DREAM TOWN

5 stars out of 5

Reading a new book in a series you've been following for at least three or four installments is sort of like getting glimpses into the life of old friends. And that's exactly what it should be, IMHO; you want the continuity of familiarity tinged with a few surprises - none of them, in the case of the mystery/thriller genre, life threatening to the characters you've come to know and love (or even, in some cases, dislike intensely).

Such is the case with Los Angeles Sheriff's Department detective Eve Ronin and her near-retirement partner, Duncan Pavone (this is the fifth book in the series; for those who missed the earlier editions, it stands alone fairly well, but as always, I suggest starting to read any series from the beginning, or as close to that as possible). The setting here is mostly in the uber-rich area of Hidden Hills in Los Angeles County - no doubt gorgeous, although nothing much about the place has much appeal to a Midwestern-through-and-through gal like me. 

Eve's life has remained pretty much a mess, although she does have a fairly steady man in her life and is at least on speaking terms with her mother and father (both of which, though, could change at any given moment). Her much-publicized detective skills are being documented in a reality TV show, much to her chagrin (though in fairness, she agreed to let it happen). Her mostly estranged father is producing it, with her mother in a prominent role. But for her part, Eve tries to keep her distance.

Crime, though, still gets her attention; this time, the star of another popular reality show filmed in Hidden Hills becomes a murder victim in the family complex. Exterior cameras catch sight of masked mauraders leaving the scene - suspected to be members of a local Chilean gang. Meanwhile, Eve's main squeeze, forensic anthropologist Daniel Brooks, is engaged in finding and identifying bodies buried on a preserve not far from Hidden Hills. These, too, may be gang members - or not and may be related to the reality star's demise - or not.

Surprise - all these scenarios get visited and revisited as the connections among them become evident; it isn't till near the end that the truth - which, oddly also is interconnected - sort of smacks Eve right between the camera angles. All in all, another totally enjoyable read - and I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to learn that by way of a pre-release copy. Good job as always!

Dream Town by Lee Goldberg (Thomas & Mercer, January 2024); 300 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.