I read the first book of this series, At What Cost, and reviewed it for Library Journal. It was my pick of the month and I continue to recommend it. The actions in this book are not contingent on reading the previous book, but some of the motivations of the characters draw upon what happened in this book. Detective James Penley and his partner in the Sacramento PD, Detective Paula Newberry, are investigating the trafficking of street drugs. The case reaches back to a case Newberry worked on years before, when she was in Internal Affairs and brought down an entire task force, headed by Charles Sherman. Sherman went to jail. Now, bodies are turning up, bodies of other task force members and Sherman is agitating to get out of jail because he accuses Newberry of falsifying evidence and being corrupt. It appears Newberry is the killer, but Penley knows his partner better than that. While coping with his own tragedy at home, Penley works with Newberry to uncover the real killers and bring down a criminal enterprise. Excellent pacing and well-drawn characterizations make this series a good read. Recommended.

It was a great second book. I recommend it for those who like police proceedurals

Bury the Past (the second in the Detective Penley mystery series) follows Sacramento Police Detectives John Penley and Paula Newberry as they investigate stolen street drugs and a homicide that appears connected.
The first chapter begins an investigation into the homicide that quickly leads to a conspiracy that includes dirty cops and an old take-down.

Sherman, the leader of the corrupt group and ex-cop, is planning retribution against those who caught and stopped him and Newberry surfaces at the top of his pay-back list. Paula Newberry was formerly with IA when Sherman was caught and now partnered with Penley begins to recognize a few names and faces who are turning up deceased with one little added wrinkle--her DNA.

As circumstantial evidence mounts against her, the heat is on to prove she is not involved while continuing to try and find the one who is. It's a dark picture of conditions, areas, and interchanges between the populace and the police. Dialogue is so natural, it's scary. Paula is a bad-assed and strong, single female. She has poured heart and soul into restoring a Victorian downtown. Penley is married and having more than his usual family drama issues including a (formerly) sickly son and a teenage daughter hitting those hormones in spades.
Is it a good police procedural? The best--there are details here only one who really knows, would know (and the author does have that experience). Co-protagonists Penley and Paula make a good team--they complement each other and Penley supports his partner, even through what seems damning evidence. Their lieutenant tries hard to work with them and issues some latitude. The antagonist, Sherman, is crazy smart--knows how to use the system to his advantage.

The plot begins to plod somewhat in the middle and then heats up to a crashing climax in the state capital rotunda full of tourists, lobbyists, politicians and support staff.

I downloaded this ebook, the second in the series, from Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley and sincerely appreciated the opportunity to read and review. Recommended for all fans of crime, thriller and suspense, and, most especially, police procedurals.

Bury the Past is a terrific fast-paced and well-plotted crime fiction story set in Sacramento, California, a great setting that is seldom used in such books. There’s a real non-stop pace to this book that keeps you engaged right from the start. It’s a police story involving murder, drugs, biker gangs, prison gangs, corruption, internal affairs, and backstabbing. The characters were all realistic and believable. It’s the second book in the series, but it works perfectly as a stand-alone novel. Thanks to Crooked Lane Books for providing a copy for review.

When John Penley's partner Paula Newberry's past comes back to haunt her, both are on a mission to clear her name. When Paula when in IA she was largely responsible for bringing down a network of corrupt cops who where skimming on drug raids and stashing their drug hauls. Charles Sherman was the leader of the group and is in prison. But now someone is killing all of the other members of the group and someone is framing Paula as the criminal.

Sherman has vowed to get revenge on Paula but, given that he was in the prison mental health unit when the crimes were committed, he couldn't be the criminal, or could he? Unlike the first mystery in this series which focused on Penley and his family, this one puts Paula front and center. Although we do get a look into Penley's family again to see how they are doing after his son's kidney transplant.

Penley and Newberry have to deal with white supremacists, missing drugs, and corrupt law enforcement in order to get to the bottom of this twisty case. It was fast paced and action packed and just great for fans of police procedurals.

Bury the Past is the second book in the Detective Penley Mystery series by James L’Etoile. I enjoyed the chemistry between Sacramento detective Penley and his female partner, Newberry. He is calm at work, but his home life is chaotic with a son with a kidney transplant, a teenage daughter acting out at school, and a wife who feels guilty for nearly killing their son and for being unable to control their daughter. In contrast, Newberry has the messiest desk at work, is hyped up on energy drinks, yet has a charming, neat rehabbed home.

Suspense is high from the get-go. The two detectives catch a case in which Newberry is the prime suspect, and her career and life at risk. As Penley and Newberry investigate, they uncover a cadre of cops on the take and a district attorney who plans to frame the innocent Newberry in a political coup to aid the DA’s rise to the top. Double-crosses abound--too many to describe here, but they lead to a climax in the rotunda of the capitol building in Sacramento.

I haven't read the first book in the Detective Penley series, but this book whetted my appetite for the it and any future installments. I received this as a free ARC from Crooked Lane Books on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I recommend this book to fans of noir, thrillers, police procedurals, and suspense. This book is scheduled for release December 12, 2017.

This is the second book in the Detective Penley Mystery series by James L'Etoile. I have not read the first book in the series, but after reading this one I am eager to read the first one and future installments as well.

The first chapter sets the fast pace for this thrilling ride. The end of the first chapter leaves you puzzled as to what is in store for the rest of the novel. L'Etoile does not disappoint when it comes to suspense. Detectives Penley and Newberry catch a case and they immediately suspect foul play. The dark shadow that looms over the dead man is the fact that he is a former cop/informant and the detectives have reason to believe that one of their own is involved in his murder.

When the wheels of justice are put in motion, Penley and Newberry have to tread lightly and watch their backs as they try to discover the deeper implications in this case. They soon discover that they don't know who is a friend and who is crooked. Pressure is put on them on all fronts because of the circumstances of the case, and Detective Newberry finds herself at the center of the investigation with her career and her life on the line.

As the investigation progresses, Penley and Newberry begin to put the puzzle pieces together and they discover that this case encompasses much more than they imagined. Dirty cops and shady politicians threaten to put a quiet end to the investigation, and Penley is frantically searching for that one missing link that will blow the whole thing wide open. Double crosses abound in this novel, leading up to an action packed, shocking conclusion.

I would recommend this book to fans of thrillers and suspense. I received this as a free ARC from Crooked Lane Books on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

An unusual and fascinating story of what really is a duel between a detective trying to finding a serial killer and an imprisoned rogue cop with a drudge against him. The rogue cop is intent on revenge on the detective that nailed him. How he is able to get clues planted to incriminate the detective for the murders is the mystery in the pursuit of which provides an insight into the penal system and the culture that exists with the prisoners. There are many twists and turns with a dead line to beat before the detective is indicted for the perversion of justice. This makes the story a tense and exciting read.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advance copy of Bury the Past, the second novel to feature Detective Penley of the Sacramento police.

John Penley and his partner Paula Newberry get called out to a murder scene where Larry Burger has been beaten to death. Paula knows Burger, he is an ex officer convicted of drugs offences in an Internal Affairs she led. At the same time the ringleader of Burger's group of corrupt officers, Charles Sherman, is appealing his conviction by claiming that Paula is a dirty cop.

Wow! What a read. The novel grabbed me from page one where it opens with the murder of Larry Burger and didn't let go until the last. The plotting is intricate and detailed so I needed my full concentration to keep up with all the twists and turns and relationships between the characters. It is also well paced as it never lets up and has new twists in every chapter. I also like the writing style which is easy to read but absorbing.

The plot is great. Every time Paula turns round there is more evidence supporting Sherman's accusations and implicating her in Larry Burger's murder and the others that follow. The DA is out to crucify her for destroying the conviction but Paula has the support of Penley, her lieutenant and some co-workers. I had no trouble identifying with Paula and her plight so the read gets quite tense as more "evidence" comes to light and the DA intensifies her witch hunt. Hats off to Mr L'Etoile for his cunning.

The characterisation is adequate for what is more a thriller than a police procedural. Penley and Newberry are smart, dedicated detectives with a thirst for justice. Penley has trouble at home with frequent references to events in the previous novel. I haven't read it but there is enough of a summary to understand its impact and allow Bury the Past to stand alone comfortably. Paula is a strong woman who is bowed down by weight of what comes at her but rather than breaking it makes her fight back determinedly.

I would like to give special mention to the last chapter which, while short, is an excellent end to an exciting read.

Bury the Past is a great, fast paced read which I have no hesitation in recommending.