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.

HIDDEN IN SMOKE

4 stars out of 5

Wow - the plot of this book, the third in the series featuring arson investigators Walter Sharpe and Andrew Walker, sure has a lot of "legs." I guess that's another way of saying it was much more complex and hard to follow than that first two, at least until I'd passed the halfway point. After that, it everything started to mesh, though, and by the end, I realized how well it's written and how much I enjoyed it.

There are three situations involved from the beginning: the torching of several parking garages at apartments in Hollywood on just one night, a major fire that wipes out a major section of a busy freeway and destroys illicit businesses and homeless camps littered below the overpass, and an old "connection" of Walter's - Danny Cole - who for whatever reason has formulated a plan to steal a $40 million, one-of-a-kind wristwatch from it's high-security location in Japan. Fairly early on, Walter and Andrew are called away from the garage fires to the more potentiallyl devastating freeway - but there's still a possibility the same perp could be behind both.

How Danny fares with the theft - and why he's doing it - I'll leave for readers to learn for themselves. I will say, though, that I'm one of those who, while sympathetic, rarely believe the end justifies the means. And what that means is I lost a little bit of respect for one of the characters in the book even though his actions can be deemed justifiable (and most certainly address an important issue of national concern).

As the freeway investigation begins, Walter and Andrew hook up with Lost Hills homicide detective Eve Ronin and her sidekick Duncan Pavone - always guaranteed to add some spice to the series. When the man suspected of engineering the horrific blaze turns up dead, well, that adds even more intrigue. And that's as far as I'm willing to go to not risk revealing too much - I'll just say alls well that ends well, especially when it leaves an ember or two smoldering and ready for rekindling in the next installment. Soon, please?

Meantime, many thanks once again to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy of this one. 

Hidden in Smoke by Lee Goldberg (Thomas & Mercer, April 2025); 300 pp.

THE BIG EMPTY

5 stars out of 5

Over the years, I've come to love the investigative team of Elvis Cole and Joe Pike; Elvis is charismatic, while all Joe needs to do is stand there and everybody knows what he's thinking. This latest adventure - the 20th - had me glued to my Kindle from start to finish.

It begins as Traci Beller, she of The Baker Next Door fame and fortune, asks (through her humorless promoter Kevin) Elvis to find her long-lost father, Tommy. A decade ago, he apparently abandoned his family and hasn't been seen since, and both police and private investigators turned up nothing. The owner of an HVAC company, his last known location was Rancha, a small town near Los Angeles.

Always a sucker for a pretty woman in distress - and knowing he's pretty darned good at finding people - Elvis decides to give it a try and sets off for Rancha, mostly to look for anyone who might remember Tommy or anything that might provide a clue as to what happened to him. Early on, though, his questioning of local folks - especially former convict Sadie Givens and her daughter, Anya - puts him in the crosshairs of some nasty guys who clearly want him to cease and desist - or else.

That experience, in turn, leads to his calling his partner Joe for help, and it's a good thing he did; Joe is particularly skilled at dealing with nasty guys (and no doubt gals as well), and as the investigation progresses, those skills definitely will be put to the test. Clues - and fists and shots - are coming strong and fast, and only one thing is for certain: Traci's father isn't even close to the man she remembers.

Other than that, all I can say is it's a fight to the finish that I'm glad I got to read - and I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for making that possible by way of a pre-release copy.

The Big Empty by Robert Crais (G.P. Putnam's Sons, January 2025); 384 pp.

ASHES NEVER LIE

5 stars out of 5

Two series by this author have become favorites of mine: those featuring arson investigator Walter Sharpe and his newish partner Andrew Walker and those with Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Homicide Detective Eve Ronin and her partner Duncan Pavone. What a treat it is, then, to find all four in one book!

As the fire-related title suggests, it is Sharpe and Walker who get more of the page time here; they lead off by looking into a fire in an in-progress housing development blaze thought to be accidental, but a common object found in the ruins sparked the investigators' notion that arson may be the case. No one was living there at the time, though, so why would anyone want to torch it?

Shortly thereafter, Sharpe and Walker head to another home devastating home fire - this one with a body inside and Ronin and Pavone outside. The same question arises - accident or arson - until they learn where the dead man worked. Using their best investigative skills, Sharpe and Walker come to some frightening (and subject-wise, timely) conclusions that have great and far-reaching implications far beyond their little part of Los Angeles County.

Of course, I always advise starting any series with the first book - especially since they're all very good - but this one stands on its own quite well. I'm already looking forward to the next installments, so bring 'em on! Meantime, many thanks once again to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy of this one.

Ashes Never Lie by Lee Goldberg (Thomas & Mercer, September 2024); 286 pp.

THE GHOST ORCHID

4 stars out of 5

Sometimes, even psychologists get the blues. This, the 39th book in the series, opens with Dr. Alex Delaware not quite sure how to deal with his longtime friend, Los Angeles Police Detective Milo Sturgis. As they worked together on a previous case, Alex was seriously injured, and Milo feels responsible and has been keeping his distance by not calling Alex in to help with investigations as he usually does. That changes a little bit, though, when he does need help at a crime scene in Bel Air; two victims, a man and a woman, have been shot through the heart, and Milo doesn't yet know who to blame.

The man, part of a family that owns a ritzy Italian shoe company, lives here, and the woman - who's married to someone else - lives in an even more oppulent home just down the street. With the bodies found outside and no signs of anything missing from the house, both Milo and Alex suspect that their presumably illicit affair could be a motive. But the husband, a successful businessman who's on the road far more often than at home, insists he knew nothing about the affair.

Little by little, clues pile up that suggest the dead woman might not be who she's been claiming to be - thus raising the possibility of an entirely different motive and an expanded search for the killer. Ferreting out her background, though, is no easy task - and Milo brings in other trusted department colleagues who are familiar to fans of the series to help. In the midst of the investigation, another body turns up - further complicating matters. A major turning point comes when Alex's longtime main squeeze, guitar restorer Robin, identifies an important clue (one that relates to the book title). To that end, I must say it was a treat to see Robin play a bit greater role than usual in this installment - as well as a little less of the descriptions of every street that Milo and Alex drive down (don't get me wrong - I enjoy that part, but sometimes it gets to be a bit much).

Of course, everything works out in the end, as does a potentially nasty situation with one of Alex's private patients that's a secondary thread throughout the latter part of the book. And oh yes, for those who haven't read other books in the series, don't sweat it; this one stands on its own. As for me, I'll just thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me once again to read and review a pre-release copy. Now bring on the next one!

The Ghost Orchid by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books, February 2024); 304 pp.

DREAMBOUND

5 stars out of 5

When I started this book, my first thought was that believability was going to be stretched beyond the limit - and I was spot on. That said, count me as one who took a deep breath (make that two or three) and decided to go along for the ride.
 

And what a ride it is! Part Peter Pan, part Harry Potter, part Narnia and all fantasy with roots in reality, it really blew me away. One big reason is the unique presentation: Written as a cleverly composed compilation of notes, interviews, emails, book excerpts and other interactions between Bryon and other characters, it's far from any of the standard writing styles common to most books. Basically, it follows the frantic attempts of successful writer/reporter Byron James (nee Kidd) to find his 12-year-old daughter Liza. The girl, it seems, left a note, meaningfully stashed in her favorite fantasy book, to inform her parents that she was leaving home to find her way to "the end of the world." Byron and his wife Val are devastated, of course, but Bryan - knowing that several other children have gone missing in similar fashion and never been found - takes it to a whole new level by vowing to find her and bring her back.

Not a little of his intensity is born of guilt; he blames himself for failing to give Liza the attention she deserved and not supporting her strong beliefs in the fantasy world she clearly loved. And, his attempts to win Val over to his assertion that Liza is still alive fall mostly on deaf ears; separated from Byron and in therapy after Liza's disappearance six months earlier, she's struggling to come to terms with her grief and isn't inclined to drag things out any longer. And that brings up another point: while Bryon's dogged determination to find Liza is commendable, he's not the most lovable of heroes. Put another way, his controlling, misogynistic attitudes make it easy to see why he no longer has a wife and daughter. Still, there remains a clear and present danger to Liza - and there are some signs that he's trying for an attitude adjustment - so (insert a couple more deep breaths here) I gave him a pass.

Early on, Bryon concludes that the author of Liza's favorite books, Annabelle Tobin, is central to the disappearance. The wildly popular series has spawned a huge following, right down to an annual event similar to Comic Con. Now, all those fans are clammoring for the sixth, and final book, to be completed; but so far, Annabelle's promises to produce are empty and the author has become a virtual recluse. Just to land a meeting with her, then, is the first significant hurdle Bryon must overcome. The rest of the story follows Byron's progress - complete with gains, setbacks and near disasters - as he tries to follow the path Liza took to get wherever she went and, hopefully, find that she's still alive, able and willing to come back home. Loved it - and I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the privilege of reading and reviewing a pre-release copy.

Dreambound by Dan Frey (Del Rey, September 2023); 400 pp.

DREAM TOWN

4 stars out of 5

It's always refreshing when the old is new again - as in a return to the "private eyes" of the '50s. This is the third in the series featuring Aloysius Archer, a P.I. and World War II vet who plies his trade in Los Angeles. This one is a little darker than the first two, I think, but no less entertaining.

Archer works for friend Willie Dash at the latter's detective agency; as this story begins, he's planning a nice evening with old friend and love interest of sorts, Liberty Callahan to ring in the new year. Their dinner is interrupted by the appearance of Eleanor Lamb, a screenwriter and friend of Liberty. When she learns what Archer does for a living, she tells him she thinks someone is trying to kill her and hires a somewhat reluctant Archer to investigate.

Later, when he calls Ellie for more information, a man answers but hangs up. Curious, Archer heads for Ellie's house, only to find a dead body inside but no Ellie. Now more curious than ever - and worried that something bad may have happened to Ellie - he sets off on a journey that takes him through the bowels of 1950s Hollywood and the mob-infested casinos of Las Vegas and nearly gets himself killed.

And therein lies the best parts of the book; especially since I grew up in the 1950s with my nose in "movie star" magazines like "Photoplay" and "Modern Screen" to get the latest scoops on Marilyn Monroe, Pat Boone, Doris Day, Audrey Hepburn and James Dean (just to mention a few), the behind-the-scenes studio goings-on, not all of which were pleasant, were a treat to read about.

As for the plot, I can't reveal much more without running into spoiler territory. So, I'll just say I enjoyed this one (and the previous two) very much and think you will, too.

Dream Town by David Baldacci (Grand Central Publishing, April 2022); 433 pp.

CITY OF THE DEAD

5 stars out of 5

Is it possible to find a book in this series not to love? Of course, some plots are a bit less appealing than others - this is the 37th, after all - but police consultant and psychologist Dr. Alex Delaware and his friend, LAPD police officer Milo Sturgis, never disappoint. And with this entry, nothing's changed.

This time out, Milo and Alex visit a scene at which a moving van appears to have hit a naked man. An accident, perhaps - until one of the neighbors points to a nearby house he believes is being rented by a "suspicious" woman. When Alex and Milo go inside, they get a surprise - a woman inside has been brutally murdered. Alex, though, gets a double whammy: He once tangled with the woman, Cordelia Gannett, who at the time was posing as a psychologist.

Although she got caught, she failed to cease and desist; but as Alex and Milo investigate, they learn her earlier life was far more complicated. From there, several other familiar characters get involved, including Detective Moses Reed, Alex's guitar-repair expert and live-in love, Robin, and even Milo's physician husband Rick (always nice to hear from him, even if it's more of a cameo than a full-blown performance).

The details are what make the story take on a life of its own, but as always, everything gets sorted out in the end. This one, I think, will please most series fans like me. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy of it.

City of the Dead by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books, February 2022); 336 pp.

