What do you think?
Rate this book
Ed Runyon #1
City Problems
A moment of violence—a snap judgement—a life changed to the core
Ed Runyon bolted from the NYPD after a runaway teen case fell through the cracks and turned into a nightmarish murder. Now, he’s learned to bury the rage that consumed him, cope with depression, and enjoy life as a Mifflin County sheriff’s detective in rural Ohio.
Ed is trying to relax on his day off when Columbus PD Detective Shelly Beckworth comes to Mifflin County in search of a girl who vanished after a pop-up party. The clues are scarce—a few license plates, a phone shattered on the roadside—but the trail leads to Ed’s neck of the woods.
He tries to shove everything else aside to keep this case from ending in another tragedy, but a cop can’t pick and choose which calls to duty he’ll answer. Frustrated, Ed watches a happy ending slip beyond sight—this one he cannot run away from.
Charging forward, Ed breaks rules and takes risks leading to a bloody confrontation where everything he believes as a cop and every ghost in his head clash—a moment of avenging violence that will ultimately change his life to the core.
Perfect for fans of Robert Crais and John Sanford
While the novels in the Ed Runyon Mystery Series stand on their own and can be read in any order, the publication sequence
City Problems
Wayward Son
Go Find Daddy (coming 2023)
Ed Runyon bolted from the NYPD after a runaway teen case fell through the cracks and turned into a nightmarish murder. Now, he’s learned to bury the rage that consumed him, cope with depression, and enjoy life as a Mifflin County sheriff’s detective in rural Ohio.
Ed is trying to relax on his day off when Columbus PD Detective Shelly Beckworth comes to Mifflin County in search of a girl who vanished after a pop-up party. The clues are scarce—a few license plates, a phone shattered on the roadside—but the trail leads to Ed’s neck of the woods.
He tries to shove everything else aside to keep this case from ending in another tragedy, but a cop can’t pick and choose which calls to duty he’ll answer. Frustrated, Ed watches a happy ending slip beyond sight—this one he cannot run away from.
Charging forward, Ed breaks rules and takes risks leading to a bloody confrontation where everything he believes as a cop and every ghost in his head clash—a moment of avenging violence that will ultimately change his life to the core.
Perfect for fans of Robert Crais and John Sanford
While the novels in the Ed Runyon Mystery Series stand on their own and can be read in any order, the publication sequence
City Problems
Wayward Son
Go Find Daddy (coming 2023)
336 pages, Hardcover
First published July 6, 2021
45 people are currently reading
840 people want to read
About the author
Steve Goble
17 books89 followersMy first novel, a historical mystery called "The Bloody Black Flag: A Spider John Mystery," was released Sept. 12, 2017, from Seventh Street Books. My second novel, "The Devil's Wind: A Spider John Mystery," was released in the Fall/Winter of 2018. The third, “A Bottle of Rum,” was released in November 2019, and “Pieces of Eight” is coming. Sometime in 2021.
Also in 2021, I will debut a new detective series from Oceanview Publishing. Look for “City Problems” in July.
Learn more at stevegoble.com.
Quarterly newsletter: https://stevegoble.us2.list-manage.co...
Also in 2021, I will debut a new detective series from Oceanview Publishing. Look for “City Problems” in July.
Learn more at stevegoble.com.
Quarterly newsletter: https://stevegoble.us2.list-manage.co...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
July 27, 2021
City Problems by Steve Goble is a rural police procedural. Detective Ed Runyon has left New York for a quieter and more peaceful life in Ohio. A horrid murder in New York drove him to look for a place where life is simpler and less violent. All is well until a detective from Columbus shows up looking for a missing teenage girl and she has reason to believe that the girl might have been taken to the rural area. The investigation proceeds in a haphazard way. The characters are numerous and appear here and there, with most of them seeming to be guilty at one time or another. I found the plot confusing at best and boring and unrealistic at worst. However, I’m sure many will enjoy this mystery. My opinion is not a reason to prevent other readers from enjoying this book. This is the first in a new series and there is no doubt that what will come next will be well worth the read. Thank you to Oceanview Publishing, NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 14, 2022
The author has created a tough but weary detective in Ed Runyon. Runyon has fled to Ohio in the aftermath of a violent murder of a young girl; Runyon believes he failed to investigate the girl's disappearance in a timely fashion and thus allowed the murderer time to torture and kill the girl. Guilt weighs heavily on Runyon and all the therapy and alcohol and logic don't eliminate his sense of failure. Now in Ohio Runyon works as a detective and SWAT member for a much smaller department where domestic assaults and drug crimes far outnumber murders. The arrival of a Columbus detective investigating the disappearance of a teen girl from a party forces Runyon to confront his demons. If you throw in some anti-government radicals with huge numbers of weapons and some local football stars and you have an environment for great storytelling. I look forward to reading more in the series
July 6, 2021
Looked Interesting, Decent Storyline, Disappointing
The teaser for this book looked interesting and had potential. As I started to read, I noticed several characteristics that that bothered me. Now, I am retired Navy so I have a high tolerance for vulgar language in novels. The language of this novel reminded me of the time I inadvertently walked into a leadership meeting in the boatswain’s locker! More than just the language, but its use made the two main characters seems quite unprofessional and not realistic. The swearing was across the board for most of the characters, even by women, and was not consistent with the context of the scenes. Second, when the high school students were not swearing, they all seemed to talk like Jeff Spicoli from the movie, Fast Times at Ridgemont High. The following is the rest of the review based upon a complete read of this novel.
