Gated Prey by Lee Goldberg is an enthralling and engrossing read with a great plot and characters! Well worth the read

3.5 but since such a fast enjoyable read I am rounding up 4
This is Book # 3 in the Eve Ronin series
Story starts when Detective Eve Ronin and her partner Duncan Pavone are in the middle of a sting to catch home invaders who have been terrorizing the residence in an exclusive gated community in Calabasas. (One of the riches communities in the US ~ recently beat out Beverly Hills!)
They are in disguise; Duncan is the wealthy older guy and Eve the sexy ‘midlife crisis wife’ ~they do look like a wealthy couple who would live in this upscale Hollywood type community. They are convincing in this role and soon enough the mansion in which they have secured is visited by three men dressed as Southern California Gas Service Employees, They don’t fool our detectives, Eve calls for back up but the sting goes wrong and the three robbers end up dead. Story continues as they are sure they were not alone.

There are two other stories going.
One is what seems like a routine stillbirth but, of course, something more. (Author Lee Goldberg note in his Acknowledgements that his inspiration for this was a true Crime. (Many readers might be uncomfortable reading this.)

Then there is the proposal that Eve’s story be a TV series.
As for why the TV series ~ although this story can be read as a standalone Eve’s background is glossed over in this story as more information was in the earlier books. There are hints as to why they want her story to be a TV series. (In fact, this story reads a bit like a TV script.)
Awww I remember Angie Dickinson playing ‘Sergeant Pepper Andersen’ in the 1974 “Police Woman” series. Only Pepper was likeable. The scrips Eve has been reading about herself are that she is bossy and unlikable.
I am sure that we will be reading more about the adventure of Eve Ronin in the next book!!!!

Want to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this early release granted to me for my honest professional opinion.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for October 26, 2021.

A Supercharged Police Procedural Thriller

Los Angeles County Sheriff Deputies, Eve Ronin and Duncan Pavone, were undercover as an elderly gentleman with his much younger companion to lure in serial robbers preying on such couples in gated communities. Their operation works but not as planned. The novel charges off like a top fuel dragster from here.

The pace of the novel does not slow down. This is an action novel wrapped around a police procedural. Action is more by gut feelings and generally realistic but may be not in execution. There are several treads in the main storyline. There are the serial robberies, and a still birth that falls on Eve and Duncan to investigate. There are several threads that continue from the previous novels, her relationship with other deputies, whether and how much to participate in a TV series based upon her meteoric rise in the Sheriff Department, and new thread that appears to be the basis of the next novel. I’ll let you discover the nature of that thread. The fast pace and action captured my interest quickly and maintained it all the way to the end. Tension was maintained by the action vice twists and turns, but there was a major twist that sealed the deal.

The storyline on Eve becomes more developed mainly through her thoughts — she is the narrator throughout the novel — and her actions and discussions with her partner, deputies, superiors, mother and sister. I did enjoy the more in-depth portrayal of Duncan and Eve’s sister in this novel. With the rapid pace of the novel, the level was adequate. Any more would have bogged down the flow of the novel.

For aspects to which some readers object, this novel was better than the previous novels in this series. There are not any intimate scenes. There is some swearing but not to a red flag level for me. This is an action novel, and there are shoot outs described in the more edgy as it occurs. While the storyline is a little over the top, the violence is not.

This is the third book in this series, and I have read them both previous novels. This book can be read first as I did not find any holes to hinder understanding of how previous novels play a role in this novel. Another aspect I do not like is what I call “who shot JR” ending. The last main storyline thread I mentioned previously, for me did not meet that criterion. It is just a continuation of threads from a previous novel without an association to a real mystery. As I wrote above, this is a fast-paced novel geared to action and may be a slightly over the top. The intellectual depth is shallow. It definitely will not win a Nobel Prize for literature, but is it worth reading? I put this book in the same category as a James Bond or Mission Impossible movie. I watch for the entertainment of pure adrenaline and not for realism. That is how I judged this novel. I rate it with four stars. If you are interested in a fast and entertaining read, this book is a candidate.

I received a free e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from Thomas & Mercer. My review is based only by my own reading experience of this book. I wish to thank Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

Wow, another great read in the Eve Ronin series. A little of a hard subject, but was very interesting. Same great characters, with great pacing and story again. Can't wait for the next book in this series. #GatedPrey #NetGalley

I just finished Gated Prey by Lee Goldberg, the third book in the Eve Ronin series. The first two books are short, fast paced and funny and Gated Prey is no exception. Eve Ronin is such a strong and likable character and she makes a perfect team with Duncan Pavone. Lee Goldberg captures the locations and characters perfectly and his funny and witty dialogue is sometimes hilarious. If you enjoy a good and funny crime story then you'll like this. You don't need to have read the previous books but you will enjoy this more if you do. I highly recommend this book and series and also other books by Lee Goldberg.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for this advanced copy.

