LOST HILLS (PolProc-Eve Ronin-Los Angeles-Contemp) – 1st in series – Lee Goldberg A video of Deputy Eve Ronin’s off-duty arrest of an abusive movie star goes viral, turning her into a popular hero at a time when the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is plagued by scandal. Eve has a chance to justify her badge when she her partner are called to the blood-splattered home of a missing single mother and her two kids. But where are the corpses?
Dianne – VG - This book was very interesting, but the slaughter of children was hard to contemplate. The sheriff's deputy is an interesting character and her interactions with her mother, the movie extra and wannabe star, is really funny. The depictions of star-struck SoCal types is on the money as I have seen it. The difficulties of this young woman fitting in with macho male colleagues seems very true.The writer obviously writes a lot of scripts, and there is a certain glibness here. But the writing is not annoying and the plot, though bizarre, is not completely unbelievable, given what people are capable of. (I have now read 2 follow-up books starring this character.) Don – VG – The protagonist was flawed, yet determined and unrelenting in the face of Cops and Criminals. Good plot; the next 2 books are Free on Kindle Gabriel – Good - Didn't *love* it, but I could read more in the series. I wasn't so interested at first, but it grew on me. I found Eve Ronin somewhat interesting. Not sure if I like her backstory, but it's an original twist--Goldberg is good at coming up with original angles for his heroes. Her terrible mother was amusing in a frustrating way Gene – VG – It was a quick read. He liked the pace but thought the ending was over the top and could have been better. Ginny – Okay - As a detective procedural the story was just okay because the protagonist Ronin was such a cliché at times, e.g., a young woman in a man's world, sexist attitudes, her desire to prove herself, seeking her mother’s acceptance, etc. I found her banal for which I blame the author. The murder itself had the beginnings of interest for me, but the ending left the story flat. Helen – Okay – She wasn't fond of Eve. She seemed flat. She didn't like the good-old-boy club. The book did have excellent visuals and the story moved, but she never really found the motive. It was a fast read, good dialogue, but more focused on the visuals than the actual plot. Linda M – G+ - Whoa. Lost Hills is an action-packed speeding bullet of a police procedural. It was a bit gruesome, and the bad guy was horrific and creepy. There wasn't a ton of depth to the characters, but they weren't flat either. There is real potential for growth in the series. The rookie and the veteran detective partnership worked nicely, eating donuts, ribbing each other, doing the investigative legwork, and trying their best to avoid the unavoidable politics of a high-profile violent crime. Marcy S – VG - Set in Calabasas, close enough to my childhood home that my mind could see back to the area it was set in. One of those books where if you catch a few extra minutes in the day, you want to open the book and read just one more chapter. I would have given it an excellent, but the ending didn't really hold up. The Detective made some monumental leaps and defied reality. Nancy – VG - It’s now become apparent to me that one of my favorite types of mysteries are police procedurals, particularly those featuring a female protagonist, like Eve in “Lost Hills”. Most of the characters in this book, including Eve, were largely believable and exciting to follow. But even so, while it was great to see a young female succeeding in the male world of a sheriff’s department, the fact that a novice like Eve had two such amazing successes, in rapid succession, so soon after being promoted, didn’t feel completely believable to me. Even so, I really enjoyed her moxie. I also enjoyed “Lost Hills “ because I grew up in the general area where it took place. And I’m a fan of the Dexter TV show, where the main character happens to be a blood spatter expert. And “Lost Hills”, actually taught me a lot about that field too. Quite the surprise!
GROUP RATING AVERAGE: G+
A LIMITED JUSTICE (PolProc-DCI Marc Craig-Belfast-Contemp) – 1st in series – Catriona King The discovery of a body in a petrol station gives D.C.I. Marc Craig’s murder squad a challenging mystery to solve. Another death in Ireland’s North West looks unrelated, but the forensic evidence is not what it initially appears. Links begin to emerge between the two deaths, and set Craig on a pursuit unlike any he has faced before. Then an attack on someone close gives him a difficult question to answer: Is justice always what it seems?
Dianne – G+ - This is an interesting book with an unusual ending. The banter among the members of the murder squad is a bit annoying and the lovelorn difficulties of DCI Craig don't quite ring true. His mother is quite the stereotype also. But it is an interesting, though quite an elaborate tale. Some suspension of disbelief is certainly required. But all in all, worth reading, and I have already read another in this series. Don – DNF – Not his style Gene – Good – Interesting in that the title told you what you were going to get. He liked that we got the villian's backstory, and thought the procedure was well done. Ginny – DNF - After 51 pages, I gave up. What is it about female detectives who are unbelievably dull, etc. The storyline, if there was one, was flat. Maybe the author hasn't fully developed the protagonist, but I won't be recommending the series to anyone. Linda M – Okay - I'm usually a sucker for anything set in Ireland, but I found this to be just okay. I got super annoyed by the two people who hated each other over the phone until... wait, they're both effortlessly gorgeous! This changes everything. [eyeroll] Ron – VG - I thought the book was well written, flowed smoothly, and had interesting characters. I particularly liked the sympathetic portrayal of the killer and the decision by the police at the end to accept the fact that they would never get ”justice” for the more recent victims. However, I had no real sympathy for the killer and her sponsor going after the lenient jurors and arresting officer; if they had just gone after the actual killer, it would have been “justified.”
GROUP RATING AVERAGE: Okay
THE CHINESE BELL MURDERS (Myst–Dee Judge Dee–China–1958) – 2nd in series – Robert Hans Van Gulik The great Chinese detective Judge Dee begins work on the most disquieting case of his career when he reviews the rape murder on Half Moon Street
Dianne – VG - This book was difficult to find, not on Kindle and had to be ordered by mail. But it was very interesting and offered much interesting history of China. The portrayal of strains between Buddhism and Confucianism at the time of Judge Dee was quite interesting. Judge Dee's ingenuity and understanding of human nature was wonderful to read about and it shows how little human nature really changes over time. His empathy for the young women who help him solve some crimes is noteworthy, even though he chooses "soiled" young women to ensnare the criminals. He makes up for it by seeing to it that they are well taken care of and rewarded later. I imagine this part of the plot would probably not be well received by some politically attuned folks today. Definitely a book worth reading. Cindy – VG – She really did like it. It was interesting how some of the people in the village wanted a less capable judge. Liked that he really wanted truth and justice to prevail. Don – VG - Different type of mystery; held my interest. I really enjoyed criminal investigation in the ole Chinese fashion. Protagonist was smart & resourceful Gabriel – DNF - I couldn't get into it. Probably because the characters, and prose style, were so flat. The strange thing is that I read lots of this series, and liked it, when I was a teenager. I remember Judge Dee, and (to a lesser degree) Ma Joong the reformed bandit, but almost nothing about Sgt. Hoong. And I remember lots of scattered details from the books. Ginny - VG+ - I have read a lot of Chinese Fiction set back in time and loved the book. It has an old-world style which I savor. The temples, traditions, customs, even the feel of the fabrics worn was visceral. Knowing that there was a real-life Judge Dee added to my understanding of his character especially his uncanny insight into human behavior. Van Gulih did an excellent job is structuring a well plotted murder mystery with twists and turns and I look forward to reading the series. Kathy – VG – Listened to the audio and really enjoyed it. Loved the information on the culture. Ron – Ex - The author takes us to one of the unique settings in historical detective fiction and delivers three completely different mystery stories showing a wide array of crimes. Van Gulik was a prodigious scholar who wanted to accurately depict daily life in ancient China for the general reader and succeeds brilliantly, using as his protagonist the historical Tang Dynasty district magistrate. Judge Dee who ultimately became an official in the imperial court.
A video of Deputy Eve Ronin’s off-duty arrest of an abusive movie star goes viral, turning her into a popular hero at a time when the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is plagued by scandal. Eve has a chance to justify her badge when she her partner are called to the blood-splattered home of a missing single mother and her two kids. But where are the corpses?
Dianne – VG - This book was very interesting, but the slaughter of children was hard to contemplate. The sheriff's deputy is an interesting character and her interactions with her mother, the movie extra and wannabe star, is really funny. The depictions of star-struck SoCal types is on the money as I have seen it. The difficulties of this young woman fitting in with macho male colleagues seems very true.The writer obviously writes a lot of scripts, and there is a certain glibness here. But the writing is not annoying and the plot, though bizarre, is not completely unbelievable, given what people are capable of. (I have now read 2 follow-up books starring this character.)
Don – VG – The protagonist was flawed, yet determined and unrelenting in the face of Cops and Criminals. Good plot; the next 2 books are Free on Kindle
Gabriel – Good - Didn't *love* it, but I could read more in the series. I wasn't so interested at first, but it grew on me. I found Eve Ronin somewhat interesting. Not sure if I like her backstory, but it's an original twist--Goldberg is good at coming up with original angles for his heroes. Her terrible mother was amusing in a frustrating way
Gene – VG – It was a quick read. He liked the pace but thought the ending was over the top and could have been better.
Ginny – Okay - As a detective procedural the story was just okay because the protagonist Ronin was such a cliché at times, e.g., a young woman in a man's world, sexist attitudes, her desire to prove herself, seeking her mother’s acceptance, etc. I found her banal for which I blame the author. The murder itself had the beginnings of interest for me, but the ending left the story flat.
Helen – Okay – She wasn't fond of Eve. She seemed flat. She didn't like the good-old-boy club. The book did have excellent visuals and the story moved, but she never really found the motive. It was a fast read, good dialogue, but more focused on the visuals than the actual plot.
Linda M – G+ - Whoa. Lost Hills is an action-packed speeding bullet of a police procedural. It was a bit gruesome, and the bad guy was horrific and creepy. There wasn't a ton of depth to the characters, but they weren't flat either. There is real potential for growth in the series. The rookie and the veteran detective partnership worked nicely, eating donuts, ribbing each other, doing the investigative legwork, and trying their best to avoid the unavoidable politics of a high-profile violent crime.
Marcy S – VG - Set in Calabasas, close enough to my childhood home that my mind could see back to the area it was set in. One of those books where if you catch a few extra minutes in the day, you want to open the book and read just one more chapter. I would have given it an excellent, but the ending didn't really hold up. The Detective made some monumental leaps and defied reality.
Nancy – VG - It’s now become apparent to me that one of my favorite types of mysteries are police procedurals, particularly those featuring a female protagonist, like Eve in “Lost Hills”. Most of the characters in this book, including Eve, were largely believable and exciting to follow. But even so, while it was great to see a young female succeeding in the male world of a sheriff’s department, the fact that a novice like Eve had two such amazing successes, in rapid succession, so soon after being promoted, didn’t feel completely believable to me. Even so, I really enjoyed her moxie. I also enjoyed “Lost Hills “ because I grew up in the general area where it took place. And I’m a fan of the Dexter TV show, where the main character happens to be a blood spatter expert. And “Lost Hills”, actually taught me a lot about that field too. Quite the surprise!
GROUP RATING AVERAGE: G+
A LIMITED JUSTICE (PolProc-DCI Marc Craig-Belfast-Contemp) – 1st in series – Catriona King
The discovery of a body in a petrol station gives D.C.I. Marc Craig’s murder squad a challenging mystery to solve. Another death in Ireland’s North West looks unrelated, but the forensic evidence is not what it initially appears. Links begin to emerge between the two deaths, and set Craig on a pursuit unlike any he has faced before. Then an attack on someone close gives him a difficult question to answer: Is justice always what it seems?
Dianne – G+ - This is an interesting book with an unusual ending. The banter among the members of the murder squad is a bit annoying and the lovelorn difficulties of DCI Craig don't quite ring true. His mother is quite the stereotype also. But it is an interesting, though quite an elaborate tale. Some suspension of disbelief is certainly required. But all in all, worth reading, and I have already read another in this series.
Don – DNF – Not his style
Gene – Good – Interesting in that the title told you what you were going to get. He liked that we got the villian's backstory, and thought the procedure was well done.
Ginny – DNF - After 51 pages, I gave up. What is it about female detectives who are unbelievably dull, etc. The storyline, if there was one, was flat. Maybe the author hasn't fully developed the protagonist, but I won't be recommending the series to anyone.
Linda M – Okay - I'm usually a sucker for anything set in Ireland, but I found this to be just okay. I got super annoyed by the two people who hated each other over the phone until... wait, they're both effortlessly gorgeous! This changes everything. [eyeroll]
Ron – VG - I thought the book was well written, flowed smoothly, and had interesting characters. I particularly liked the sympathetic portrayal of the killer and the decision by the police at the end to accept the fact that they would never get ”justice” for the more recent victims. However, I had no real sympathy for the killer and her sponsor going after the lenient jurors and arresting officer; if they had just gone after the actual killer, it would have been “justified.”
GROUP RATING AVERAGE: Okay
THE CHINESE BELL MURDERS (Myst–Dee Judge Dee–China–1958) – 2nd in series – Robert Hans Van Gulik
The great Chinese detective Judge Dee begins work on the most disquieting case of his career when he reviews the rape murder on Half Moon Street
Dianne – VG - This book was difficult to find, not on Kindle and had to be ordered by mail. But it was very interesting and offered much interesting history of China. The portrayal of strains between Buddhism and Confucianism at the time of Judge Dee was quite interesting. Judge Dee's ingenuity and understanding of human nature was wonderful to read about and it shows how little human nature really changes over time. His empathy for the young women who help him solve some crimes is noteworthy, even though he chooses "soiled" young women to ensnare the criminals. He makes up for it by seeing to it that they are well taken care of and rewarded later. I imagine this part of the plot would probably not be well received by some politically attuned folks today. Definitely a book worth reading.
Cindy – VG – She really did like it. It was interesting how some of the people in the village wanted a less capable judge. Liked that he really wanted truth and justice to prevail.
Don – VG - Different type of mystery; held my interest. I really enjoyed criminal investigation in the ole Chinese fashion. Protagonist was smart & resourceful
Gabriel – DNF - I couldn't get into it. Probably because the characters, and prose style, were so flat. The strange thing is that I read lots of this series, and liked it, when I was a teenager. I remember Judge Dee, and (to a lesser degree) Ma Joong the reformed bandit, but almost nothing about Sgt. Hoong. And I remember lots of scattered details from the books.
Ginny - VG+ - I have read a lot of Chinese Fiction set back in time and loved the book. It has an old-world style which I savor. The temples, traditions, customs, even the feel of the fabrics worn was visceral. Knowing that there was a real-life Judge Dee added to my understanding of his character especially his uncanny insight into human behavior. Van Gulih did an excellent job is structuring a well plotted murder mystery with twists and turns and I look forward to reading the series.
Kathy – VG – Listened to the audio and really enjoyed it. Loved the information on the culture.
Ron – Ex - The author takes us to one of the unique settings in historical detective fiction and delivers three completely different mystery stories showing a wide array of crimes. Van Gulik was a prodigious scholar who wanted to accurately depict daily life in ancient China for the general reader and succeeds brilliantly, using as his protagonist the historical Tang Dynasty district magistrate. Judge Dee who ultimately became an official in the imperial court.
GROUP RATING AVERAGE: VG