narrative with many threads in an episodic, you just want more style. I’ll be sure to go back and read the earlier books in this series.
-
This book has some interesting twists and the politics in how to handle crime is interesting to say the least. Movieland by Lee Goldberg is the fourth book about Eve Ronin. She only has a few weeks left with retiring detective Donut one of the few police officeres at Lost Hills station who believes in her. This is another masterpiece filled with misogyny and corrupt police. Is there a seriell shootist loose in the park or not? Well get the book and have fun on the ride along. I must thank #ThomasAndMercer #Netgalley @amazonpub #amazonpublishing for letting me read this advance copy of #Movieland and @leegoldberg007 for writing these great books.
-
Having read and thoroughly enjoyed the first three books in this series, I was of course delighted to get my hands on a review copy of this one. I love Eve Ronin, the youngest-ever detective in the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, who has a take-no prisoners attitude, and her more seasoned partner, Duncan Pavone, who does a great job tempering her forays into left field (while acknowledging that she's almost always right).
But there are issues, the first of which is that Duncan is on the cusp of retirement; even Eve is reluctant to think about what she'll do without him. That's especially because she's got little support from her co-workers and supervisors, most of whom resent her lightning boost to the top following a high-profile case that also resulted in the making of a TV series based on her professional life.
But for the moment, she's got more to worry about; in Malibu Creek State Park, the former setting for countless Hollywood movies, two women were shot. One ended up with extensive injuries, but the other one was killed. The murder was up close and personal, but it soon becomes clear that it could be connected to a string of shootings over more than a year - almost all of which have been swept under the park police department's rug in an effort to keep tourism alive and well. Duncan knew of some of the prior incidents, and he now blames himself for not speaking up.
Now, both he and Eve want to go public with the potential threat to park visitors and residents who live nearby, but once again, their pleas go nowhere. Eve, of course, has never worried about stepping on toes - she's mashed quite a few along the way - so while she doesn't blame Duncan for his reticence, she takes advantage of it by enlisting his help in finding what now appears to be a serial sniper. When another murder happens with a similar M.O. and they manage to convince a higher-up to let them continue their investigation, though, they put a target on their backs that even Eve's special Kevlar vest may not adequately protect.
All in all, it's another action-packed adventure that's sprinkled with humor and interesting descriptions of the composition and history of the area (clearly, the author is familiar with the setting, and he says the story itself is based on a real-life case). It's entertaining, engrossing and just plain fun, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review it. -
I love Eve Ronin. She’s smart, tough, focused, sarcastic, and in your face. What’s not to love? Her disdain for corruption and incompetence is always front and center and that is no different in MOVIELAND, the latest installment in this excellent series. Someone is shotgunning people in Malibu Creek State Park and Eve and partner Duncan are tasked with tracking down the elusive killer even as the body count rises. The suspect list grows and the possible motives for the shootings come and go as she and Duncan doggedly continue their search for the shooter. Twists and turns ensue. An excellent addition to this fun series.
DP Lyle, award-winning author of the Jake Longly and Cain/Harper thriller series -
3.5 Stars
The fourth book in the Eve Ronin series opens with Eve and her partner, Duncan "Donuts" Pavone, answering a call on a break-in at the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District office. Two bags of Doritos, a package of double stuff Oreos and a few other miscellaneous items had been taken. Duncan is due to retire in 2 weeks. He has never been hurt on job as much as he has since being partnered with Eve. He doesn't want to die the day before he is set to retire. Stolen Doritos and Oreos is fine with him. Then they get a call to respond to a shooting Malibu Creek State Park.
For Duncan it is all too familiar and he fears this is the latest in a series of sniper attacks that began long before Eve came to Lost Hills. Malibu Creek State Park is in the midst of different departments and jurisdictions. The park is incredibly popular and brings in a lot of money. The powers that be don't want to see it closed or tourists scared awary. Eve and Duncan are stonewalled and threatened but they will not be intimidated. Eve is no stranger to these tactics. She has had a target on her back from day one at Lost Hills station. Duncan is retiring in two weeks. They will carry out thier investigation with or without help.
Eve and Duncan make a great team. She is young and lacks experience. She is dedicated and hardworking but constantly gets into trouble with her superiors because she forgets the rules. Duncan is older and wiser and understands the system. He tries to keep Eve from getting into too much trouble. Eve wonders what will happen when Duncan retires in two weeks. Duncan also loves food. Even hospital food. Especially lime Jell-o cups the hospital gives patients. Politicians, bureaucrats and administrator don't stand a chance when Eve and Duncan are on the case.
Lee Goldberg is a prolific writer and also writes for television. Among his credits are "Diagnosis Murder","Spenser: For Hire", and "Monk". There is action but also plenty of humor. His books are fun reads and never disappoint. -
Movieland is the fourth book in the Eve Ronin series and still as fresh as the first one.
Malibu Creek State Park was the backdrop of many Hollywood movies for decades, and now is a favorite spot for hikers and campers. When a woman is shot dead and another injured, Homicide Detectives Eve Ronin and Duncan Pavone are assigned to the case. Duncan suspects this is the latest in a series of sniper attacks but authorities refuse to connect the cases, so they will have to go against not only the killer but the police force.
Although it could be read as a stand alone, I think it’s best read in order as Eve’s background plays a huge part in understanding some aspects of the story.
Eve is such a compelling character. Her doggedness in pursuing police corruption, despite her youth and the general resentment towards her inside the Department, makes it very easy to root for her. Also, she must be the unluckiest person in the world, so she has all my sympathies 😆.
I love how the character has evolved since the first book and how, even though still a bit impulsive, she’s learning to rein herself a little bit to make a better detective. This is in part thanks to her relationship with Pavone, who I like more and more with each new installment. The humor and banter between them and that way of protecting her without being overbearing or condescending with her are some of my favorite elements in the series.
The writing is great and it reads as a fast paced episode from a hit tv-show. The visual style, an intriguing plot and lots of action, make of Movieland a very quick read that will have you turning pages at a fast rate.
I was wondering what would happen with Eve once Duncan retired and she lost one of her few allies, but I guess we’ll have to wait for book 5 to find out.
Great police procedural with a fantastic lead that will keep you enthralled.
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. -
I have a confession to make:- I don't like Eve Ronin. But I do like Duncan 'Doughnuts' and I do like this series.
It's ridiculous, but a great read! -
This was an entertaining story about a gutsy, sarcastic, somewhat green detective and her partner who is about to retire. It started a little slowly with lots of details about locations in LA, that didn't seem overall important. there were on the hunt for a serial shooter, who was covered up by the police and various other depts. She had angered much of the police dept due to prior cases and what she had exposed. It is part of a series, but was fine to be read alone.
-
Detective Eve Ronin and his (almost-retired) partner Duncan Pavone returns to this fourth book in Goldberg's Eve Ronin series.
A female camper is gunned down in Malibu Creek State Park - and apparently over the years, there are some shootings in the park as well, but people in charge dusts it all down under the bed (because it will be bad for the Park). So of course, this will be the case that Eve and Duncan are handling because it WILL aggravate a lot of people 😃
By this fourth book, I didn't really find it strange that Eve found herself - again - at odds with her fellow detectives. I mean, she kept saying that she wanted to be seen for her investigating ability, that she needed to prove herself. BUT, Eve was still a new detective (she had bad interpersonal skills!), there were things she needed to learn. Oh, she gets the bad guys in the end - because Eve never gave up - but she will always steps on other people's toes. I guess I also wasn't surprised when Eve - AGAIN - got hurt.
Although I wish the author made some new development on that part. But I guess it won't be an Eve's book, will it?
On a different note, the whole case was compelling (apparently, the author takes some real-life shootings as inspiration)! It has some twists and turns for sure, including the fact that . And I was happy with Duncan situation by the end of this book.
The ARC is provided by the publisher via
Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received. -
Coming out in June 2022, Movieland is the fourth novel in Lee Goldberg’s Eve Ronin police procedural series. It features an oddly matched pair of detectives. Eve is a 26-year-old youngster with a knack for making headlines and whose success was helped by viral videos. With a tv series loosely based on her work, her promotions in the Sheriff’s Department have generated animosity from the old boy’s club there. She is partnered with Duncan, an overweight thirty-year veteran, always about to retire. The rest of the Department resents her and wants to sabotage her. The novels are set in and around the Lost Hills Station on Las Virgenes Road, near Malibu Creek State Park and the ultra-wealthy enclaves of Calabasas.
This particular novel draws its storyline around a series of shotgun shootings in and around the park, seemingly disconnected. It weaves a story of environmental activists pitted against wealthy developers and corruption. It is eminently readable, but not a standout in the series, lacking a bit of the excitement of the previous novels -
Movieland by Lee Goldberg. A thrilling police procedural with all the drama that is Hollywood interspersed with historical facts of Malibu. Eve and “Donuts” are true to form and their humorous interactions create many laugh out loud moments. The 4th book in the Eve Ronin series has the main and reoccurring secondary characters personalities evolving. Eve's mom is quite an interesting character. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
Thank you to the author, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book. -
“Karma,” Duncan said, “will always piss on your new shoes.”
I haven't read the other ones in the series, but the beginning easily caught me up and I didn't feel like I was missing anything! I liked the two detectives. I found the mystery interesting and the corruption well done. I like that this story didn't hold back and the twists kept going. I wasn't completely pulled in but I was entertained.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. -
The fourth book about Eve Ronin and her partner Duncan Pavone. This series only gets better and better and it reminds me a lot of Michael Connelly and his books. I love the LA vibes, the humor and the characters. i hope this will be a long lasting series because it's among the best out there. Highly recommended!
Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for this advanced copy.
