River of Lies

Detective Emily Hunter #2

by James L'Etoile

Detective Emily Hunter must be the voice for the voiceless

The homeless camps spread throughout the city of Sacramento are a topic of heated debate among residents. They' re considered undesirable— a nuisance— an eyesore. But when the camps fall victim to a string of devastating arson attacks, Detective Emily Hunter and her partner, Javier Medina, dive into the investigation and become acquainted with the real people whose lives have been destroyed.

The attacks only begin to draw attention when two of the victims are identified as the city' s former anti-homeless mayor and a camp social worker— but rather than strengthening the push for justice, the movement to completely abolish the camps intensifies.

The investigation becomes politically charged when Emily discovers who stands to gain from burning the homeless out of their shelters. She struggles to balance the high-stakes investigation with caring for her Alzheimer' s-stricken mother, whose condition is rapidly deteriorating. The investigation uncovers an unlikely suspect and a reluctant witness standing between Emily and the shocking truth. Can Emily overcome resistance and her personal obstacles to halt the attacks?

Perfect for fans of Michael Connelly and Karin Slaughter

While the novels in the Emily Hunter Mystery Series stand on their own and can be read in any order, the publication sequence
Face of Greed
River of Lies

Genres: Mystery

386 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 7, 2025

About the author

James L’Etoile uses his twenty-nine years behind bars as an influence in his novels, short stories, and screenplays. He is a former associate warden in a maximum-security prison, a hostage negotiator, facility captain, and director of California’s state parole system. He is a nationally recognized expert witness on prison and jail operations. He is a two-time Silver Falchion Award nominee and shortlisted for the Bill Crider Award for short fiction. His published novels include: Dead Drop( Lefty Award nominee), Black Label (Silver Falchion winner), At What Cost, Bury the Past, and Little River -The Other Side of Paradise. You can find out more at www.jamesletoile.com

Reviews

["Avonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com

RIVER OF LIES (A Detective Emily Hunter Mystery Book #2) by James L’Etoile is an intriguing, socially relevant, and twisted crime thriller/police procedural featuring a smart and determined female detective in Sacramento, California. This is the second book in the series which can easily be read as a standalone, but the first book, Face of Greed, is an excellent read that I highly recommend, also.

Homicide Detective Emily Hunter and her partner, Detective Javier “Javi” Medina are given the politically charged case where homeless encampments are being torched by men in black when a dead man is discovered to have been killed, and it turns out to be the ex-mayor. When another body is discovered at the scene of the next arson and it is once again not a homeless victim, Emily and Javi are caught between investigating the deaths and the new mayor’s office working to abolish the camps and disbursing the homeless while eliminating the crime scenes.

Emily discovers a homeless mother, and her young daughter are somehow tied to the deaths, but with the political interference and threats, the potential profits involved in the elimination of the homeless camps, and the public perceptions of the homeless population, she and Javi must work fast to unravel the motives behind these murders to catch the killer.

Emily and Javi are a great pair of detectives with the perfect blend of smart investigative skills, empathy for victims, and care for each other as partners. Their personal lives are blended seamlessly into the story and add moments of levity to the otherwise serious situations. Besides her high stress job, Emily is also dealing with a mother who has Alzheimer’s and is deteriorating rapidly. The crime plotline is intricately written and realistic with many twists throughout this fast-paced story. When I think I know what is going on and I have a solution in mind, Mr. L’Etoile always has another surprise in store for me and what I think is the ending, is not. These books always need to be read to the very last word and I love that.

I highly recommend this tremendous crime thriller/police procedural from Mr. L’Etoile. If you haven’t picked up any of his books yet, you are missing out.

[Angie Boyter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good plot, good characters, and interesting forensic details
Homeless camps are often a source of controversy, but when opponents take the extreme step of burning down some camps, Sacramento Detective Emily Hunter and her partner Detective Javier Medina are assigned to investigate this escalation. The investigation becomes even more complex when some bodies of prominent local figures are found at the scene, and the bodies are not victims of the fire.
As the book continues, it would definitely be appropriate to say that “the plot thickens”. More events and more violence take place that make their task even more of a challenge for Emily and Javier. The details of their approach to their assignment are explained beautifully, and the forensic technique descriptions were fascinating and informative, thanks to the author’s twenty-nine year career in the California criminal justice system. Of course, there are controversies between people in such circumstances, especially given the political disagreements that appear to have sparked the crime, and these are handled believably.
The characters are especially nicely drawn for a book in this genre. The readers care about the camp dwellers who are victims of the destruction. We also care about the police investigators. Emily and Javier interact very believably as partners and friends. We also hear about their private lives, such as Emily’s challenges of dealing with her mother’s dementia, Javier’s mother’s attempts to get him wed, and Emily’s attraction to another police officer.
Although I enjoyed River of Lies quite a bit once I got past the first chapter, the beginning was not auspicious for me. The descriptions of the setting and the sad events set the stage for the investigation but were so bleak and brutal that I might not have continued if I had not received an advance review copy. Fortunately, such details took a backseat after the investigation began, and others, like Emily’s feeding of a stray black cat, alerted me early that there would also be some warmth in the book.
A disappointing aspect was the very poor proofreading and copy editing, with words left out of sentences, sentences missing their verbs, and similar errors. I do hope there will be careful scrubbing before publication, because such aspects of the writing can pull the reader out of the world L’Etoile has built so well.
This is the second book in a series, but I did not feel at a disadvantage because I had not read the first. However, I plan to catch up by reading the first soon!
I received an advance review copy of this book from Edelweiss and Oceanview Publishing

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to thank Oceanview Publishing and James L'Etoile for granting me a digital copy of this book.

3,25 ⭐ - this is the second book in the detective Emily Hunter series. Having read book 1 in the series Face Of Greed as well, this is a great book that continues the story but can easily be read as a standalone.

When a dead body is found in a Sacramento homeless camp, Emily and Javier look for clues on the camp. Who is the dead body on the camp and more importantly who killed this person?

[dianas_books_cars_coffee · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you haven't heard of this author, that definitely needs to change! He's quickly become one of my favorites with his addictive police procedural/crime thrillers! He seriously writes some of the best I've ever read!

This book is the 2nd book in his Detective Emily Hunter Series. I read FACE OF GREED last year and absolutely loved it! Even though it is the 2nd book in the series, it can be read as a standalone.

In the city of Sacramento, homeless camps near the river are being targeted by arson, and Detectives Emily Hunter and her partner Javier Medina are called in to investigate. As they search for clues, they discover the bodies of the former mayor and a camp social worker. It appears they were killed before the fires even started. Can Emily and Javier figure out who's behind the fires and the murders?

This gripping, unputdownable book is the only reason why I stayed up past midnight on NYE! It was just SO good! The story was intriguing, and there were twists I didn't see coming, especially the one at the end! Emily and Javier are such great characters! I love their partnership and the way they investigate crime. This riveting, fast-paced thriller is a must-read, and I HIGHLY recommend it!

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

River of Lies by James L’Etoile is a clever police procedural.

Detectives Emily Hunter and Javier Medina are assigned to work a series of arsons that are burning down homeless camps by the Sacramento River. The discovery of a murder victim ups the ante as they search for the arsonist and killer. Emily clashes with local politicians since she views the displaced residents as human beings deserving of compassion instead of as a problem to be solved.

Emily and Javier are already under pressure to solve the cases due to the growing unrest between those displaced from the camps and a contingent of local residents. Another murder puts even more pressure on Hunter and Medina as tensions continue to grow between her and the mayor’s office. In between working the cases, Emily is faced with a difficult decision about her mother whose Alzheimer’s disease is worsening.

River of Lies is a riveting mystery that tackles difficult subject matter with sensitivity. Emily and Javier are vibrant, three-dimensional characters. They complement each other as partners and their rapport is just as strong off-duty. The investigation into the arsons and murders is fast-paced, and Emily handles delicate victims with respect. The reason for the arsons is absolutely diabolical and enraging. James L’Etoile brings this compelling mystery to a jaw-dropping conclusion that is sure to shock readers.

[Karen Siddall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing murder mystery full of surprising twists and turns!

River of Lies is the second book in James L’Etoile’s Detective Emily Hunter Mystery series, and it is a compelling story of abuse of power, fraud, and murder. Sacramento, California, like many large communities, is struggling with how best to help a growing homeless population with a limited budget and residents who are swiftly running out of patience and compassion. However, as one by one, large riverside encampments go up in flames, it appears someone may have decided to solve the problem in their own way. When the body of an unidentified murder victim is found among the ruins of one of the camps, Detective Emily Hunter and her partner, Detective Javier Medina, are assigned to the case.

In this second outing for the detective team, the pair quickly realizes there’s more to the arson and murder than meets the eye. The body proves to be that of the disgraced and ousted former mayor John Stone, the mover and shaker behind ridding the city of its homeless problem and revitalizing their impromptu campsites into a high-profile and high-dollar linear riverside development of retail, residential, and exclusive commercial occupancies. There is considerable money at stake and considerable pressure from the new mayor’s office to wrap up their investigation. There is also some uncharacteristically prompt and suspicious cleanup of the homeless camp crime scenes by perpetually overburdened city departments, tasks that would normally take weeks to implement but effectively make them available for the lucrative redevelopment project.

Emily is one sharp cookie and is deep into the investigation while worrying about her mother, who is quickly succumbing to Alzheimer’s. Consequently, she’s struggling with the accompanying guilt over having to relocate her mother to a memory care facility from her current failed assisted living situation. She’s found strong support in the form of love interest Officer Brian Conner as well as her work partner’s mother, Lucinda Medina, a former caregiver herself. The relationship between Emily and Javier is still a thing of beauty. They make an effective working team, are got-your-back friends, and their banter is a delight.

The plot moves quickly with the detectives hot on the trail of those involved in torching the homeless camps and figuring out who murdered the former mayor. However, the closer they get to the answers they need, suspects go missing. A witness to one of the camp attacks and possibly Stone’s murder remains hospitalized and unconscious while her eight-year-old daughter, with secrets of her own, waits in a children’s group home, yearning to be reunited with her mom. There are plenty of clues and suspects, and the twists in the plot are absolutely unexpected. I was mesmerized by this increasingly complex tale all the way to its surprising resolution.

I recommend RIVER OF LIES to readers of mysteries and thrillers, especially those who enjoy excellent police procedurals.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.

[Toni Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detective Emily Hunter Mystery book #2

In this second police procedural thriller, duo Detective Emily Hunter and her partner Detective Javier Medina are given a politically charged assignment: homeless encampments are being torched by men in black. But when a dead body found turned out to be the ex-major and at the scene of another arson another the body discovered not to be a homeless victim. What was happening? Things took a deferent spin….. Who wants to eliminate the homeless population, kill doing so and set fire to cover the crime scenes……Who stands to gain from burning the homeless out of their shelters….. By navigating intricate web of deceit one strand at a time this suspenseful story will explain every step the details taken to uncover the truth. Enjoy.

“River of Lies” is the perfect blend of political intrigue and personal drama.

Emily and Javier are a great pair. They have all the attributes needed to be good at their job: a perfect blend of smarts, empathy and care. Not only did Emily had to struggle to balance the high-stake investigation but taking care of her Alzheimer’s stricken mother at the same time. Javier was with her at every turn.

The author writes with deep knowledge of both the human nature and police procedures and by weaving all the elements of a true crime into a twisty drama he has giving us a real page- turning experience.

This story is not only intriguing but highly relevant in today’s world.

Note:

While this second installment can easily be read as a standalone, I would suggest reading the books in sequence to have a better knowledge of the characters and how they have developed.

What more can I say. I simply loved the way it is told and how the story kept my full attention. Well said, well-done.

A copy of this book was given by the publisher Oceanview Publishing for my thoughts: this is the way I see it

[Connie Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Thoughts

RIVER OF LIES is written by James L'Etoile. I absolutely love anything this author writes and will make sure to pick it up one way or another. I discovered him during a book chat through The Back Room. This book drew my attention within the first few chapters. This is book two in the series. However it can be read as a stand alone.

Detective Emily Hunter might be one of my favorite book detectives. She along with her partner are tasked with the case of finding out who is behind the arson attacks on homeless camps. Factor in that bodies of prominent people are left in the rubble. Emily and her partner are put under pressure to close the case.

Emily has some personal baggage she’s trying to juggle along with the demands of this high profile case. Her mother has Alzheimer’s. She’s not doing well and you can feel the tension mounting for Emily through the pages.

I love that the author has chosen a hot topic. Homelessness in Sacramento. You can tell he has expertise in the criminal justice world. I found myself lost within the pages and not wanting to put it down.

The book is well written. The storyline engaging. Thank you the author, publisher and Partners in Crime Book Tours for allowing me to read a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another good police procedure from L'Etoile. Emily is a well crafted police detective. She is known to be outspoken and tenacious in her investigations. She also has to deal with her mother's developing Alzheimer's. Readers are given a good balance of Emily's police work and her personal life. I really like the banter between Emily and her police partner, Javier.

Issues that surface in this novel include prejudice against the homeless and racism. We get a good idea of the politics involved in dealing with the homeless when the land they are on is wanted by high end investors. Some want to discount the homeless but Emily sees them as humans needing justice just like anyone else. There is a twist at the very end I did not see coming at all.

This is the second in a series but this novel reads very well on its own. It is a good novel for readers who like a dedicated police detective and a difficult murder investigation.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Robbin Stull · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suspense, heart-rending, raw

This book flows so smoothly that the shocks along the way really caught me off guard. I'm invested in these main characters and I hope there's more to come.

[Janie Hickok Siess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author James L’Etoile introduced readers to Detective Emily Hunter in Face of Greed, welcoming the challenge of bringing Emily to life, in part, because he believes that women in law enforcement, which is still a male-dominated profession, have never received the recognition they deserve. That aspect of Emily’s career is an integral component of her character, and her desire to succeed, despite sometimes being underestimated and even marginalized, is fierce.

In the second installment in L’Etoile’s engrossing series, River of Lies, Emily again finds herself striving to balance her professional endeavors and her personal responsibilities. She is now a seasoned Detective with the Sacramento Police Department and has forged a solid relationship with her partner, Javier Medina. They have a strong mutual respect for each other’s expertise and work ethic, and care deeply about each other. They have gotten to know each other well, and their frequently hilarious bantering is believably affectionate, often comparable to that of siblings who frustrate each other but would never permit anyone to threaten their strong bond. Their respective dating lives are often the subject of teasing, especially given that Javier’s mother is determined to find the ideal wife for her still-single son.

Emily is still dating handsome Officer Brian Conner, with whom she became involved in Face of Greed, and they are gradually growing closer. She remains deeply committed, of course, to providing the best possible care for her mother, Connie, a retired teacher afflicted with early onset Alzheimer's disease. In a relatable sub-plot, Emily continues to grapple with the grim reality that Connie’s condition is only growing worse with no possibility of improvement. The emotional strain of being fully responsible for Connie’s care again bears down on Emily when she discovers that the facility in which Connie has been residing is no longer an adequate or safe option. Once again, she finds herself juggling her mother’s daily needs against her professional obligations, and relying upon the generosity and affection of others who are willing to assist. It is a storyline that many readers will find heartbreakingly realistic and familiar.

But the real focus of this volume is the work of an arsonist targeting homeless encampments. L’Etoile says that the story was inspired by his experience serving with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Division of Adult Parole Operations. He and his colleagues were charged with devising strategies for monitoring unhoused parolees living in camps while “politicians wanted to ignore that population or thought they could legislate the social issues away.” While performing his duties he toured various encampments, including one in Los Angeles which was at that time the largest of its kind in the nation. He wondered “what stories, tragedies, and long-kept secrets were hidden in the tents and carboard shelters” he observed.

Sacramento, like so many American cities, has a significant number of unhoused residents and, given that both the American and Sacramento Rivers run through the city, large camps are established along the waterfronts. But someone wants to eradicate those camps – and the inhabitants – and is willing to do so using violent means. As the book opens, a young mother, Lisa, has been living with Willow, her eight-year-old daughter, in various camps for two years. She is despondent, convinced she has failed herself and her daughter. As she is getting Willow to sleep in their tent, she hears a commotion and sees that fire has broken out on the opposite side of the camp. It is “always a risk in the cardboard condos and plastic tarp shelters along the riverbank,” but Lisa sees two men who, unlike the camp’s residents, are not attempting to run to safety. Rather, one of them is setting tents ablaze, and the other is swinging an aluminum baseball bat at anyone who tries to stop him. Before the raging fire is extinguished, the camp is completely destroyed, Lisa is seriously injured, along with sixteen other inhabitants, one man is dead, and Willow has run away.

It's the third such arson attack in two weeks. And the dead man did not succumb to his burns. He was shot in the back of the head.

When Emily and Javier are assigned to investigate the series of fires, they once again find themselves embroiled in a political quagmire. The Chief of Police and newly elected Mayor are focusing on the investigation, expecting results, and media attention is growing. When more camps are obliterated and the former Mayor becomes a victim, the mystery surrounding the crimes intensifies. What was he doing at a homeless camp? And why is the City so quick to conduct clean-up operations, eradicating any evidence left at the crime scenes and impeding the investigation?

Emily, savvy and, along with Javier, respected by her immediate superior who is supportive and willing to run interference with management, again demonstrates both a commitment to the case and willingness to take risks to uncover the truth. They both approach their work with the appropriate blend of detachment and compassion, skepticism and empathy. L'Etoile's law enforcement credentials and investigative experience are on full display in this tautly constructed procedural drama. He details the step-by-step work Emily and Javier perform as they search for answers without slowing down the story’s pace or lapsing into tedium. Rather, the evidence they discover logically leads to successive inquiries as they gradually piece together a complex and intriguing scheme designed to bring new development and prosperity to the River City. But at a tremendous human cost. L’Etoile deftly identifies potential perpetrators and possible motives that propel the story forward and keep readers guessing.

Once again, L’Etoile seamlessly melds the procedural and political aspects of the story, tackling several contemporary and controversial social conundrums. There is no denying that homelessness is a considerable problem in the United States, and various approaches have been debated and implemented, but have failed to provide a solution. Through his characters’ plights and positions – powerless to extremely powerful and influential – L’Etoile illustrates that there is no easy fix and the unhoused are too often repeatedly and cruelly victimized while guileless politicians preen and advance their own self-interest.

River of Lies is another propulsive thriller featuring the indomitable and endearing Emily and Javier. Her struggles are credible, her relationships believable, and her work as a detective impeccable. She is a multi-layered, fully formed protagonist and L’Etoile has wisely surrounded her with a supporting cast of characters in whom readers are equally willing to emotionally invest, especially Connie, whose increasingly fleeting lucid interactions with Emily are genuine and touching. Hopefully, L’Etoile will soon deliver a third installment in this entertaining and thought-provoking series.

Thanks to Oceanview Publishing for an Advanced Readers' Copy of the book via Edelweiss in conjunction with Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.

[Kevintipple · Rating 4 out of 5]

River of Lies: A Novel by James L'Etoile is the second book in the Detective Emily Hunter Mystery series that began with Face of Greed. Like any good police procedural series does, this read builds on previous events and ongoing issues so I strongly recommend reading that book first before you get to this one.

Detective Emily Hunter of the Sacramento Police Department has had her date for the evening with Brian Conner ruined as he got called into work suddenly. She is familiar with the problem and understands that things happen. Still, she is a bit bummed when she gets back home. She is barely inside the house when she gets her own call from the Watch Commander.

Other folks have had a far worse horrible evening than a cancelled date. The disturbance that her date was called in to work for has turned into some sort of mass casualty event at a local homeless camp. Fire swept through the camp displacing many who were already having a very hard time. There are casualties tonight at the third fire in a homeless camp in the last two weeks. Lieutenant Terri Williams does not yet know if they have any homicides, but the Chief wants her out there and working the case. She has a reputation and that is playing a major role in this situation. She heads out the door and calls her partner, Javier Madina, to arrange picking him up on the way to what is left of the homeless camp.

When they arrive at the still smoldering scene along the banks of the river, it is clear that it is a bad deal. The number of ambulances makes it clear that many folks were hurt. As they talk to witnesses and fire personnel, it is clear that the fire was a deliberate act of arson intended to do a lot of damage and burn everyone out of their shelters. If that wasn’t enough, various witness state that there was also a person attacking folks with a baseball bat Not only that, they have at least one body with a clear gun shot wound to the head.

While Detectives Simmons and Taylor had been the primary on the first two fires, those incidents and this new one are now all Hunter’s and Medina’s. The fires are obviously linked and escalating. Even the media has figured that much out and the public pressure is mounting by the hour. As things heat up in Sacramento, literally and figuratively, it is up to Hunter and Medina to find the culprits responsible and put an end to it.

This second book in the Detective Emily Hunter Mystery Series is another solidly good read. I am skipping a lot of things so as to not ruin the read for others, but this book, and the series, has a lot of storytelling meat on the bones. Detectives Hunter and Media are fully fleshed out human beings with their own personal lives beyond the job. The same is true for many of the secondary characters. Interpersonal relationships matter as these are not cookie cutter caricatures. Such details add a richness to the read that does nothing to slow down the story in any way.

River of Lies: A Novel by James L'Etoile is well worth your time.


I picked this up awhile back at Amazon using funds in my Amazon Associate account.


Kevin R. Tipple ©2025

[Maddy Freitas · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️ (Generously 2 stars)

I picked up River of Lies by James L’Etoile out of pure desperation—I’d just come off a streak of pretty terrible audiobooks and needed something (anything!) to break the cycle. Thankfully, the narrator saved this one for me.

I listened to the audiobook because Chelsea Luitwieler, the narrator (and someone I follow on Instagram - we’re basically book besties now 😄), saw my post and sent me a link and code to check it out. SO sweet of her, and I’m really glad I gave it a try for her sake, because she did an amazing job.

Chelsea's narration was easily the best part of this experience. Her performance was smooth, engaging, and never cringy, even when switching into male characters. She used a lower tone that felt natural and made it easy to keep listening without fiddling with the volume or rolling my eyes. That might not sound like a big deal, but anyone who listens to a lot of audiobooks knows how rare that is, especially in the mystery/thriller/crime genre. Honestly, I feel like she’s going to blow up as a narrator soon, and if I ever write a book, I’m 100% hiring her. I'll also plan on listening to more books that have been narrated by her!

Now, the story itself… that’s where things fell flat. It’s a classic “police procedural” that follows a detective and a cop investigating the burning of a homeless encampment, uncovering corruption tied to city officials, land development, and a series of murders. While that premise could have been compelling, the execution just wasn’t. It was so slow and felt like the dull parts of a cop show stretched out into a full-length novel. I found myself zoning out during key plot points because there was just no urgency or intrigue pulling me in. At no point was I genuinely interested in whodunit or what the plot twists were...like if I stopped listening, I would never feel the urge to pick it up again to find out what happened. It wasn’t awful...just incredibly meh.

This ended up being good background noise while I worked, but I never felt invested in solving the mystery, nor did I care much about the characters. I’m generously giving it 2 stars only because the narration truly elevated what was otherwise a boring and uneventful story. I also was able to listen to it in about 5 hours at 1.75+ speed which was great.

[Bookreporter.com Mystery & Thriller · Rating 5 out of 5]

FACE OF GREED launched James L'Etoile’s Detective Emily Hunter series. Sacramento detectives Hunter and Javier Medina return in the most intriguing police procedural mystery I’ve enjoyed in a decade. Witty, realistic banter amongst the detectives adds flavor and softens the harsh reality of homeless camps, “[a] community trying to make a safe refuge in a sea of hostility.”

Hunter is dealing with her mom’s memory issues and trying to relocate her to a suitable care facility, when she’s summoned to a fatal fire with mass casualties in a homeless camp at Sacramento River. One singed body has a deep gash in the head but sports expensive garb: former Mayor John Stone. Clinging to life is burn victim Lisa Larkin, whose young daughter, Willow, is found hiding near the river.

The detective duo arrives the next morning to find the crime scene bulldozed into a slash pile, an order from City Hall. The body of a social worker is found in that heap of demolished tents and shelters, the third homeless camp razed in two weeks.

Hunter’s homicide investigation encounters political pushback from current mayor Ellen Carsten’s henchman, Ryan Jensen. The homeless sites had been located on city-owned property --- land-approved to build condo complexes. Hunter follows the money trail into a virtual rabbit warren of suspects, clues and dead ends. She and Medina had “burned the better part of the day, taffy-pulling a confession from a” suspect.

The plot has more twists and turns than a California cloverleaf, and the asteroid impact-like conclusion will stun readers. The French word l’étoile translates to “the star” in English. That, the author certainly is. Five stars for RIVER OF LIES.

Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy

[Melissa Ammons · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in this series is Face of Greed where we are introduced to Emily Hunter and Javier Medina, her partner. I am really enjoying this series.
In this book, River of Lies, Emily and Javier have more banter which is something I enjoy. Brian is also still around. Emily and Brian’s relationship has progressed. I like this aspect of this series as well. Keeping it light but serious.
Connie – Emily’s mom. If you read Face of Greed, you know that Connie has Alzheimer’s. The author describes Connie’s actions so spot on. This disease really hits home for me. In Connie’s lucid moments, she says some things to Emily that shock her because she is, again, so spot on. Those lucid moments also give Emily hope and then Connie is lost again.
Lucinda – Javier’s mom. She is a bundle of laughs, especially when she gets under Javier’s skin about his dating … or lack thereof. She is a matchmaker for her son at heart.
Book two maintains the police procedural genre but also pulls in some politics as well, good versus bad, one man having a change of heart, or so it appears. This book also takes on a rather serious subject here in California – that of the unhoused population. I cannot even begin to imagine what that lifestyle is like, but in this tale bad things continually happen at the camps and the folks continually have to move until someone decides to stand up for them, to find out what the bad guys were doing and why.
That ending though … there are a couple of shockers I was not expecting.
I am enjoying reading about these characters and how their relationships evolve, what they find themselves involved in, and all the backstories that go with them. I look forward to more of this series.

[Emerald Maple · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had another book by James L'Etoile on my to read list when I noticed River of Lies. It caught my attention as we are seeing fires here within the homeless community, thankfully no deaths and likely not as diabolical as the reason in this book. But ones that are not easily attributed to the homeless getting warm too and have unhoused groups worried about safety as we build our own sanctioned encampment site.

We also have a similar issue in planning here where a development was properly approved but a vote for it was hidden in routine votes only for it to get caught up in zoning issues as a result that have caused years of delays and left a fairly large affordable housing development empty as we desperately need more units. So this one really hit for me.

Emily and Javier are well written. Banter but not over the top and realistic for partners who have seen a lot and rely on each other while dealing with relationships, family issues and the job itself.

The reasons for the killings has some twists and turns with Emily finding clues in unexpected places and I did not see that ending coming. The book is fairly fast paced and while we do follow the investigation, it doesn't get bogged down in the interviews and fact finding like some.

Triggers: there is violence, death and mentions of sexual abuse in the book but they are more abstract and not explained in detail.

Thanks to Oceanview Publishing for the copy for review. River of Lies will be available on Jan 7th (book and digital formats). It is a sequel to Face of Greed but very readable as a standalone book.

[P.J. Colando · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is well-titled because several murder victims are found in riverside homeless encampments hurriedly torched to erase their existence, defying the norm of bureaucratic red tape known to abound in cities, especially one that's the seat of a state's government - and for the deepening flow or river of lies in which city officials engage to distract, deny, and divert public knowledge and the detectives assigned by the police chief to find the truths.

Like the perennial chicken-and-egg question, which problem is primary: the murders or the burn-outs of the homeless encampments?

The protagonist is an indefatigable female detective, Emily Hunter, who forthrightly exhibits all the characteristics of the work-home life balance that every American woman will recognize, gaining instant empathy as she seeks to unravel the mystery of the deaths and the haste with which the apparent cover-ups via burned-out encampments proceed. The banter with her male partner, Javier, and the kind assistance of his mother with Emily's mother's descent into dementia buffer the brutality of the storyline.

The book opens darkly, showing the despair of a fiercely protective mother and her eight-year-old daughter who live in the first homeless encampment that's burned... and the book's end, while perfect justice, will blindside you.

In between these events is a great read.

[William Bentrim · Rating 5 out of 5]

River of Lies by James L'Etoile, #2

The interplay between Emily and Javier, the protagonists, doesn’t quite reach Parker’s Hawk and Spencer’s devastating dialogue, but is still good. They make a good team, and this book deals with current troubles in our cities. Most major cities are facing the homeless population problem. The plot here is the despicable solution that a group of corrupt politicians and businesspeople implement.

One of the timely subplots is Emily’s facing her mother’s cognitive decline. This is a sad situation that is plaguing many, many folks. L’Etoile does a great job bringing in current issues while maintaining forward momentum on the plot.

A homeless mother and her daughter figure prominently in the investigation. That aspect of homelessness is truly depressing.

This is a well-executed book with an excellent plot. I recommend it.

Buy It Here

[Ganesh Subramanian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful, fast-paced murder mystery thriller that keeps you engrossed right through. Emily and her partner Javier are assigned to investigate a suspected arson on the temporary shelter on the banks of the Sacramento River. They find a murdered body in one of the tents who is identified later as the ex-Mayor. As the investigation proceeds there are two more murders and a bigger plot to lease out government land to private builders to build exclusive housing for the affluent. The story moves at a furious pace, as Emily uncovers the plot and also resolves two of the three murders. The final twist to the story where the third murder gets resolved is unexpected and this makes it the most interesting part of the book. This is perhaps one of the best murder mystery thrillers.
Thank you ‎for providing this book for review via Edelweiss. All opinions are my own.

[Country Mama · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the author did an amazing job with the beginning chapter where the victim is fighting for her life for her daughter. And then enter Detective Emily out FMC. She is called into investigate a homeless camp death. She heads out there with her partner Javier and see what they can find out. One of the victims is burned to death and the other is burned but in a weird position for a burned corpse. Emily is quick to find out he was shot in the head and then burned.
The author does a great job with engaging the readers from the first page till the last one in River of Lies. There are alot of police procedures in this book and very well researched and written! I was also pleasantly surprised by the ending of this book and really think that the author wrote a great ending to wrap up Emily's story, along with Lisa's as well!!

[Mac Daly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Someone is attacking homless camps in Sacramento. When the attacks turn deadly, the newly elected mayor uses that as an excuse to "clean up" the sites claiming it will keep the people safe. However, detective Emily Hunter and her partner Javier suspect there is more to the crimes than random violence. As they investigate, they face both obstacles from city hall, and drama in their personal lives.

This second entry in the series is riveting and fun. The mystery is intense and complex. It's the characters that really set this series apart. The fun chemistry between Emily and Javier keep the story from becoming too intense. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series and spending more time with Emily and co.

[George Cramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

With River of Lies, James L’Etoile has hit yet another tale of abuse, murder, and love out of the park. He weaves his subplots together so that the reader is not distracted but instead feels them as supporting actors necessary to fulfill L’Etoile’s promises to the reader.

However, it’s a big issue. When the reader begins to think they have the story’s ending figured out, LEtoile throws an unsettling curve you never saw coming. Well into the denouement, the reader will be shocked by a turn of events I never saw coming.

I cannot recommend River of Lies high enough.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the newest in the Detective Emily Hunter series and it is as equally captivating as the first. The character of Emily is determined to do her job even when faced with harassment from her fellow detectives while Javier is still the weaker of the characters. In addition to the issue of the unhoused population the author deals with the issues of dementia and carrying for elderly parents along with the lack of quality facilities and a caring workforce.

[Cierra Wallin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was determined on finding out who was behind the murders and homeless camp vandalism. There were some issues that could have been discovered by a better proofreader/editor, and some of the discrimination seemed a little detached from reality. I also feel like I wasn’t quite sold on the reasoning for the murdersI. Overall I enjoyed the local Sacramento setting and being along for the ride as detective Emily Hunter solves the case :)

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just “okay.” Nothing particularly bad, nothing particularly good. The writing was fine, not stellar. The characters were neither likable nor dislikable. It covered some interesting, relevant topics such as homelessness, addiction, and Alzheimer’s. While many people in my mystery book club enjoyed the banter between the detective partners, I found it to be annoying and tedious. I am not interested in reading the other book in this series.

[Audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A river of lies is what this detective duo were trying to unravel as bodies piled up and the web of conspiracy grew more complicated. Sometimes characters were used more for a rant then to advance the plot. It was interesting and engaging when it wasn’t frustrating. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advance copy.

[Nicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

The homeless population keeps growing while government is verbally offering help. But the reality is much different. Emily and her partner are called in with murdered victims appear in a couple of the homeless camps. Who is killing them and why in the homeless camp? Interesting story with twists and turns. I enjoyed the book.

[Wall-to-wall books - wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

MY THOUGHTS -

This book was smart, it was clever. James L’Etoile really pays attention to detail. He makes sure that all the i’s are dotted and all the t’s are crossed. Leaving little amazing crumbs along the way to a mind blowing ending!

Fantastic characters. Not only are Detective Emily Hunter and her partner, Javier Medina fantastic (I love how they work together as a team). These two are more like best friends, family. All the extras, the secondary characters are equally great. I loved Lisa and her daughter Willow. For me, Willow kind of stole the show. As she should. :-)

Well this story ended up not being what I thought! Like... Whoa! Talk about surprises, a-ha moments, and shockers. This one had it all!

I have kind of lost count, but I think this is my 5th one by this author?? Always a great read. Always amazing! Always blows my mind! Highly recommended.

I voluntarily posted this review after receiving a copy of this book from Partners in Crime Tours - Thank You!!

[Anne Moose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It's a great, well-written story and solid mystery, but the author also brings a lot of compassion to the subjects of homelessness and aging. I love a well-crafted novel that also has a point, and this one hits all the marks. Great job, James L'Etoile. I look forward to reading your next one.

[Sheila Sobel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great mystery!

“River of Lies”” will grab your attention from the very first page and won’t let go until the very last line. Emily Hunter is a strong female protagonist and my new favorite detective. Can’t wait for book three in the series!