Eve Ronin is a Los Angeles sheriffs department detective. She has gained fame through her past cases and there is now a tv series based on under production. Eve is not happy with the notoriety, as it makes some of her fellow law enforcement colleagues resent her. Eve and her partner Duncan are called on to investigate the case of a celebrity killing. Kitty Winslow is a popular reality tv star who gained fame through a leaked sex tape and a reality tv about her family. They live in the gated community of Hidden Hills, where a lot of famous people live and they are looked after by their own marshall. Kitty is the victim of a supposed robbery, where her huge engagement ring is stolen and she is shot in the face and dies. Eve sees the family and is often confused between their reality and their tv show. She also sees a bit of that happening in her own life with the tv being made based on her and her cases. The story moves along well, but I have to admit it sounded too much like the Kardashians for me to really love it. Since I’m not a reality tv fan, this book was not my favorite but I still enjoyed it for the most part. I’d give it 3 stars out of 5.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lee Goldberg is one of my favorite authors, a guaranteed read for me, as was this one. This is the 5th in the Eve Ronin series, Eve is a Los Angeles Sheriff Homicide Detective assigned to investigate the killing of a young starlet found shot in her home in Lost Hills. Kitty Winslow is the young starlet and along with her family stars in a reality TV show, Kitty is the star of the show and unknown to her family has accepted an offer to star in her own reality show, which would end the one with her family. Eve has a lot going on, there is also a TV series being filmed in the area she works based on her, she regularly sees the actor portraying her in the area filming scenes, she's involved with a fellow who's working on excavating some human bones found by dogs that may be a homicide and she does a ride along with a multi task force looking into Chilean tourist crime (yes such a thing exists) and ends up chasing down one of the bad guys. All of these story lines come together in a very satisfying finish, however, I was able to suss out who the bad guys were before that happened, though it did not diminish the story at all. I would highly recommend this and the previous ones in this series, I look forward to the next. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Thomas Mercer for the ARC.

Lee Goldberg is on my short list of authors to read as soon the publish so I was excited to get an ARC of the latest Eve Ronin novel from NetGalley.

Eve's TV show is taking off, much to her chagrin and she welcomes a new case as a distraction to being pushed into the spotlight she doesnt want. The plot picks up quickly with multiple threads that come together in the end. The story is everything I have come to expect from Ronin novels with Eve having to overcome all sorts of barriers with family and coworkers and battling her unwanted fame to just get at the truth and do her job.

Highly recommend the whole series, as well as Goldberg's standalone novels.

I'm a big fan of California cop novels, and Lee Goldberg's Eve Ronin series has brought a welcome freshness to the genre. I like the series a lot, but I have to report honestly that I think this title falls short of the previous ones.

It's an enjoyable enough read, but the narrative turned on a long series of quite detailed discussions about the television production and video editing process. Goldberg is intimately familiarity with television production, of course, but I suspect he may find the specifics of such things rather more interesting that will the average reader.

The other thing that bothered me about DREAM TOWN was the ending. It was a throwback to the endings of God only knows how many traditional television series in which all the characters gather during the last five minutes to explain to each other -- and thus the audience out there in television-land -- how all the events they watched over the last hour actually fit together into a coherent narrative. It was like watching the end of an episode of 'Blue Bloods' or 'Magnum PI."

I know Goldberg has written hundreds of television scripts that ended exactly that way, but I respectfully suggest that narrative technique is much better suited to the small screen than to a novel. Those are circumstances where the audience may have been talking to each other and eating and only half paying attention to the story. It is much less suited to the larger canvas of the novel where readers have made a substantial commitment to following the characters and already invested a fair number of hours in doing it.

I really enjoyed book 5 in the Eve Ronin series. As always the writing is awesome with a great blend of story telling and technical background.
The story picks up a few months after Book 4. Eve is healed and has a new outlook on how she should handle police work, or at least she tries too. I enjoyed getting to see a bit more of Eve's romantic relationship and her confusion about what she really wants. I was also shocked to find out where Eve is living now.
This story focuses a lot on the entertainment industry specifically reality tv and scripted police shows. I learned a lot about the filming process. Eve is struggling with her decision to sell her story and the ramifications that the TV show will have on her professional life. But that doesn't mean that murder or police politics was missing because there was plenty of that. The story involves a reality tv family and life behind mega rich gated communities. This book is fast paced and an easy read.
I was hoping for a bit more updates or just information in general about Eve's pending lawsuit but the book had plenty in regards to Eve's personal life.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book for review purposes. I cannot wait until the next book in the series!

So good, I stayed up all night reading. Couldn’t put it down until the last page. There’s a great twist towards the end that I did not see coming at all.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an advance copy for review purposes.

I have read all five books in the Eve Ronin series, and am a big fan of Eve and Duncan. Dream Town was a bit of a letdown for me, as I immediately guessed “whodunnit,” and it seemed so obvious that I was disappointed at Eve’s lack of suspicion toward the culprit(s). What I DID love was that we got to see more off-duty Eve, and the repartee between her and Duncan was particularly good in this one.

Goldberg’s writing style is breezy and minimal, a bit like fast food, rather than a six-course meal, which is a good fit for this genre. But that’s not to say that it’s JUNK food. He’ll often describe even a major character with only one or two pieces of info, something like “The guy wore clown shoes and always chewed Juicy Fruit,” But darned if it isn’t enough to make the character vivid in your mind. Also, Goldberg’s research is always apparent beneath the snappy dialogue. All in all, it’s a fun series and I’m still on the Eve Ronin train.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review "Dream Town", the fifth book in Lee Goldberg's 'Eve Ronin" series. As in all the previous books, the master storyteller doesn't let the readers down, treating us to a good, old-fashioned whodunit in a present day, reality television setting.

As the fictionalized story of Detective Eve Ronin's meteoric - and some would say undeserved - rise in the ranks begins shooting, with her mother in a supporting role and her (estranged) father as director, Eve is once again plunged into a murder investigation; possibly more than one.

Everything in Hollywood is fiction, and 'reality' television the greatest fiction of all. Enter the Winslow family, a quasi-Kardashian clan who discover their daughter, Kitty - the star of the clan - murdered, and her enormous diamond engagement ring missing. Who could possibly have known about the ring? Well, just about everyone as images have been blasted all over social media. There are all kinds of entertaining segues into that particular brand of entertainment throughout the book.

Whilst navigating this murder and all the attendant publicity, Eve is also navigating the strangeness of watching actors playing her, her partner and her boss as they replay her initial case, resulting in a mild case of vertigo. “You are a TV character.” Duncan started the car. “We both are.”

At the same time, a man walking his dogs reports that they discovered bones in an area that just happens to back onto the gated community where this family and other wealthy citizens live. Turns out, there are more bodies than just the one - supposed Chilean gang members who break-and-enter and steal and then hightail it back home. Although, these ones didn't.

The prevailing theory is that one of these gangs were responsible for the murder of Kitty Winslow - although there is no shortage of other possible suspects, including a - supposed - former Crips gang member called LilGlok9.

Mr. Goldberg treats us to fiction within fiction within fiction, and the action rolls right along, just like the previous books; and just like the previous books, the pieces all begin to fit together as Eve comes to a surprising conclusion: it's all in the continuity!

These books have been steadily building not only the main characters - Eve and Duncan - but have done a good job of adding characters book by book, so that now Eve has a boyfriend, a home that's (relatively) safe, and the support of some good cops. I cannot wait to see what comes next.

Highly recommended. Can be read as a standalone, but you'll get more context from the entire series. (And don't forget Mr. Goldberg's other books, including "Calico" and "Malibu Burning" and I'm just starting his "Ian Ludlow" thriller series).

I greatly enjoyed this installment of Eve and Donuts. This is a great police procedural that has great character progression. I love that we are getting to know more about Eve’s life and watching her grow as a detective.

Dream Town by Lee Goldberg – 5 Stars
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
ISBN: 9781662512346

I know a book by Lee Goldberg will be entertaining and fun to read. This one in the Eve Ronin series is no exception.
Fame and money have made the characters more than a little self-absorbed and crazy. Eve stays focused in her role as a homicide detective and sees through the craziness. There are great characters, witty dialogue, and a plot that never slows.

