Bury the Past

Detective Penley #2

by James L'Etoile

How do you stop a killer who’s already behind bars?

Sacramento Police Detectives John Penley and Paula Newberry are enlisted to investigate a case involving the trafficking of stolen street drugs. But they quickly find it’s more difficult than they first imagined when the crime is being committed by a group of corrupt cops undermining the system.

That’s not the only wrench thrown at Penley and Newberry, however, as Sherman, the leader of the group, is orchestrating murders against those who testified against him. He turns the lens onto Newberry, who begins to receive blame and as the political pressure mounts, it’s clear someone has to pay for the crimes. And it comes down to Newberry or Sherman.

With a plot full of twisty, hairpin runs and heart-pounding action, Jim L’Etoile’s Bury the PastAt What Cost.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Crime, Mystery

320 pages, Hardcover

First published December 12, 2017

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

[Kyle Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Detective Penley Mystery series by James L'Etoile. I have not read the first book in the series, but after reading this one I am eager to read the first one and future installments as well.

The first chapter sets the fast pace for this thrilling ride. The end of the first chapter leaves you puzzled as to what is in store for the rest of the novel. L'Etoile does not disappoint when it comes to suspense. Detectives Penley and Newberry catch a case and they immediately suspect foul play. The dark shadow that looms over the dead man is the fact that he is a former cop/informant and the detectives have reason to believe that one of their own is involved in his murder.

When the wheels of justice are put in motion, Penley and Newberry have to tread lightly and watch their backs as they try to discover the deeper implications in this case. They soon discover that they don't know who is a friend and who is crooked. Pressure is put on them on all fronts because of the circumstances of the case, and Detective Newberry finds herself at the center of the investigation with her career and her life on the line.

As the investigation progresses, Penley and Newberry begin to put the puzzle pieces together and they discover that this case encompasses much more than they imagined. Dirty cops and shady politicians threaten to put a quiet end to the investigation, and Penley is frantically searching for that one missing link that will blow the whole thing wide open. Double crosses abound in this novel, leading up to an action packed, shocking conclusion.

I would recommend this book to fans of thrillers and suspense. I received this as a free ARC from Crooked Lane Books on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Suanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bury the Past is the second book in the Detective Penley Mystery series by James L’Etoile. I enjoyed the chemistry between Sacramento detective Penley and his female partner, Newberry. He is calm at work, but his home life is chaotic with a son with a kidney transplant, a teenage daughter acting out at school, and a wife who feels guilty for nearly killing their son and for being unable to control their daughter. In contrast, Newberry has the messiest desk at work, is hyped up on energy drinks, yet has a charming, neat rehabbed home.

Suspense is high from the get-go. The two detectives catch a case in which Newberry is the prime suspect, and her career and life at risk. As Penley and Newberry investigate, they uncover a cadre of cops on the take and a district attorney who plans to frame the innocent Newberry in a political coup to aid the DA’s rise to the top. Double-crosses abound--too many to describe here, but they lead to a climax in the rotunda of the capitol building in Sacramento. 

I haven't read the first book in the Detective Penley series, but this book whetted my appetite for the it and any future installments. I received this as a free ARC from Crooked Lane Books on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I recommend this book to fans of noir, thrillers, police procedurals, and suspense. This book is scheduled for release December 12, 2017.

[Elaine Tomasso · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advance copy of Bury the Past, the second novel to feature Detective Penley of the Sacramento police.

John Penley and his partner Paula Newberry get called out to a murder scene where Larry Burger has been beaten to death. Paula knows Burger, he is an ex officer convicted of drugs offences in an Internal Affairs she led. At the same time the ringleader of Burger's group of corrupt officers, Charles Sherman, is appealing his conviction by claiming that Paula is a dirty cop.

Wow! What a read. The novel grabbed me from page one where it opens with the murder of Larry Burger and didn't let go until the last. The plotting is intricate and detailed so I needed my full concentration to keep up with all the twists and turns and relationships between the characters. It is also well paced as it never lets up and has new twists in every chapter. I also like the writing style which is easy to read but absorbing.

The plot is great. Every time Paula turns round there is more evidence supporting Sherman's accusations and implicating her in Larry Burger's murder and the others that follow. The DA is out to crucify her for destroying the conviction but Paula has the support of Penley, her lieutenant and some co-workers. I had no trouble identifying with Paula and her plight so the read gets quite tense as more "evidence" comes to light and the DA intensifies her witch hunt. Hats off to Mr L'Etoile for his cunning.

The characterisation is adequate for what is more a thriller than a police procedural. Penley and Newberry are smart, dedicated detectives with a thirst for justice. Penley has trouble at home with frequent references to events in the previous novel. I haven't read it but there is enough of a summary to understand its impact and allow Bury the Past to stand alone comfortably. Paula is a strong woman who is bowed down by weight of what comes at her but rather than breaking it makes her fight back determinedly.

I would like to give special mention to the last chapter which, while short, is an excellent end to an exciting read.

Bury the Past is a great, fast paced read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book kept me on the very edge of my seat!!!! How do you stop a killer that is already behind bars???? Sacramento police detectives John Penley and Paula Newberry are enlisted to investigate a case involving the trafficking of stolen street drugs. The crime is being committed by a group of corrupt cops. Penly and Newberry as Sherman the leader of the group is starting murders against those who testified against him. He turns his attention to Newberry who begins to receive blame and as political pressure mounts its clear someone has to pay for these crimes. Will definitely read his prior book of At What Cost!!!!

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bury the Past is a terrific fast-paced and well-plotted crime fiction story set in Sacramento, California, a great setting that is seldom used in such books. There’s a real non-stop pace to this book that keeps you engaged right from the start. It’s a police story involving murder, drugs, biker gangs, prison gangs, corruption, internal affairs, and backstabbing. The characters were all realistic and believable. It’s the second book in the series, but it works perfectly as a stand-alone novel. Thanks to Crooked Lane Books for providing a copy for review.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bury the Past is a fast paced mystery with a complex storyline about police corruption and revenge. This second installment in James L'Etoile's  Detective Penley Mystery series can easily be read as a standalone.

Penley is one of the few cops who do no not have a problem with the fact that his current partner, Detective Paula Newberry, worked in Internal Affairs before her current assignment in homicide. One of her most prominent cases involved exposing major police corruption on a narcotics task force. Several cops from this case begin turning up dead just as former Sheriff department officer Charles Sherman is released from prison after his conviction is overturned.  This puts Newberry in the crosshairs of District Attorney Linda Clarke who makes it clear that she is convinced Paula is responsible for the murders.  With only a short span of time, Penley and Newberry are desperately attempting to show that Sherman is framing Paula for the murders. Will they find the evidence they need to bolster their case despite the fact that Sherman was behind bars when murders started?

Despite the ever increasing amount of evidence to the contrary, Penley has absolutely no doubt that Newberry is not a killer. Together, they frantically try to find the evidence they need to not only clear her name, but prove that Sherman masterminded the plot.  An equally daunting task is showing the evidence recovered at the crime scenes has been planted in an effort to frame Paula. With Sherman quickly evading their attempts to keep him under surveillance, Paula and John immediately run up against the white supremacists that Sherman befriended behind bars. With Paula under investigation by Internal Affairs and increasing pressure from DA Cooke, the crime fighting duo turn up the heat on Sherman's former associates in an attempt to uncover the truth but a shocking revelation turns the entire case upside down.

Bury the Past is an outstanding police procedural that has an clever but slightly unrealistic storyline.  Penley and Newberry are well-developed characters who are very easy like despite their flaws and quirks. With plenty of cunning twists and turns, James L'Etoile keeps this readers on the edge of their seats as the novel wends its way to an action-packed, exciting conclusion.  A wonderful addition to the Detective Penley Mystery series that old and new fans are sure to enjoy.

[Kathy Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

When John Penley's partner Paula Newberry's past comes back to haunt her, both are on a mission to clear her name. When Paula when in IA she was largely responsible for bringing down a network of corrupt cops who where skimming on drug raids and stashing their drug hauls. Charles Sherman was the leader of the group and is in prison. But now someone is killing all of the other members of the group and someone is framing Paula as the criminal.

Sherman has vowed to get revenge on Paula but, given that he was in the prison mental health unit when the crimes were committed, he couldn't be the criminal, or could he? Unlike the first mystery in this series which focused on Penley and his family, this one puts Paula front and center. Although we do get a look into Penley's family again to see how they are doing after his son's kidney transplant.

Penley and Newberry have to deal with white supremacists, missing drugs, and corrupt law enforcement in order to get to the bottom of this twisty case. It was fast paced and action packed and just great for fans of police procedurals.

[Stanley McShane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bury the Past (the second in the Detective Penley mystery series) follows Sacramento Police Detectives John Penley and Paula Newberry as they investigate stolen street drugs and a homicide that appears connected.

The first chapter begins an investigation into the homicide that quickly leads to a conspiracy that includes dirty cops and an old take-down. Sherman, the leader of the corrupt group and ex-cop, is planning retribution against those who caught and stopped him and Newberry surfaces at the top of his pay-back list. Paula Newberry was formerly with IA when Sherman was caught and now partnered with Penley begins to recognize a few names and faces who are turning up deceased with one little added wrinkle--her DNA.

As circumstantial evidence mounts against her, the heat is on to prove she is not involved while continuing to try and find the one who is. It's a dark picture of conditions, areas, and interchanges between the populace and the police. Dialogue is so natural, it's scary. Paula is a bad-assed and strong, single female. She has poured heart and soul into restoring a Victorian downtown. Penley is married and having more than his usual family drama issues including a (formerly) sickly son and a teenage daughter hitting those hormones in spades.

Is it a good police procedural? The best--there are details here only one who really knows, would know (and the author does have that experience). Co-protagonists Penley and Paula make a good team--they complement each other and Penley supports his partner, even through what seems damning evidence. Their lieutenant tries hard to work with them and issues some latitude. The antagonist, Sherman, is crazy smart--knows how to use the system to his advantage.
The plot begins to plod somewhat in the middle and then heats up to a crashing climax in the state capital rotunda full of tourists, lobbyists, politicians and support staff.

I downloaded this ebook, the second in the series, from Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley and sincerely appreciated the opportunity to read and review. Recommended for all fans of crime, thriller and suspense, and, most especially, police procedurals.
For the full review see http://rosepointpublishing.com

[Viccy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the first book of this series, At What Cost, and reviewed it for Library Journal. It was my pick of the month and I continue to recommend it. The actions in this book are not contingent on reading the previous book, but some of the motivations of the characters draw upon what happened in this book. Detective James Penley and his partner in the Sacramento PD, Detective Paula Newberry, are investigating the trafficking of street drugs. The case reaches back to a case Newberry worked on years before, when she was in Internal Affairs and brought down an entire task force, headed by Charles Sherman. Sherman went to jail. Now, bodies are turning up, bodies of other task force members and Sherman is agitating to get out of jail because he accuses Newberry of falsifying evidence and being corrupt. It appears Newberry is the killer, but Penley knows his partner better than that. While coping with his own tragedy at home, Penley works with Newberry to uncover the real killers and bring down a criminal enterprise. Excellent pacing and well-drawn characterizations make this series a good read. Recommended.

[Roberta · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Detective Penley mystery involving drug trafficking and corrupt cops (including an ex-cop, Charles Sherman, who arranges murder and mayhem on the streets while in prison). How he's actually able to do his dastardly deeds remains a mystery until his secret is revealed.

The book starts somewhat slowly before the action picks up about halfway through. As the reader is told who the villain is early in the story, for a long while the only 'mystery' to the reader appears to be how the detectives will eventually be able to apprehend him. But the reader learns toward the end that someone else in law enforcement is involved.

Sherman feels Detective Penley's partner, Paula Newberry, was responsible for him being in prison in the first place, due to her involvement in his previous trial. Thus he holds a grudge against her & has his pals on the outside leave incriminating evidence to reflect that all the evil which is happening on the streets can be traced to her.

I would've like to see a few more riveting action scenes throughout the book, not just at the ending which I liked.

[Maggies Daisy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I stayed up till five in the morning so I could finish reading this thrilling novel by James L'Etoile from Crooked Lane publishing that I received by entering a Goodreads giveaway. With Sacramento Police Detective John Penley and his partner, Detective Paula Newberry are called to a murder scene that has evidence that trails back to when Newberry was once an IA (internal affairs) officer all leads arrive at a cop who has been in prison. How can the DA really release this prisoner and how is so much evidence pointing to Newberry as the culprit? Crooked cops, millions in drugs and money and witnesses being slowly eliminated one by one having Penley and Newberry racing the clock to apprehend the real murderers. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in a good plot with lifelike crime-fighting characters who find the villains at every turn.

[Patricia Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from GoodReads for an open, honest review. Detectives Penley and Newberry investigate the murder of a former cop who helped convict another former cop and his co-conspirators. This former cop, Sherman, was the ringleader and is presently on a prison psych unit. Murders of more cop co-conspirators keep happening, and the evidence again Newberry keeps on coming. Newberry is a strong female cop, formerly with Internal Affairs. Her job at IA led to the conviction of Sherman and his group for drug trafficking . NOW, Sherman and the DA are hell bent on blaming Newberry and exonerating Sherman. The book was fast paced, and kept me guessing as to the possible murderer, how Sherman and the DA were involved. Great plot twists, Great red herrings, a great read.

[Sheila Sobel · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this, the follow-up novel to "At What Cost," James L'Etoile has written another heart-pounding suspense novel filled with dramatic twists and turns. Detective John Penley's son is recovering from a much-needed kidney transplant, but now the detective's marriage is failing. Detective Paula Newberry is not fairing much better as her integrity is called into question and the evidence against her for multiple crimes begins to mount. The new partners have each other's backs as they work together to find a stash of missing street drugs and put a group of corrupt cops out of action. Fans of James L'Etoile will be more than ready for the next installment of "A Detective Penley Mystery" after finishing "Bury the Past." Can't wait!

[Karen Hufman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading it and would have no problem reading another in the series but I did have a bit of trouble buying it to the premise of the story. Detective Penley and Newberry are assigned to the the murder of the man who was a former police officer charged in a major sting in illegal activities with a police force group. Newberry is eventually implicated in illegally falsifying information on her fellow officers as an IA investigator. It's difficult to believe how much characters in the story are part of nefarious activities without being charged but it was still an enjoyable ride.

[JMM · Rating 5 out of 5]

All evidence for a series of deadly crimes points to Detective Paula Newberry, and it’s a race against time to prove otherwise in James L’Etoile’s latest crime thriller, Bury the Past. Want to know more about internal affairs, prison culture, and the bonds between working partners? This author knows his stuff. His is a well-paced, edge-of-your-seat novel with sympathetic characters and fascinating law enforcement background. It’s the second in the Detective Penley series but can be read on its own.

[Ursula S · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. Set in Sacramento, all the key locations are familiar to me. It's also obvious that the author has great insider information re California prisons, CSP-SAC in particular. The protagonist is complex and interesting. The cops are three dimensional.

Only one problem with the book--I know the locations too well. When the author describes Southside park, he mentions 15th Street. Southside is a little further up, on 5th. Must have been an editing error, because nearly everything else on right on point.

This was a page-turner. Recommended.

[Michelle Isler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely love the Detective Penley Series. James L’Etoile is right up there as one of my favorite writers. His books are exciting and his prose makes you feel like you are right there in the middle of all the action. They are just down right good police procedural books.
I highly recommend Bury The Past and At What Cost.

[Liz O · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is second book James L’Etoile has published with detective Penley I truly enjoyed reading this book as it kept you intrigued all the way till the end
wanting more. I had a hard time putting the book down at night. Can’t wait to read his other books.

[Karen Lindh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable cop story. I particularly found the Sacramento locale interesting, as it is my hometown. A real tension in the plot, as cops are both the good guys and the bad guys. A couple of good plot twists and several interesting characters.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author clearly is familiar with police relationships and procedures, and this gives the book a chilling veracity. It is worth reading but held few surprises or unexpected twists.

[L Corky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review will post soon.

[Allison A · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an edge of your seat lots of pieces come together kind of book that was needed during this pandemic to escape and get lost in. Excellent writing, great paced.

[Bruce Raterink · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great addition to an excellent police procedural series. Great characters, action packed plot, and a few unexpected twists. Highly recommended

[Komal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who tf is brian wilson also slow start and has random narratives i didnt care for and this was a little harder to follow then the first book but overall interesting plot