Ex-LAPD detective Beth McDade works the dusty plains of Barstow, California. After a fall from grace, she seeks a shot at redemption.

Meanwhile, a century in the past and also praying for a second chance, a stranger is lost a few miles away in the mining town of Calico.

Beth's a fly by the seat of her pants kinda girl, but she is like a dog with a bone as far as solving this case is concerned. Her determination makes her likeable, and her rebellious nature gives her relatability.
I warmed straight away to our chap in Calico, and really appreciated all the details about the old landscape and way of life.

This is a story that covers crime, sci-fi, western, thriller, adventure, mystery. It's a unique book with a twist that's full of interesting characters.

Blog tour with Random Things -

http://ramblingmads.uk/2024/07/10/blog-tour-calico-lee-goldberg/

Please follow link to read my thoughts on this book. Thank you.

The story:
When homicide detective Beth McDade is called out to a fatal traffic incident in the Mojave Desert, it at first appears to be nothing more than a tragic accident. On the same night, Owen Slader goes missing, last seen driving away from a gas station in the same area.

On the surface, the two cases are unrelated. But when the coroner makes some startling discoveries about the man killed on the road, and some old bones are uncovered in the desert, Beth is forced to confront some very startling possibilities.

With the military on her tail trying to shut down her investigation, Beth will need all her tenacity to uncover the truth. Because she is either being made the victim of an elaborate hoax… or she may be on the trail of an incredible truth that could have implications stretching into the past and the future…

My thoughts:
I was delighted to have the opportunity to take part in the blog tour for “Calico”, by Lee Goldberg. I have been a long-time fan of the author’s work, first as an avid viewer of the tv mystery Diagnosis Murder when it screened in the UK in the early 2000s (when I really ought to have been concentrating on my degree), and then as a reader of the accompanying book series written by Goldberg, which has sat on my shelves for the last 20 years.

Goldberg’s “Calico” is described as “genre defying”, and I can confirm not only this, but that it was a heck of a ride to read! I’ve not read anything quite like it before, but it included many of the things I like best in a good mystery thriller — a determined detective, an intriguing mystery and a race against the bad guys to uncover the truth.

In this case, the detective is Beth McDade — now working in the run-down city of Barstow, California, the only place that will have her after her ignominious exit from the LAPD. Beth is tenacious in her investigations, and won’t take any nonsense from anyone. Her personal life may be a mess, and she certainly shows poor judgement in some of the men she sleeps with, but as a detective she is spot on and her sole aim is to uncover the truth of what has happened — even when that truth increasingly appears to be something more suited to the X-files than a county police station.

Meanwhile, the missing Owen Slader finds himself in his own impossible predicament (although I will say he approaches it with remarkable practicality!), and I was also rooting for him to overcome the events that overtake him.

With the story leading back to the 1880s and the mining town of Calico, this book also serves as a western (a genre I don’t usually read, unless you count the Stephen King Dark Tower Series), and this added another layer of interest to an already gripping read.

Overall I agree with the genre-defying description — if you’re a fan of mysteries, thrillers, police procedurals, westerns (or perhaps Back to the Future 3!), I would definitely check this out!

Detective Beth McDade is investigating the disappearance of chef Owen Slador alongside the accidental death of a mysterious man suffering from cholera and extremely poor hygiene. As she starts to connect the dots, we follow Owen's side of the story as he suddenly finds himself in the late 1800s trying to survive.

I really enjoyed the mixture of genres in this book. Beth's investigation reads like a gritty thriller, while Owen's story is closer to science fiction. The author has clearly done a lot of research on life in the 1880s and, as a result, the time travel sections feel very real. The writing is extremely visual and this would work really well as a TV show!

A recommended read for fans of Michael Crichton, Val McDermid, and books that combine genres.

Thank you to Netgalley and Severn House for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.