Member Reviews
Eve Ronin is the youngest homicide detective in the history of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, due in large part to viral videos showing her punching out a much bigger bully and saving a baby from a flaming airplane. The sheriff, delighted with the positive publicity her heroics gave to the department, gave her this dream assignment at the Lost Hills sheriff’s station in Calabasas. Colleagues who’d worked for years toward that assignment are resentful, and let her know that.
The only one who has her back is her partner, Duncan, aka Doughnuts. Like the rest of the cops, he knows she’s aggressive, stubborn, and sometimes reckless and foolhardy, but she has the makings of a great detective, if she can stay alive long enough. Their latest case involves skeletal remains in Hueso Canyon, revealed by a recent wildfire. It’s not unusual for bodies to turn up here, either deliberately or accidentally. The latest casualty is Sabrina Morton, a young woman who’s been missing for six years.
Sabrina went to the Lost Hills sheriff’s station shortly before her disappearance, reporting that she’d been raped by three men the night before. The only clue to the rapists’ identities was the unique tattoo they all had. Nothing came of the investigation, and Sabrina’s case was forgotten.
With her usual tenacity, Eve gathers all the evidence on the case, determined to get justice for Sabrina. Her boss urges her to drop it, intimating that it was better to let sleeping dogs lie. Does she let that stop her? Of course not. The closer she gets to the truth, the more bad things happen to her: really bad things. Someone is determined to shut down her investigation, no matter the cost.
Eve Ronin is a flawed but heroic protagonist, smart and fierce. The other characters are three dimensional and believable. The plot is as twisty-turny as the roads of Los Angeles County that Eve travels, with a twist at the end the reader won’t see coming. Lee Goldberg knows those roads, and one feels that he’s taking us on a guided tour. It being Los Angeles, a couple of subplots involve obnoxious movie stars and crackpot neighbors, and agents who want to turn her life into a tv series. This is another winner in Goldberg’s long list of winners.
I thoroughly enjoyed the second book in the Eve Ronin series. I enjoyed the character development explaining more about Eve's family and past and I hope there continue to be more installments to further develop her character! I have read several books penned by Lee Goldberg and enjoy the pictures he paints with words to involve his readers in their sagas.
This one, in my opinion, is a bit tougher to read due to content than Lost Hills #1. Still, I finished it quite quickly (in a day!) and found it to be an enthralling read. What I love about both Eve Ronin novels so far is that I haven't really figured anything out when it all gets revealed!
Eve is fairly likable but, at times, she is frustrating to the reader due to her rigidity. Often, she seems to think she is better than the people around her for doing things differently. However, this book delves into her realizing that she might be wrong about that.
Overall, the story and thriller portion of this is good. Most of the characters are downright unlikable, but, based on the content of this book, I'd say that's on purpose. You still come out of the book feeling like you may have witnessed a real mystery being solved, which is pretty cool.
Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The second book in the Eve Ronin Series, Bone Canyon, picks up shortly after Lost Canyon ended. After a wildfire exposes bones in the Los Angeles Hills, Eve Ronin and her partner Duncan become involved in trying to solve the case. I found this to be a great follow up to the first novel and Lee Goldberg's portrayal of a female homicide detective, in what is very clearly a man's world, to be strong and solid. While it did get a little bit ridiculous at times, I did thoroughly enjoy reading and will be picking up the third book when it is released.
Excellent cold case mystery. I especially liked the premise. A unique storyline. There was a little less thought about mystery tropes. Thus the 4 star rating. All in all, a really engaging read.