Police procedural. Female detective who has background issues that impact her life on and off the job. Likable, soon-to-retire partner who offers sensible advice based on a long and stellar career. A couple of murders that need solving that threaten the lives of the aforesaid detective and her partner. There you have it: this book has checked all the boxes that make a book a real treat for me to read.

As were, I hasten to add, the first two in the series featuring Los Angeles County Sheriff's detective Even Ronin ("Lost Hills" and "Bone Canyon"). No surprise, then, when I had a chance to get a pre-release review copy of this one (thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley), I didn't hesitate to take it. And for the record, it takes more than just the above-mentioned list to get a 5-star review from me; the story also must be well-written and entertaining. All rightee, then, make that two more boxes checked.

Eve, the youngest homicide detective in department history, has made enemies among a number of her co-workers for her actions in the previous books. Her partner, Duncan Pavone, isn't among them; clearly, he's got her back all the way (well, at least until his retirement in a couple of months, after which Eve hopes he'll become a technical adviser on an in-the-works TV series about her life). As the story opens, the pair are working undercover to catch whoever has been robbing residents of a gated community of hoity-toity homeowners in Calabasas. Their plan works but goes sideways fast - resulting in three dead bodies (not to worry - none is Eve or Duncan).

Department honchos want nothing more than to shove the case into a closed folder never to be opened again, but Eve and Duncan aren't so sure that's where it belongs so they vow to follow up on their own. Then, the partners are sent to check on a woman who reported having a late-term miscarriage (standard department procedure for such events). It turns out, though, that it's far from a "standard" event; this one, too, raises far more questions than answers (and, BTW, might be upsetting to squeamish readers).

Everything gets resolved in the end - with a twist or two - except for a few intriguing issues that no doubt will be carried over to the next-up book. Soon, please?

Lee Goldberg, where have you been all my life?!! Gated Prey is #2 in the Eve Ronin series by Lee Goldberg. I sure want to read #1! Eve Ronin is a relatively short-tenured Los Angeles County Sheriff's detective. She's set up with her almost retired partner, Duncan Pavone, on a simple sting operations on home invasion robberies in a high-end neighborhood. The sting works, but three bad guys are left dead. In the meantime, Eve is searching for the answer to what happened to a baby abducted from his mother before he was born. Whew! What a story. Fast moving, suspenseful and hard to put down. A great whodunit, police procedural story. Eve is not always likeable, but we admire her stamina and sincere focus on getting the bad guys. I recommend it. You will love it! Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Like a bucket of housepaint dropped to the ground, its sudden surge finds nooks and grannies in which to spill its colorful contents. Nothing seems to quite stay within that bucket.

Detective Eve Ronin and her soon-to-be-retiring partner, Duncan Pavone, follow the law, but their pursuit of it may travel in different directions entirely. Their latest case is taking them undercover parading around in Calabasas County as an over the top rich couple renting a McMansion and driving around in a white Rolls-Royce with all the trimmings.

Ronin is the youngest female detective in the LA County Sheriff's Department. Pavone is clocking out time until he's poolside in retirement. His ties reflect every meal and snack that he's eaten in years. Ronin is a gifted analytical detective, but her personal life is a disaster. Her condo is being remodeled after a dead body was found there and her Subaru still hasn't passed the sniff test after garbage and dog feces were gifted inside. Hollywood is knocking on her door to create a series based on her wonky life. Eve hesitates to even crack the door a tiny bit.

The sting operation goes into chaos mode when the McMansion is subjected to a home invasion. The LASD has had homes in the area under surveillance for some time. Ronin and Pavone never bargained for the body count in the aftermath. Case closed? Not so fast.......

Lee Goldberg adds a true crime (Read Author's Notes at the end) in the next encounter with Ronin and Pavone. A woman has just given birth to a stillborn while in her home alone one evening. Our detectives are called out as the paramedics get there. This is one case that will certainly get your attention. Some unexpected happenings.......

Gated Prey is the third book in the Eve Ronin Series. (Get in on the ground floor already.) It does read as a standalone. This series has a wide scope of humor, sharp-ended dialogue, crazy chase scenes, and some deadly serious situations as well. Lee Goldberg is sculpting the character of Eve Ronin in all the right directions. I shutter to think what will happen to Duncan Pavone when his dance card is filled with retirement. Who can ever replace him? Let's see what Goldberg has up his sleeve in the next one.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to Lee Goldberg for the opportunity.

