Publication Date September 17, 2024

Earlier this year, Lee Goldberg’s novel Dream Town was published, and I was incredibly eager to read it. It was #5 in the Eve Ronin series, and I had read and enjoyed 1-4 (Lost Hills, Bone Canyon, Gated Prey, and Movieland).  Then, last August, I attended Bouchercon in San Diego, and became a rather rabid fan. So, I was ecstatic to receive a copy of Ashes Never Lie from Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley in exchange for this honest review. This book is the second in the series featuring arson investigator Walter Sharpe and his partner, former U.S. Marshal Andrew Walker, and I loved the first book in the series, Malibu Burning. 

While this book is identified as #2 in The Sharpe and Walker series, some might think of it as another in the Eve Ronin series, because she and her partner Duncan Pavone are here again! It isn’t necessary to have read any of the earlier books in either series to enjoy this one, but Anne at Books Of My Heart provides information that helps readers just getting to know Eve, described as  “a new homicide detective in a misogynistic, political  department in Los Angeles California. She became famous in the first book for arresting a tv star behaving badly, which helped her get the promotion.” She also noted that “…focus is on the police procedural, with a small background of personal life but the Hollywood scene is almost a character itself.”

So, we’re back in Southern California, where I was born and raised. That might be part of why I love Goldberg’s books so much, but I have recommended them to many people who have no ties to SoCal, and they loved them (almost) as much as I did. The book presents two different LA County-based fires: one in a new housing development, which arson investigators Sharpe and Walker are working, and another which has homicide detectives Ronin and Pavone investigating the death of someone whose corpse was found in the ashes of another home several miles away. 

In a clever strategy, Goldberg has all four (Walker, Sharpe, Ronin and Pavone) team up to investigate the crimes. It’s a complex, entertaining plot, and many readers will be absolutely salivating over the prospects for any and all of the books featuring these four characters being made into movies or (even better) multi-part series by a quality  production company (hey, it’s working for Bosch, right?)

Highly recommended for fans of mysteries, thrillers, female protagonists, arson and/or homicide investigators, LA-based stories, and particularly refugees from Southern California. Five stars. Keep it up, Lee!