This fast-moving police procedural mystery is a light enjoyable read. Two Los Angles arson detectives are vexed by several homes suddenly burning down, one of them with a charred body inside. The two detectives are a ying and yang of old school methodical and modern hard-driving action which leads to conflict on how to examine evidence. What stands out is witty sarcasm of the characters picking on each other as they rush from various crime scenes. That said, there is quite a bit of substance to the story with red herrings all over the place. I admired the way the author introduced complexities of arson investigation in repartee dialogue without the science coming across as lectures. Some readers may roll eyes about the slapstick, cinematic finale, but that is forgiven due to Lee Goldberg being the author of several mysteries turned into television series including the Mr. Monk mysteries. Ashes Never Lie falls in line with those popular episodes.

Ashes Never Leave is the second book in a series by Lee Goldberg involving Arson Investigators Walter Sharpe and Andrew Walker. I had not read the first book in this series but didn’t feel like it hurt my comprehension of the characters who are not traditional arson investigators. What I really enjoyed was the appearance of LA Detective Eve Ronin and partner Duncan Pavone. The pairing of these two partners was fun to read about and I am hoping that they will meet again. The story is really intertwining several arson events that involves all the characters, it reads like a script for television, which I can foresee happening.

This is the second book in the Sharpe and Walker series, two arson detectives in Los Angeles that investigate suspicious fires. They are at the scene of one where a car has burned and a body has been found it in, since the car was also involved in a robbery, the case becomes one for another agency. They are soon called out to another arson in a new sub division, a house has burned almost totally and while they are investigating another one starts, but they, mostly Sharpe, are able to put it out before too much damage is done. This leads them to discover that someone had rigged IEDs connected to electrical outlets throughout the house that, when ignited, burn through insulation that had been packed around the devices. At yet another house fire elsewhere, Sharpe and Walker meet up with Eve Ronin and her partner Duncan, because not only was the house damaged there is a body found inside. This gives Walker, a former Marshal, to do something he sorely misses, investigate, he and Ronin team up and are able to find out where the fellow worked, that he was having an affair and the lady he was having an affair with is missing. Walker and Ronin are an incredible team, especially when Ronin goes undercover as the wife to Walkers' wife, that part was funny. Two two story lines do come to a very satisfactory conclusion and I would highly recommend this and any other book the the author. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Thomasmercer for the ARC.

Ashes Never Lie is the second book in the Sharpe & Walker series about a pair of unconventional arson investigators with the LA Sheriff’s Department. I had enjoyed the first one, with some reservations, but absolutely loved this one, probably because the author’s other regular series character, Eve Ronin, plays a major role. I don’t think you need to have read any of the books from either series to jump into this one as you get all the relevant backstory.

Former US Marshall Andrew Walker is feeling restless because his role always follows the action rather than being in the thick of it, so when he meets Detective Ronin and her colleague Duncan Pavone at the site of an unusual house fire, he’s only too happy to team up to investigate whether the dead body inside died by suicide or murder. Meanwhile brand new houses on a nearby development keep bursting into flame - is it faulty wiring, angry environmental protesters, or someone seeking revenge? Walter Sharpe is the one man who will always find the truth in the ashes.

As confirmed in his afterword, the author has done a ton of research into arson investigation, and I really liked the way all the details show the various clues which reveal to our heroes what happened.
I also adore the bickering but grudgingly respectful relationship evolving between curmudgeonly Sharpe and cocky Walker, and I definitely appreciated the lack of any sexual element to Walker’s new friendship with Eve. He loves his wife and isn’t even tempted by his hot co-worker - so refreshing! There are separate cases here which didn’t all have to be linked, with plenty of clever twists and just the right amount of suspense, and all the plot arcs got wrapped up very satisfactorily. 4.5 stars rounded up.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily.
Ashes Never Lie is published on September 17th.

This is my first book from the author.
My thanks to the publisher, NetGalley and the author Lee for this review copy. This review is based on my completing this book and is my honest opinion about how the book worked for me.