GATED PREY

5 stars out of 5

Police procedural. Female detective who has background issues that impact her life on and off the job. Likable, soon-to-retire partner who offers sensible advice based on a long and stellar career. A couple of murders that need solving that threaten the lives of the aforesaid detective and her partner. There you have it: this book has checked all the boxes that make a book a real treat for me to read.

As were, I hasten to add, the first two in the series featuring Los Angeles County Sheriff's detective Even Ronin ("Lost Hills" and "Bone Canyon"). No surprise, then, when I had a chance to get a pre-release review copy of this one (thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley), I didn't hesitate to take it. And for the record, it takes more than just the above-mentioned list to get a 5-star review from me; the story also must be well-written and entertaining. All rightee, then, make that two more boxes checked.

Eve, the youngest homicide detective in department history, has made enemies among a number of her co-workers for her actions in the previous books. Her partner, Duncan Pavone, isn't among them; clearly, he's got her back all the way (well, at least until his retirement in a couple of months, after which Eve hopes he'll become a technical adviser on an in-the-works TV series about her life). As the story opens, the pair are working undercover to catch whoever has been robbing residents of a gated community of hoity-toity homeowners in Calabasas. Their plan works but goes sideways fast - resulting in three dead bodies (not to worry - none is Eve or Duncan).

Department honchos want nothing more than to shove the case into a closed folder never to be opened again, but Eve and Duncan aren't so sure that's where it belongs so they vow to follow up on their own. Then, the partners are sent to check on a woman who reported having a late-term miscarriage (standard department procedure for such events). It turns out, though, that it's far from a "standard" event; this one, too, raises far more questions than answers (and, BTW, might be upsetting to squeamish readers). 

Everything gets resolved in the end - with a twist or two - except for a few intriguing issues that no doubt will be carried over to the next-up book. Soon, please?

Gated Prey by Lee Goldberg (Thomas & Mercer, October 2021); 255 pp.

DEEP INTO THE DARK

4 stars out of 5

I've read and very much enjoyed a couple of other books by this author, so I was delighted to be approved for a pre-release copy of this one through NetGalley. And I'm happy to say it did not disappoint.

Two storylines are featured here, the first of which is catching the person, or persons, who have been racking up murder victims along Los Angeles' Miracle Mile. LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan and her partner, Detective Al Crawford - plus another notable character or two - are on the case but not having much luck. In the other, Sam Easton, a former electrical engineer who's suffering from PTSD as a result of an Afghanistan attack that killed everyone in his squad except him, is working as a bar back in a popular local pub. His wife has left him, so he's alone with his nightmares and hallucinations and has only his job for solace. But when his co-worker, Melody, gets beaten up by her snobby boyfriend, he's eager to help.

But the next day, Melody's boyfriend dies of very unnatural causes, Maggie and Al are called in and Sam quickly becomes a prime suspect - at least in Al's eyes. Maggie isn't as quick to put the finger on Sam, though; she recently lost her brother who was serving overseas, making her more sympathetic to what Sam's going through. 

Melody's boyfriend may be out of the picture, but it soon becomes clear that someone else may be stalking her (and possibly Sam as well). Meantime, they meet up with a young and very rich filmmaker wannabe who leans toward being totally nuts - and he shows them a script he thinks would be perfect with Sam and Melody as the stars even though they have no acting experience whatsoever.

Everything comes together at the end (well, not everything; this is the first book in a new series, so bread crumbs leading to the next one are left on the ground). And therein lies one of the things I wasn't so crazy about; the main character in the series is supposed to be Margaret. But it's Sam who, to me at least, unquestionably steals this show (even if, PTSD notwithstanding, he came across as a little too "perfect"). Margaret's character, on the other hand, isn't nearly as well developed - so in the end it's Sam, not Margaret, about whom I'd love to read more (of course, who's to say he won't make future appearances - if I get a vote on that score, it's a resounding yes).

That said, the series is off to a strong start and I look forward to the next one. Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

Deep Into the Dark by P.J. Tracy (Minotaur Books, January 2021); 343 pp.

