Lost Hills

Deputy Eve Ronin, the heroine of this nimble, sure-footed series launch from bestseller Goldberg (Killer Thriller), was promoted to homicide detective after she became something of a celebrity due to a popular YouTube video of her arresting an aggressive Hollywood actor. Ronin turns a deaf ear to the resentful remarks by coworkers in the Lost Hills station of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, an agency engulfed in scandal, and proves her worth when called to investigate a possible murder at a suburban home. Blood-soaked carpets and crimson streaks on the walls suggest the occupants, a single mother and her two children, were stabbed to death and dismembered in the house. The absence of bodies allows speculation that it could be an abduction case, not a homicide. Courage, perseverance, and a reckless disregard for danger enable Ronin to discover what really happened. The action builds to a thrilling, visually striking climax. Readers will cheer Ronin every step of the way. (Jan.)