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Eve Ronin #5
Dream Town
A gated dream town for the megarich becomes a murderous nightmare in a riveting Eve Ronin thriller by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Goldberg. Hidden Hills is a private celebrity enclave of white picket fences and horse trails that seems to exist in a dreamworld. But when reality superstar Kitty Winslow is killed within their gates and corpses are found in the vast state park outside them, LASD detective Eve Ronin realizes there is a deadly, razor-thin line between what’s real and what’s imagined. Eve discovers that Kitty’s surreal on- and off-camera life, a blur of fact and fantasy, shockingly mirrors her own as she struggles to investigate the killings, wade into a music industry war, and battle a vicious Chilean gang―all while her life is being turned into a fictional cop show directed by her estranged father. Eve’s grip on reality and the case is strained to the breaking point as the slayings continue, the media frenzy reaches a fever pitch, and the only inescapable truth she can see is death…and it’s coming for her.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 16, 2024
About the author
Lee Goldberg
144 books1,887 followers#1 New York Times Bestselling author Lee Goldberg is a two-time Edgar Award and two-time Shamus Award nominee whose many TV writing and/or producing credits include "Martial Law," "SeaQuest," "Diagnosis Murder,""Hunter," "Spenser: For Hire," "Nero Wolfe," "Missing." "Monk" and "The Glades." He's also the co-author of the Fox & O'Hare series with Janet Evanovich (The Heist, The Chase, The Job, The Scam, The Pursuit etc), "The Walk," "Watch Me Die," "King City," the "Dead Man" series, as well as the "Diagnosis Murder" and "Monk" series of original mystery novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 368 reviews
December 2, 2023
Once again Lee Goldberg has written another riveting novel in the Eve Ronin police procedural and crime thriller series. This fifth book,
Dream Town
, is largely set in Hidden Hills in Los Angeles County. It’s a city and a gated community with wealthy residents, white picket fences, and plenty of horse trails. When reality show star Kitty Winslow is killed in her home there and bones are found in the state park that is adjacent to the community, homicide detective Eve Ronin and her partner Duncan Pavone get both cases. At the same time, the television show about Eve is filming in the area and creates additional havoc on Eve’s life.
Eve is an energetic, ambitious, and compelling main character and someone you can root for. She works tirelessly and has clear goals and good instincts that influence the plot. Her motivations seem believable, with well-drawn and appropriate emotions. She continues to be a flawed protagonist who has shown some growth. Many of her co-workers feel she didn’t earn the promotion to detective. Additionally, the way she challenges things sets others on edge and affects them and her. Reading the first four novels in the series provides the reasons for this added drama. Duncan’s character continues to gain depth. While the case is not straightforward, Eve and Duncan move forward with seeking the truth and justice for victims. Several secondary characters from previous novels show up in various supporting or antagonistic capacities, along with several new ones to lend a freshness to the story.
The author’s writing style continues to hook me quickly, and the story builds momentum that leads to an action-filled conclusion. It’s suspenseful and there are twists and turns. While I did figure out most of the mysteries, there were a couple of surprises along the way. Readers easily become mentally and emotionally involved with the characters as well as the story. The plot is absorbing and intriguing with a storyline that packs a punch. Themes include justice, lifestyles, values, sense of community, family, corruption, murder, integrity, and egos coupled with forensics, good instincts, and solid, basic police work.
Overall, this is a tense, gritty, and engaging novel with wit, suspense, action, and some great twists as well as some violence. It is fast-paced and action-packed. If you enjoy excellent crime thrillers and police procedurals, then I recommend that you check out this one. This series should be read in order since Eve’s background and prior cases are important. I am looking forward to finding out what happens on Eve’s next case.
Thomas & Mercer and Lee Goldberg provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for January 16, 2024.
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My 4.38 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
Eve is an energetic, ambitious, and compelling main character and someone you can root for. She works tirelessly and has clear goals and good instincts that influence the plot. Her motivations seem believable, with well-drawn and appropriate emotions. She continues to be a flawed protagonist who has shown some growth. Many of her co-workers feel she didn’t earn the promotion to detective. Additionally, the way she challenges things sets others on edge and affects them and her. Reading the first four novels in the series provides the reasons for this added drama. Duncan’s character continues to gain depth. While the case is not straightforward, Eve and Duncan move forward with seeking the truth and justice for victims. Several secondary characters from previous novels show up in various supporting or antagonistic capacities, along with several new ones to lend a freshness to the story.
The author’s writing style continues to hook me quickly, and the story builds momentum that leads to an action-filled conclusion. It’s suspenseful and there are twists and turns. While I did figure out most of the mysteries, there were a couple of surprises along the way. Readers easily become mentally and emotionally involved with the characters as well as the story. The plot is absorbing and intriguing with a storyline that packs a punch. Themes include justice, lifestyles, values, sense of community, family, corruption, murder, integrity, and egos coupled with forensics, good instincts, and solid, basic police work.
Overall, this is a tense, gritty, and engaging novel with wit, suspense, action, and some great twists as well as some violence. It is fast-paced and action-packed. If you enjoy excellent crime thrillers and police procedurals, then I recommend that you check out this one. This series should be read in order since Eve’s background and prior cases are important. I am looking forward to finding out what happens on Eve’s next case.
Thomas & Mercer and Lee Goldberg provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for January 16, 2024.
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My 4.38 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
November 22, 2023
Dream Town is the fifth in the entertaining Eve Ronin series. It’s obvious that Lee Goldberg writes for tv series. His writing is straightforward, much more action based than filled with character development. He includes plenty of descriptive phrases, so it’s easy to envision each character and scene. And he doesn’t hesitate to make fun of the film industry.
The story focuses on the murder of Kitty Winslow, who stars in a reality tv show reminiscent of the Kardashians. She and her family live in Hidden Hills, an enclave for the rich. “It was a very pleasant, welcoming, clean place to be, free of any tension, but one only a certain socioeconomic class could afford. Eve sensed a true feeling of community on the streets, and a rhythm of life that was completely different than the world outside the gates. It was like they were under a dome, but not as if they were imprisoned. More like they were protected.” Imagine my shock to find out that Hidden Hills is a real place. BTW, I rarely read acknowledgements but the one here is very interesting. I had no idea Chilean burglary tourists are very much a real thing.
Goldberg’s familiarity with the tv industry shines through in multiple ways and helps make the story feel real. Eve’s mindset as the tv show impacts on her real life was particularly well done. And while I wasn’t surprised by the who in the whodunit, I was impressed by the way Goldberg unraveled it all.
It will work best if you read this series in order. Or at least read the first book before tackling this one.
My thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of this book.
The story focuses on the murder of Kitty Winslow, who stars in a reality tv show reminiscent of the Kardashians. She and her family live in Hidden Hills, an enclave for the rich. “It was a very pleasant, welcoming, clean place to be, free of any tension, but one only a certain socioeconomic class could afford. Eve sensed a true feeling of community on the streets, and a rhythm of life that was completely different than the world outside the gates. It was like they were under a dome, but not as if they were imprisoned. More like they were protected.” Imagine my shock to find out that Hidden Hills is a real place. BTW, I rarely read acknowledgements but the one here is very interesting. I had no idea Chilean burglary tourists are very much a real thing.
Goldberg’s familiarity with the tv industry shines through in multiple ways and helps make the story feel real. Eve’s mindset as the tv show impacts on her real life was particularly well done. And while I wasn’t surprised by the who in the whodunit, I was impressed by the way Goldberg unraveled it all.
It will work best if you read this series in order. Or at least read the first book before tackling this one.
My thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of this book.
September 12, 2024
“Everybody counts or nobody counts.” – Harry Bosch
“…She’d taken the fictional character’s philosophy to heart, if not his approach.”
This is not a stand-alone. So, if you are interested in a new series, especially with a Hollywood vibe, this may be an interesting one to consider. But don’t start with this book. Start at the beginning of the series so you can get the full background on the characters.
The series stars Eve Ronin as a homicide detective with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department who is now having her story turned into a TV series. But that isn’t the center of the story, just a part of knowing something about the character and what is happening within the story that affects the characters.
Now, some readers may like the behind-the-scenes style of the story, with the celebrity actors/reality stars/producers/directors, et al spattered throughout. Not surprising with Goldberg as the author, who has a celebrated resume as a TV writer (Diagnosis Murder, Monk), besides being a successful author.
But I think I was finding myself just as annoyed as the character Eve, as she tried to do her job to solve a murder of a reality TV star and some recent discoveries of bones. Would people just please take her seriously? I certainly was trying my best to do so.
So, how did it all play out? Not for me to tell. (I don’t do spoilers.) But readers will find this story to be an easy read, quick paced, page turning, fun little mystery that may be easy to solve when paying attention to all the “clues.”
“…She’d taken the fictional character’s philosophy to heart, if not his approach.”
This is not a stand-alone. So, if you are interested in a new series, especially with a Hollywood vibe, this may be an interesting one to consider. But don’t start with this book. Start at the beginning of the series so you can get the full background on the characters.
The series stars Eve Ronin as a homicide detective with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department who is now having her story turned into a TV series. But that isn’t the center of the story, just a part of knowing something about the character and what is happening within the story that affects the characters.
Now, some readers may like the behind-the-scenes style of the story, with the celebrity actors/reality stars/producers/directors, et al spattered throughout. Not surprising with Goldberg as the author, who has a celebrated resume as a TV writer (Diagnosis Murder, Monk), besides being a successful author.
But I think I was finding myself just as annoyed as the character Eve, as she tried to do her job to solve a murder of a reality TV star and some recent discoveries of bones. Would people just please take her seriously? I certainly was trying my best to do so.
So, how did it all play out? Not for me to tell. (I don’t do spoilers.) But readers will find this story to be an easy read, quick paced, page turning, fun little mystery that may be easy to solve when paying attention to all the “clues.”
April 19, 2024
Eve Ronin and her male partner ‘Donuts’ Duncan (the nickname makes sense if you move his surname to the fore) are homicide detectives in the LASD, who police an area north west of the city of Los Angeles, incorporating the mega-rich cities of Malibu and Calabasas, where many of the new rich of La La Land reside. In quick succession, several bodies are found in a vast wild park sitting outside a private gated community, and then a member of one of the families living in this seemingly peaceful enclave is brutally murdered. The bodies have been in the ground for some time, so it seems that the events are linked only by proximity. Though evidence suggests that travelling Chilean gangs, who are known to have be operating in the greater L.A. area for some time, may actually be linked to both.
The murder victim is a young woman, a member of a family who lives in this small community. We discover that this family star in their own reality television series (thoughts of the Kardashians are hard to avoid). And as the detectives carry out their investigations we’re treated to a lesson in how the family promote and monetise their banal escapades, leveraging social media and carefully constructed storylines to manipulate and grow their audience. It’s all pretty good fun and there’s the added irony of Eve having to stomach the fact that filming of a television series detailing her own rise through the police ranks has now kicked off, with her hated father directing the action.
I like the chemistry between Eve – who is punchy and often rude – and Donuts, who’s funny and is loving the fact he’s also featured in the television episode being filmed. Also, Eve is despised by many of her colleagues for queue jumping to her current grade - courtesy of a filmed takedown of a celebrity caught abusing his girlfriend – and also for exposing corruption within the force. All of this backstory is described in detail in earlier books in this series, as are her relationships with her absentee father and her failing but desperately ambitious mother. For this reason, I believe it’s better to start at book one and work your way through to this episode, this way the subtleties attached to Eve’s relationships with many of the people who surround her will not be missed.
I don’t believe this is the strongest story in the series, but Goldberg has invented a group of people I enjoy meeting up with and enough trouble and strife to go with them to keep me interested. So, it's 3.5 stars for me (rounded up to 4).
My thanks to Thomas & Mercer for supplying an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The murder victim is a young woman, a member of a family who lives in this small community. We discover that this family star in their own reality television series (thoughts of the Kardashians are hard to avoid). And as the detectives carry out their investigations we’re treated to a lesson in how the family promote and monetise their banal escapades, leveraging social media and carefully constructed storylines to manipulate and grow their audience. It’s all pretty good fun and there’s the added irony of Eve having to stomach the fact that filming of a television series detailing her own rise through the police ranks has now kicked off, with her hated father directing the action.
I like the chemistry between Eve – who is punchy and often rude – and Donuts, who’s funny and is loving the fact he’s also featured in the television episode being filmed. Also, Eve is despised by many of her colleagues for queue jumping to her current grade - courtesy of a filmed takedown of a celebrity caught abusing his girlfriend – and also for exposing corruption within the force. All of this backstory is described in detail in earlier books in this series, as are her relationships with her absentee father and her failing but desperately ambitious mother. For this reason, I believe it’s better to start at book one and work your way through to this episode, this way the subtleties attached to Eve’s relationships with many of the people who surround her will not be missed.
I don’t believe this is the strongest story in the series, but Goldberg has invented a group of people I enjoy meeting up with and enough trouble and strife to go with them to keep me interested. So, it's 3.5 stars for me (rounded up to 4).
My thanks to Thomas & Mercer for supplying an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 12, 2023
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.
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.
September 11, 2023
Many thanks to both Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Dream Town, by Lee Goldberg. Expected publication: January 16, 2024. It's #5 in the Eve Ronin series.
We're back with Eve Ronin and her partner, Duncan Pavone. This time they're in the mega-rich area called Hidden Hills, which is a private, celebrity enclave of white-picket-fences and horse trails that seems to exist in a dream world. The deputy sheriff who rules over Hidden Hills wears cowboy boots, a cowboy hat, and takes his job VERY seriously! When Eve and Duncan get a call that a reality show celebrity named Kitty Winslow has been shot and killed, we're off and running!
I love this series!! Yes, it's over the top sometimes, but it's always fun to read. Dream Town is a police procedural with great characters, a fast-paced plot, murder, skeletal remains, and a reality show family. I feel it can be read as a standalone, although all of the books in the series I've read have been five stars. Mr. Goldberg's writing is smart, and witty at the same time! I absolutely loved it when Eve referenced something the fictitious Harry Bosch always says: "Everybody Counts or nobody counts.."
Interestingly, there really is a Hidden Hills near Calabasas and it really is patrolled by a Deputy Sheriff. (Without the boots and hat, however.) Mr. Goldberg stated: "If aliens from another planet wanted to create a zoo for human beings and put it under a dome, it would be Hidden Hills."
We're back with Eve Ronin and her partner, Duncan Pavone. This time they're in the mega-rich area called Hidden Hills, which is a private, celebrity enclave of white-picket-fences and horse trails that seems to exist in a dream world. The deputy sheriff who rules over Hidden Hills wears cowboy boots, a cowboy hat, and takes his job VERY seriously! When Eve and Duncan get a call that a reality show celebrity named Kitty Winslow has been shot and killed, we're off and running!
I love this series!! Yes, it's over the top sometimes, but it's always fun to read. Dream Town is a police procedural with great characters, a fast-paced plot, murder, skeletal remains, and a reality show family. I feel it can be read as a standalone, although all of the books in the series I've read have been five stars. Mr. Goldberg's writing is smart, and witty at the same time! I absolutely loved it when Eve referenced something the fictitious Harry Bosch always says: "Everybody Counts or nobody counts.."
Interestingly, there really is a Hidden Hills near Calabasas and it really is patrolled by a Deputy Sheriff. (Without the boots and hat, however.) Mr. Goldberg stated: "If aliens from another planet wanted to create a zoo for human beings and put it under a dome, it would be Hidden Hills."
September 22, 2023
Eve has sold her story, and her estranged father is the director of her eponymous TV series, which makes doing her job even more challenging. She and Duncan have a new case: Kitty, a reality TV star, has been murdered just after displaying her massive engagement ring on social media. Could the murderers be Chilean criminals who are targeting the wealthy? A local rapper with ties to the Crips who hated Kitty? Or maybe someone even closer to her? And how does Amos, a local cop who wears a Stetson and patrols on horseback, fit into the picture? This mystery definitely kept me guessing. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
June 8, 2024
****6/8/24**** FINISHED! This is a semi-light (no hard core violence, not an uber-serious story) police procedural based 100% on the Kardashians as inspiration for the Hidden Hills-based celebs the novel is built on. I wish I could identify the rapper character IRL, but someone will figure that out, I'm sure. This is a fun book, quick read, and a must for LA readers who like this genre. The mystery component was pretty well done, although it is kind of unbelievable, so more of a fun read. There is a light romance angle for the main female sheriff which I found to be a good addition to the story. 4-stars and I would try another one by this author.
****5/29/24**** About 40% in and any police procedural fans living in the San Fernando Valley or general LA area will appreciate the MANY references to streets and locations in our neck of the woods. This book falls in between "cozy mysteries" which can sometimes be too cute for my taste, and serious thrillers that can be too intense. I'll call it a "accessible and entertaining" mystery/thriller.
****5/25/24**** Just picked this up on the New Releases shelf from my local Los Angeles public library based on a quick assessment of the story, cover and blurbs. Looking forward to reading the physical book! ETA: I may be mistaken by starting in the middle of what is apparently a book series, but oh well, I'm going for it. Will report back.
****5/29/24**** About 40% in and any police procedural fans living in the San Fernando Valley or general LA area will appreciate the MANY references to streets and locations in our neck of the woods. This book falls in between "cozy mysteries" which can sometimes be too cute for my taste, and serious thrillers that can be too intense. I'll call it a "accessible and entertaining" mystery/thriller.
****5/25/24**** Just picked this up on the New Releases shelf from my local Los Angeles public library based on a quick assessment of the story, cover and blurbs. Looking forward to reading the physical book! ETA: I may be mistaken by starting in the middle of what is apparently a book series, but oh well, I'm going for it. Will report back.
December 7, 2023
Eve Ronin is a novice homicide investigator. Much to the consternation of many in the LA County Sheriff Department, she was promoted to her position when a video of her taking down and arresting a movie star for abusing a woman went viral. She is partnered with Duncan “Donuts” Pavone who has recently postponed his retirement.
Mummified and skeletal remains are found in a preserve adjacent to the somewhat unusual wealthy enclave of Hidden Hills. Eve and Duncan are called away from the site by the robbery and murder of a reality star in Hidden Hills. Are these two incidents related? And just how does the rap star, also a resident of the enclave, fit into the plot?
On a personal level, Eve has purchased and moved into her own home, a house readers will recognize from an earlier story and she is building a relationship with archeologist Daniel, also familiar from an earlier installment.
This is the fifth in the Eve Ronin series; I have read all of them. Obviously, I like Lee Goldberg’s writing. his books are well written, fast moving, with good character development. I particularly enjoy the humor displayed by some of the characters. While the actions and plots may sometimes stretch the imagination, they are never too far fetched.
I would recommend this series to fans of mysteries/thrillers/police procedurals, especially those featuring personable main characters. All of the books do work as stand alones.
Thanks to #netgalley and @amazonpublishing #thomasandmercer for the ARC.
Mummified and skeletal remains are found in a preserve adjacent to the somewhat unusual wealthy enclave of Hidden Hills. Eve and Duncan are called away from the site by the robbery and murder of a reality star in Hidden Hills. Are these two incidents related? And just how does the rap star, also a resident of the enclave, fit into the plot?
On a personal level, Eve has purchased and moved into her own home, a house readers will recognize from an earlier story and she is building a relationship with archeologist Daniel, also familiar from an earlier installment.
This is the fifth in the Eve Ronin series; I have read all of them. Obviously, I like Lee Goldberg’s writing. his books are well written, fast moving, with good character development. I particularly enjoy the humor displayed by some of the characters. While the actions and plots may sometimes stretch the imagination, they are never too far fetched.
I would recommend this series to fans of mysteries/thrillers/police procedurals, especially those featuring personable main characters. All of the books do work as stand alones.
Thanks to #netgalley and @amazonpublishing #thomasandmercer for the ARC.
December 26, 2023
Dream Town is the fifth book in the Eve Ronin crime fiction series, about a young LA county Sheriff’s Department homicide detective, whose online fame after an incident with a movie star kickstarted her career - but has caused her trouble ever since. I’ve read them all in order, which is helpful but not essential, as each book is a separate mystery and you do get enough backstory to know who’s who. These are enjoyable police procedurals about murder in the world of the celebrity super-rich, with plenty of humour, and a feisty heroine and her affable older partner Duncan battling the politicians both inside and outside their department to see justice served.
The bodies of three Latin American men have been found buried in a reserve just outside Hidden Hills, a gated community for wealthy Hollywood stars, and Eve’s new boyfriend Daniel, the team’s forensic anthropologist, finds evidence suggesting they could be members of a Chilean robbery crew. Then a young reality TV star is brutally murdered the night after announcing her engagement on social media - and flashing an expensive ring which has been stolen. Meanwhile Eve is grappling with the fact that her life is being turned into a TV show - and everyone except her wants to maximise her celebrity status.
This was another well plotted and fast paced murder mystery very much in the style of the Harry Bosch novels, which I love (he is referenced so it’s not a coincidence, and the similarities come across as tribute more than copycat writing so I see this as a positive.) The author has a background in TV and is not afraid to skewer the typical tropes and characters of that world. This features a repugnant media-obsessed family very like the Kardashians (I hasten to add I have never watched a moment of that show, but you can’t avoid hearing about them constantly!) who are more than happy to share their grief with the world if it will boost the popularity of their show.
I really like this series and hope that someone will turn Ronin into a TV show for real sometime - but in the meantime am happy to keep reading about her adventures.
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily. Dream Town is published on January 16th 2024.
The bodies of three Latin American men have been found buried in a reserve just outside Hidden Hills, a gated community for wealthy Hollywood stars, and Eve’s new boyfriend Daniel, the team’s forensic anthropologist, finds evidence suggesting they could be members of a Chilean robbery crew. Then a young reality TV star is brutally murdered the night after announcing her engagement on social media - and flashing an expensive ring which has been stolen. Meanwhile Eve is grappling with the fact that her life is being turned into a TV show - and everyone except her wants to maximise her celebrity status.
This was another well plotted and fast paced murder mystery very much in the style of the Harry Bosch novels, which I love (he is referenced so it’s not a coincidence, and the similarities come across as tribute more than copycat writing so I see this as a positive.) The author has a background in TV and is not afraid to skewer the typical tropes and characters of that world. This features a repugnant media-obsessed family very like the Kardashians (I hasten to add I have never watched a moment of that show, but you can’t avoid hearing about them constantly!) who are more than happy to share their grief with the world if it will boost the popularity of their show.
I really like this series and hope that someone will turn Ronin into a TV show for real sometime - but in the meantime am happy to keep reading about her adventures.
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily. Dream Town is published on January 16th 2024.
August 21, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley, the Publishers and the Author for the ARC
Eve Ronin and Duncan are back, and I am happy to lay my hands on the pre-release copy. Though this book gets deeper into the 'Behind-the-scenes' of Hollywood/ TV/Reality shows, the detective plot is very engaging. Ronin becomes a bit tiresome at times, when she doggedly pursues a case (s) though they are apparently already solved.
I enjoyed this book. A must-read for those who have already read the other 4 in the series.
Eve Ronin and Duncan are back, and I am happy to lay my hands on the pre-release copy. Though this book gets deeper into the 'Behind-the-scenes' of Hollywood/ TV/Reality shows, the detective plot is very engaging. Ronin becomes a bit tiresome at times, when she doggedly pursues a case (s) though they are apparently already solved.
I enjoyed this book. A must-read for those who have already read the other 4 in the series.
August 26, 2023
Lee Goldberg returns with the eagerly anticipated (at least by me) fifth installment of the Eve Ronin series. Like the previous entries in the series, this one gives Eve and company a great mystery to solve as all the threads comes together amid the backdrop of Hollywood. The story itself unfolds quickly and the fast pace translated to me turning the pages as fast as could, trying to keep up with the investigation. I love returning to this world with these amazing characters from the big to the small. I have long had a cycle that with certain authors and their long-running series, I will devour their latest book in a matter of days and then have wait a year (or more) for the next one, this one cements the Eve Ronin series as one of those book series. I will keep reading these as long as Mr. Goldberg wants to keep writing them. And here's hoping for another one very soon.
Special Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.
Special Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.
October 29, 2023
"Dream Town," the fifth book in Goldberg's Eve Ronin Homicide Detective series, wants to mirror real life and the fake of Los Angeles. Detective Ronin's daily life collides with TV crews filming her true crime stories, while murder is happening on a popular reality show. The Winslows (can somebody say Kardashians), faces a similar dilemma when their scripted reality show takes a violent turn. Ronin's investigation leads her into Hidden Hills, a gated community where rich and famous residents struggle to distinguish between TV roles and real life. Meanwhile, Ronin gets involved in other murder cases in the tony town of the Winslows when the bones of more than one dead person are uncovered.
Eve Ronin complains a bit too much, and her character and stories are becoming tired. It seems like a write-by-numbers entry.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.
Eve Ronin complains a bit too much, and her character and stories are becoming tired. It seems like a write-by-numbers entry.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.
December 31, 2023
Reading a new book in a series you've been following for at least three or four installments is sort of like getting glimpses into the life of old friends. And that's exactly what it should be, IMHO; you want the continuity of familiarity tinged with a few surprises - none of them, in the case of the mystery/thriller genre, life threatening to the characters you've come to know and love (or even, in some cases, dislike intensely).
Such is the case with Los Angeles Sheriff's Department detective Eve Ronin and her near-retirement partner, Duncan Pavone (this is the fifth book in the series; for those who missed the earlier editions, it stands alone fairly well, but as always, I suggest starting to read any series from the beginning, or as close to that as possible). The setting here is mostly in the uber-rich area of Hidden Hills in Los Angeles County - no doubt gorgeous, although nothing much about the place has much appeal to a Midwestern-through-and-through gal like me.
Eve's life has remained pretty much a mess, although she does have a fairly steady man in her life and is at least on speaking terms with her mother and father (both of which, though, could change at any given moment). Her much-publicized detective skills are being documented in a reality TV show, much to her chagrin (though in fairness, she agreed to let it happen). Her mostly estranged father is producing it, with her mother in a prominent role. But for her part, Eve tries to keep her distance.
Crime, though, still gets her attention; this time, the star of another popular reality show filmed in Hidden Hills becomes a murder victim in the family complex. Exterior cameras catch sight of masked mauraders leaving the scene - suspected to be members of a local Chilean gang. Meanwhile, Eve's main squeeze, forensic anthropologist Daniel Brooks, is engaged in finding and identifying bodies buried on a preserve not far from Hidden Hills. These, too, may be gang members - or not and may be related to the reality star's demise - or not.
Surprise - all these scenarios get visited and revisited as the connections among them become evident; it isn't till near the end that the truth - which, oddly also is interconnected - sort of smacks Eve right between the camera angles. All in all, another totally enjoyable read - and I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to learn that by way of a pre-release copy. Good job as always!
Such is the case with Los Angeles Sheriff's Department detective Eve Ronin and her near-retirement partner, Duncan Pavone (this is the fifth book in the series; for those who missed the earlier editions, it stands alone fairly well, but as always, I suggest starting to read any series from the beginning, or as close to that as possible). The setting here is mostly in the uber-rich area of Hidden Hills in Los Angeles County - no doubt gorgeous, although nothing much about the place has much appeal to a Midwestern-through-and-through gal like me.
Eve's life has remained pretty much a mess, although she does have a fairly steady man in her life and is at least on speaking terms with her mother and father (both of which, though, could change at any given moment). Her much-publicized detective skills are being documented in a reality TV show, much to her chagrin (though in fairness, she agreed to let it happen). Her mostly estranged father is producing it, with her mother in a prominent role. But for her part, Eve tries to keep her distance.
Crime, though, still gets her attention; this time, the star of another popular reality show filmed in Hidden Hills becomes a murder victim in the family complex. Exterior cameras catch sight of masked mauraders leaving the scene - suspected to be members of a local Chilean gang. Meanwhile, Eve's main squeeze, forensic anthropologist Daniel Brooks, is engaged in finding and identifying bodies buried on a preserve not far from Hidden Hills. These, too, may be gang members - or not and may be related to the reality star's demise - or not.
Surprise - all these scenarios get visited and revisited as the connections among them become evident; it isn't till near the end that the truth - which, oddly also is interconnected - sort of smacks Eve right between the camera angles. All in all, another totally enjoyable read - and I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to learn that by way of a pre-release copy. Good job as always!
February 6, 2024
One of the best thriller series out there, with a dynamic duo at the helm! Deathfist and Donuts Forever!!!!
December 13, 2023
Another perplexing case that was full of twists and turns! I was thrilled to reunite with the characters, and enjoyed seeing what they are up to now. The witty banter and the closeness of the dynamic duo is really a treat. The setting descriptions are vivid and feel like I’m being transported to the locale, even in the midst of a midwestern winter, I’ve enjoyed this series and this installment was no exception!
April 4, 2024
I had a lot of fun with the first four novels in this series, Eve Ronin is an engaging character and the crimes she gets involved with are exotic in a very Los Angeles way so I pre-ordered 'Dream Town', It didn't disappoint. I got an inside view of Reality TV, the low down on how Chilean burglary gangs work. and a mystery set in an equestrian (quarter horses and stock saddles, not hunters and English saddles) gated community for the rich and famous.
I enjoyed catching up with Eve Ronin. I particularly liked that she was starting to change, partly to get a life outside her job and partly to accommodate the injuries she's picked up along the way. In this book, the TV series based on her previous exploits is underway and watching it being made is messing with Eve's sense of reality. Which was an elegant segue into a murder plot that involves a Kardashian-like Reality TV show where the patriarch spent so many years playing a Sheriff on TV that he thinks of himself as a lawman.
The first quarter of the book had a lot of recap in it but once Eve is picked up a homicide case with some legs to it, she and the book became a lot more focused, the book hit its stride and I was having fun.
I love the gentle humour that permeates these books. A lot of it comes from how seriously Eve takes herself and her job and her inability to anticipate which of her behaviours other people will think are odd. What Eve did to the Doberman that was attacking a suspect that she'd been chasing shouldn't have made me laugh but it did. I could imagine that dog's indignant face as it tried to work out how it had ended up in the pool. Then there are Eve's parents. Her narcissistic absent-for-most-of-her-life-but-now-directing-her-TV-series father is a slimeball. Her mother is a nightmare but a very believable nightmare.
The mystery worked well. The characters were writ large. The pace was fast without feeling rushed. It was exactly the kind of polished entertainment that I'd been hoping for.
I enjoyed catching up with Eve Ronin. I particularly liked that she was starting to change, partly to get a life outside her job and partly to accommodate the injuries she's picked up along the way. In this book, the TV series based on her previous exploits is underway and watching it being made is messing with Eve's sense of reality. Which was an elegant segue into a murder plot that involves a Kardashian-like Reality TV show where the patriarch spent so many years playing a Sheriff on TV that he thinks of himself as a lawman.
The first quarter of the book had a lot of recap in it but once Eve is picked up a homicide case with some legs to it, she and the book became a lot more focused, the book hit its stride and I was having fun.
I love the gentle humour that permeates these books. A lot of it comes from how seriously Eve takes herself and her job and her inability to anticipate which of her behaviours other people will think are odd. What Eve did to the Doberman that was attacking a suspect that she'd been chasing shouldn't have made me laugh but it did. I could imagine that dog's indignant face as it tried to work out how it had ended up in the pool. Then there are Eve's parents. Her narcissistic absent-for-most-of-her-life-but-now-directing-her-TV-series father is a slimeball. Her mother is a nightmare but a very believable nightmare.
The mystery worked well. The characters were writ large. The pace was fast without feeling rushed. It was exactly the kind of polished entertainment that I'd been hoping for.
April 25, 2024
A gritty and colorful police procedural set in LA’s Lala Land of reality TV and traveling Chilean burglary gangs with Lee Goldberg’s Eve Ronin on the case.
I was familiar with Lee Goldberg’s works for a few years now, but not until last year’s sensational new release of standalone sci-fi thriller, Calico, did I try his work. I was most impressed to I reached for this year’s new release, the fifth installment in the Eve Ronin series. Granted, I took a chance that I could slip into the story without having read the earlier books. I can see where I would have perhaps enjoyed Dream Town more if I’d have gotten the book in order. Eve’s past career, her family situation, and even some ongoing personal and relationship development all point back to previous books.
That said, I had no trouble slipping into Eve Ronin’s world of police work and figuring out how to survive the work politics and lethal situations her job brings let alone navigating the odd world her parents created with a show based on her life filming presently and the crazy rarified world of a wealthy gated community where her Kardashian-like reality TV star victim was murdered. I found the addition of the field of bodies discovered in a nearby park and connected with Chilean travel gangs a scary yet fascinating additional case for Eve and her older more phlegmatic partner, Duncan. The find of the bodies brings in her would-be boyfriend, Daniel, the pathologist, is involved in. Eve’s still not sold on the relationship or Daniel living with her.
So, Eve has a lot of balls in the air, but she’s tough and smart. She gets it done. I figured some of it out and how things connected, but nothing close to the final solution.
Nicole Zanzarella was a new to me narrator. I had no trouble settling into her storytelling and I thought she made a good Eve and skillfully voiced the rest of the characters well. She caught the pace and tone of the story and made a good story even stronger.
All in all, the writing and description of setting into a celebrity and wealthy world I had little conception of was as solid and engaging as ever. I will be going back for the beginning of the series and following Eve to this point. Those who enjoy police procedural thrillers in the larger than life world of LA policing should definitely give this a go.
I rec'd an audiobook from Brilliance Audio in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at Caffeinated Reviewer 4.17.24
I was familiar with Lee Goldberg’s works for a few years now, but not until last year’s sensational new release of standalone sci-fi thriller, Calico, did I try his work. I was most impressed to I reached for this year’s new release, the fifth installment in the Eve Ronin series. Granted, I took a chance that I could slip into the story without having read the earlier books. I can see where I would have perhaps enjoyed Dream Town more if I’d have gotten the book in order. Eve’s past career, her family situation, and even some ongoing personal and relationship development all point back to previous books.
That said, I had no trouble slipping into Eve Ronin’s world of police work and figuring out how to survive the work politics and lethal situations her job brings let alone navigating the odd world her parents created with a show based on her life filming presently and the crazy rarified world of a wealthy gated community where her Kardashian-like reality TV star victim was murdered. I found the addition of the field of bodies discovered in a nearby park and connected with Chilean travel gangs a scary yet fascinating additional case for Eve and her older more phlegmatic partner, Duncan. The find of the bodies brings in her would-be boyfriend, Daniel, the pathologist, is involved in. Eve’s still not sold on the relationship or Daniel living with her.
So, Eve has a lot of balls in the air, but she’s tough and smart. She gets it done. I figured some of it out and how things connected, but nothing close to the final solution.
Nicole Zanzarella was a new to me narrator. I had no trouble settling into her storytelling and I thought she made a good Eve and skillfully voiced the rest of the characters well. She caught the pace and tone of the story and made a good story even stronger.
All in all, the writing and description of setting into a celebrity and wealthy world I had little conception of was as solid and engaging as ever. I will be going back for the beginning of the series and following Eve to this point. Those who enjoy police procedural thrillers in the larger than life world of LA policing should definitely give this a go.
I rec'd an audiobook from Brilliance Audio in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at Caffeinated Reviewer 4.17.24
August 16, 2024
The is the fifth installment in the Eve Ronin series. I’ve enjoyed the books up until this one. I don’t enjoy reality tv and didn’t like the Winslow family so I didn’t feel invested in this story. It seemed like Eve complained a lot - especially about the tv series about her life - the same series that allows her financial freedoms she enjoys. Solving four cases seemed a little over the top. I understand her father was not around but as a grown adult I would think she could at least be civil and not so mean to him. I hope this is a one off and the next book will be as good as the first four.
December 31, 2023
I requested this from NetGalley as I was looking for some shortish reads to occupy myself over the Christmas - New Year break. I'd heard of Goldberg but wasn't sure why and made the connection to his career writing for television (etc) AFTER I downloaded this book. That was when I also found out it was the fifth in the series featuring (apparently ambitious) LA Sheriff's Department Detective Eve Ronin.
It didn't matter than I've come into her story part-way through as I connected with Eve from the get-go. Goldberg is obviously used to relying on dialogue because I felt like I was 'there' amidst the action. And the support cast from her older work partner Duncan, to her love interest Daniel and those featuring in the case(s) under investigation here were all interesting... appearing fully-formed and real. And I did chuckle that Goldberg blatantly uses the Kasdashians (sp?) as inspiration for the characters here as the murder-at-hand centres around a family who feature in a reality TV show... and their fame was helped along after the daughter's sex tape was leaked.*
It's that same daughter who's murdered here and there are no shortages of suspects from those she's screwed over. (Literally and figuratively!)
[The murder] overlaps with the discovery of several bodies found nearby in what appears to be a gang's dumping ground and ultimately the two cases meet in an unfortunate vortex of sorts.
This was an enjoyable read and it's very centred around the entertainment industry which Goldberg would know well, as here Eve's estranged father (a TV director) is making a TV series based on her efforts in a previous case. It's attention she doesn't want, but can't avoid.
Goldberg's writing is witty/droll and I enjoyed the repartee between Eve and Duncan. I was reminded of the love I have for JD Robb's In Death series and Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series and quite excited that I've got some Eve Ronin to catch up on, and that Goldberg also has a plethora of other books, some based on TV shows I've enjoyed in the past, such as Monk.
3.5-4 stars
It didn't matter than I've come into her story part-way through as I connected with Eve from the get-go. Goldberg is obviously used to relying on dialogue because I felt like I was 'there' amidst the action. And the support cast from her older work partner Duncan, to her love interest Daniel and those featuring in the case(s) under investigation here were all interesting... appearing fully-formed and real. And I did chuckle that Goldberg blatantly uses the Kasdashians (sp?) as inspiration for the characters here as the murder-at-hand centres around a family who feature in a reality TV show... and their fame was helped along after the daughter's sex tape was leaked.*
It's that same daughter who's murdered here and there are no shortages of suspects from those she's screwed over. (Literally and figuratively!)
[The murder] overlaps with the discovery of several bodies found nearby in what appears to be a gang's dumping ground and ultimately the two cases meet in an unfortunate vortex of sorts.
This was an enjoyable read and it's very centred around the entertainment industry which Goldberg would know well, as here Eve's estranged father (a TV director) is making a TV series based on her efforts in a previous case. It's attention she doesn't want, but can't avoid.
Goldberg's writing is witty/droll and I enjoyed the repartee between Eve and Duncan. I was reminded of the love I have for JD Robb's In Death series and Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series and quite excited that I've got some Eve Ronin to catch up on, and that Goldberg also has a plethora of other books, some based on TV shows I've enjoyed in the past, such as Monk.
3.5-4 stars
August 22, 2023
this series will forever be a guilty pleasure binge-worthy one for me!!! I just love eve ronin’s take no prisoners attitude, and the cheesy way the detectives are written are perfect fodder 😮💨
in this installment, eve and duncan are turning another cheek as they attempt to get back to crime solving without the added drama and contingencies that come with being a celebrity detective 😅 of course that lasts all of five seconds, but that’s what makes these stories so great and unreal
what I also love about this series is that it follows a very similar script where it’s not over until the very last chapter!! so when one of the suspects actually turned out to be the killer this time, I knew there had to be another twist coming - and boy was I right!
this one I was able to guess but I felt very content of this satisfactory conclusion & I’m so so looking forward to the next one! I always forget how much I love to binge these!!!!
thank you to netgalley and thomas & mercer for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: paso robles cabernet sauvignon
in this installment, eve and duncan are turning another cheek as they attempt to get back to crime solving without the added drama and contingencies that come with being a celebrity detective 😅 of course that lasts all of five seconds, but that’s what makes these stories so great and unreal
what I also love about this series is that it follows a very similar script where it’s not over until the very last chapter!! so when one of the suspects actually turned out to be the killer this time, I knew there had to be another twist coming - and boy was I right!
this one I was able to guess but I felt very content of this satisfactory conclusion & I’m so so looking forward to the next one! I always forget how much I love to binge these!!!!
thank you to netgalley and thomas & mercer for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: paso robles cabernet sauvignon
December 31, 2023
Dream Town by Lee Goldberg is his fifth book in the Eve Ronin series, the first I have read. I found it to be a very captivating read, with a well-crafted storyline and relatable characters.
Eve Ronin is the youngest homicide detective in the LA County Sheriff Department. She is a hot shot and rising star, however many of her colleagues resent her rapid rise. She and her partner and friend, Duncan "Donuts" Pavone are assigned a case involving the grizzly discovery of 2 male bodies in a local reserve.
Almost simultaneously a young woman, Kitty Winslow, is discovered dead in her home, which neighbors the reserve. Eve, largely because of her profile, and Donuts are also assigned this case.
Kitty is a rap singer and model, and comes from a famous family; her father Caleb, a well-known and respected star of a very popular Western series. The family are now starring in their own reality series. Thus this is a high-profile case and Eve's supervisors want a quick resolution.
The characters are believable, the story is suspenseful and there are a few intriguing subplots. . I also thoroughly enjoyed the humor that the author interjects throughout the book. I highly recommend Dream Town, my first Lee Goldbergbook, definitely not my last. 4.5 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Mercer Publishing for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book, that in no way impacted this review.
Eve Ronin is the youngest homicide detective in the LA County Sheriff Department. She is a hot shot and rising star, however many of her colleagues resent her rapid rise. She and her partner and friend, Duncan "Donuts" Pavone are assigned a case involving the grizzly discovery of 2 male bodies in a local reserve.
Almost simultaneously a young woman, Kitty Winslow, is discovered dead in her home, which neighbors the reserve. Eve, largely because of her profile, and Donuts are also assigned this case.
Kitty is a rap singer and model, and comes from a famous family; her father Caleb, a well-known and respected star of a very popular Western series. The family are now starring in their own reality series. Thus this is a high-profile case and Eve's supervisors want a quick resolution.
The characters are believable, the story is suspenseful and there are a few intriguing subplots. . I also thoroughly enjoyed the humor that the author interjects throughout the book. I highly recommend Dream Town, my first Lee Goldbergbook, definitely not my last. 4.5 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Mercer Publishing for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book, that in no way impacted this review.
February 13, 2024
This series is really hit or miss and sadly, the newest book was a miss for me. I still really like the two main characters, Eve and Duncan, but I did not care for the storyline. I am also so sick of the author describing LA freeways and the exact routes the characters are taking. I do not care!! Spend more time on the actual story!
November 20, 2023
This one must have been fun to write. Dream Town by Lee Goldberg is the fifth Eve Ronin book and this time it's not only a murder mystery set in a neighboorhood that must be familiar to the author, it also involves the production of a tv series which I am sure he also knows a lot about. I really like this series and the characters. It's not like every other detective stories out there. I like the fact that Eve is one of the few among her colleagues that doesn't care about fame and celebrities and she is only interested in solving crimes and helping people. She tries to do her work despite the power struggles and corruption within the police and trying to stay clear from all the glamour that comes from being famous. The series deals with some great issues and are filled with twists that are well created. I also like the fact that there is a lot of humor, we all need a good laugh. I must thank Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for letting me read this advance copy and also Lee Goldberg for writing such great books.
February 27, 2024
Kendall and Kylie killed Kim Kardashian!
Wowza!
This was ok.
A reality tv star is shot dead in her home. The search for her killers.
I have nothing else clever or witty to say.
Wowza!
This was ok.
A reality tv star is shot dead in her home. The search for her killers.
I have nothing else clever or witty to say.
February 11, 2024
DREAM TOWN, the fifth book in author Lee Goldberg's Eve Ronin series, finds Ronin once again on the hunt for a killer.
Along with her partner Duncan, she's assigned to the high profile murder investigation of a reality TV star. Kitty Winslow was murdered in what is first deemed to be a home invasion robbery. The star of a reality series dealing with her family where she has become the breakout star (think the Kardashians with less people but the same amount of sex tapes) of the show.
Hamstrung by dealing with the community of Hidden Hills, home to new and old money alike and a deputy who thinks he's the sole protector (and an Old West-type sheriff), Eve and Duncan begin tracking down suspects in order sort of just what is real and what is "reality" for a group of people who can't seem to distinguish one from the other.
Along the way, there's Chilean gangs, rappers, a potential mass grave near the community and a whole load of politics by optics.
Eve is endeavoring to become better at her job while avoiding the calamities of past books that have left her targeted, assaulted and injured. But as the case progresses, her fame serves as the kind of double-edged sword she'd rather not have.
Making matters more difficult, Eve has to deal with a TV series being made about her exploits. A father trying to use her to resurrect her career, a mother who wants to cash in on Eve's fame to make her own career and colleagues who either hate her or envy her position.
All that and still hunting down a killer responsible for killing one person and potentially setting off a crapstorm of bad publicity and more murders for a community of rich people and her bosses who just want to wrap up the case as simply as possible.
Five books in and I'm still loving what Lee Goldberg is doing with this series. I love Eve's total reticence to cashing in any more on her fame and instead wants to just focus on doing her job. But the fact she can't avoid being stuck in situations where the fame would either work for or against her makes for some enjoyable (even at times, hilarious) reading.
Despite her despising her father Vince, she does get a great nickname from him ("hardnose") that perfectly sums up her demeanor dealing with her job and others in her life.
Meanwhile, I love her partner Duncan, who is an old warhorse looking forward to retirement even if he did put it off to keep working with Eve. His eating habits are worse than mine but I love how he's both protective of and sarcastic with Eve.
DREAM TOWN is a fun read because of the snappy dialogue, intriguing mystery, great characters and author Lee Goldberg's insider knowledge of life in the Hollywood spotlight informing the narrative and making the book seem that much more "real" to anyone who reads this book!
Along with her partner Duncan, she's assigned to the high profile murder investigation of a reality TV star. Kitty Winslow was murdered in what is first deemed to be a home invasion robbery. The star of a reality series dealing with her family where she has become the breakout star (think the Kardashians with less people but the same amount of sex tapes) of the show.
Hamstrung by dealing with the community of Hidden Hills, home to new and old money alike and a deputy who thinks he's the sole protector (and an Old West-type sheriff), Eve and Duncan begin tracking down suspects in order sort of just what is real and what is "reality" for a group of people who can't seem to distinguish one from the other.
Along the way, there's Chilean gangs, rappers, a potential mass grave near the community and a whole load of politics by optics.
Eve is endeavoring to become better at her job while avoiding the calamities of past books that have left her targeted, assaulted and injured. But as the case progresses, her fame serves as the kind of double-edged sword she'd rather not have.
Making matters more difficult, Eve has to deal with a TV series being made about her exploits. A father trying to use her to resurrect her career, a mother who wants to cash in on Eve's fame to make her own career and colleagues who either hate her or envy her position.
All that and still hunting down a killer responsible for killing one person and potentially setting off a crapstorm of bad publicity and more murders for a community of rich people and her bosses who just want to wrap up the case as simply as possible.
Five books in and I'm still loving what Lee Goldberg is doing with this series. I love Eve's total reticence to cashing in any more on her fame and instead wants to just focus on doing her job. But the fact she can't avoid being stuck in situations where the fame would either work for or against her makes for some enjoyable (even at times, hilarious) reading.
Despite her despising her father Vince, she does get a great nickname from him ("hardnose") that perfectly sums up her demeanor dealing with her job and others in her life.
Meanwhile, I love her partner Duncan, who is an old warhorse looking forward to retirement even if he did put it off to keep working with Eve. His eating habits are worse than mine but I love how he's both protective of and sarcastic with Eve.
DREAM TOWN is a fun read because of the snappy dialogue, intriguing mystery, great characters and author Lee Goldberg's insider knowledge of life in the Hollywood spotlight informing the narrative and making the book seem that much more "real" to anyone who reads this book!
February 20, 2024
Dream Town by Lee Goldberg
Eve Ronin #5
xvii+281-page Kindle Ebook ends on 276
Genre: Crime Thriller, Mystery, Suspense
Featuring: Praise, Author's Bibliography, Calabasas and Los Angeles, California; Los Angeles Sheriff Department, Television Show Production, Parental Issues, Murder Investigation, Police Procedures, Actors, Rappers, Celebrities, Reality Television, Burglary Tourism, Fake Kardashians, Violence, LAPD, Author's Note
Rating as a movie: R for adult content, including violence
Books mentioned: Columbo by Alfred Lawrence aka A Christmas Killing, Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, The Black Echo by Michael Connelly - Harry Bosch #1/ Michael Connelly Universe #1
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️👮♀️📽
My thoughts: 🔖Page 25 of 269/281 Chapter Four - This is probably the slowest case of the series.
So many coincidences, I had this figured out as soon as the bad actors showed up on screen I was just missing the motives. This isn't as good as the first few books but it was better than the last one. I'm not sure how Eve is going to have a career like Harry Bosch at the rate she's going she hasn't even been a detective a full year in 5 books and her injuries are too many to count.
Recommend to others: Yeah. This series is like watching a show.
Eve Ronin.
1. Lost Hills (2020)
2. Bone Canyon (2021)
3. Gated Prey (2021)
4. Movieland (2022)
5. Dream Town (2024)
Eve Ronin #5
xvii+281-page Kindle Ebook ends on 276
Genre: Crime Thriller, Mystery, Suspense
Featuring: Praise, Author's Bibliography, Calabasas and Los Angeles, California; Los Angeles Sheriff Department, Television Show Production, Parental Issues, Murder Investigation, Police Procedures, Actors, Rappers, Celebrities, Reality Television, Burglary Tourism, Fake Kardashians, Violence, LAPD, Author's Note
Rating as a movie: R for adult content, including violence
Books mentioned: Columbo by Alfred Lawrence aka A Christmas Killing, Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, The Black Echo by Michael Connelly - Harry Bosch #1/ Michael Connelly Universe #1
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️👮♀️📽
My thoughts: 🔖Page 25 of 269/281 Chapter Four - This is probably the slowest case of the series.
So many coincidences, I had this figured out as soon as the bad actors showed up on screen I was just missing the motives. This isn't as good as the first few books but it was better than the last one. I'm not sure how Eve is going to have a career like Harry Bosch at the rate she's going she hasn't even been a detective a full year in 5 books and her injuries are too many to count.
Recommend to others: Yeah. This series is like watching a show.
Eve Ronin.
1. Lost Hills (2020)
2. Bone Canyon (2021)
3. Gated Prey (2021)
4. Movieland (2022)
5. Dream Town (2024)
June 9, 2024
Eve and Duncan are called in to investigate a murder in a gated community for the rich and famous. At the same time, a dog out for a walk with its owner returns with human bones, leading to some buried bodies needing to be dug up by Eve’s new boyfriend Daniel.
This murder mystery seemed more light-hearted, with Eve’s new TV show filming, and the people that are being investigated. The murdered woman is part of a Kardashian-type family with their own reality show. I, however, saw them more like The Osbournes. They both have a family living off the riches of their famous father, while each trying to do their own thing, and dad is living in his own Lala Land.
This story was entertaining, and again, I’m never disappointed when I pick up a Lee Goldberg book! Oh, I also loved the Harry Bosch reference!
This murder mystery seemed more light-hearted, with Eve’s new TV show filming, and the people that are being investigated. The murdered woman is part of a Kardashian-type family with their own reality show. I, however, saw them more like The Osbournes. They both have a family living off the riches of their famous father, while each trying to do their own thing, and dad is living in his own Lala Land.
This story was entertaining, and again, I’m never disappointed when I pick up a Lee Goldberg book! Oh, I also loved the Harry Bosch reference!
January 17, 2024
Eve Ronin and her mentor/L.A. Sheriff Detective partner, Duncan, are two of my favorite characters. They play off of each other so well. The dialogue is fast and clever. Many times, I find myself laughing out loud. The murder/mystery is compelling and puzzling. The location and quirky, fictional (HA!) characters are depicted with absolute accuracy. La La Land in all its glory, warts and all! But, Eve and Duncan absolutely shine as the headliners in this tale! I highly recommend this series and can't wait for the next book!
P.S. I always feel like I am walking down memory lane when reading these books. I knew the truth about a lot of celebrities and the goings on behind the scenes because I worked at L.A. law firms for 30 years which had them as clients. You see them grocery shopping, at the bank, on the streets, in cars next to you on the freeways (where cars crawl along) or just about everywhere. I also am more than familiar with all the locations mentioned in the books having lived there. It's great to read about and remember.
P.S. I always feel like I am walking down memory lane when reading these books. I knew the truth about a lot of celebrities and the goings on behind the scenes because I worked at L.A. law firms for 30 years which had them as clients. You see them grocery shopping, at the bank, on the streets, in cars next to you on the freeways (where cars crawl along) or just about everywhere. I also am more than familiar with all the locations mentioned in the books having lived there. It's great to read about and remember.
January 21, 2024
Dive into the gripping world of Lee Goldberg's Eve Ronin thriller, where Hidden Hills, a seemingly idyllic town for the megarich, transforms into a nightmarish crime scene. As LASD detective Eve Ronin untangles the threads of reality and illusion following the murder of reality superstar Kitty Winslow, she finds herself on a perilous journey. The blurred lines between fact and fantasy, coupled with a music industry war and a ruthless gang, make for a riveting narrative. Eve's struggle to navigate the chaos, all while her own life becomes a scripted cop show directed by her estranged father, adds layers of suspense. A thrilling tale where the inescapable truth is death, closing in on Eve.
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