Book Review: Lost Hills by Lee Goldberg

Lost Hills
by Lee Goldberg (Goldberg)

I’ve been a fan of Lee Goldberg for many years — first for his non-fiction writing (Unsold TV Pilots, Successful TV Writing), then for his series of original novels based on the Monk and Diagnosis: Murder TV series (the latter of which he produced and wrote for). I’ve subsequently found several of his other novels — some are in series, and some are stand-alone. His writing style ranges from light-hearted and comical mysteries (Monk) to incredibly serious police procedurals. Lost Hills is one of the latter.

Eve Ronin is a new detective in the homicide division of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, stationed in the hilly terrain NW of Los Angeles. Though young, she got her position after receiving some notoriety online , when she busted a big Hollywood star misbehaving, and an onlooker shared cellphone video of the incident online. She’s not quite earned the respect of her fellow detectives yet, but that may change when she and her partner field a horrific murder case. There are no bodies, but the house they investigate is soaked in the blood of what the CSI types believe is three murder victims. Ronin’s more senior partner has her take point on the case — he’s nearing retirement and doesn’t want the headaches. So we get to see the procedural details of a gruesome murder investigation, mostly from the P.O.V. of a young detective who’s still learning on the job.

This was a compelling read, and though Eve Ronin is still little more than a introductory character, with a quirky actress mother and a supportive medical doctor sister, I wanted to learn more about her. The case is interesting, and according to an author note at the end, it is based on a real case, making it all the more shocking. What little humor is present in this story is mainly in the character relationships — the case itself is deadly serious. Though perhaps not as polished and heavily detailed as some of the other police procedurals out there (it only clocks in at 224 pages), this was a good read, and I look forward to seeing more in this series, if Goldberg continues to use Eve as a character.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the Renee Ballard series by Michael Connelly.]

[ official Lee Goldberg web site ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library – Public Service

Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide Blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewer’s recommendations!

Mystery Fans -- Don't forget, the Just Desserts mystery fiction discussion group will be holding its monthly gathering on-line, using Zoom meeting software. Our July discussion topic is "Under-Appeciated Mystery Authors". Come join us tonight, 6:30-7:45 to share a mystery author you think more of us should be reading, plus our monthly Round Robin, in which you can share whatever else you've been reading lately! Zoom link available at the Just Desserts schedule page.

The Pursuit by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg on CD

The Pursuit
by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg, audiobook narrated by Scott Brick [Compact Disc Evanovich]

This latest entry in the O’Hare & Fox series by the writing team of Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg, picks up right where the previous book, The Scam, left off — with con artist extraordinaire Nick Fox having been kidnapped at gunpoint from the romantic Hawaiian hideaway where he and FBI agent Kate O’Hare were planning a romantic tryst (the culmination of their relationship, which had been percolating for the past four books in the series. The Pursuit has Kate tracking and preparing to rescue Nick from the clutches of an international criminal who needed Nick’s expertise. Only, rescuing Nick isn’t really an issue — it’s what they have to do after springing him free that gets complicated, as they have to go back undercover with the same deadly criminal, to try to foil his planned biological attack on an American city.

Unlike the earlier volumes in the O’Hare & Fox series, in which there was some mild personal danger for the characters to contend with, this volume in series finally made it feel like there were truly big stakes involved in the undercover scam that Kate and Nick are trying to pull off. I appreciate the racheting up of the tension and stakes this time around. As always, the dialog is snappy, the characters are fun, and it was great to see Nick and Kate finally “get together” beyond their usual banter. I listen to this series as an audiobook series, with narration by Scott Brick — who does a marvelous job on the books-on-cd.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the other books in th O’Hare & Fox seres, also by Evanovich and Goldberg.]

[ official Lee Goldberg web site ] | [ official Janet Evanovich web site ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

Have you read this? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!