We are now pretty well into the Eve Ronin series. I was trying to think whether or not this book could be read as a stand alone and I think that it could. But, there would be a lot of back story that would be missing. Specifically, HOW Eve kind of blackmailed her way into becoming a successful Homicide Detective. It is glossed over in this 5th book and some things are mentioned briefly as they are now into filming the Ronin TV series. Without the back story though, the reader doesn't really understand how much Eve has been through because of that one viral video. While portions of the history are mentioned and we do get some back story, specific things like the level of vitriol that Eve throws at her producer father wouldn't really be understood. It might make Eve look especially petty and mean to a new reader when she REALLY does have reason to be angry with him. Things like that.

About this book. I'm so happy that Duncan has decided not to retire and I love the relationship that has developed between the two. He is especially funny in this book and seems to "get" Eve much more than he did in the beginning. Their working relationship has come a long way and it is good to see.

The case itself, well, without going into spoilers, I will admit that I had an idea immediately who was responsible for the initial killing. I did enjoy the case as it unfolded and in the end, there were definitely a lot of moving pieces. I also enjoyed seeing Eve's relationship with Daniel continuing to progress and it also felt like she was easing up a bit on the aloofness that we felt from her during the first few books.

There was definitely lots of action and drama as the story develops and everything does build until the final reveal. This wasn't my favorite book of the series, but I did enjoy it and am looking forward to continuing with the series.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. The opinions above are mine and mine alone.

Great read
This was a quick and fun read. It had everything I like in a police procedural: good main character (Eve Ronin, nice but a little flawed), good sidekicks, nice setting, and people you love to hate (reality TV stars).

This starts out with a reality star being shot and her brand new, enormous diamond stolen. You know, the one she was just flashing on social media. Then, bodies are being found buried in the woods around Hidden Hills, an area I had never hear of, but intrigued me enough to do a deeper dive into the real development. Eve Ronin has to find out who killed everyone and if their murders are connected.

There was a refreshing lack of twists. Some authors seem to think that they need one after another., each more outlandish. I guessed "who dunnit fairly early on", but the ending was still good.

I have enjoyed other books by this author and will continue to seek out the next installments.

Good read. I really enjoy reading this series. Kept you reading and looking forward to the unfolding plot. Love this author and this series. Strong characters. I recommened this to any crime book readers.

This is part of a series, background on the characters history is helpful or can be read as a standalone. I’ve read and enjoyed them all. The characters have personality, the locale is depicted by scenes I can see in my mind. Detectives and partners Eve and Duncan (Deathfist and Donuts) work out of the Calabasas Sheriff’s office where there’s hills, canyons and mountains. The area is notorious for being a good place to hide a body, thus bones are frequently discovered. Eve has her own TV series thanks to her excellent crime solving ability, it’s earned her the disdain of those she bypassed on her way up. The intertwining of movie sets with real life crimes is disruptive and many at her station aren’t thrilled with her fame. She has a new relationship with Daniel, a forensic anthropologist. She has a non-existent relationship with her absentee father and an eccentric mother. She has no backbone when it comes to her dysfunctional family.
As the wealthy influencers, TV personalities, athletes and various famous personalities look to escape crowded LA, McMansions spread behind recently developed gated communities. A new type of criminal element has followed the diamonds flaunted on Instagram – Chilean gangs. Eve and Duncan have a murder and robbery to untangle. It’s a case that has dead-end leads, a laundry list of suspects and an off-duty sheriff’s deputy, who acts like an old Western Marshall. The lines between real life and reality TV blur so much I had no idea who killed who, much less motives. There’s the victim’s large family, rappers, gang members, cops, news media and countless law enforcement personnel trying to solve the murder. This was an elaborate plot brimming with action and twists. Mr. Goldberg knows how to entertain, kept me guessing with my favorite installment yet. Can’t wait to read what he has in store next.
Thanks to NetGalley for the digital advance reader copy of “Dream Town” Eve Ronin #5, by Lee Goldberg, published by Thomas & Mercer. These are always my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without any compensation.

Eve Ronin returns in the 5th book in this series, and it’s another 5 star read. Homicide Detective Eve Ronin and her partner are tasked with investigating the home invasion and murder of a reality tv star in an exclusive community. Simultaneously, several corpses are found just beyond the gates of that community, and the hunt is on. The banter between the partners is priceless, the plot moves along seamlessly, and there are suspects galore in this fast moving story. If you haven’t been reading this series then you’re missing out on some of author Lee Goldberg’s best work, and fans won’t be disappointed. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The series is becoming formulaic with Eve running around in circles and getting a sudden insight in the conclusion. The suspense is also plain and simple and staring at the face of the detectives. Okay for the regulars of the series to keep in touch with the personal lives of the characters.

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

4+ stars

Detective Eve Ronin and her partner Duncan are back solving the murder of social media star Kitty Winslow in the gated equestrian neighborhood of Hidden Hills (a real place!!!).

This might be my favorite Eve Ronin book yet. The book is fast paced and entertaining. I highly recommend this book and the series.

One reason I connected with Net Galley was to find new authors to read and I found a gem in Lee Goldberg. His writing is witty and smart and I’ll read everything he has written now.

What is Hollywood waiting for? There are no better 'buddy cops' than Deathfist and Duncan Donuts in the genre. Dream Town is the latest proof of that from the mind of Lee Goldberg. Yes, Eve Ronin and Duncan Pavone are back again in another wildly entertaining book. This time they have to walk the mean streets which run between the real world and the world of reality tv shows. It's a case which is solved twice because, well, that's how Eve works. Dream Town is full of the fun we've come to expect from Goldberg. There is no shortage of colorful characters to keep you turning the pages. And Eve, when she's not coming up with clever sayings for T-shirts, also discovers there are things you can learn from old TV westerns. Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the advance reading copy in exchange for my honest opinion. #DreamTown

In this the 5th book in the Eve Ronin series the line between fantasy and reality is blurred for Eve as a TV show based on her own life begins filming while at the same time she and her partner Duncan "Doughnuts" Provone are called on to investigate the murder of Kitty Winslow, the glamorous daughter of a Reality television family similar to that in "Keeping Up With The Kardasians." Eve and Duncan are detectives with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The murder takes place in Hidden Hills, an exclusive gated community filled with the rich and famous. With everything seemingly under the eye of television cameras Eve and Duncan find it difficult separating TV fantasy from reality when dealing with the family and within the gated paradise that is Hidden Hills. Other cases involve skeletal remains found in a remote Malibu state park and gangs from Chili who burglarize homes of persons revealing their wealth on social media. Eve is an interesting character, a kind of female Harry Bosch who just wants to do her job, but continually finds a world of unwanted fame intruding and making an already tough job even tougher. I have read and enjoyed all of the Eve Ronin series. This one was no different, but the glimpse behind the scenes of "reality TV" made it even better. I recommend this entire series and suggest that you read them in order. Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for allowing me to read this advance copy in exchange for an unbiased review. The book is due to be published in January 2024.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is the 5th in the Eve Ronin series. I couldn’t wait for another installment of Eve and Duncan. Goldberg makes them jump out of the pages of the story. Eve is dealing with the filming of the series on how she became a LASD detective which she is very unhappy about but is trying to deal with. She is then called out to an abandoned ranch where bones have been found and they are trying to find the rest of the bodies. Eve and Duncan have been told to leave for now and a new search will begin in the morning. Then Eve and Duncan are called in to investigate who killed reality superstar Kitty Winslow which once again puts Eve into the spotlight. Pick up this fast-paced, action-packed book and join Eve and Duncan in another exciting adventure. Find out if Eve and Duncan can solve Kitty Winslow’s murder, and will they find the rest of the bodies in the desert? I give this book a 4.5 stars!

3.5, rounded.
Maybe it's me, but I felt like this read more eve dallas than eve ronin. That isn't the worst thing that could happen, but it wasn't quite what I was looking for either.

You can't not love Eve and root for her, she is smart, tough, and resilient. I tore through this book and didn't expect the outcome. Those are my favorite!

The super wealthy are safely hidden away in their gated and guarded private enclave,
where nothing can ever touch
them~ until it does. When there is a troubling and trouble case Homicide Detective Eve Ronin,
the youngest now most famous member of the LASD (Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department will be
brought into not only the case, but the
lives of a more
famous family and her estranged father,
who is directing the television series based loosely on the
really high profile case Eve solved.
This is an outstanding and ripped (almost) from the. news from a crime spree in a nearby community that gave a
brief burst of extra fame to the author, Lee Goldberg..) As we stick to the fictional story of greed, foreign gangs and
murder, the excitement is on every page and it’s a great ride. In order to be really mindful of spoilers, I will just say
that the criminals outnumber the good guys and the level of criminal sophistication is really well done with murder,
possible suicide and malfeasance in every walk of the storyline.
This is the 5th in this series and in my opinion, it’s really. best to read the series. While the book would certainly.
be exciting with no background, you’d miss a lot of the nuance.
I would highly recommend this to Lee’s massive fan base, to fans of Michael Connolly and Renee Ballard along
with a splash of Brad Taylor, minus the Military angle.
My thanks to NetGalley and Publisher Thomas and Mercer for a download copy of this book for review purposes.
I must also thank the Author for sending out three titles in a little over a year~ a treat for us all.