The novel opens with teen girl regaining consciousness. She hears drunken voices around her as she lies on a truck bed. She didn’t want to move for fear that they would hurt her again, but when a lit match lands on her cheek, she yells and kicks out. Someone screams that she isn’t dead. She feels a sharp pain in her shin and sinks back into oblivion. The storyline switches to the main character, Detective Ed Runyon. While off duty, he is in a bar when a fight breaks out that he quells. While some deputies complete the arrests, the Sheriff calls Runyon and wants to see him immediately, as a detective from Columbus wants to check out the lead that a missing teen may have come this way. The novel proceeds from this start.
The main storyline proceeds through most leads seem to be dead ends. Even when a lead appears promising, again it does not seem to pan out. Other difficulties are on-the-job conflicting priorities for Runyon, who is plagued with the memory of a young woman killed before he could save her that resulted in his moving from New York City to Mifflin County, Ohio. The author did kept a sense of suspense throughout the novel. Among the chapters, the author inserted short paragraphs in the voice of the abduction perpetrators. This main story line did keep my interest to the novel’s end.
The B-storyline was adequate for Runyon and good for Shelly, the Columbus detective. His actions in this case seem to be over-reaction even based upon his background.
I’ve already discussed the excessive use of vulgar language. There was violence with some being described as it occurred. There were not any intimate scenes, so beyond language there should not be much other to object.
Unfortunately, the excessive and constant use of vulgar language made the characters to not realistic. I wanted to enjoy the story, but found that I could not. In my previous 203 book reviews, this is the first that language affected by overall rating. If you can tolerate the language, you may be able to get something from this book, but I could not. I rate this novel with two stars and do not recommend it.
I received a free e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from Oceanside Publishing, but my review is solely is my own, honest and unbiased evaluation of this book. I wish to thank Oceanside Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.
The teaser for this book looked interesting and had potential. As I started to read, I noticed several characteristics that that bothered me. Now, I am retired Navy so I have a high tolerance for vulgar language in novels. The language of this novel reminded me of the time I inadvertently walked into a leadership meeting in the boatswain’s locker! More than just the language, but its use made the two main characters seems quite unprofessional and not realistic. The swearing was across the board for most of the characters, even by women, and was not consistent with the context of the scenes. Second, when the high school students were not swearing, they all seemed to talk like Jeff Spicoli from the movie, Fast Times at Ridgemont High. The following is the rest of the review based upon a complete read of this novel.
The novel opens with teen girl regaining consciousness. She hears drunken voices around her as she lies on a truck bed. She didn’t want to move for fear that they would hurt her again, but when a lit match lands on her cheek, she yells and kicks out. Someone screams that she isn’t dead. She feels a sharp pain in her shin and sinks back into oblivion. The storyline switches to the main character, Detective Ed Runyon. While off duty, he is in a bar when a fight breaks out that he quells. While some deputies complete the arrests, the Sheriff calls Runyon and wants to see him immediately, as a detective from Columbus wants to check out the lead that a missing teen may have come this way. The novel proceeds from this start.
The main storyline proceeds through most leads seem to be dead ends. Even when a lead appears promising, again it does not seem to pan out. Other difficulties are on-the-job conflicting priorities for Runyon, who is plagued with the memory of a young woman killed before he could save her that resulted in his moving from New York City to Mifflin County, Ohio. The author did kept a sense of suspense throughout the novel. Among the chapters, the author inserted short paragraphs in the voice of the abduction perpetrators. This main story line did keep my interest to the novel’s end.
The B-storyline was adequate for Runyon and good for Shelly, the Columbus detective. His actions in this case seem to be over-reaction even based upon his background.
I’ve already discussed the excessive use of vulgar language. There was violence with some being described as it occurred. There were not any intimate scenes, so beyond language there should not be much other to object.
Unfortunately, the excessive and constant use of vulgar language made the characters to not realistic. I wanted to enjoy the story, but found that I could not. In my previous 203 book reviews, this is the first that language affected by overall rating. If you can tolerate the language, you may be able to get something from this book, but I could not. I rate this novel with two stars and do not recommend it.
I received a free e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from Oceanside Publishing, but my review is solely is my own, honest and unbiased evaluation of this book. I wish to thank Oceanside Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.
August 19, 2021
Ed Runyon is the sheriff in small-town rural Ohio. He moved there to escape a traumatic past and is happy to just calmly and dispassionately break up weekend bar fights. The narrative continues in his first person conversations. He talks directly to readers in a professional, matter-of-fact cadence. He is a no-nonsense kind of guy, takes no backtalk, and just wants to uphold the law.
Things change when Detective Shelly Beckworth from Columbus arrives to search for a girl who vanished after party. The clues to her disappearance are few, but what there are, point to Mifflin County; Beckworth wants Runyon’s help. The missing person case suddenly turns into a complicated murder investigation, and Runyon struggles to find answers. Every clue unearthed brings more complications and dredges up haunting memories from his past.
The pace is focused and deliberate. Conversations move the plot along, and everyday events are interspersed throughout the story. Readers get a comprehensive picture of Runyon with his dedication to duty, a down-home Buckeye sense of humor, and the sometimes burning desire for retribution. Short, abrupt sentences create a feel of both urgency and tragedy. The plot increases in intensity as the case unfolds, and events become complex and very dramatic.
I received a review copy of “City Problems” from Steve Goble and Oceanview Publishing. This is the first book in the new “Ed Runyon Mystery” series. It effectively establishes the main characters, and sets the stage for future compelling stories in Mifflin County, Ohio.
Things change when Detective Shelly Beckworth from Columbus arrives to search for a girl who vanished after party. The clues to her disappearance are few, but what there are, point to Mifflin County; Beckworth wants Runyon’s help. The missing person case suddenly turns into a complicated murder investigation, and Runyon struggles to find answers. Every clue unearthed brings more complications and dredges up haunting memories from his past.
