A cold case heats up, revealing a deadly conspiracy in a twisty thriller by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Goldberg.
A catastrophic wildfire scorches the Santa Monica Mountains, exposing the charred remains of a woman who disappeared years ago. The investigation is assigned to Eve Ronin, the youngest homicide detective in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, a position that … Department, a position that forces her to prove herself again and again. This time, though, she has much more to prove.
Bones don’t lie, and these have a horrific story to tell. Eve tirelessly digs into the past, unearthing dark secrets that reveal nothing about the case is as it seems. With almost no one she can trust, her relentless pursuit of justice for the forgotten dead could put Eve’s own life in peril.
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“Bone Canyon” by Lee Goldberg is the second book featuring Eve Ronin, investigator for the LA County Sheriff’s Department. Ronin is young, energetic, and single-minded. She is relatively new on the job yet believable and tenacious. She has much to learn and much to prove.
The Southern California setting plays an important role when a wildfire uncovers the remains of a long vanished woman, and Ronin and her partner Duncan Pavone investigate this harsh “cold case.” Ronin struggles to balance the quest for justice against the pressures of politics. The plot is fast-paced with some grit, but Goldberg manages to intersperse the tension with little bits of humor. The story is also enhanced by a narrative that engages all the senses, – the sights, the smells, and the sounds.
“Bone Canyon” is quick to read with compelling action and complex characters. The plot is deliberate, planned, and organized, yet has plenty of suspense and unusual twists. I received a review copy of “Bone Canyon” from Lee Goldberg, and Thomas & Mayer Publishing. I enjoyed the first book in the series and liked this one even better. Now, I am just waiting for the next book. I think this will be a long-running series.
As most of you know, I’m a big fan of California cop novels and Lee Goldberg’s new series (of which this is book #2) is top-notch. Like Danny Smith’s excellent series I’ve previously flagged to you here, this series features the LA Sheriffs Department rather than the LAPD and it focuses on a part of LA out in the west end of the valley that has gotten little love in other cop novels, which makes for a very nice change. The book comes complete with the usual Goldberg trademarks: great characters, vivid settings, and dialogue so crisp and sharp you could cut your finger on it. Highly recommended.
In BONE CANYON—prolific author and television producer-writer Lee Goldberg’s second book in his Eve Ronin series—charred bones found in the aftermath of a devastating Santa Monica Mountains fire embroils his protagonist in a conspiracy that puts her hard-fought position on the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department in jeopardy—not to mention her life.
I loved it. I was flipping pages as fast as I could. I loved Eve as a protagonist. She is flawed, vulnerable, and not always right: in other words, real. And because Mr. Goldberg gives the reader a lot of twists, we are surprised until the very end.
In my Author Provocateur podcast, Lee and I discuss how he approaches the research for his books, why he believes that making life for Eve—a rookie cop—complicated and messy, both in her personal and her professional relationships makes her a more satisfying heroine and the most important thing he feels every author should do to be successful in their careers. Check it out: https://josiebrown.com/portfolio/author-provocateur-podcast-page/
While this was a suspenseful murder mystery it was also very enjoyable. It had some amusing points and the main character comes across as very personable. Will definitely read the next in the series.
I love this series so much!
You can check out my booktube video review at https://youtu.be/_J8GQJkon5Q
or read my review on my blog at https://lisasiefert.com/book-review-bone-canyon-by-lee-goldberg-eve-ronin-book-2/
A very good read. I was hooked from the first page.
A recent wildfire in the Santa Monica mountains has had a surprising side effect. The bodies of several people dead for many years have started to be found since the brush that’s been hiding them is no longer around. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Detective Eve Ronin and her partner, Duncan Pavone, have landed the most recent one of these cold cases. Their case proves to be complicated when they identify the body as that of a twenty-something who vanished several years before. As they begin to investigate, they make several startling discoveries. What exactly lead to her murder?
I enjoyed the first book in this series, and I wasn’t disappointed with this one in the slightest. Part of the fun is learning the twists of the case as they unfold, and then watching Eve try to make sense of it all. There is plenty of action on the way to a wonderful climax. Eve is a strong main character, and I enjoyed getting to know her better here. I did feel like a few of the supporting players could be stronger, but maybe that was my reaction to their poor attitudes which aren’t fully explained. While the overall tone of the book is serious, as it should be given the case, there are some very fun moments, most of them coming at the expense of Hollywood. This isn’t one of my typical cozies, so there is language, sex, and violence; be prepared before you pick up the book. I’m glad I picked up this fast paced, twisty mystery.
Bone Canyon by Lee Goldberg is a fabulous fast-paced mystery filled with secrets, lies, and cover-ups. You never know what is coming at Eve next.
Will Eve find the answers to the cold case that she is working on before her fellow officers take her out?
Eve Ronin
Detective Eve Ronin is assigned another high profile case. Well, it becomes high profile after Eve and Duncan start digging into the victim’s connections with the sheriff’s department. You can count on Eve to get to the bottom of it and look for the truth no matter the consequences to her personally, professionally, physically, or to her possessions.
We get to see more into Eve’s family and how she fits with them. Then there is her relationship with her parents that forms her opinions and affects her reasoning at times. So, when she is continually asked about a television series on her life, she completely shuts it down, not just because it would interfere with her job but because she doesn’t want her parents to be rewarded or make any money off her story.
The Case
After a fire in the canyon, bones are found in a back yard. Eve and Duncan are assigned to figure out if the bones are human, who the victim is, and how they get there. The bones turn out to be a young woman who was reported missing a few years back. The victim was also raped and given a run around by a sheriff’s deputy who has been promoted since then. Eve and Duncan pursue justice for the young lady who turns to their own department and colleagues.
Five Stars
I absolutely love this series. Eve is such a powerful character. She is flawed yet righteous and has loads of courage. Lee Goldberg really knows how to spin a tale. I love the little bits where he adds things from his other series. There is just enough Hollywood to make the area and people realistic. Bone Canyon is completely fantastic in every way. My rating is five stars, and I can’t wait for the next Eve Ronin book to come out.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Bone Canyon by Lee Goldberg.
Until the next time,
~Jen
If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.
Lee has crafted a female detective we can all relate to and root for! Love the premise of this one too… Worth a read!
Bone Canyon by Lee Goldberg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
#FirstLine – The dead were rising in the fire-blackened Santa Monica Mountains and Eve Ronin, the youngest homicide detective in the history of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, was on her way to examine one of them.
This book was quite a read. It is a police procedural mystery/suspense that kept me intrigued and trying to solve the big case. I adored Eve Ronin, a take no crap, do gooder detective who would stop at nothing to solve a crime that was long over do for justice. It had some twists and turns that had me surprised. I really enjoyed my first completed reading of 2021 and I will definitively be checking out more books by Goldberg!
Detective Eve Ronin didn’t become a homicide detective in the normal manner. Two prior cases highlighted in the media catapulted her to detective, but she has shown that she is ready for the job. Younger and eager to make a difference she is learning from her soon to retire partner, Duncan “Donuts” Pavone. After fires ravaged the land, bodies are turning up in Hueso “aka Bone” Canyon. Many are criminals who have been eliminated, but when bones are found belonging to a young woman, Eve is determined to find justice for her. As more bones are found, Eve doesn’t know if each case is separate or the work of a serial killer. Mr. Goldberg writes a fascinating story, one that I don’t want to miss even one word, as Eve risks her job and her life as she goes up against even members of law enforcement. Amusing and sarcastic dialog between Eve and her partner add to the total enjoyment of this complex mystery up until the surprising end. I can’t wait for Eve’s next adventure. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)
Eve is great. She is stubborn and has a dogged determination that puts of a lot of people, but get results. She does not quit. Everyone thinks she is all about publicity and really all she wants is to solve the case. When bones are discovered in a canyon where there had been a fire, she and her partner need to find out why they were dumped there. One case involves some deputies and that doesn’t make Eve very popular. When some people go too far and run her off the road, Eve finds out that she really does have some friends. Careers and lives are ruined. All the while, her family is trying to get her to make a show out of her life. What is she going to do. If they make a series out of her life, she will never be able to get people to take her seriously. Will she live to find out who murdered several people?
law-enforcement, forensics, California, corruption, tv-film-industry, family-dynamics, friendship****
Eve had found a novel way to get the promotion she wanted in the department but now it was biting her on the backside. She kept being pestered by Hollywood types and even her biological father to sign the rights to a TV series based on her police work. But all she wants to do is to bring justice to the women whose charred remains have been found in the canyon. The forensic bone man proved the time frame and tentative cause of death and her partner did the due diligence to bring proof of identity and gave insight into what a minefield bring the perps to light would be. Then other remains from long before the fires began to turn up and Eve got even more determined to bring the culprits to justice. It’s a good but disturbing read, especially in this time of police issues.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley. Thank you!
A Jigsaw Collection of Bones Leads To Eve Ronin’s Mortal Danger
A homeowner surveys his property that was miraculously untouched by a recent fire that took every other home around his. In the backyard, he discovers what appears to be a bone. To his horror, it was part of a human skull. The novel opens with Detective Eve Ronin and her soon-to-be-retired partner, Duncan Pavone, driving to where the bone was discovered. The owner is in the entertainment industry and recognizes “Deathfist” that was a nickname that Eve received after a video went viral of her subduing an actor, known as Deathfist, from a popular martial arts TV series. She had parlayed that fame to become the youngest Homicide Detective in the Los Angeles Sheriff Department. Since nothing was going to happen until the Crime Scene Unit to process the whole hill behind the owner’s property. Since the bones were not recent, damaged from the fire, and probably scattered by predation and rains, a forensic anthropologist, Dr. Daniel Brooks, is called in to act as a consultant. Finding a metal plate screwed into the radius leads to the victim’s identity. The investigation starts to advance focused on the victim, until literary equivalent to an IED went off on the hill. Dr. Brooks decides to one last far reaching search before the scene is released. He found bone from a finger. Ronin did not believe it was important to find every last victim’s bone. Dr. Brooks tells her that they had found all the finger bones from the 1st victim. At this point, I was hooked. The main storyline has plenty of twists and turns to maintain my interest throughout the entire novel.
The main storyline unfolds within a rich B-storyline. For her injured wrist, Eve must see a physical therapist that was recommended by her sister. He seems to want more than a professional relationship. Eve and Dr. Brooks hit it off. Eve’s mother is pushing even harder to get Eve to agree to work on a TV series based upon her. The mother even brings in Eve’s father into the effort. Eve does not want any of it no matter lucrative it could be. Much of the B-storyline consists of the master/apprentice relationship Eve has with Duncan who she believes might be the only person on her side professionally.
This novel also had a noticeable C-Story. I do not mean that Eve keeps saying that she is making rookie mistakes, but near the end of the novel, she expresses that she is learning.
The level of objectionable language is not insignificant. For those who object to such level of this language, this may be an issue. It did not bother me, and it appeared to be context appropriate. There are not any intimate scenes, but there definitely some activity going on. While there is not any hand-to-hand violence, there is violence. It is described as it happens so it is more edgy. The novel is adult content.
I believe the major complaint from some reviewers is that this novel is over-the-top and not realistic. Well, my answer is that this novel is not true crime. It is a novel that I have read for entertainment. I definitely was entertained. I read this novel in three days when my usual is nine to twelve days for a novel of this length. It was a fast, easy read but with all the twists and turns to grab and maintain my interest. The B-storyline is more than just background but consisted of interesting storylines in and of themselves. I can say that after requesting an Advanced Reading Copy of this novel, I checked the first novel in the series. I was so intrigued that I purchased it and enjoyed reading it before this novel. Overall, I rate this novel with five stars and strongly recommend reading it. I know that I am eagerly waiting for the third installment of this series.
I have received a free e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from Thomas & Mercer with an expectation for an honest, unbiased review. I wish to thank Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.
BONE CANYON by Lee Goldberg is the second book in the Eve Ronin police procedural and crime thriller series and is set in California. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) Homicide Detective Eve Ronin and her soon to retire partner Duncan Pavone are assigned a case where the charred remains of a woman who disappeared six years ago are revealed after a wildfire has devastated both plants and homes in the area. Eve is the youngest homicide detective in the LASD and she continues to have to prove herself worthy of the position. However, nothing is ever easy.
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 that influenced 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. Duncan’s character has more depth in this novel as well as some of Eve’s family members. While the case is not straight-forward, Eve and Duncan move forward with seeking justice. Who can Eve trust besides Duncan? What really happened to the woman that died?
Overall, this is a tense and highly readable novel with wit, suspense, and some great twists as well as some violence. It is gritty, fast-paced and action-packed. The imagery (visual, auditory and olfactory) came through vividly. If you enjoy excellent mystery thrillers, then I recommend that you check out this one. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars. I am looking forward to reading book three in the series.
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.
This is the second book in this series. Eve Ronin is still a rookie detective but she is not afraid to ruffle feathers that’s for sure. Wildfires uncover the bones of several missing women and the investigation leads in a shocking direction.
Hollywood and the movie industry is prominent in the background. Her Mother and Father are constantly trying to make money off her through there connections.
This is a great follow up with lots of action and craziness going on. Eve is a super strong female character. She even gets a bit of a love interest in this story.
I’m looking forward to what comes next.
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the arc of this book for my honest review.
Thoroughly enjoyed this second book in the Eve Ronin series!!! Can’t wait for book 3.
Thank you #netgalley and #thomasandmercer for this eARC.
Cinematic and suspenseful second installment in Lee Goldberg’s Eve Ronin series. The characters and their development will probably make more sense if you read the books in order.
A raging fire has uncovered human bones scattered across the charred hillside. Eve’s investigation takes her to her own department. What else will be uncovered?
I like this series. Eve is a complex, flawed heroine, who treads the fine line between righteous and self-righteous and sometimes slips. Her partner, Duncan, is an absolute gem, the veteran, jaded detective counting down his days to retirement but still a steady and encouraging mentor. (There’s also a wonderful running gag about the stains that Duncan accumulates on his clothes during meals.) The author knows how to build suspense and up the dramatic stakes. The scenes unfold like a movie.
A few things I didn’t like: The forensic anthropologist rang too many “Bones” bells for me. And the final twist seemed tacked on, rushed, and implausible.
Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.