MALIBU BURNING

5 stars out of 5

There are a handful of authors whose books I always look forward to reading, and Mr. Goldberg is one of them. And with this book, he once again doesn't disappoint; it's a real barn-burner. Besides that, I absolutely loved the main characters, the super-skillful arson investigator Walter Sharpe and his new partner, Andrew Walker - so much so that I'm hoping we'll see them again (and again) in a series.

For this nonstop adventure, they're hot on the trail of ex-con Danny Cole, a clever thief who, during his prison time, volunteered for the prison's firefighter squad. The work is challenging and dangerous, but to Danny, it beat being stuck in a prison cell and trying to avoid payback from people he'd scammed. But living out in the wilderness sparked not only his expertise with wildfires, but also his desire for another big payoff - along with getting revenge on behalf of a friend who was terribly wronged. Almost as soon as he walked out the prison door as a free man, he began putting together an air-tight plan and assembling his team of experts.

Chapters shift back and forth between Danny's efforts to get rich and what's going on in the lives of the arson team's effort; it's no surprise when everything and everyone come together amid an out-of-control wildfire that threatens multi-million dollar California mansions. Along the way Andrew - himself a seasoned detective - soaked up Walter's extensive knowledge of wildfires (as do readers, BTW). Good thing, because it'll take all that, and more, if they want Danny's grand plan to go down in flames.

Suffice it to say there's never a dull moment from the first page to the rather unexpected ending, whether it be chuckles, gasps or nail-biting angst over which character might not make it to the next chapter. That's another way to say this is another sizzler, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. Good job!

Malibu Burning by Lee Goldberg (Thomas & Mercer, September 2023); 286 pp.