Reviewer: Nancy

What do you get when you blend together a mix of police procedural, gang burials, Chilean thieves, wannabe Kardashians, sextapes and reality TV? It’s Dream Town, the fifth in the Eve Ronin series, and another surefire hit for award winning author Lee Goldberg. When reality megastar Kitty Winslow is robbed and shot to death in a home invasion, Eve and partner Duncan Pavone are immediately dispatched to the scene. Assigning Eve to the case is a smart political choice for the new leadership at the precinct because Deathfist, the action series featuring the exploits of Eve Ronin, is being filmed in the area. Bizarre though it may be, the real Eve is investigating the death of a reality star, a death which will be featured in the next season of her family’s show. Eve may even be a character on that show or Kitty’s murder may be an episode on Deathfist. Got it? The Winslow family is eager to blame Chilean burglary tourists (yes, they exist) for the death but it’s more complicated. Enter rapper LilGlok9 who once made a sextape with Kitty, the tape that made her famous. This sounds familiar, doesn’t it? There are many more layers to this mystery and the satisfying ending will remind you of an old TV western.

Dream Town is a thriller featuring Eve and Duncan with familiar recurring characters from previous entries in this excellent series but the real star is Hidden Hills. This exclusive gated community with a western theme features its own resident Stetson wearing, horseback riding sheriff. Goldberg combines a satisfying mystery with a backstage look at TV show production and adds his signature dry humor. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and Lee Goldberg for this ARC.

This was a great read! It was fast moving with interesting characters and plot.

It's the 5th book in the Eve Ronin series but I had no trouble jumping in. The mystery is stand-alone to this book and the tidbits dropped about previous cases just make me want to read the earlier books.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas & Mercer through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, Thomas & Mercer!

I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I thought it would be Hollywood glam and boujee! Boy was I wrong! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one! This book had a bit of everything! It had suspense, intrigue, action, murder serial killer, great mystery, great police work, great who done it, and some shocking twists and turns! The storyline was so very interesting and kept me glued to my Kindle! I highly recommend reading this book as it was well worth reading! The characters were awesome, the plot was great, and it was well written! Definitely don't miss out on this one! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

This was a This was a good book I love books set in the entertainment industry Thanks to the the publishers and NetGalley for the chance to review it

Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the copy of Dream Town by Lee Goldberg. This is book five in the Eve Ronin series but can be read as a standalone. I always know a book by Lee Goldberg will be a great read and this was no exception. It started a little slow because I wasn’t a fan of the filming of the TV show, but the book picked up quickly and I ended up liking how the filming fit into the overall story. I liked the perfect mix between the mystery and the characters’ relationships because the thing I love about reading a series is seeing how the characters grow. If you’re looking for a great series, start this one. If you want a good read, try this book. Either way, you are in for an incredible reading experience.

Dream Town, the fifth book in Goldberg’s Eve Ronin Homicide Detective franchise, is scheduled for January 2024 publication, and as aptly suggested by the title, explores the ways in which fantasy and reality blur and collide in the world of Tinseltown. Ronin still works daily as a detective out of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Lost Hills Station in what was once the boondocks of Calabasas, but now is filled with the gated communities of endless celebrities. Nevertheless, as Ronin goes about her daily activities, she stumbles over television crews filming the true crime stories of Detective Ronin. She can see a facsimile of herself or a stunt double being filmed, living a real life drama that played out for Ronin. It’s hard to know where the fantasy stops and the reality begins.

The same can be said for the Winslows who film a reality show (kind of like the Kardashians) and were catapulted to fame following the “accidental” release of a sex tape. The dramas on the series are all scripted, but are to the family’s many Insta followers as real as could be. Just how real it all is comes to a head when violence strikes them. The investigation leads Ronin and her partner Duncan into Hidden Hills, a quasi-private gated city with horse trails and its own resident sheriff’s deputy posted there. Life is different it seems for the rich, but as noted, the lines between tv and reality keep blurring as the family patriarch, a former Western star, can’t keep straight whether he is on his old tv series chasing bad guys or ensconced in a fancy horse estate.

Ronin is simultaneously involved in an investigation in the nearby preserve that was the former Ahmanson ranch. Bones have been found and a painstaking search is undergone to preserve an ever-widening crime scene.

This, the fifth book in the series, is a fast-paced enjoyable read. Many thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review purposes.

Wow! A dreamy thriller filled with the wonders of Hollywood. I was hooked since the first page. Certainly always wanted to know what was coming next.