“Lost Hills is Lee Goldberg at his best. Inspired by the real-world grit and glitz of LA County crime, this book takes no prisoners. And neither does Eve Ronin. Take a ride with her and you’ll find yourself with a heroine for the ages. And you’ll be left hoping for more.” —Michael Connelly, #1 New York Times bestselling author“Thrills and chills! Lost Hills is the perfect combination of action … Hills is the perfect combination of action and suspense, not to mention Eve Ronin is one of the best new female characters in ages. You will race through the pages!” —Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author
A video of Deputy Eve Ronin’s off-duty arrest of an abusive movie star goes viral, turning her into a popular hero at a time when the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is plagued by scandal. The sheriff, desperate for more positive press, makes Eve the youngest female homicide detective in the department’s history.
Now Eve, with a lot to learn and resented by her colleagues, has to justify her new badge. Her chance comes when she and her burned-out, soon-to-retire partner are called to the blood-splattered home of a missing single mother and her two kids. The horrific carnage screams multiple murder—but there are no corpses.
Eve has to rely on her instincts and tenacity to find the bodies and capture the vicious killer, all while battling her own insecurities and mounting pressure from the media, her bosses, and the bereaved family. It’s a deadly ordeal that will either prove her skills…or totally destroy her.
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Lost Hills by Lee Goldberg
Eve Ronin #1
Eve Ronin is not ashamed she used her moment of fame to make it into the homicide detective section of the police. She wanted it, was given the opportunity and snapped it up. That said, she knows that a lot is riding on her ability to solve the case that presented with carnage…a case so brutal that it is mainly a matter of finding the bodies as nobody could possibly have survived. Eve’s partner till he retires has many years of experience but is ready to pass the baton so lets her take the lead and that is just what she does. Will she find the murderer? What will she unearth as she and the team stick to procedures police follow to determine what is what? Is Eve up to the challenge?
What I liked:
* Eve – she is smart, not willing to take guff from others and willing to go out on a limb to do what she feels needs to be done
* Duncan – an older seasoned officer filled with wisdom and a great mentor
* The police procedural aspects
* The twists and turns when they occurred – and the surprises I was not expecting
* The facts and tie-ins that were found
* The puzzle pieces that fit together so tidily
* Learning more about Eve and her family – want to know more and hope to in future books of the series
* Knowing there are enough interesting side characters to make this a great series
* The writing
What I did not like:
* Perhaps it was a bit too easy to find some of the clues?
* The baddie that was so very bad – so glad lethal injection is on the table
* Always hate seeing the loss of life – senseless murderer
* Not knowing the real reason behind what the murderer did…perhaps it was just fun and exciting and there was no reason at all?
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Definitely
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
A poor book. Makes jacket blurbs even more suspect.
An outstanding mystery thriller that really kept me turning the pages to figure it out!
I’ll warn you that things get bloody pretty fast. But the interactions between the cops in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and their counterparts in LAPD are sometimes hilarious, not to mention contentious. That, and the constant crap Eve has to take from men who consider her a skirt that didn’t deserve to get promoted to detective makes for some fun reading.
If you like crime stories with unpredictable characters and plenty of twists and turns, then do yourself a favor and get this book. And while you’re at it, treat yourself to a nice glazed donut. stevenramirez.com
Lost Hills by Lee Goldberg is a fast-paced wild ride with a fabulous lead character and her various supporting characters solving what a most heinous crime is.
Will Eve figure out the Ape Man’s plan before it is too late?
Eve Ronin
Our main character, point of view, and a detective is Eve Ronin. She is the newest and youngest ever detective on the Robbery and Homicide division of the LASD. Eve got her position by social media. Yet, Eve strives to be the best at the job that she wants more than anything. She has had a hard life, and at times, her past dictates her moves, but sometimes it works to her advantage.
I like that Eve is fierce, with a strong will, and stand-up for what she believes in, type of person. She is an extremely complex person, and yet I was rooting for her from the beginning. The only thing that Eve needs to work on is finding a life outside of her job. However, I think that her partner is going to make sure he teaches her that point.
The Case
The crimes were terrible, and they just kept getting worse as Eve learned more. I won’t spoil it for you, but it made me pause that Ape Man was so sure he could get away with it all. What a sick guy. Add to the gruesomeness of the crimes, Eve’s past, and the way she is treated by all of the law enforcement officers in LA county, I couldn’t put the book down.
Five Stars for Lost Hills by Lee Goldberg
I love Lost Hills by Lee Goldberg. I wanted Eve to solve the case, lock the jerk in jail forever, and earn the respect of her fellow detectives. But even in books, life is hard. Lee Goldberg’s superpower is his ability to create these flawed and personable characters that you want to know more and more.
I am looking forward to the next installment in the Eve Ronin series.
If you haven’t read Lost Hills, you should. It is spectacular, and I highly recommend it.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the author. 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 Lost Hills by Lee Goldberg.
This Guest Review is for Baroness’ Book Trove. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book on your site.
Until the next time,
~Jen
If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.
Fast-paced, fun and a heck of a character in Eve Ronin. She lives up to her last name. It’s LA all the way; I:m NY all the way so it’s always interesting to read about a city I’m not familiar with.
Another winner from Lee! Get copy and enjoy.
Fantastic! When I finished it (in just a few hours), I immediately went on to Amazon to check out this author (this was the first I’ve read by him). Imagine how excited I was to see that book 2 in this series will be out January 2021. It’s already on my wish list.
Check this one out! You won’t be disappointed.
Thank you #netgalley and #thomasandmercer for the eARC. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Couldn’t put it down. Characters are interesting. Can’t wait for next book!
My first Lee Goldberg novel, and absolutely not my last. Lots of action with snappy writing and excellent plot turns.
Detective Eve Ronin begins her career as the youngest detective in the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department with a brutal crime investigation. A combination of guts and luck drive her through resentment of fellow officers and bringing a cruel murderer to justice. Thrills aplenty. A fine police procedural.
A great read. Couldn’t put it down. Look forward to more Eve Ronin. Well crafted.