The pace is focused and deliberate. Conversations move the plot along, and everyday events are interspersed throughout the story. Readers get a comprehensive picture of Runyon with his dedication to duty, a down-home Buckeye sense of humor, and the sometimes burning desire for retribution. Short, abrupt sentences create a feel of both urgency and tragedy. The plot increases in intensity as the case unfolds, and events become complex and very dramatic.
I received a review copy of “City Problems” from Steve Goble and Oceanview Publishing. This is the first book in the new “Ed Runyon Mystery” series. It effectively establishes the main characters, and sets the stage for future compelling stories in Mifflin County, Ohio.
January 23, 2021
A thing that drives me nuts is when an author writes a book that centers around the main character’s career, but it’s clear that they didn’t consult someone who works that job in real life to avoid factual inaccuracies in the story. There were a handful of examples of this in the book that kept pulling me out of the story. It’s super important to do your research when writing a book, my guy! I also noticed that the dialogue was a bit stilted because the author seemed to shy away from using contractions specifically during conversations between characters (ex: ‘Yep, you are right. It is a logical starting point.’) which made those conversations feel unauthentic and clunky. It’s okay to use contractions in your writing! It’s encouraged, really. Anyway, those were my main gripes with this book; otherwise, I liked it. The writing (that wasn’t dialogue) was solid and the plot moved forward steadily. I liked Ed a lot - he’s so salty while still being funny and kind, despite the ghosts that haunt him. Overall, this was a solid start to a new series - the author is clearly a talented writer, but I think he could benefit from a good editor going forward.
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher.
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher.
March 9, 2021
City Problems is a mystery thriller that sees a cop from New York shattered by a case move to a small town – Mifflin County in Ohio. Just when Detective Ed Runyon seems to be getting his life back on track and settling down, a case of a missing girls lands on his desk which brings back a lot of memories about the case that sent him running from New York. He struggles with his past and walks a fine line between right and wrong. How far will he go?
This was my first encounter with Steve Goble. I looked at reviews on GoodReads and a lot of my fellow mystery-thriller readers only gave this book a three-star rating. I believe it deserves better than that. This book is well written, it has a gripping story and manages to keep you uncertain of where it’s going to go. You immediately know that the obvious suspect is not guilty, but the author manages to through little details at you that keep you wondering.
When a missing girl ends up dead, Detective Ed Runyon is forced to face the past he has run away from. Tempted to run away, he struggles to remain in the present. He wants to take the law into his own hands, will he take it upon himself to be judge, jury and executioner or will he remain within the boundaries of the law. This internal struggle is the centre of the story and the author manages to keep you wondering until the very end.
City Problems leaves you looking at law enforcement a little differently, you experience the struggles these men and women face. I was rooting for Ed all the way and would have accepted his actions no matter which way they lead. A scary thought, but the author did a wonderful job expressing Ed’s internal struggle, making it easy to understand why he had the thoughts he did.
Normally I pick I character I like, this time around I am settling for one I disliked. What is with Linda? The woman was simply annoying. Yes, she cared about Ed and she had his best interest at heart, but honestly – she is a character that gives women a bad name. She was nagging and pushing all the time, I have no idea why Ed did not send her on her way. I did not like her at all.
I enjoyed every minute I spent reading City Problems, so this is added to my Loved list for 2021. The author told a harsh story with a lot of emotion and made it easy to understand the lead character.
This story focusses on the cop, rather than the crime itself and will appeal to crime mystery enthusiast. It is a gripping read that will have you hooked very quickly. I have no problem recommending this book, it was a good, fast read.
Visit the blog: https://featzreviews.com/city-problem...
This was my first encounter with Steve Goble. I looked at reviews on GoodReads and a lot of my fellow mystery-thriller readers only gave this book a three-star rating. I believe it deserves better than that. This book is well written, it has a gripping story and manages to keep you uncertain of where it’s going to go. You immediately know that the obvious suspect is not guilty, but the author manages to through little details at you that keep you wondering.
When a missing girl ends up dead, Detective Ed Runyon is forced to face the past he has run away from. Tempted to run away, he struggles to remain in the present. He wants to take the law into his own hands, will he take it upon himself to be judge, jury and executioner or will he remain within the boundaries of the law. This internal struggle is the centre of the story and the author manages to keep you wondering until the very end.
City Problems leaves you looking at law enforcement a little differently, you experience the struggles these men and women face. I was rooting for Ed all the way and would have accepted his actions no matter which way they lead. A scary thought, but the author did a wonderful job expressing Ed’s internal struggle, making it easy to understand why he had the thoughts he did.
Normally I pick I character I like, this time around I am settling for one I disliked. What is with Linda? The woman was simply annoying. Yes, she cared about Ed and she had his best interest at heart, but honestly – she is a character that gives women a bad name. She was nagging and pushing all the time, I have no idea why Ed did not send her on her way. I did not like her at all.
I enjoyed every minute I spent reading City Problems, so this is added to my Loved list for 2021. The author told a harsh story with a lot of emotion and made it easy to understand the lead character.
This story focusses on the cop, rather than the crime itself and will appeal to crime mystery enthusiast. It is a gripping read that will have you hooked very quickly. I have no problem recommending this book, it was a good, fast read.
Visit the blog: https://featzreviews.com/city-problem...
February 3, 2021
I enjoyed this book. It’s an easy read and was suspenseful. I liked the story line and found myself really wanting to find out what happened. I like that it’s set in Ohio. A few parts could have been done better but overall I enjoyed it and that’s the main thing. The women cussing was a bit much. Women just don’t do that or none I’ve been around use that much foul Language.
I would recommend reading this.
I would recommend reading this.
February 17, 2023
Paul Doiron gives us Mike Bowditch, William Kent Krueger gives us Cork O'Connor and Steve Goble is giving us Ed Runyon. He was a city cop until he decided he's had enough, particularly enough of having to prioritize which cases got attention and which ones fell down the list. In his case, a teen girl went missing but he couldn't devote all of his time as a big NYC cop to finding her and, thusly, didn't find her in time to save her from the horrible fate she endured. She was found nailed to a wall, crucifixion style with graffiti sprawled around her in her own blood. Although Ed was able to put the killer away in prison his mind couldn't adjust to not saving the girl. He quit his job and fled the city to small town Ohio, hoping to clear his head of the memories and failure. But small towns can have big city problems, especially when a young teen girl goes missing from Columbus and ends up in Mifflin County, a place full of farms, pick-up trucks, fields and creeks. He promises himself he will save this one but she, too, turns up dead. He works tirelessly to find out who killed this girl but all while trying to manage his mental trauma from what went down in NYC. He had hoped to escape that kind of crime, living in a small town.
I loved Goble's dialogue, humorous despite the tragedy. Ed is a good man, and quite funny, too. This isn't a thriller, maybe not even so much a mystery but it's Ed's story, Ed trying to move on from what he sees as his failure and deal with what that's doing to his pysche. I enjoyed this a lot because I really liked Ed Runyon.
I loved Goble's dialogue, humorous despite the tragedy. Ed is a good man, and quite funny, too. This isn't a thriller, maybe not even so much a mystery but it's Ed's story, Ed trying to move on from what he sees as his failure and deal with what that's doing to his pysche. I enjoyed this a lot because I really liked Ed Runyon.
July 25, 2021
Thank you to author Steve Goble for introducing us to Ed Runyon.
Ed is not a hero, he is far from it but I wanted to know more about his failures and wins.
I was invested in Ed like everyone else in Mifflin County. As a reader, I felt his pain and the raw emotions he felt when things did not go according to plan. Ed is human and he definitely made mistakes, too many to count.
Ed will definitely make the reader question his actions which is what I adored about this book, you are not getting the warm fuzzy feeling from this guy.
If you are looking for a glorified-too-good-to-be-true protagonist, Ed is not your man. However, if you want to read about someone who has their heart in the right place and is trying very hard to overcome the demons whilst solving crimes, congratulations, you have found your man.
I loved how easy it was to quickly turn the pages and finish this book in less than 24 hours. I appreciate the time stamps and date which gave me an appreciation of when the events took place.
This book is written as first person narrative which takes the reader straight to Ed’s mind and I found this was the best approach to take to really know a new character.
I am looking forward to Ed’s next adventure!
Ed is not a hero, he is far from it but I wanted to know more about his failures and wins.
I was invested in Ed like everyone else in Mifflin County. As a reader, I felt his pain and the raw emotions he felt when things did not go according to plan. Ed is human and he definitely made mistakes, too many to count.
Ed will definitely make the reader question his actions which is what I adored about this book, you are not getting the warm fuzzy feeling from this guy.
If you are looking for a glorified-too-good-to-be-true protagonist, Ed is not your man. However, if you want to read about someone who has their heart in the right place and is trying very hard to overcome the demons whilst solving crimes, congratulations, you have found your man.
I loved how easy it was to quickly turn the pages and finish this book in less than 24 hours. I appreciate the time stamps and date which gave me an appreciation of when the events took place.
This book is written as first person narrative which takes the reader straight to Ed’s mind and I found this was the best approach to take to really know a new character.
I am looking forward to Ed’s next adventure!
July 25, 2022
Ed Runyon is buried in Rural Ohio as a Mifflin County Sheriff detective. He is running from his life as a NYPD officer and a young girl he could not save. When a second missing young girl’s case came to his neck of the woods Ed would find all his rage came back to the surface. A complicated lead character with all his flaws finds his professional life overtaking his whole life. You follow this character on this road for vengeance not knowing how he is going to act and what the final act will be. This book makes you really think about how far a human can be pushed before they break under pressure.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
July 15, 2021
Ed Runyon is an ex-NYPD officer, now living in rural Ohio as a detective for the county sheriff. When the teen of a powerful family goes missing, the officer on the case, Shelly, finds her way to Runyon's area. Though Runyon is a good cop and knows right from wrong, he has a dark side and some demons from his time in New York. Runyon and Shelly team up to find out what happened to the missing girl as Ed tries to manage his demons.
The idea of a cop looking for a change of pace was a nice storyline and I did feel bad that at every turn he was met with more and more darkness. Unfortunately, I just could not connect to this book or it's characters. Ed reminds me a bit of Hopper from Stranger Things - a badass cop who has a big heart but makes some mistakes and is a bit rough around the edges and to me that makes Ed likeable. The storyline itself just wasn't enough for me to get invested in. It's a decent mystery but it just fell flat for me.
**Please note that I whole heartedly appreciate and acknowledge the amount of work and time goes into writing a book and it always pains me to give a poor review.
The idea of a cop looking for a change of pace was a nice storyline and I did feel bad that at every turn he was met with more and more darkness. Unfortunately, I just could not connect to this book or it's characters. Ed reminds me a bit of Hopper from Stranger Things - a badass cop who has a big heart but makes some mistakes and is a bit rough around the edges and to me that makes Ed likeable. The storyline itself just wasn't enough for me to get invested in. It's a decent mystery but it just fell flat for me.
