Thank you to Net Galley, the publishers and the authors for an ARC copy for a honest review. I was a little lost as this was book 3 in the series. I made some assumptions that were correct to catch up. Full of action and intrigue. I will have to go back and read the others in the series.

Great read.. Really like this story. Fell in nicely with the.ones before this. I think reading series in order makes it more enjoyable.. Characters are fun .

A nice, light read.... nothing too heavy, as expected, but struggled a bit to complete. I appreciate the opportunity to review it!

Writer career choices:
a) Book author
b) Propaganda, disinformation, and scheme development for governments
c) Counter-intel agent for governments
d) Office job in a cubicle (it's this one).

After their successful operation in China, Ian and Margo are back in the USA. Margo is Ian's CIA handler, Ian has writers' block and a movie star girlfriend, and the CIA want the next "story" from Ian. Someone is pulling the strings of US sentiments, trying to spark a civil war, and the CIA wants Ian to figure it out. Can he figure it out with an unhealthy dose of cable news and overseas holiday?

I've thoroughly enjoyed this series so far. In Fake Truth, Lee has pulled together a funny and exciting adventure with some biting critiques of our current political landscape. It's exactly the sort of fun time you want from a novel released in 2020.

One of my favourite aspects of Fake Truth was the various characters and their real-life inspirations. How can you go past an American movie star, overweight, past his prime, pony-tail, and now in Russia writing propaganda for the Kremlin? It made me laugh even before getting to the part where he referred to himself as the greatest writer of all time.

Well worth reading.

NB: I received an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am digging this series by Lee Goldberg! A great addition to the series was Fake Truth!


I voluntarily reviewed this book.

This was not my favorite book by this author. For me it seems like he let his political beliefs drive the story. It just wasn’t something I was interested in reading. I can turn on the TV and watch if I want to be bombarded with conspiracy theories. I have liked this author in the past, but not this one. Thank you to net galley for a copy.

Fans of bestselling author, Lee Goldberg, and his Ian Ludlow series will welcome the third installment of the series, Fake Truth where Ian helps a Chinese actress defect to the US and then finds himself in the middle of a real-life spy espionage situation where he involves Margo French, his sidekick. As usual, this is a comedy of errors, and readers will be on the edges of their seats, not only with laughter, but some building suspense that Goldberg manages to include in the story.

Goldberg has a vivid imagination and that’s what makes this series so fun. There is plenty of good humor without graphic violence, sex, or language, and Ludlow, who is trying to write (he is a bestselling writer), but can’t seem to get it together, is so involved in the serious problems he faces, he may just lose his life.

Goldberg’s characters are well-developed, and the story, while bizarre at times, is easy to follow. The characters don’t seem like they are real – rather more like that in a comic book, and that makes this a fun novel to read. However, in this novel Goldberg makes a huge mistake and offends everyone with a brain with a liberal political statement. This should be unacceptable for a bestselling writer, and most of us who are conservative will find someone else to read from now on, since there are hundreds of other authors and like most of us, some of them may have brains.

If you are a liberal, you’ll enjoy this installment as much as the others. If not, you may want to skip this one and read an author with a brain who thinks like you.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

I received an ARC of Fake Truth from the publisher/Net Galley in exchange for my honest review, and at first, I was a bit doubtful, because I was aware of Goldberg mainly as the author of the Monk mystery series, which somehow just didn’t click with me. But after reading this book, I’m really glad I read it.

Fake Truth is built on the idea that thriller writer Ian Ludlow keeps coming up with fictional terrorism ideas that turn out to come true. These include small things – like early in the story when Ian comments on the irony that the CIA has a safe house in Syria, Virginia, and then wonders if the CIA also has safe houses in Moscow, Maryland and Lebanon, Pennsylvania; only to find out that in fact, it does. And his penchant for dreaming up “true” fictional terrorist plots also includes big things – but if I described those in this review, they would be spoilers! It’s a device that has been used before, but Goldberg does it really well.