BONE CANYON

5 stars out of 5

The first book in this series - Lost Hills - didn't disappoint, and neither did this one (in fact, I think it's better). Los Angeles Sheriff's Department homicide detective Eve Ronin isn't perfect - nor is she likely to become besties with most of her department colleagues - but she gets the job done even if she has to step on some really big toes to do it.

It begins as Eve and her almost-retired partner, Duncan Pavone, are called to investigate human remains discovered in the rubble of a wildfire in the Santa Monica Mountains. As it turns out - with help from hunky and single forensic anthropologist Daniel Brooks - the tidbits belong to a woman who went missing several years ago not long after she'd reported a crime to police that somehow, in intervening years, got lost in the system.

That, of course, makes Eve's ears perk up and her nose twitch. Despite warnings to cool her heels from a few of the aforementioned colleagues - most of whom are convinced she got her homicide job by grandstanding - she plods on with the help of Duncan, who says he has nothing to lose by ruffling a few feathers. Good thing, because some of those feathers not only get ruffled, but totally bent out of shape.

The investigation goes slower than Eve would like - patience isn't one of her virtues - with roadblocks coming from unexpected places that bring a whole new meaning of dead end. The conclusion brings a twist; I was expecting one that I hoped was wrong, and, happily, I was (sorry, my lips are sealed). All told, another winner, for which I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for a pre-release copy.

Bone Canyon by Lee Goldberg (Thomas & Mercer, January 2021); 287 pp.

SERPENTINE

 5 stars out of 5

Psychologist and police consultant Alex Delaware and LAPD homicide lieutenant Milo Sturgis have been friends for so long they can finish each other's sentences. I've been trailing them around for just as long, enjoying their interaction as they solve sometimes complicated murder cases, that I probably could finish them as well. And this - the 36th book in the Delaware series - doesn't disappoint.

This time, though, it's a cold case that falls - make that is shoved - into the lieutenant's lap. Why now? Apparently, a very wealthy woman is demanding that the case be reopened; she's convinced that a woman who was shot, pushed over a cliff in her car and burned beyond recognition 36 years earlier is the mother she never knew. A couple of subsequent investigations revealed nothing, and the hope is that Milo will work his usual brand of magic and find out what really happened.

Any investigation of this sort means delving into family matters, and it soon becomes clear that one of her dearly loved relatives may have some connection to other suspicious deaths. Also quite clear, though, is that someone living in the present really doesn't want an investigation to proceed. The trail leads over, under, around and through the streets of Los Angeles (with plenty of territorial description and stops to eat along the way) until it comes to a surprising end. 

All told, it's another very enjoyable foray into the world of Alex and Milo - made even more enjoyable by occasional appearances of Alex's main squeeze, expert guitar-builder/repairer Robin. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy!

Serpentine by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books, February 2021); 368 pp.

THE HEARTLESS

4 stars out of 5

When a publisher offers me a free book, I rarely look a gift horse in the mouth (the only exception is if it's a romance novel, which I will read only if a shotgun is pointed at my head and maybe not even then). Admittedly, I hesitated a minute or two because this is the seventh in a series of which I've read none, but since I'm always on the lookout for cool characters and plots and the description sounded promising, I decided to take a chance. 

And I enjoyed it. For readers new to the series like me, I'll say this one stands alone well, although I'm sure I'd have enjoyed it more had I started at the beginning (which IMHO is true of any series). The "hero," former Los Angeles County Deputy Bruno Johnson, is just enough of a maverick to tickle my fancy, and the plot is for the most part believable and filled with action - edge-of-seat in places.

As the story begins, Johnson has traded in his law enforcement status for work as a court bailiff, mostly so he can keep more of an eye on his teenage daughter Olivia. In the middle of the trial, he gets a call from Olivia begging for help; with her ne'er-do-well boyfriend - the one Johnson despises - she's in the middle of a confrontation that involves a gun. So Johnson is off to save her day (and perhaps her life). He's successful, but the incident certainly doesn't change his opinion of Olivia's drug-dealing boyfriend.

Meanwhile, back at the local prison, there's a brouhaha that results in the escape of several dangerous criminals including murderer Louis Barkow. As the story progresses, readers (and Johnson) learn that the incident with his daughter was rigged to set the stage for the escape. Now, Johnson is even madder; no way, he insists, is his daughter going to be used as a pawn - and it looks as if that might happen yet again. Enter Johnson's old partner Robby Wick, still on the force and happy to lend his more-than-capable assistance with Johnson's search for the illusive Barkow, who's gone to ground.

Along the way, there's what I suppose is a requisite love interest, but for me, at least, it was nothing more than an unnecessary diversion (as were a handful of typos that should have been caught). As for the love part, I know Johnson has been living alone for several years, but really, he can't - or shouldn't - be quite that stupid. Otherwise, the plot thickens as the search for Barkow intensifies and Olivia's life really does go on the line. But as the saying goes, when the going gets tough, the tough get going - and it's clear Johnson and his partner plan on hanging tough all the way to what is an exciting end. All told, this is a good old-fashioned knock 'em down, drag 'em out story which, for the record, I can see as a TV series or movie, perhaps with a younger version of Denzel Washington in the lead (hint, hint).

The Heartless by David Putnam (Oceanview Publishing, February 2020); 368 pp.

LOST HILLS

4 stars out of 5

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.

Lost Hills by Lee Goldberg (Thomas & Mercer, January 2019); 237 pp.

ROBERT B. PARKER'S ANGEL EYES

5 stars out of 5

When it comes to carrying on the legend

of the late Robert B. Parker's Spenser, Ace Atkins hit the ground running from the git-go; almost always, I'm impressed with the similarities to the originals and always look forward to the latest installment. In this one, I'd say he's hit it out of the park in that regard.

Here, Spenser goes Hollywood, hired by a friend of his main squeeze, psychologist Susan Silverman, to find her missing daughter. Far from his familiar Boston haunts, Spenser hooks up with former apprentice Zebulon Sixkill, who headed about as far west from Massachusetts as he could to ply the trade he learned from the master.  

The girl, Gabrielle Leggett, hasn't spoken with her mother in 10 days, and a search of her trashed apartment raises suspicions of foul play. Spenser and "Z" learn that Gabby had been dating a high-powered movie mogul, who in turn may have ties to a local Armenian mob and/or a shady self-help group with which Gabby has become enamored (willingly or not, that is the question).

None of this bodes well, of course, but despite threats of fates worse than death if they continue to investigate, the coastal private-eye pair keep on digging (with a little help from Chollo, another old friend. There are ups and downs, ins and outs, but in the end, they manage to get to the bottom of things as usual. I was especially happy to see more of Susan, who surprisingly gets personally involved in the investigation. Conspicuous by his absence once again is Spenser's loyal sidekick Hawk - perhaps my only disappointment because I love the guy. That said, he's the only character from Parker's books whose personality and dialogue Atkins never quite nailed down, IMHO, so maybe that's a good thing. 

Bottom line? Well-written, intriguing story that serves the series well - so Spenser fans, don't skip this one. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review an advance copy.

Robert B. Parker's Angel Eyes by Ace Atkins (G.P. Putnam's Sons, November 2019); 320 pp.

THE MUSEUM OF DESIRE

5 stars out of 5

Okay, so my request at NetGalley to read an advance copy of this book was approved. Big whoop. Now I'm finished. Another big whoop!

That first one, which was a literal shout-out that roused my husband from his recliner, came becauseI've been a fan of this series right from the start; I don't recall missing a single one, so of course I was excited. The second shout-out (prior to which I gave my long-suffering hubby a heads-up) came because, like the others, this one is very good.  Main characters Dr. Alex Delaware and LAPD Lt. Milo Sturgis are in fine form with their banter (as well as their obvious respect for each other as they mesh their complementary investigative skills). Alex's main squeeze Robin gets some face time, as does their lovable pooch Blanche.

This one begins with a scene that unsettles just about everyone who views it, including Alex and Milo: Four very dead bodies are found in a limousine; the three passengers, two men and a woman, have been covered with blood (apparently after the fact) and posed in a very suggestive way. Other than the driver, identifying them all takes quite a bit of doing; but accomplishing that is followed by the even bigger challenge of determining the connection among the victims that could unearth a motive and the identity of the killer (or killers).

The nooks-and-crannies investigation, which I'm not about to detail here, takes Alex, Milo and his very capable team into a dark world of art (a nod to the book title) as well as the dark streets of the homeless and forgotten. If I have a "complaint," it's that the cast of characters is a rather large one, making it a little hard for me to keep all the names straight. In the end, though, no matter; this one kept me entertained from the first page to the last. Well done! And please, sir, may I have some more?

The Museum of Desire by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books, February 2020); 368 pp.

CHURCH OF SPILLED BLOOD

5 stars out of 5

How refreshing: A straightforward, private eye-full of action, entertaining book with no head games, no flashbacks and no chapters that switch character POVs so often that I get neck strain. Thank you, Mr. Miles, and thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read it in exchange for an honest review.

Jack Salvo is the P.I. here, and he's got a philosophical mind behind his shoulder holster. I mean that literally; one night a week - except when his investigations force him to be elsewhere - he teaches a philosophy class at a Los Angeles community college. Apparently, he got the boot from college before earning a Ph.D., so he can't get a teaching job at the likes of UCLA - but he's taken that in stride. Maybe that's because, unlike most of the philosophy professors I've known in my years as both a student and a university administrator (in the interests of full disclosure, there were only two), Jack has a great sense of humor. He described one female character, for instance, as wearing "a long, dark-green maxi dress slit up to her thighs far enough to ensure adequate ventilation to her neck."

So what's not to love about a guy like that? Not much, in my book - and the plot is pretty darned interesting as well. Jack is hired as a professional bodyguard for three Russian ballerinas who are visiting the United States and staying with an uppity, richer-than-God L.A. neurosurgeon and his wife. While taking a break from practicing at a local rehearsal hall, one of the girls is kidnapped (in return for trying to save her, Jack gets butt-tasered).  Understandably, that doesn't set well with the good doctor (nor, for that matter, with Jack). But then comes the unexpected; no ransom demand is forthcoming, and very soon the girl is returned unharmed.

And that, too, doesn't set well with Jack, who smells a rotten tyulka and decides to get to the bottom of things despite being fired from the bodyguard assignment. For help, he turns to his buddies, his computer and another of the ballerinas, to whom he's taken a bit of a liking. The trail to the culprits begins with dead bodies near the Hollywood Sign and ends in Mother Russia and the Church of Our Savior Built on Spilled Blood, a St. Petersburg landmark. 

Along the way, Jack shows off a few MacGyver-like tricks, runs afoul of the law on two continents (and of some really bad guys) and lands smack dab in the middle of the Russian Mole-Rat's den. Will he make it back home in one piece? My lips are sealed, except to say that if he does, I hope he'll show up in another book.

Church of Spilled Blood by Jesse Miles (Amazon Digital Services LLC, August 2016); 218 pp.

THE CRUCIFIX KILLER

4 stars out of 5


As I've mentioned before, I'm always on the lookout for a good series; these books make great fill-ins when I want a break from tackling my ever-growing list of free-for-review books and standalones from favorite authors that I read just because, well, they're from my favorite authors. Besides that, I'm hoping to find a series that will appeal to my husband, who loves to read the same types of books I do but, for better or worse, is much harder to please.

When a Goodreads.com friend made me aware of this series, then, I didn't waste much time grabbing this, the first one. Without question, I enjoyed it. And while the gory serial killer aspect probably won't entice my hubby to try it, I'm sure he'd like the main man, homicide Detective Robert Hunter (as did I, especially since he was a child prodigy who earned a degree in psychology at age 19 and a Ph.D. in criminal behavior analysis and biopsychology four years later). On top of that, any guy who loves single-malt Scotch can't be all bad.

This story begins with the discovery of a young woman's body; she's been gruesomely tortured, mutilated (all the skin was ripped off her face while she was alive, for instance, which gives you a good idea of the tenor of the book) and has a double cross design cut into the back of her neck. The latter is a huge cause for concern for Hunter; it marks the signature of a serial killer he helped capture two years earlier - a man who was executed for his grisly crimes. Hunter had a few misgivings back then, but now he's afraid the wrong person was convicted and the real psychopath is back plying his gruesome trade.

This time around, Hunter - who is dealing with issues of his own including doubts about his former partner's supposedly accidental death - is working with a newbie partner Garcia. The first chapter sets out what Hunter is up against, and from that point on, the action never stops. People are biting the dust right and left and Hunter and his partner are sure something "connects" them all; but how long will it take (and how many more murders) before can they find out what that is and correctly identify the killer this time around? 

To be honest, I had a few issues with the book, such as the occasional grammatical error and terms that are more British than American (the author lives in the U.K. but the story is set in Los Angeles, so there shouldn't be any language crossover). Another niggle is that all the characters are exceptionally well spoken, so every time the word "ain't" popped out of their mouths - which was quite often - it elicited a discord reminiscent of fingernails running down a chalkboard. But I also figure some of that goes with the territory for a series debut - and I'm confident the books will get even better as they go along (as of this writing, there are seven in all, I believe). Now, I just have to find time to read them! 

The Crucifix Killer by Chris Carter (Simon & Schuster UK, October 2009); 448 pp.

IQ

4 stars out of 5

To be sure, this is a solid, well-thought out and well-written debut novel that held my attention right to the end. There's plenty of action, and even some chuckle-out-loud lines.

But all those positives aside, at no time did I really "like" reading it.

That's largely because, for better or worse, the setting - high crime rate East Long Beach, California - is almost impossible for me, a WASP from America's heartland Midwest, to comprehend. I just can't relate to guys who frequently call each other the "n" word (which apparently can be both derogatory and a term of endearment, depending on who's talking to whom). I wrestled with concepts like the young man whose IQ is at near-genius level but who earns money by ripping off local shops and long-time friends whose loyalty disappears at the drop of a dime bag or a busty young woman's tube top.

No, this definitely isn't my world, nor, to tell the truth, is it a world I want any part of. But that doesn't change the fact that this is a really good book; if I could award it 4.5 stars, I would, and I thank the author and publisher, via NetGalley, for giving me the opportunity to read it in exchange for an honest review.

Chapters shift from past to present, serving up details of the coming of age, if you will, of Isaiah Quintabe - or IQ, as he's called - and other shifts take place within chapters. That made it a bit more difficult for me to follow, but in this case it's an effective technique. In the present, the high school dropout is a sort of problem-solver in the style of Sherlock Holmes - a self-made investigator when the need arises and the cops don't want to get serious (which can be often in this high-crime neighborhood). He's hired by a bigwig in the rap music industry who's richer than God but believes that someone is out to get him (and being attacked and nearly killed by a pit bull the size of Texas pretty much proves he's right). He's got a couple of henchmen/bodyguards/friends with questionable intentions; could one or both of them be behind the attack? Or maybe his clearly disgruntled ex-wife hired the hit. Or not. 

The flashback scenes take place a few years earlier, when Isaiah lived with his much-idolized older brother Marcus, who kept Isaiah rooted in normalcy and the hope of a better future. But then, the unthinkable happens; Marcus's life is tragically cut short and IQ is left to fend for himself. Paying for their apartment becomes almost impossible, so he finds a roommate in the not-so-upstanding Juanell Dodson. Tying in past and present, the former roommate is the one who talks Isaiah into taking the job for the music mogul.

For those who care about such things (I don't), the language is fairly graphic and the murders and near-murders are fairly grisly. But even to someone like me, who gets this kind of news only from the newspaper or NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, it all seemed very real. And that, if nothing else, makes this book worthwhile reading.

IQ by Joe Ide (Mulholland Books, October 2016); 337 pp.