In “Bone Canyon,” Book Two of the Eve Ronin series, Eve once again needs to demonstrate to her colleagues that she is much more than just a headline-grabbing member of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, something she has been accused of many times since her promotion to Detective. Her achievements are hers and hers alone, as has always been the case for the youngest homicide detective in the department. With a soon to be retired partner, Eve understands that soon she will truly be on her own. When a raging wildfire in the Santa Monica Mountains exposes the scattered bones of a long-missing woman, Eve makes it her mission to find the killer. With a killer on the loose and mounting aggression towards her from within the Sheriff’s department, Eve’s life is on the line as she relentlessly pursues truth and justice, so she can once again speak for the dead and prevent the death of another victim. “Bone Canyon” is an unputdownable thriller with just the right amount of humor to balance the darkness, one that makes the reader wish they hadn’t read through it so quickly.
This book was so interesting from an archeology point of view. The things that can be uncovered in the makeup of our skeleton. While somewhat sad it was good for all of the characters who has lost loved ones to have closure. I have read other books from this author and never disappoint
Eve Ronin is one to watch. I loved the fast-paced, edge of your seat-ness of Lee Goldberg's writing. Twists, turns, gasps. This book has it all. I can't wait to read more.
The second installment of the Eve Ronin series impressed me just as much as the first. The driven young detective is back after recuperating from the events of #1, and she's facing even more scrutiny after all of the new publicity from the murders that she solved and her dramatic rescue of a young girl. There's pressure to get an agent and sell her story, the animosity at her station is palpable, and even her physical therapist is on her case. Then some bones are found on a hillside after a fire wiped out all of the vegetation, and the game is afoot. I enjoyed all of the denouement is this one, except perhaps the twist at the end. It seemed a little unresolved/unbelievable, and for me this was a 4.5 star read. But keep reading I will - can't wait for #3!
Bone Canyon by Lee Goldberg. Like watch a movie, page turner fast paced reliable characters and a twisty ending. Felt the story line bogged down a bit with the bedroom scenes. Interesting addition to the series.
Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.
Thank you to Net Galley, the publishers and the author Lee Goldberg for an ARC copy for an honest review. Book 2 in the Eve Ronin series.
A catastrophic wildfire scorches the Santa Monica Mountains, exposing the charred remains of a woman who disappeared years ago. The investigation is assigned to Eve Ronin, the youngest homicide detective in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, a position that forces her to prove herself again and again. This time, though, she has much more to prove.
Bones don’t lie, and these have a horrific story to tell. Eve tirelessly digs into the past, unearthing dark secrets that reveal nothing about the case is as it seems. With almost no one she can trust, her relentless pursuit of justice for the forgotten dead could put Eve’s own life in peril.
It may be yet another LA-based police series, but Goldberg knows how to tell a compelling story with a great female character, although not read number one in the series, this second in the series explains so well the detail of book one, and I felt completely into this book, very well paced, gripping thriller.
Several weeks after the events of "Lost Hills" Eve is back on the job. When some bones get discovered thanks to the big fire that devastated the county, Eve and her partner Duncan get involved in some old cases that are pretty close to their hearts, and yes Duncan is a great asset to this series.
Fall back from the first in the series is she's also dealing with Hollywood knocking on her door after her recent notoriety and some colleagues that still see her as undeserving of her position in the sheriff's department.
Eve Ronin is a compelling character who has her flaws, still learning her job and well supported by Duncan or Donuts.
A crafty, clever, compelling, well paced mystery thriller, a good story with some great twists.
Clear four star, close to five stars!
This is a compelling story and book 2 in the Eve Ronin series. I really loved the characters and the setting, which was beautifully described, of the canyons around L.A. Eve is a well developed character and I liked the unique spin to the police investigation. I would highly recommend this series of books and I look forward to reading the next in the series. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.
A mystery thriller with a tight plot, a lead female detective and a good final twist that I never saw coming. For a person who is so dedicated in her mission, her entry into homicide could have been better than by a YouTube video. The book kept me engaged and I didn't feel like putting it down. An enjoyable read.