This is the third in the Eve Ronin series and I’ve enjoyed all of them.
Eve and Duncan are on an undercover sting operation, trying to catch some home invaders. The sting goes wrong and all three of the perpetrators end up dead.
While still investigating the robberies and whether there was an accomplice, they get called to what should be a routine stillbirth.
This is a fast paced story that kept my interest. There’s some well done humor here, but also some dark scenes. I love the partnership between Duncan and Eve. Duncan is determined not to become the cliche of a cop killed right before he retired. Eve is on the other end of the experience spectrum and is disliked because of her fast track into the detective ranks.
It’s also an interesting parallel that while Hollywood wants to make a tv series based on Eve’s career, this book reads like a tv series, with well imagined scenes and lots of little cliffhangers. But then, the About the Author section reminded me that Lee Goldberg writes tv scripts, so it all makes perfect sense.
I was convinced from early on that I could see how the home invasion plot was going to roll out. As usual, I was only partially right.
This is a series that needs to be read in order. Eve’s background is alluded to but not recapped in any detail.
My thanks to netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of this book.

I just finished Gated Prey by Lee Goldberg, and I loved it. It has not been released yet, so remember to look for it and get a copy when it is available on October 26, 2021.. This is the third book in the Eve Ronin series, but he has many other books in his bibliography including the Monk Series which became a successful television show.

Eve Ronin trusts only three other officers in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. She is the youngest female homicide detective in the department, and her fellow officers did not believe that she deserved that recent promotion to detective. Even worse is that soon after she was promoted, she gathered information on internal corruption that led to the arrests of several officers and the suicide of another. While most of the officers openly hate her, Eve is lucky that her partner Duncan is one of the officers she can still trust, although he is scheduled to retire in less than three months. Luckily for Eve, she is so popular with the public that her story was picked up by a network that plans on creating a new series based on her exploits.

Eve and Duncan have been assigned to investigate a series of robberies in a wealthy gated community in Calabasas, California – think Kardashian country. To lure the robbers, they are posing as an elderly, infirm man and his gold-digging young bride. They drive around town and to the gated community in a Rolls Royce confiscated in a drug bust. Their ruse works, and the robbers attack them in their rented mansion but escape without leaving much evidence to help Eve and Duncan figure out their identities, how they are accessing the gated community and how they are targeting their victims. As Eve and Duncan work to figure this out, they are harassed by members of their own department and their Chief, and that’s before the first murder takes place.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Gated Prey for anyone who likes a mystery/thriller that moves quickly. It is a great police procedural with likable and sympathetic police characters. There are lots of twists and turns until the final scene, which really surprised me and will stun you as well.

I love this series for the fast paced adrenaline ride that it promises. These books are short and sweet, not getting too bogged down with extra details. The newest installment was just that! I enjoyed the newest case and being reunited with the characters I’ve become invested in. This series never fails to shock me and keep me frantically turning pages. The newest was no exception! I’ve read every book in this series in one sitting because I was so hooked. If you like police procedurals featuring a bada** female detective, these are for you! My thanks to the publisher for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

Death fist is back. Eve Ronin and her retiring partner Duncan are hunting home invaders in gated communities. Throw in a woman who claims to find a dead baby in a dumpster and things aren’t adding up. Never fear our intrepid detective is on the case, whether anyone wants her to be or not. Oh and there’s that whole pesky thing about turning her life into a tv show. Nice fast-paced read. Love this series.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

In the third installment of the series, Detective Eve Ronin and her soon to be retired partner Duncan Pavone, are on an undercover sting to catch a team of home invaders. There is more to the crime than expected and some other cases/side plots also going on. While Eve was initially promoted to detective for optics, she is a tenacious and very good at her job.

This is a great fast-paced series. Eve and Duncan make a solid team. There was some excellent self reflection about herself when Eve is reading the Eve Ronin script.

I love this series! A series of home invasions, Eve and Duncan are undercover to set a trap for the culprits, works great, but things go wrong and despite the bosses wanting to close the case fast, Eve has too many questions. Then she has an even more disturbing call about a stillborn baby…. Never a dull moment with this series, with great characters. This is the third book in the series and the best yet! Keep them coming, Lee! Highly recommend this series!

Detective Eve Ronin and her partner, Detective Duncan Pavone, investigate a series of crimes inside a gated community in Calabasas, California. The detectives pose as bait to catch a gang of home-invading criminals. How are the criminals getting inside the highly-secured, gated community? How are they targeting people for their robberies? There are many complications in the case and mysteries to solve for the detectives.

The pacing of the action is good. Not too fast, but not overly slow either. The story opens up and elements are added just at the right moment to move things along and make it believable as a police procedural. Eve and Duncan have a great dialog and they seem well-written as characters. This is apparently the third in a series featuring these detectives, but I have not read the others yet. Eve has some background that is alluded to, but you get enough of the idea in this novel so that you can piece it together. She is apparently known in the department for standing up to corruption and making waves, which have not made her popular.

The detectives have a second case to solve when a homicide is uncovered in the gated community. This case could be an issue with some readers who are sensitive or have lost a young relative, so be cautious. It may be too gruesome for some readers to deal with.

Overall, the story is full of the kind of thing you expect to see in police buddy movies nowadays. Chases, shootouts, and action. It almost reads as if it was written to be filmed. The plot was good and the crimes complicated enough. The detectives get to the bottom of it all eventually. I liked that there was a complexity to the crimes so that the solution was not readily apparent to the reader from the beginning. That added to the suspense and kept me reading on to find out what was going to happen.

In Eve Ronin’s third suspenseful police procedural, she is confronted with a series of crimes in gated rich, Calabasas communities. With her almost to be retired partner, Duncan, Eve needs to discover if the criminal elements are coming into these communities, or if the danger emanates from within. The action is made-for-film, just as her life may soon become, if her family and agent get their way. It’s a bit gritty and puzzling. Goldberg always seems to have some link between crimes that only Eve is capable of finding. Solid entertainment. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

Gated Prey by Lee Goldberg is the third book in the Eve Ronin police procedural and crime thriller series and is set in and near Calabasas, California. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) Homicide Detective Eve Ronin and her soon to retire partner Duncan Pavone are playing a rich couple renting a house in a gated community. They are hoping to attract the gang responsible for a series of violent home invasions and robberies. The trap works, but who lives and who dies? Eve’s bosses want the case closed immediately, but she has a lot of unanswered questions.

Eve is an energetic and compelling main character and definitely someone you can root for. She works tirelessly, makes a few rookie mistakes while learning her job, but has clear goals and good instincts that influence the plot. Her motivations seemed believable, with well-drawn and appropriate emotions. As a reader, we begin to understand how Eve’s past affects her actions and emotions on this case. She is still not liked by most of her peers or superiors. The way she challenges things sets others on edge and impacts them and her. The reasons can be found by reading the first two novels in the series. Duncan’s character has more depth in this novel. While the case is not straight-forward, Eve and Duncan move forward with seeking justice. Then they get called to the scene of another death in a gated community. What is happening in this unusual case? Note: This second case could be difficult for some readers.

Overall, this is a tense, gritty, and engaging novel with wit, suspense, action, and some great twists as well as some violence. It is gritty, fast-paced and action-packed. The visual and auditory imagery came through vividly. If you enjoy excellent crime thrillers and police procedurals, then I recommend that you check out this one. This series should be read in order since Eve’s background and prior cases are important. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars. I am looking forward to finding out what happens on Eve’s next case.

Thomas & Mercer and Lee Goldberg provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for October 26, 2021.

Eve and her partner Duncan are trying to find out who is behind a series of home invasions in a wealthy gated community in Southern California. Eve is still at odds with her superiors in LA, enduring sexist treatment and anger for exposing some departmental corruption, and trusts very few of her fellow officers. If you enjoy gritty police procedurals like those written by Michael Connelly, give this series a try. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A quick and enjoyable read with good characters and a well knit plot though gruesome highlighting the arrogance of the rich. I like the different setting of LA law enforcement. Though the investigation is not on par with the previous books, it has its own set of twists and suspense. 4.5 stars

It's not that Detective Eve Ronin courts publicity, but when the media show up, she knows how to use them to her advantage. Early in this series (despite her youth and gender) she got a shot at an elite detective squad because someone filmed her taking down a bad guy and posted it on YouTube, where it went viral.

Over the series' three books, Eve's had several Media Moments. Her fellow cops resent her, and ranking officers give her kid-glove treatment. Not surprisingly, picturing Eve in action has quite a cinematic feel, since author Lee Goldberg has paid his dues in TV and film.

I've read all of Goldberg's books, and I like this series the best, for its humor and inside-Hollywood tone. Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance readers copy.