Dream Town is the latest installment in the Eve Ronin series. There is something in this novel for everyone— murders, skeletal remains uncovered, Chilean thugs, a reality TV family, production on the Ronin TV series, animosity toward Eve by many of her work colleagues, rap musicians , difficult family relationships and, finally, a romantic interest for her.. all of these happenings are blended together into a fast paced, well written and entertaining novel. I particularly enjoyed the Rottweiler incident.
I thank NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for the opportunity to read and review this intriguing novel prior to publication.

This was my first read by Lee Goldberg and I really enjoyed it. I think Eve Ronin is an absolute queen and I will definitely need to check out his other works after reading this one!

Thank you netgalley for the arc :-)

When beautiful reality star Kitty Winslow is murdered inside her home in an exclusive gated community, Detective Eve Ronin is assigned to the case. Everyone immediately suspects a gang of Chilean thieves were behind the murder, but Detective Ronin has her doubts. Her investigation becomes much more complicated when several bodies are unearthed on the land behind the community.

This is the fifth book in the Eve Ronin series, but I had not read any of the previous books. The author did a great job at recapping information that the reader might need to know from those previous books, but I think this book would probably work much better if the reader had read the previous books in order. This book can be read as a stand-alone book, but it will spoil events from the prior books.

This book is great for readers who love detective stories and police procedurals. Readers who love mysteries will probably guess the killer early on, but I think that makes the crime scene investigation part so good. The clues are there. The writing is excellent, and the author provides plenty of technical information along with the story to help explain the clues.

I wouldn’t classify it as fast-paced, since the action slows during scenes involving Eve’s personal life (especially during the parts related to the television show being filmed based on her). But it is medium-paced and the reader wants to keep reading.

My rating is four-stars. I believe there are many readers who may rate this higher than me, and fans of Lee Goldberg’s Eve Ronin series will absolutely love it and give it five stars.

Thank you to Net Galley and Thomas & Mercer for this advanced copy. All opinions are my own..

These books are so much fun! If you are a fan of TV shows like Castle, Leverage, or Chuck, then this series of books is for you. This is the 5th installment of the wonderful Eve Ronin series. In this book, Eve and her partner, Duncan Pavone, are tasked with solving the murder of a reality TV star who lives in an exclusive neighborhood in the Hollywood Hills. Their job is complicated by a ring of thieves, several bodies that pile up as cold cases, misbehaving rap stars, murderous gang members, and a lone ranger type-character who takes the law a little too far. Our wonderful detective duo has to work through all of this while ensuring the murderer is caught and justice is served. This sounds like a lot, but in the author’s capable hands, it is a fun and twisty story that features not only our main two characters, but a wonderful ensemble cast of recurring characters who bring humor, and a touch of mayhem to the story. I do not want to give away too much info, since it is part of a series, but if you do not want to read the previous books, you will be fine to start here, as the author does a great job of recapping the previous stories. I would suggest staring at the beginning though, so you can appreciate all of the nuances and subtle comments that make this book series so enjoyable. While this is not my favorite addition to the series, these are still some of my favorite fictional characters, and I will continue to read the books as long as the author keeps writing them. Now that I am caught up, I am anxiously awaiting the next adventure in this story. When can we expect Book 6?

This was my first experience with a novel by Lee Goldberg and his heroine Eve Ronin. I was captivated.

Goldberg’s characters and plot are contemporary and chilling. Our manipulative celebrity culture is perfectly captured in this book and the protagonist is a great, fully-realized character. The ultimate resolution of the murders may not surprise the reader, but there is not a dull moment in the chase as Goldberg’s detective tries to prove herself worth her promotion ( both to herself, and her jealous colleagues).

I am now officially hooked on Lee Goldberg and his Eve Ronin series.

this series will forever be a guilty pleasure binge-worthy one for me!!! I just love eve ronin’s take no prisoners attitude, and the cheesy way the detectives are written are perfect fodder 😮‍💨

in this installment, eve and duncan are turning another cheek as they attempt to get back to crime solving without the added drama and contingencies that come with being a celebrity detective 😅 of course that lasts all of five seconds, but that’s what makes these stories so great and unreal

what I also love about this series is that it follows a very similar script where it’s not over until the very last chapter!! so when one of the suspects actually turned out to be the killer this time, I knew there had to be another twist coming - and boy was I right!

this one I was able to guess but I felt very content of this satisfactory conclusion & I’m so so looking forward to the next one! I always forget how much I love to binge these!!!!

thank you to netgalley and thomas & mercer for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: paso robles cabernet sauvignon