**Please note that I whole heartedly appreciate and acknowledge the amount of work and time goes into writing a book and it always pains me to give a poor review.
July 12, 2021
This novel is a reminder that law enforcement need better mental health coverage to address burnout and receive treatment for PTSD related to everything they handle in the field.
July 10, 2021
I really enjoyed this one, looking forward to Ed Runyon #2
July 12, 2021
My thanks to NetGalley for a free ARC ebook of City Problems in exchange for an unbiased review.
Steve Goble has created a tough but weary detective in Ed Runyon. Formerly a NYC cop, Runyon has fled to Ohio in the aftermath of a violent murder of a young girl; Runyon believes he failed to investigate the girl's disappearance in a timely fashion and thus allowed the murderer time to torture and kill the girl. Guilt weighs heavily on Runyon and all the therapy and alcohol and logic don't eliminate his sense of failure. Now in Ohio Runyon works as a detective and SWAT member for a much smaller department where domestic assaults and drug crimes far outnumber murders. The arrival of a Columbus detective investigating the disappearance of a teen girl from a party forces Runyon to confront his demons.
Throw in some anti-government radicals with vast numbers of weapons and some local football stars and Goble has created an environment for great storytelling. I look forward to reading more in the series.
#NetGalley #CityProblems #EdRunyon
Steve Goble has created a tough but weary detective in Ed Runyon. Formerly a NYC cop, Runyon has fled to Ohio in the aftermath of a violent murder of a young girl; Runyon believes he failed to investigate the girl's disappearance in a timely fashion and thus allowed the murderer time to torture and kill the girl. Guilt weighs heavily on Runyon and all the therapy and alcohol and logic don't eliminate his sense of failure. Now in Ohio Runyon works as a detective and SWAT member for a much smaller department where domestic assaults and drug crimes far outnumber murders. The arrival of a Columbus detective investigating the disappearance of a teen girl from a party forces Runyon to confront his demons.
Throw in some anti-government radicals with vast numbers of weapons and some local football stars and Goble has created an environment for great storytelling. I look forward to reading more in the series.
#NetGalley #CityProblems #EdRunyon
July 7, 2021
Crime fiction personified
Ed Runyon is a cop in rural Ohio - what they call flyover country.
He used to be in NYC until he became disillusioned, maybe even depressed after losing a young girl on his watch. Can he redeem himself? In City Problems, he's offered a chance. How he goes about it stretches every skill he has and risks everything.
Ed Runyon is a cop in rural Ohio - what they call flyover country.
He used to be in NYC until he became disillusioned, maybe even depressed after losing a young girl on his watch. Can he redeem himself? In City Problems, he's offered a chance. How he goes about it stretches every skill he has and risks everything.
July 1, 2021
Regular readers of procedurals will recognize Runyon- a tortured police officer who has moved from the big city to a small town but who must continue to deal with the very thing that haunts him. In this case, it's the disappearance and then murder of a young woman. It's not an especially innovative plot line or character and the novel would have benefited from a critical eye from a member of law enforcement. Thanks to edelweiss for the ARC. A rare pass for me in this genre.
June 14, 2021
Steve Goble writes a gritty mystery filled with crimes that haunt the detectives and the reader. Shifting points of view pull the reader into the hunt for the victim and perpetrators. Short sequences of the victim’s experiences are interspersed with the police investigation and shorter pieces by the assailants. All are neatly spliced into the week-long investigation.
Ohio author Steve Goble has a new detective, Ed Runyon recently from New York City. Runyon relocates to rural Ohio, just outside Columbus landing in Mifflin County Sheriff’s Office (yes, it’s made up) just to the northeast of Columbus, off Alum Creek.
Runyon, now a Detective with the Sheriff’s office, joins Columbus Police Department Detective Shelly Beckworth, who is investigating a missing girl, Megan Beemer from Upper Arlington, last seen at a pop-up party. Beckworth is following up on the various Mifflin County license plates from the parking lot of the party. She needs a local contact.
The detectives fit the mold of hardened investigators working hard to listen to suspects and find victims. Some of the secondary characters are well crafted, others are works in progress. Readers will have to wait until Runyon’s next adventure to see who still lives in Mifflin County.
“City Problems” by Steve Goble is a new series. If you want more adventures, read Goble’s Spider John Mysteries beginning with
“The Bloody Black Flag: A Spider John Mystery.”
Thanks to the BookLoft of German Village (Columbus, OH) http://www.bookloft.com for a copy to read and review
Ohio author Steve Goble has a new detective, Ed Runyon recently from New York City. Runyon relocates to rural Ohio, just outside Columbus landing in Mifflin County Sheriff’s Office (yes, it’s made up) just to the northeast of Columbus, off Alum Creek.
Runyon, now a Detective with the Sheriff’s office, joins Columbus Police Department Detective Shelly Beckworth, who is investigating a missing girl, Megan Beemer from Upper Arlington, last seen at a pop-up party. Beckworth is following up on the various Mifflin County license plates from the parking lot of the party. She needs a local contact.
The detectives fit the mold of hardened investigators working hard to listen to suspects and find victims. Some of the secondary characters are well crafted, others are works in progress. Readers will have to wait until Runyon’s next adventure to see who still lives in Mifflin County.
“City Problems” by Steve Goble is a new series. If you want more adventures, read Goble’s Spider John Mysteries beginning with
“The Bloody Black Flag: A Spider John Mystery.”Thanks to the BookLoft of German Village (Columbus, OH) http://www.bookloft.com for a copy to read and review
July 7, 2023
I received an electronic ARC of this excellent police procedural from Netgalley, Steve Goble, and Oceanview Publishing. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. Steve Goble is an author I will follow, and one I am pleased to recommend to friends and family. He writes a compelling tale with sympathetic, stalwart protagonists, old-fashioned heroes, and heroines doing their best to keep their world safe for all.
Ed Runyon was a cop in NYC who walked away after the search for a missing teenaged girl, a possible run-away, pretty and blonde, went wrong. The case was bumped several times by cases more immediate, more 'important', and Ed eventually found her tortured and nailed to a wall. That day he drove west as far as Ohio, where he eventually found a job with the Mifflin County Sheriff's Office, hoping to end his policing days chasing cows off the road and arresting shoplifters and Friday-night drunks.
But there are pretty, blond teenage girls in Ohio, too. And there are also monsters, hiding in the cornfields. Assisting Detective Michelle 'Shelly' Beckworth with the Columbus, Ohio Police Department looking for a missing 16-year-old girl from her neck of the woods, Ed finds himself immersed again in his worse nightmare. Possibly a runaway from Upper Arlington, missing for only two days but a girl with good grades, no record, and a campaign-contributing father, Megan Beemer was last seen at a dance in Columbus on Saturday night. Columbus is in Franklin County. Their most important clue - there were many license plates from Mifflin County in the parking lot of the Columbus, Ohio venue as the band 'Soul Scrapped' from Mifflin County and Hollis High School was the entertainment.
Hoping for the best, Ed takes Shelly under his wing as they try to follow the trail of this missing girl. Ed is contending with nightly nightmares again and finds his days frantic and depressing and more indicative of Mifflin Counties' involvement in what looks more and more like a repeat of Ed's NYC final case. There are times when he is diverted by his SWAT duties or more pressing cases when Ed is afraid he cannot hold it all together long enough to solve this mystery. There are times Shelly isn't too sure, either.
pub date July 6, 2021
received July 15, 2021
Oceanview Publishing
Reviewed on November 11, 2021, at Goodreads, Netgalley, AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble, BookBub, Kobo, and GooglePlay.
Ed Runyon was a cop in NYC who walked away after the search for a missing teenaged girl, a possible run-away, pretty and blonde, went wrong. The case was bumped several times by cases more immediate, more 'important', and Ed eventually found her tortured and nailed to a wall. That day he drove west as far as Ohio, where he eventually found a job with the Mifflin County Sheriff's Office, hoping to end his policing days chasing cows off the road and arresting shoplifters and Friday-night drunks.
But there are pretty, blond teenage girls in Ohio, too. And there are also monsters, hiding in the cornfields. Assisting Detective Michelle 'Shelly' Beckworth with the Columbus, Ohio Police Department looking for a missing 16-year-old girl from her neck of the woods, Ed finds himself immersed again in his worse nightmare. Possibly a runaway from Upper Arlington, missing for only two days but a girl with good grades, no record, and a campaign-contributing father, Megan Beemer was last seen at a dance in Columbus on Saturday night. Columbus is in Franklin County. Their most important clue - there were many license plates from Mifflin County in the parking lot of the Columbus, Ohio venue as the band 'Soul Scrapped' from Mifflin County and Hollis High School was the entertainment.
Hoping for the best, Ed takes Shelly under his wing as they try to follow the trail of this missing girl. Ed is contending with nightly nightmares again and finds his days frantic and depressing and more indicative of Mifflin Counties' involvement in what looks more and more like a repeat of Ed's NYC final case. There are times when he is diverted by his SWAT duties or more pressing cases when Ed is afraid he cannot hold it all together long enough to solve this mystery. There are times Shelly isn't too sure, either.
pub date July 6, 2021
received July 15, 2021
Oceanview Publishing
Reviewed on November 11, 2021, at Goodreads, Netgalley, AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble, BookBub, Kobo, and GooglePlay.
June 9, 2021
I won this book from Goodreads/Giveaway - Amazon/Kindle! Really this book could have been much longer, I could read about Ed all day. So, he is changing occupations! I keep thinking there must have been a prior book about Ed in NYC but then Steve keeps writing about Ed's past! I look forward to reading more Steve Goble books!
June 6, 2021
As another reviewer pointed out, Steve Goble didn't bother to do any research on the police. This novel is poorly written and is very unrealistic. Every thing about this book was really corny and over the top. It's like it was written by an inexperienced high school student. It's hard to believe the author has written previous novels. This book reads like a first time novel from an amateur.
didnt-finish
July 5, 2021At 10% I hit my fill of female objectification.
September 29, 2021
I struggled with this one. I typically dive right in to police type mysteries. But this one just did not work for me. I wasn't a fan of the characters or the writing style. It just wasn't for me. I wish I'd liked it more.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
December 20, 2021
City Problems: An Ed Runyon Mystery by Steve Goble takes several classic tropes and generates a compelling read. Ed Runyon left the NYPD after the search for a missing teenager ended in her brutal and savage murder. Haunted by his failure to save that girl from her torture and death, Runyon ended up in Ohio working for the Mifflin County Sheriff’s Department.
His Tuesday had started well with a conviction of a brutal domestic abuser. The plan was to take a few hours off and celebrate and so he had gone to a local bar. The bartender, Tuck, had not finished pouring his first glass of Commodore Perry before the fight started. Ollie Southard had personally and justifiably been offended by something a fellow patron had said and had gone after him. What had started with a punch and most likely a broken nose had escalated to a knife being pulled. Detective Rd Runyon had to put a stop to it, get backup started after he arrested the combatants, and all that means paperwork.