This is the second book in the series but the story works well as a standalone. Detectives Sharpe and Walker investigate arsons in California. Newly developed empty houses bursting into flames for no apparent reason brings the duo in to understand why. While they are mulling over the puzzle and a possible insurance swindle, Lee Goldberg effects a crossover from another of his older series with homicide duo Eve and Duncan investigating a arson-homicide with the corpse in the ashes. The dead person happens to be a scientist and there is a military bio-weapon complex in the vicinity with a reported leak.
The two incidents are happening just a few miles apart and the two investigating duo band together to crack the case(s).
The characters are cut and dried and the discussions between the principal characters is enjoyable. Lee seems to have set his mind upon a future rights tie-up on TV/OTT platforms and I could almost visualize the scenes.
Enjoyable and gripping. Recommended.

Ashes Never Lie is the second installment of Lee Goldberg's Walker and Sharpe series. I enjoyed the characters and the storyline as much as the first book in the series, Malibu Burning. Eve Ronin, a character in Goldberg's other series, joins forces with Walker and Sharpe to solve arson and murder cases in Southern California. I love the interaction between the characters and how the author brings the setting, characters, and storyline to life. I hope that the author continues to bring these characters together in future stories. Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the ARC!

Earlier this year, Lee Goldberg’s novel Dream Town was published, and I was incredibly eager to read it. It was #5 in the Eve Ronin series, and I had read and enjoyed 1-4 (Lost Hills, Bone Canyon, Gated Prey, and Movieland). Then, last August, I attended Bouchercon in San Diego, and became a rather rabid fan. So, I was ecstatic to receive a copy of Ashes Never Lie from Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley in exchange for this honest review. This book is the second in the series featuring arson investigator Walter Sharpe and his partner, former U.S. Marshal Andrew Walker, and I loved the first book in the series, Malibu Burning.

While this book is identified as #2 in The Sharpe and Walker series, some might think of it as another in the Eve Ronin series, because she and her partner Duncan Pavone are here again! It isn’t necessary to have read any of the earlier books in either series to enjoy this one, but Anne at Books Of My Heart provides information that helps readers just getting to know Eve, described as “a new homicide detective in a misogynistic, political department in Los Angeles California. She became famous in the first book for arresting a tv star behaving badly, which helped her get the promotion.” She also noted that “…focus is on the police procedural, with a small background of personal life but the Hollywood scene is almost a character itself.”

So, we’re back in Southern California, where I was born and raised. That might be part of why I love Goldberg’s books so much, but I have recommended them to many people who have no ties to SoCal, and they loved them (almost) as much as I did. The book presents two different LA County-based fires: one in a new housing development, which arson investigators Sharpe and Walker are working, and another which has homicide detectives Ronin and Pavone investigating the death of someone whose corpse was found in the ashes of another home several miles away.

In a clever strategy, Goldberg has all four (Walker, Sharpe, Ronin and Pavone) team up to investigate the crimes. It’s a complex, entertaining plot, and many readers will be absolutely salivating over the prospects for any and all of the books featuring these four characters being made into movies or (even better) multi-part series by a quality production company (hey, it’s working for Bosch, right?)

Highly recommended for fans of mysteries, thrillers, female protagonists, arson and/or homicide investigators, LA-based stories, and particularly refugees from Southern California. Five stars. Keep it up, Lee!

This is the first book I am reading of Lee Goldberg and the book simply blows me away. The story begins with a fire in a couple of new houses in a new housing couple and Sharpe and his partner as arson investigators take up the investigation. They are joined by Eva Ronin a detective who investigates the murder of a scientist inside the house. This led them to a secret military bio-weapon complex with a reported leak of a deadly bioweapon. The investigation leads to another story about an insurance swindle. The story is expertly written with a new twist in every chapter. What I liked the most was the easy banter among the partners Sharpe and Walker and Walker and Walker and Eva. The conversations between them are superb and you can easily associate yourself with a similar situation when you are among friends you trust. On the whole, a wonderful read that is worth the time spent.

Ashes Never Lie is a pulse-pounding thrill ride by master story-teller, Lee Goldberg. This book is non-stop action almost from the first page right up to the end of the book, combining two different series, the Sharpe and Walker series and the Eve Ronin series. Just when the reader think they have the plot figured out, Mr. Goldberg throws in another twist, causing the reader to pause and do a double take, to make sure they didn't miss anything the first time they read through the book, and by the time you've completed the book you've probably read it two or three times over, if not more in certain parts. The writing is descriptive, and very easy to get lost in, even if it's for a quick weekend read.