Eve Ronin isn't just the youngest, newest member of the elite LA homicide department, she's also the least popular with her colleagues, who resent the way she muscled her way onto the squad. That's the backstory in this second outing for Eve in Goldberg's new series, worth mentioning because it explains the lack of cooperation she gets from the seaports bewhen the aftermath of a catastrophic fire reveals some grisly human remains. Determined to identify the bodies and trace their path to a burned out mountain clearing, Eve soon finds herself at the center of another high profile case, which unfolds in an unpredictable fashion that holds the reader's attention all the way to the denouement.
Eve Ronan is a popular star on Youtube after a video shows her taking down a criminal, she is also a homicide detective. Cops aren't fond of her because her father was a crooked and most hated cop around LA. When a wild fire uncovers bones she and her partner are assigned to find out who they belong too. Then more bones are discovered and they begin to wonder if they have a body dump.
A good story and I enjoyed it, although the whole youtube thing sort of spoiled it a bit and the way she became a homicide detective seemed unreal. Otherwise the story was okay, it kept me reading until the very end.
I could not put this novel down! Every page has a new twist and turn to it. Lee Goldberg definitely captures the danger and magic of the Santa Monica terrain as well as dealing with the danger zone of politics and corruption. Detective Eve Ronin is a fabulous series lead and I'm looking forward to a series with this driven, smart, stubborn woman. Eve works twice as hard as her colleagues, as she proves her worth. She is a riveting character and Bone Canyon is a riveting thriller.
Eve Ronin has gained her dream job; she is not only photogenic but the youngest homicide detective in Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Eve worked hard to justify her promotion by solving a triple murder. Escaping a wildfire whilst saving a child and putting down a “hero” movie star misbehaving was her job, but unknowingly being filmed has not endeared her to Management or her colleagues. Eve is unwittingly now an action heroine in social media.
Duncan Pavone is her partner and only friend in the Department. He is four months from retirement and while cynical and tired, Eve trusts and depends on his experience to guide her.
A wildfire raging in the Santa Monica Mountains has uncovered human remains in the backyard of Sherwood Mintner, a power in Hollywood who promotes all attention. When other remains are uncovered nearby, the investigation changes dramatically.
A gripping crime thriller and if you are looking for a new favourite heroine, Eve Ronin can easily fill this role.
I love Lee Goldberg's books and the first one I discovered was Lost Hills, the first installment of the Eve Ronin series. This sequel did not disappoint.
There's nothing deep or serious about the book - it's just straight-up entertainment with a strong dose of badass woman power. Eve Ronin is flawed, but she takes her job so seriously, you know she's going to piss people off, get hurt in the process of solving a crime, and most importantly, solving that crime (or maybe two or three).
I'm hoping there's at least another book in the series because I love revisiting these characters.
Eve Ronin is working with her partner Duncan for the Los Angeles Sheriff's department when they get a call saying that human bones have been discovered following devastating forest fires in the rural districts.
What follows is a terrific crime story which takes Eve and Duncan on a journey back to crimes carried out six years earlier - a journey which others will do anything to keep quiet.
Secrets and lies make it harder than ever for Eve to know who to trust.
I really enjoyed this thriller - but was let down by the final chapter which may make sense considering where Eve lives in Los Angeles but made no sense in this novel.
Bone Canyon by Lee Goldberg is the second in the Eve Ronin series. Bone Canyon could be read as a stand-alone book, and I didn't feel as if I missed anything by not reading the first one in the series.
I liked the main character of Eve because of her flaws and determination and wanting to do the right thing even though people were putting obstacles in her way. I'm disappointed that her partner Duncan is retiring. But I hope there will be more of him in future books.
The story unfolded with great action and mystery. It had just enough police procedural information, but not where it was confusing to read or understand.
There were moments when I laughed aloud during interactions between Eve and Duncan, and moments where I rolled my eyes at Eve's interactions with her mother. Excellent writing and character development by Lee Goldberg.
I really enjoyed the characters and the storyline. I never saw the ending coming on who the suspect was, and that makes for a great book, in my humble opinion. I like a good mystery where I am guessing until the reveal.
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