Goldberg also has a nice touch for the zany, so that I laughed out loud more than once while reading this book, which is rare for me. I also liked the way the characters bounced around the world, so that I got to see some places I have visited, which is always fun, and some I haven’t been to, which is also fun. And, I liked the political timeliness of it all, and was amused by Goldberg’s comment in his acknowledgements section at the end that some days he had to decide “whether to re-plot [his] story so that [his] fiction would still be fiction, or to just keep going, reality be damned”.

The only downside I felt in the book was that I just never warmed up to the character of Wang Mei. I don’t know if it might have helped if I had read the first two books in the series first. Mostly, I didn’t feel at a disadvantage not having read the series in order, since Goldberg does a pretty good job of filling in background, but maybe if I had “met” Wang Mei before, I might have liked her more now. All-in-all, though, I really enjoyed Fake Truth a lot, and now plan to go back and read the first couple of books in the series.

Please note that I tend to be pretty conservative in awarding stars, only giving five stars to maybe one in thirty or forty books, and this is one of them. And my thanks again to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy!

While I don't agree with all the political views in this book, it is a "story". The fact that some of the instances in this "story" are all too realistic, it is still just a "story". That being said, it was a good continuation of this series, of which I hope for more. Also nice to see a few good comedic scenes.

I can't say that I liked this because I LOVED it!!! I couldn't put it down from the minute I picked it up which was a nice treat - it's been a long time since I found a book that keeps you on the edge of your seat yet still takes the time to create likeable characters instead of just non-stop action about nothing.

I'm a big fan of this author, and discovered him after reading Lost Hills. I was excited to read this new novel because the plot sounded fun.

Overall, I liked the book, and it was definitely a page-turner. It took me a while to get into the rhythm of the story and there were quite a few characters, so that took some time to wrap my head around. Once the story gelled, this was hard to put down, and thankfully, the chapters were relatively short, so it was easy to say "I'll just read one more chapter".

I won't say the story was believable because it was pretty far-fetched, but that's what we want in a good book - something that will suspend reality and take us away to another place. The subplot about the Hollywood and Vine tv show was ridiculous and I would have left that out.

Overall, I'd recommend this to anyone who likes a quick, easy spy novel, laced with humor, and I'm ready for the next book from this author.

Very rare for me, but I didn't finish this book. It wasn't a problem that I was reading 3rd book in the series. The author made it easy to catch up. My problem was the content. If I wanted to hear about Russians pushing fake news in the American social media, I'd just turn on the news. I'm tired of all the conspiracy theories. I felt my anxiety rise as I was reading so I quit at 25%.
A liberal that likes this type of unconfirmed theories might like this book. It fills in the blanks and makes the theories seem like fact. But it's not for me.
I'd like to read something on a different subject by this author.

“Fake Truth” by Lee Goldberg is part of the Ian Ludlow series, but new readers easily catch through numerous explanations within the context of the current narrative. Each chapter identifies date, location, and time so characters, action, and complications are easily tracked. The story has multiple geographic settings, and all are sources of crime, espionage, political intrigue, and general nastiness, enough to make one want to wear a baseball cap covered with aluminum foil. The story is told from all points of view so readers see the conspiracy, the plans, and the deception of all participants.
This is the tale of the real becoming fiction and fiction becoming real. The story unfolds in a casual conversation driven narrative. There are two separate story lines; on one hand, “The Kitchen” a terrorist group, plans to manipulate the American people by creating fake news using social media and TV to advance their agenda. On the other hand, Ian Ludlow, film, TV, and novel writer, is out of ideas for the next book in his thriller series. He seeks plot inspiration by investigating the accidental deaths of two American tourists. These two stories become intertwined with disastrous results.
The settings and descriptions paint a colorful, vivid picture for readers. “The stone buildings, none taller than four stories, were packed so tightly together that they formed an unbroken wall of rusting wrought iron.”
“Fake Truth” is filled with bad guys who have bad behavior. Truth becomes fiction, and fiction becomes fact. After all, no one tells the truth on television. I received a review copy of “Fake Truth” from Lee Goldberg, and Thomas & Mercer. It was quick to read and quite entertaining. It was filled with unusual twists and turns as the deception unravels.

Fake Truth was an entertaining romp that made me laugh out loud at times. I like Goldberg's fast-paced plotting and breezy writing style, and absolutely loved his novel Lost Hills. The difference between that series and this one, for me, is that I didn't really care about Ian or feel invested in him, as I do Lost Hills' Eve Ronin. I think that is likely because of the glib, humorous style of this series--the action, plotting and humor were great, but this style of writing didn't allow for plumbing the depths of the characters in a way that made me feel deeply invested. Still, Goldberg knows how to entertain.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

Book Review: Fake Truth (Ian Ludlow Thrillers #3) by Lee Goldberg
(Published by Thomas & Mercer)

3 Stars

"True Fiction", Book 1 in the series, was a March 2018 Amazon First Reads offering, and a refreshing and entertaining approach to the spy novel, well-written, with a tongue-in-cheek slapstick bend. It wasn't surprising to subsequently learn the author co-wrote the hilarious Tony Shalhoub-bannered "Monk" series, and is a TV network writer /producer /adviser and Hollywood star in his own right.

In "Fake Truth", Book 3, my second book read in the series, Deepfake meets the Russia Hoax in a Rachel Maddow pipe dream.

That it goes over the top is an understatement.

Peppered with lame, unappealing, gratuitous sex quite unnecessary for the plot, the book contrives and plods through 300 pages of uninspired filler chapters to expound on a perfect storm of the most cringeworthy fake news theories espoused daily by rabid talking heads without the price of a book.

To wit: an American Vice President who's secretly a Chinese spy, blackmailed for his past indiscretions, and doubling as a CIA misinformation tool; a key cabinet member, the AG, proudly wearing a badge of "KKK Grand Dragon"; a video "deepfaked" by Russian operatives and the threat of war with Mexico by an uncouth, unnamed POTUS; and, for the coup de grâce, a "top-rated "Fox News host unveiled as a Russian mole.

Check, check and check.

Ha, ha, ha, and wow.

Certainly fans of Maddow's Salieri, and even Cuomo's Fredo (gloriously named and endowed in the book with a cameo role, probably unwittingly), would rave with sheer delight.

But for Lee Goldberg fans, or those aspiring to be loyal readers, a sorry disappointment.

Review based on an e-galley ARC from Thomas & Mercer through NetGalley.

Halfway through this book, the third starring Ian Ludlow, I already recognized it as the best one in the series. The story shows a natural growth from the second in the series, which also built upon the first. This time, the hero doesn't have a book he's working on that happens to coincide with a nefarious real-world plot, as was the case with the prior two novels. In fact, he has writer's block and has to be encouraged to go on a research trip, where the CIA hopes his instincts will uncover another conspiracy. With this series so far, Goldberg deftly avoids formulaic trappings that can plague a series, managing to keep me fully interested, and excited for the next entry. Not only that, but the writing has matured a bit from Killer Thriller, with many fewer groan-inducing lines this time. I believe that style comes from Goldberg treating these books more like action comedies than his last book, the also-excellent Lost Hills (the first in a different series), and the sophomoric lines describing various villains' habits or bodily functions are intended to be funny. I just don't personally like that style of humor, so I was happy to encounter less of it this go-round.

You pick up from the last book with Ian home from China with the actress Wang Mei. She has defected to the U.S. and though she is put up by herself she ends up at Ian’s house. Things turn really strange for Ian during an episode of Match Game, yes that old 70’s game show starring Gene Rayburn, they really had a good time watching it (not). By the time Margo shows up at his house things a really different but she picks up on everything. Bored and Ian with writer's block they call their handler at the CIA and look for anything to do. Finding two American tourists have fallen to their deaths in a foreign country they go there. This actually sets off a change of events for them that will put them right in the middle of their own show.
The show that was written in Russia was started and executed but you the reader really doesn’t know that as you begin this book. It is not until you are really into the book that you start putting the pieces together and once again the author has sucked you into this story and you don’t want to leave. Besides who wants to with all of the unique characters. Maybe it is because I can relate to a few of them.
This is a story that will keep your mind going with the different characters and at the same time treat you the reader to an adventure of wanting to read, to find out what happens next to our cast of characters. The author has done a wonderful job once again and you will not be disappointed in this book at all. Very much worth the read.

Day 14 of Lockdown, fourth review, and this was certainly another enjoyably silly action romp spoof in the Ian Ludlow series, about an author whose preposterous plots uncannily predict real conspiracies. This is the third book in the series and while you do get enough backstory to just dive in, the first two are a lot of fun and would give you a much better understanding of the characters. This one is another fast easy read, but either the formula is wearing thin, or too much of the humour was replaced with sex, and I didn’t love it, but I liked it.

Days after the events of Killer Thriller, Ian and Margo have returned home, but their escapades have convinced the CIA that they need Ian to keep creating plots that will help them spot threats to national security. A secretive Russian agency is using hackers and sleeper agents to trigger a conflict between the USA and Mexico by manipulating news stories. Suffering from writer’s block and the not unwelcome attentions of the Chinese movie star he rescued in the last book, Ian travels to Portugal with Margo to investigate the apparent death-by-selfie of a young American couple, but his overactive imagination spots the truth - and hurls them into danger once more.

The key to these books in understanding that they are unashamedly p**s-takes, spoofing the James Bond series (which is repeatedly mentioned) and countless other cheesy action movies. Don’t take them seriously and you’ll enjoy the ride. Ian and Margo make marvellously likeable partners - he’s tubby, uncoordinated and unfit, and knows his limitations while yearning to be his fictional creation Clint Straker. Margo is cool and deadly but still sympathetic.
The multiple antagonists caricature a whole variety of American personalities, including the president while still making a point about how vulnerable we all are to Fake News.

I wasn’t so impressed by the multiple sex scenes and smutty jokes, which were unnecessary and spoiled it a bit for me, but I did enjoy the return of Ronnie “The Vine” Mancuso , complete with tinfoil hat. I hope this isn’t the end of this series as I do like this author’s style. My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc which allowed me to give an honest review. Fake Truth is available now.

I have to say that I enjoy these novels. I was first introduced to Lee Goldberg’s writing when he coauthored along side Janet Evanovich for the ‘The Fox and O’Hare’ series. Because I love that series, I decided to check out Lee’s other work and I’m glad I did. I do have to say though, ‘True Fiction’, the first novel to the Ian Ludlow series, will always be my all time favorite (I throughly enjoy Ronnie).

‘Fake Truth’ brings out my growing concern that ALL news is manipulated for ratings, hence, why I rarely listen, watch or read anything ‘news worthy’. Other then that, I don’t care much about Wang Mei and would love to see more of Ronnie added into the Ian/Margo tag team.

Schlubby thriller writer Ian Ludlow is suffering from writer’s block, which could mean the end of the world. In previous exploits, Ludlow’s fertile imagination has saved the U.S. president and helped a beautiful, imperiled actress defect from China. But now another plot is unfolding across the globe, leaving seemingly disconnected death, discord, and suspicion in its wake. Will Ludlow be able to tease together the storyline behind the plot and concoct a counter-narrative in time to save humanity? Or will Match Game reruns, avoidance sex with the lovely Chinese actress, and Ludlow’s silicon doll of a 1996-era Denise Richards prove too much of a distraction?

This book was not for me. I have enjoyed other Lee Goldberg novels, especially “Lost Hills.” This was more of a leering satire of the genre of unlikely heroes facing staggering odds who try to save the world in implausible ways. If you enjoy that genre, and if you enjoy a wildly exaggerated plot, you may enjoy this caper. There are some funny lines, and Goldberg knows how to build suspense.

That was not enough to keep my interest. Most of the male characters were two-dimensional caricatures of hot-button issues – immigration, conspiracy, disinformation, espionage – not complex people struggling in a complex world. Most of the women were either icy killers or vapid self-promoters. The plot unfolded as though Woody Allen was trying to write a leading man part for himself: The world turns on the words of a writer. A gorgeous Chinese actress has repeated meaningless sex with him. Ick.

Three stars because this book taught me that there are oil wells all over Beverly Hills, disguised in ordinary-looking buildings. That’s something I want to remember. The rest of the book, not so much.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.