I thought the first book in this series, Malibu Burning, was a solid but safe thriller. The characters were fun, but nothing groundbreaking. Most of the draw in the book was the criminal. But there was something in the burgeoning friendship between the two mains. I'm happy to report that book two is better. Much better. Wow, this was a good one. I know Lee Goldberg also writes the Eve Ronin series, but I haven't gotten to that series yet. Eve plays a big part in this book, and I wasn't lost at all with all her back story. In fact, after finishing this, I'm going to make it a point to get to her series ASAP. This book was fun. The inter-connectivity of the two series made this city and world feel like a living breathing thing (much in the way Michael Connelly does nowadays). This LA isn't quite so harsh as that. More in the vein of Elvis Cole or Spenser (as he's mentioned several times in the book). This is a quick read with a good mystery and funny banter. I've read a couple Lee Goldberg novels but I think this is the first one that's really 'clicked' for me. I see what he's doing now. And I can't wait to journey back to this side of LA. More please!

Vacant homes in a new housing development are erupting into flames in broad daylight with no apparent cause. It’s a perplexing mystery for dogged arson investigator Walter Sharpe and his restless new partner, Andrew Walker, an ex–US marshal who craves action.But as they puzzle over the blazes, another home miles away burns to the ground, leaving a man’s corpse in the ashes and homicide detectives Eve Ronin and Duncan Pavone demanding answers. The burn patterns and charred body tell Sharpe a bizarre story that only creates more questions for Eve. So the four detectives team up to find the answers. Their investigation into the two unrelated cases leads to one shocking discovery after another. Now they must gamble their lives to unmask a brilliant arsonist, crack open a massive swindle, track down a desperate fugitive with a terrifying secret, and race against time to save thousands of people from an agonizing death. Second in a series, this one is even better than the first. I love how the author adds characters from another series into this story. I will be waiting impatiently for the third.

I've always loved Mr. Goldberg's novels, so I was glad to see Eve and Duncan play such a significant role in this narrative. I enjoy how Sharpe and Walker's chemistry is developed further by the author. I'm interested to see how this series plays out because of the investigative work that goes into arson and the stories' settings around Los Angeles, which certainly make for lots of material.

Although Lee Goldberg’s Ashes Never Lie is the second novel featuring his arson investigators Walter Sharpe and Andrew Walker, the author manages to incorporate his other series characters, Eve Ronin and Duncan Pavone, into this complex story. He adds a corpse at the scene of a fire, only to discover the foursome work well together. Walker, a former U.S. marshal, has been dying to get back into manhunting.

Sharpe and Walker are still learning to work together when they’re sent to a new development where a house caught fire. Sharpe’s convinced it’s arson, no matter what the fire department says. But, they soon have a more important case on their hands when a house goes up in flames, and a body is found inside. Ronin and Pavone, the cops assigned to the case could have called it suicide. But, Sharpe insists it was arson. And, the victim’s job leads them to another potential victim. With a dangerous arsonist on the run, Walker and Ronin realize they could hold the fate of the U.S. in their hands.

Ashes Never Lie skillfully blends several cases At the same time, Goldberg develops Walker’s character more, introducing his wife, and exploring their relationship. At times, the story seems to bog down a little with the number of storylines, but Goldberg ties them up beautifully. But, the best part of this latest book is the banter and the working relationship between the four investigators. Goldberg takes two pairs of partners, who no one else cares to work with, and blends them with humor and care.