After getting the fighters off to be booked, his planned day at Tucker’s Bar and Grill is fully ruined by a call with his boss, Sheriff John Daltry. The good sheriff wants Detective Runyon to come into the office and meet with a detective from Columbus on a missing teen girl case. The detective is already on the road and will be at their headquarters within an hour or so. Sheriff Daltry knows little else about the case and has nobody else to meet with the Detective. It is Runyon’s no matter how much he wants nothing to do with it.
The detective, Shelly Beckworth, is not only easy on the eyes, but she is competent too. She is looking for Megan Beemer who is from a nearby area of Columbus. Her dad is a political contributor to some of the local politicians so that has gained a bit more police attention by the Columbus PD than it might have been normally at this point.
Megan Beemer has been missing since attending a party Saturday evening where a lot of plates on vehicles were from Mifflin County. That and a couple of other clues have led the detective here and the hunt is on to find the missing girl. Unfortunately for Runyon, who never wanted this case, Megan Beemer looks a lot like the girl he could not save which ratchets up the psychological stress, the nightmares, and his drinking.
What follows is a complicated read that is part mystery and part police procedural. Highly atmospheric and with a wide range of interesting secondary characters, the tale unspools at a steady pace with plenty of twists and turns. Clearly a foundational novel for a series, the book takes the classic tropes of a detective haunted by a nightmare case and a major drinking problem and turns it on its head to create an engaging and compelling read. City Problems: An Ed Runyon Mystery by Steve Goble is a good one and well worth your time.
Book two of the series, Wayward Son, is scheduled to be released in early August 2022.
My reading copy came from the Lakewood Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2021
His Tuesday had started well with a conviction of a brutal domestic abuser. The plan was to take a few hours off and celebrate and so he had gone to a local bar. The bartender, Tuck, had not finished pouring his first glass of Commodore Perry before the fight started. Ollie Southard had personally and justifiably been offended by something a fellow patron had said and had gone after him. What had started with a punch and most likely a broken nose had escalated to a knife being pulled. Detective Rd Runyon had to put a stop to it, get backup started after he arrested the combatants, and all that means paperwork.
After getting the fighters off to be booked, his planned day at Tucker’s Bar and Grill is fully ruined by a call with his boss, Sheriff John Daltry. The good sheriff wants Detective Runyon to come into the office and meet with a detective from Columbus on a missing teen girl case. The detective is already on the road and will be at their headquarters within an hour or so. Sheriff Daltry knows little else about the case and has nobody else to meet with the Detective. It is Runyon’s no matter how much he wants nothing to do with it.
The detective, Shelly Beckworth, is not only easy on the eyes, but she is competent too. She is looking for Megan Beemer who is from a nearby area of Columbus. Her dad is a political contributor to some of the local politicians so that has gained a bit more police attention by the Columbus PD than it might have been normally at this point.
Megan Beemer has been missing since attending a party Saturday evening where a lot of plates on vehicles were from Mifflin County. That and a couple of other clues have led the detective here and the hunt is on to find the missing girl. Unfortunately for Runyon, who never wanted this case, Megan Beemer looks a lot like the girl he could not save which ratchets up the psychological stress, the nightmares, and his drinking.
What follows is a complicated read that is part mystery and part police procedural. Highly atmospheric and with a wide range of interesting secondary characters, the tale unspools at a steady pace with plenty of twists and turns. Clearly a foundational novel for a series, the book takes the classic tropes of a detective haunted by a nightmare case and a major drinking problem and turns it on its head to create an engaging and compelling read. City Problems: An Ed Runyon Mystery by Steve Goble is a good one and well worth your time.
Book two of the series, Wayward Son, is scheduled to be released in early August 2022.
My reading copy came from the Lakewood Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2021
August 15, 2021
Der frühere New York City cop Ed Runyon hat sich nach harten beruflichen Jahren als sheriff’s detective nach Ohio’s Mifflin County zurück gezogen, für ein ruhigeres gewaltärmeres Leben. Aber dann benötigt Det. Shelly Beckworth vom Columbus PD Unterstützung in einem Vermisstenfall. High school junior Megan Beemer ist seit einer Party in Columbus, auf der eine lokale Band spielte, verschwunden.
Schon der Auftakt des Buches, die ersten Szenen zeigen erste Anzeichen von Humor und Selbstironie.
Ed befürchtet gleich, dass Det. Shelly Beckworth die „City Problems“ mitbringen wird, von denen er in der Vergangenheit schon genug hatte, vor denen er schlussendlich geflüchtet ist, als er es nicht mehr ertragen konnte. Und dass sie dann zu seiner Sorge werden. Dabei hat er doch extra vor 5 Jahren das NYPD verlassen. Das ländliche Polizeileben nun war zwar auch nicht einfach, hatte aber nicht die Form von Verrücktheiten von menschlichen Tieren und Soziopathen, wie eine Großstadt. Der Suche nach der vermissten Teenagerin erinnert ihn zu sehr an seinen letzten Fall.
Ed nimmt mit Shelly die Ermittlungen unter den ansässigen Teenagern auf und hofft inständig, dass bald der Anruf kommt, dass sie woanders gefunden wurde und er sich nicht mehr ständig an den damaligen grausamen Fall erinnern muss.
Es wird viel geflucht und unflätig gesprochen. Was viele Kritiker bemängelt haben. Wer das nicht lesen möchte, auch wenn es heut zu Tage örtlich real sein mag, sollte das Buch besser meiden.
Ich fand den Roman sehr unterhaltend und spannend mit einem passenden Ende. Ich würde durchaus einen weiteren Band zu diesem Serienauftakt lesen.
Schon der Auftakt des Buches, die ersten Szenen zeigen erste Anzeichen von Humor und Selbstironie.
Ed befürchtet gleich, dass Det. Shelly Beckworth die „City Problems“ mitbringen wird, von denen er in der Vergangenheit schon genug hatte, vor denen er schlussendlich geflüchtet ist, als er es nicht mehr ertragen konnte. Und dass sie dann zu seiner Sorge werden. Dabei hat er doch extra vor 5 Jahren das NYPD verlassen. Das ländliche Polizeileben nun war zwar auch nicht einfach, hatte aber nicht die Form von Verrücktheiten von menschlichen Tieren und Soziopathen, wie eine Großstadt. Der Suche nach der vermissten Teenagerin erinnert ihn zu sehr an seinen letzten Fall.
Ed nimmt mit Shelly die Ermittlungen unter den ansässigen Teenagern auf und hofft inständig, dass bald der Anruf kommt, dass sie woanders gefunden wurde und er sich nicht mehr ständig an den damaligen grausamen Fall erinnern muss.
Es wird viel geflucht und unflätig gesprochen. Was viele Kritiker bemängelt haben. Wer das nicht lesen möchte, auch wenn es heut zu Tage örtlich real sein mag, sollte das Buch besser meiden.
Ich fand den Roman sehr unterhaltend und spannend mit einem passenden Ende. Ich würde durchaus einen weiteren Band zu diesem Serienauftakt lesen.
July 25, 2021
Thank you Netgalley and Oceanview Publishing for approving this book as EARC.
Thank you to author Steve Goble for introducing us to Ed Runyon.
Ed is not a hero, he is far from it but I wanted to know more about his failures and wins.
I was invested in Ed like everyone else in Mifflin County. As a reader, I felt his pain and the raw emotions he felt when things did not go according to plan. Ed is human and he definitely made mistakes, too many to count.
Ed will definitely make the reader question his actions which is what I adored about this book, you are not getting the warm fuzzy feeling from this guy.
If you are looking for a glorified-too-good-to-be-true protagonist, Ed is not your man. However, if you want to read about someone who has their heart in the right place and is trying very hard to overcome the demons whilst solving crimes, congratulations, you have found your man.
I loved how easy it was to quickly turn the pages and finish this book in less than 24 hours. I appreciate the time stamps and date which gave me an appreciation of when the events took place.
This book is written as first person narrative which takes the reader straight to Ed’s mind and I found this was the best approach to take to really know a new character.
I am looking forward to Ed’s next adventure!
Thank you to author Steve Goble for introducing us to Ed Runyon.
Ed is not a hero, he is far from it but I wanted to know more about his failures and wins.
I was invested in Ed like everyone else in Mifflin County. As a reader, I felt his pain and the raw emotions he felt when things did not go according to plan. Ed is human and he definitely made mistakes, too many to count.
Ed will definitely make the reader question his actions which is what I adored about this book, you are not getting the warm fuzzy feeling from this guy.
If you are looking for a glorified-too-good-to-be-true protagonist, Ed is not your man. However, if you want to read about someone who has their heart in the right place and is trying very hard to overcome the demons whilst solving crimes, congratulations, you have found your man.
I loved how easy it was to quickly turn the pages and finish this book in less than 24 hours. I appreciate the time stamps and date which gave me an appreciation of when the events took place.
This book is written as first person narrative which takes the reader straight to Ed’s mind and I found this was the best approach to take to really know a new character.
I am looking forward to Ed’s next adventure!
July 6, 2021
Former New York detective Ed Runyon is now a Mifflin County sheriff’s detective in rural Ohio, having sought a quieter life. Fleeing trauma from an old murder case is not easy but a missing girl case is a too close reminder that stirs rage, the need for alcohol and despair. This is the beginning of an intended mystery thriller series, with another broken hero in small town rural America. An enjoyable read, with well captured folksy narrative and credible rural nuanced setting. A worthy whodunnit, particularly if a modern western genre is your preference. So, a three-star read with hopefully more adventures to follow. With many thanks to Oceanview Publishing and the author for an advanced copy of an uncorrected proof for review purposes.
September 26, 2021
This is my first read of a Steve Goble book. I enjoyed it and will look forward to Ed Runyon #2. It is not a light mystery, and deals with a couple of heady problems including anger, rage, and PTSD in a police officer. I thought it was a good story, well written, and informative in how burnout of the people standing between us and the really bad guys might be expressed. It's not a light read but rather gritty. I'd recommend it if you're a mystery person.
October 17, 2022
This is the first book that I've read by Mr. Goble and it was a very good surprise. He has put together a good story, with interesting and fallible characters (just like us readers), after a slow beginning the story gets speed and all the reader wants to do is to reach the end to understand the plot fully. I'll be looking for other titles by this author.
I thank the author, his publisher, and NetGalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I thank the author, his publisher, and NetGalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
June 11, 2021
The story’s premise was of interest and the flow was okay, I however agree with other reviewers that a variety of issues related to general writing hindered the book receiving higher ratings. Much promise but did not reach its potential. 3.5 stars
My thanks to goodreads and the book’s giveaway sponsors for the opportunity to obtain and read a copy of this book.
My thanks to goodreads and the book’s giveaway sponsors for the opportunity to obtain and read a copy of this book.
Read
July 6, 2021The novel is chock full of memorable descriptions and some laugh-out-loud scenarios. CITY PROBLEMS is the first of a three-part series, and, with it, Goble is off to a strong start.
Read our full review here:
https://booktrib.com/2021/07/06/small...
Read our full review here:
https://booktrib.com/2021/07/06/small...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews