FALLEN STAR

5 stars out of 5

Every year, I read and review just over 100 books (and even on an "off" year, I come within half a dozen of that mark). I've also been extremely fortunate that very few are stinkers - but neither do they all qualify for "knock-your-socks-off" status. It's a real treat, then, to know when I start a book it's going to ring all my happy bells - and books by this author certainly fit into that category. I love the "star" of this one - Los Angeles Sheriff's Department detective Even Ronin (and her partner, Duncan Pavone). This one, the sixth, gets extra kudos in my book for including two characters from another of the author's series - arson investigators Andrew Walker and Walter Sharpe.

A hot-shot detective who's a media darling - albeit an unwilling one - Eve hates that her life has now become the subject of a popular TV series. But somehow, she routinelymanages to get herself into sensational crime scenes - as she does once again at the opening of this book. Worried that the incident will be showcased in a couple of weeks, her concerns get pushed to the background when she gets called to Malibu Beach. There, a 55-gallon drum has washed up filled with the body of Gene Dent, a person with whom Eve and Duncan are very familiar from an old bribery case that involved the mayor of Los Angeles. Depending on the outcome of this one, the way that case was handled could spell career trouble for both partners.

Shortly thereafter, Eve watches a helicopter crash right behind her magnificent home (courtesy of the aforementioned TV show). It explodes, presumably killing everyone aboard - hence the need to call in compatriots Walker and Sharpe to help determine whether or not the crash was an accident. Having them on board always is a treat for me, by the way, because their sense of humor is guaranteed to bring me a chuckle or two every single chapter in which they appear.

The rest of the book follows the crash investigation as well as resolving - hopefully in a positive way - the situation with the guy in the barrel. All the good stuff is in there - political corruption, power (or the desire for it), fraud and more. Details, of course, I won't provide - that would spoil it for others. Resolution comes at the end, but in this case, so does disappointment, at least for this reader (no, I won't give that away, either). All told, it's another satisfying, exciting installment, and of course I look forward to more. Meantime, I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to get reacquainted with this bunch by way of a pre-release copy. 

Fallen Star by Lee Goldberg (Thomas & Mercer, October 2025); 298 pp.

THE KILLING STONES

4 stars out of 5

I'm a little confused about the status, if you will, of this book. Is it the first in a series? Or is it a continuation of an old series with a couple of different characters? Well, since I'm not familiar with Scotland detectives Jimmy Perez and Willow Reeves and the book works on its own, I guess it doesn't matter much. The only thing that still confuses (and annoys) me is that all the characters are referred to by their first names except Perez. Huh?

Anyway, apparently Jimmy used to live in Shetland but now lives in Orkney off Scotland's northern coast with his partner, Willow. Jimmy has a 14-year-old adopted daughter, Cassie, who lives most of the time with her biological father. Together, Jimmy and Willow have a four-year-old son, and it won't be long till she gives birth to another. Adding to all that is that Willow, too, is a police detective - in fact, she's Jimmy's boss (well, sort of). For the moment, though, she's officially on maternity leave and, for all intents and purposes, supposed to keep her nose out of police business.

That becomes a bit difficult, though, when Jimmy calls to tell Willow that his good friend and distant relative Archie Stout is dead - an apparent murder. It seems his head was bashed in by one of a pair of Westray story stones that have gone missing from the local heritage center. Archie, of course, is upset on many levels; he's lost a good friend, must now question other people close to Archie, including the wife Jimmy knows well. The investigation takes on a new dimension when Jimmy learns that Archie may have been having a tryst with a beautiful artist - a newcomer to the island. Understandably, she denies any such relationship. 

As the investigation progresses, several potential suspects are identified, but the evidence is lacking. Then, one of the suspects turns up dead as well - conked with the second of those missing stones. That, in turn, opens still more possibilities and forces Jimmy and Willow to take a different approach. Those details, of course, I can't provide without spoiling things for others, but I can say for sure that it all works out in the end. Now, I'll be eagerly awaiting their next appearance. Meantime, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to "meet" Jimmy and Willow by way of a pre-release copy of this story.

The Killing Stones by Ann Cleeves (Minotaur Books, September 2025); 384 pp.

SHARP FORCE

5 stars out of 5

No. 29 in the series? Seems impossible that I've followed the adventures of medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta for that many years (the first installment, Postmortem, was released in 1990, and I've looked forward to her next adventure since 28 times since then).

It hasn't all been roses, though; for one period of time I almost gave up on the esteemed doctor as the plots bordered on the supernatural and Kay somehow morphed into a paranoid (and rather unlikeable) version of her former self. Here, she seems to be back to her usual self. The story still hovers close to unbelievable - holograms that go blink in the night and security systems that mysteriously foretell another visit by the dreaded Phantom Slasher who's having his (or her) way with victims in northern Virginia - but it never reached far-out status.

Then there's Janet, an AI-generated avatar version of Kay's technology whiz and FBI consultant niece Lucy's late wife. While that one is rooted in real-life examples - such things really do exist - it's hard to wrap my head around a fake person who seems to know more about everyone and everything around her than the humans who are "talking" to her.

As the Christmas holidays are set to begin, Kay and her hunky husband Benton Wesley, a forensic psychologist for the U.S. Secret Service, are about to head overseas on their first vacation in a long time. But of course, serial killers don't care about vacations, and two more victims turn up (one of whom didn't end up dead). Needless to say, Kay must deal with the deceased one, Benton gets called in from the government side and oops, there goes the vacay.

The dead one is found on the grounds of a defunct psychiatric hospital known for its shady practices - coincidentally (well, not really - I'm sure the author planned it that way) in the same area where Kay, Benton, Lucy and Kay's sister Dorothy live - the latter with Kay's longtime colleague and investigator Pete Marino. As she returns home from her lab, Kay spots the dreaded hologram lights near her home and thinks the worst, but everything is fine thanks to Lucy's technology expertise and insistence on protecting all those she loves. Still, it hints that Kay - or someone close to her - could be the Slasher's intended next victim.

The rest of the book, of course, follows the progress of the investigation - and also of course, I'll leave those details for me to know and other readers to find out. But overall, it's another winner in my book - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to get in on the action once again. No. 30? Bring it!

Sharp Force by Patricia Cornwell (Grand Central Publishing, October 2025); 392 pp.

THE WHISPER PLACE

4 stars out of 5

Admittedly, I've not read the two books in this series that preceded this one. But reading a bit about the main characters - private investigators Max Summerlin and Jonah Kendrick, enticed me to dive in (as did previous experience with this talented author). And now, I'm already eagerly awaiting the next installment.

Despite having what I'd call a tenuous relationship, Max and Jonah are trying to keep their firm, Celina Investigations, afloat. Their specialty? Finding people - especially those who have gone to extreme lengths to not be found. Their success, to a large degree, comes because of Jonah's special ability - he's a psychic who's able to "read" what's in the minds of other people (not always a plus, as when his target person is Max).

The latest case, though, seems especially difficult; a man named Charlie is looking for his missing girlfriend, who showed up at his sister's pastry shop alone and shaken and agreed to stay and help out. But Charlie knows almost nothing about her - not even her real name (she calls herself Darcy). Photos? Nope. Max, who's in the office by himself, has serious doubts - but when the man hands over more than enough cash to get the team going, he agrees he and Jonah will give it a shot. The other problem? He's just broken a rule of the partnership: No cases will be accepted unless both partners agree. Whoops - welcome to the first of many "blunders" that threaten their already tenuous relationship.

Charlie also emphasizes that the police are not to be involved, adding even more tension because Max is a former cop. Finally, Charlie finds something that suggests the woman's real name may be Kate and that she seemed to be running from something or someone terrifying - although that doesn't provide much to go on. As all this is going on, Jonah is trying to deal with his infatuation with scientist friend Dr. Eve Roth, but he's sure she's far too intelligent and beautiful to ever look twice at someone like him.

The story follows the efforts of Max and Jonah to track down "Kate," especially when it becomes clear she could be in mortal danger. That, in turn, puts the investigators in mortal danger and provides edge-of-seat experiences for readers all the way to the end. My only issue, and it's a minor one, is that I found it difficult to keep the timeline straight (meaning not fully understanding when what I was reading actually took place. But it all came together in a gruesome, but satisfying way and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to meet the quirky and intriguing characters by way of a pre-release copy. Bring on the next one - I'm ready!

The Whisper Place by Mindy Mejia (Atlantic Crime, September 2025); 320 pp.