Ashes Never Lie is the 2nd book in the Sharpe and Walker series, two arson investigators in Los Angeles. In this book, they are joined by homicide detectives Eve Ronin and Duncan Pavone (from the Eve Ronin series) as they join forces to solve a series of arsons at a new housing development. While the plot is interesting, the pace suffers from some overkill on minute details, with a blow-by-blow description of a character getting a glass of soda, for one example, that doesn’t add anything to the scene. Unfortunately this is repeated throughout the book, which reads more like a screenplay than a novel. And while the character of Sharpe is known for his sarcastic wit, it comes across as more mean spirited in this book than sarcasm, and it detracts from the story. While I’m a huge fan of this author’s books (and both these series), this one felt a little off in too many places. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When I started book 1 ‘Malibu Burning’ I wasn’t too sure what to expect. I did think it might have been a very male dominated, what with two male detectives investigating fires/arsons but I was pleasantly surprised. I don’t know why, I’ve liked Lee Goldberg’s other recent series of LASD detective. Malibu Burning’ was very entertaining, I loved Sharpe and Walker. So much so I jumped at the chance to read an arc of book 2 in the series. And got a nice surprise that Eve Ronin and Duncan Pavone from Lee Goldberg’s ‘Eve Ronin’ series pop up in the book as well.
In ‘Ashes Never Lie’ arson detective Walter Sharpe and his relatively still new partner Andrew Walker are working on a bunch of cases where empty houses are burning down when they are called to another house fire, this time with a body discovered in it. As it’s a homicide, Eve Ronin and her partner Duncan Pavone are also called to the scene. And what turns from a simple case of a home burning down leads all 4 detectives on a massive manhunt for a crazy arsonist with an even crazier end game.
After reading 7 of his books over the past couple of years, I would say ‘Ashes Never Lie’ is a classic Lee Goldberg. It was a fast paced police procedural featuring some great characters and very witty banter. I think all 4 detectives should take their comedy act on the road.
Great read for me. 4 stars.

This was my initial encounter with a Lee Goldberg novel; however, it certainly won't be my final one! I found myself thoroughly engrossed and entertained by the captivating personas of Walker and Sharpe. The collaboration between Eve Ronin and these two skilled arson investigators proved to be seamless and effective. While this book is part of a series, it can effortlessly be enjoyed as a standalone piece. The narrative offered an abundance of thrilling action, making it a quick and riveting read.

Thank you to Net Galley and Thomas and Mercer Publishing for the ARC to read and review.

Arson investigation is genuinely not my bag. But. Goldberg delivers (as usual) with a bright, funny, sharply intelligent mystery/thriller/procedural with great characters and scenarios that are riding that line between plausible and exciting in a way that's so, so satisfying.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC..

Ashes Never Lie (Sharpe & Walker, Band 2) by Lee Goldberg is a riveting addition to the thriller genre, showcasing Goldberg’s knack for crafting intricate plots and multidimensional characters. Set against the backdrop of a city plagued by mysterious fires, the novel follows the journey of two dynamic investigative duos: Walter Sharpe, an astute arson investigator, and his partner Andrew Walker, an ex-US marshal with a thirst for action; alongside homicide detectives Eve Ronin and Duncan Pavone.

Goldberg masterfully intertwines two seemingly unrelated cases: a series of inexplicable fires in a new housing development and a homicide case sparked by the discovery of a charred corpse. As the four detectives delve deeper, they uncover a web of deceit that threatens to consume the city. The narrative is propelled forward by the urgency to unmask a cunning arsonist, expose a colossal fraud, and track down a fugitive harboring a deadly secret.

The author’s expertise in blending high-stakes action with complex investigations shines through in this novel. The pacing is relentless, mirroring the ferocity of the fires consuming the homes and the intensity of the detectives’ pursuit of the truth. Goldberg’s prose is sharp and evocative, painting vivid scenes of destruction and the emotional toll of the chase.

What sets Ashes Never Lie apart is its exploration of the characters’ inner lives. Sharpe and Walker, along with Ronin and Pavone, are not mere caricatures of detectives; they are fleshed-out individuals with their own fears, motivations, and moral compasses. Their interactions and growth throughout the investigation add a layer of depth to the narrative, making the reader invested in not only the resolution of the cases but also the fates of the characters.

In conclusion, Ashes Never Lie is a testament to Lee Goldberg’s ability to fuse action, mystery, and character development into a cohesive and enthralling story. It’s a book that will not only satisfy fans of the genre but also appeal to those who appreciate nuanced storytelling.

RELEASE DATE: September 24, 2024
GENRE: mystery
TOPICS & THEMES: crime, fire, investigation, murder, detective story

this wasn't a story for me and i just couldn't care about the characters
i hope other readers have better experience with it
i like the writing

- thanks to the netgalley for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest opinion

I came for the Ronin and stayed for the Walker. Witty banter and an enjoyable crime romp.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC