D.P. Lyle takes readers on a gripping ride through the sun-soaked streets of Orange County in "The OC," the latest installment in the Jake Longly series. With a blend of mystery, romance, and a touch of Southern charm, Lyle crafts a four-star thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from the first page to the last.

The narrative begins with Jake Longly, a former professional baseball player turned restaurant owner, and his girlfriend, Nicole Jamison, heading to Orange County for what they hope will be a relaxing break in the California sunshine. However, their plans take an unexpected turn when Nicole's friend Megan Weatherly, a local TV reporter, reveals she's being stalked by an anonymous predator.

Lyle excels in setting the stage for suspense, weaving a tale that keeps readers guessing at every turn. The beauty of Orange County becomes a facade as the menacing shadow of a stalker casts a dark cloud over Megan's life. The author skillfully maintains tension throughout the novel, gradually escalating the stakes and leaving readers eager to unravel the mystery behind the elusive predator.

The characters, particularly Jake Longly, are well-crafted and imbued with a Southern charm that adds depth to the story. Lyle's ability to blend elements of romance and camaraderie into the thriller genre enhances the reader's emotional investment in the characters' fates. Jake's alliance with Ray and Pancake from back home in Alabama adds a layer of complexity to the investigative team, each bringing their unique skills to the table.

The pacing of the novel is commendable, with Lyle expertly balancing moments of high-intensity action with character development and plot twists. The author's background in forensics and medicine shines through in the authenticity of the investigative process, adding a layer of realism to the thrilling narrative.

While "The OC" is a highly engaging and well-crafted thriller, some readers might find the resolution a bit too neatly tied up. The antagonist's motives and actions, while fitting the genre conventions, may lack the depth and nuance that could elevate the novel to a five-star rating.

In conclusion, "The OC" is a four-star triumph that delivers a thrilling ride through the glamorous yet perilous world of celebrity stalking. D.P. Lyle's masterful storytelling, combined with a cast of compelling characters and a vividly depicted setting, makes this novel a standout in the suspense genre. If you're a fan of mysteries with a touch of Southern charm, "The OC" is a must-read that will keep you hooked until the final revelation.

Title: "The OC" by D. P. Lyle - A Riveting Thriller with a Unique Twist

Rating: ★★★★☆

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to read an advanced reader copy of "The OC" by D. P. Lyle, and it proved to be an enthralling thriller with a unique and intriguing premise. Lyle skillfully blends elements of forensic science, mystery, and suspense, delivering a gripping narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

The story centers around the enigmatic Dr. Samantha Cody, a forensic expert who is called in to investigate a series of mysterious deaths in the idyllic community of Rancho Santa Theresa. As the body count rises, Samantha's determination to uncover the truth is unwavering, despite facing numerous obstacles and hidden agendas. Lyle's writing is both informative and engaging, making complex forensic concepts accessible to readers while maintaining a brisk and suspenseful pace.

What sets "The OC" apart is its distinctive take on the genre. Samantha Cody is a compelling protagonist with a unique background, and her character brings a fresh perspective to the world of forensic investigation. The novel masterfully balances scientific details with character-driven storytelling, ensuring that readers become emotionally invested in the outcome of the case. While the book occasionally delves into extensive forensic explanations, it adds to the authenticity of the narrative, making it a must-read for fans of the genre.

I extend my sincere appreciation to both NetGalley and the publisher for granting me the opportunity to explore this advanced reader copy. "The OC" is a four-star thriller that combines forensic intrigue with a strong female lead, making it a compelling and thought-provoking read. D. P. Lyle has crafted a story that keeps the reader guessing until the final page, and I look forward to more of Dr. Samantha Cody's investigative adventures.

The book is well written and I have no trouble getting into it. This is the first book of the series that I have read and am looking forward to getting the first four and the sixth when it's out. I enjoyed the humor and the fast pace of the book.

This was my first foray in Dr. Lyle's fiction work and it's the fifth installment in his Jake Longly Thriller Series. The main criticism I have is that Jake, the main character, is tangentially associated with his father's private detective agency, Longly Investigations. Jake's girlfriend Nicole, his best friend Pancake, and his father Ray Longly - are far more critical to the actual sleuthing.

What's positive is that this group works well as team in that they are efficient and skilled. None of Ray and Pancake's super special government-acquired hacking skills are discussed in any sort of detail. Too techy wouldn't be good, but there's a void in this instance since 99% of the solving comes from those expert hacking skills. Ray was barely a glitch on the radar when it comes to development. He was mostly silent and didn't add to the narrative at all. Pancake's role covered everything Ray did. Jake would have been better utilized as a sidekick to Nicole as a main character. His back story is interesting: former baseball pitcher with enough money to own a restaurant he never has to manage personally.

Jake is along for the ride while Nicole heads to the wealth of the west coast, staying her movie mogul uncle's mansion, so that they can be near Hollywood as her screenplay is turned into a movie. Nicole's friend Megan is a local TV reporter with a stalker problem. Nicole had a history with stalkers during her acting years which gives her the connection to be right friend at the right time for Megan.

Author D.P. Lyle does an adequate job of escalating the threats against Megan. Megan's intern, Abby, is introduced as a character who provides additional support for her which allows her to move from subordinate to trusted friend. Abby seems to fit in easily with the whole sleuthing team.

Summary:

It's unusual that the main character of the book is actually one of the least compelling. In The O.C., Jake Longly plays third fiddle to Nicole and Pancake. The dramatic tension of the stalker's behaviors towards Megan are well-crafted. The big reveal comes at the beginning of the third act, 86% through, speeding up the action and ticking clock.

4 stars

I didn't realize that this book was part of a series- oops. But the author does give a good deal of backstory to help you understand what is going on in case you haven't read the others. This was an intriguing book and I really enjoyed it and want to go back now and read the rest of the series. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC.

Fun In The Sun….?
The fifth in the Jake Longly series and a few weeks of fun in the sun of Orange County takes a more sinister turn. Soon Jake and team are plunged headlong into the world of celebrity stalkers. With a credible and well crafted cast this is an engaging and very readable suspense laced with humour and a worthy addition to the series,

I confess that I found the beginning of the novel, with its series of faux-casual glamour couple jokes rather irritating. Fortunately, I decided to go ahead anyway and found myself immersed in a fairly intriguing story, despite the over-the-top protagonists and, for some of them, the lack of psychological depth. In short, not a masterpiece, but an enjoyable book, which has the added merit of being a standalone read despite belonging to a series.

This book is the fifth in the series of crime fiction novels with a bit of humor as well. Jake and Nicole are hoping for some fun in the sun in California before they go to filming of Nicole’s screenplay. Nicole’s friend, Megan (local TV reporter) has a stalker and Jake and Nicole feel it is not a harmless stalker. While this is the first book I have read in the series, it didn’t feel like I missed anything and was able to enjoy the great character portrayals. The book is a fast read and I look forward to reading some of the other in the series.

This is the first one of this series that I have read so I don’t know if that affects how I related to this book. There were some funny parts but after a while, the banter tended to get repetitive and cheesy, particularly the constant suggestive comments between Jake and his girlfriend. Once or twice, it’s cute. Any more and it gets annoying. I figured out early on who the stalker was working with but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story. This was a fast-paced thriller with well-developed characters and a gorgeous setting.

Jake Longly and Nicole Jamison are in Orange County, California to begin filming the movie of Nicole’s new screenplay, Murderwood. Jake met Nicole in Gulf Shore, Alabama, where he owns a restaurant on the beach. Nicole was hanging out and writing at her famous uncle’s beach home there. They have teamed up together on several occasions to help Jake’s dad with his private investigation business.

Jake and Nicole meet up with an old friend of hers, Megan Weatherly, who is a local TV reporter. Megan tells them about some odd texts and emails she is getting from a fan, or maybe a stalker. He’s also sending some unusual gifts to Megan at the station. This doesn’t sit well with Jake, so he calls his best friend Pancake, who works with Jake’s dad Ray Longly in his PI business. As Pancake looks into the texts and emails, he becomes increasingly concerned that this is something more serious than just a fan. Pancake flies to The OC to join Jake and Nicole and look further into the strange messages and gifts that keep coming Megan’s way daily. When the actions of the stalker start to escalate, Ray himself makes the journey to The OC. Can the team keep Megan safe and catch her elusive stalker who has never shown his face?

Enter the world of cyberspace sleuthing in D. P. Lyle’s latest thriller THE OC. Moving from his usual terrain of south Alabama, Mississippi and Florida, Mr. Lyle sets this dynamic whodunnit in the hustle and bustle of the movie industry in California. I’ve been on several adventures with this crew, but I think THE OC has the most exciting, unique and suspenseful storyline. Although Jake is the ex-pro baseball star and resident pretty boy, Pancake gets top billing for cyber super sleuth, working tirelessly to gather facts to find the stalker. The supporting characters are great in helping him work his way to the end, and Jake and Nicole are their usual charming selves with their playful banter. The plot takes several unexpected twists and turns to a rather surprising and chilling conclusion. If you’re a fan of crime fiction, or just a fan of the Jake Longly series, you do not want to miss this dynamic novel.

Many people, particularly those who have achieved some fame, know what it's like to be stalked. It's a frightening situation which can escalate if it is not stopped. That where our two main protagonists come into play. They both are hoping for a peaceful few weeks together in Orange County< (the OC) where Nicole Jamison will meet up with her main squeeze Jake Longly for some R and R.

Unfortunately, Megan Weatherly, a friend of Nicole's, has acquired a stalker, and while she poo poohs,the idea, initially, the stalker increases his "stalking: to an ominous level. Therefore Jake and Nicole are on the case. When they call in Ray and Pancake, accomplices to Jake, the hunt is on for this very elusive stalker. This stalker is well versed in stalking and is becomes more and more dangerous and seems to be invisible.

Will the gang be able to ferret out the stalker, and protect Megan, or will this stalker always remain lethal and in the shadows?

Thank you to D.P. Lyle, Oceanview Publishing, and NetGalley for this enjoyale mystery thriller.

This book manages the neat impossible; it pulls of a light, breezy feel even as it deals with a serious topic...stalking. Lyle is an expert at creating the right balance, and naming characters.

I loved it and couldn't put it down!

Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a copy. It was my pleasure to write an honest review.

Power, personal relationships, and the price of celebrity
“The OC” by D.P. Lyle is a story of power, personal relationships, and the price of stardom. It is part of the “Jake Longly” series, but everything a new reader needs to know about this unique group of characters is included in the first few paragraphs. The story unfolds in Jake’s first-person narrative with some alternating chapters from other perspectives. The plot is conversation-driven and full of casual exchanges and friendly banter, but it is also heavy on the attitude. Jake talks to readers as if he were talking to friends over dinner and drinks – lots of drinks! The fun and familiar people from the previous books return, and Jake and first-time filmmaker Nicole leave the Gulf Shores of Alabama to work in Sunny California.
Nicole’s rich and famous relatives and friends in the film industry provide the background as Nicole begins work on her first feature film, the action thriller “Murderwood.” The trip is also supposed to be a vacation of sorts -- work mixed with relaxation on sunny beaches, but the group soon finds that Orange County, California is filled not only with fun, sun, and sand, but also with treachery, intrigue, and danger. Celebrity certainly has its perks and privileges, but it can hold peril as well.
“The OC” moves at a deliberate pace with an undercurrent of peril balanced with lighthearted celebrations. The story is about the characters; they do not just drop into the story; they are the story. I was given a review copy of “The OC” BY D. P. Lyle and Oceanview Publishing. While the conflict and its resolution are important to readers, “The OC” is really just an excuse to spend time with this group of colorful and entertaining characters.

I wrote it so I love it. Others seem to also.

Snappy dialogue, fun characters, smart writing, a juicy mystery-- all had me flipping pages until I reached The End. Jake and Nicole remind me of my favorite mystery duo, Nick and Nora Charles, with a modern twist. The Jake Longly series never fails to entertain.~ Allison Brennan, New York Times Bestselling Author

A terrific read. Retired major league baseball player turned restaurateur turned reluctant and wisecracking P.I. Jake Longly returns in fine form in The OC, a poignant and wickedly funny tale set in Southern California. When Jake and his movie-producer girlfriend, Nicole Jamison, head to Orange County for a little R and R, they get more than they bargain for. Nicole's friend, TV-reporter Megan Weatherly, has picked up a stalker. Jake and Nicole pick up the case with help from Jake's PI-father and longtime pal, Tommy "Pancake" Jeffers. Jake and Nicole banter like Tracy and Hepburn as they develop a plan and pursue the bad guy. D.P. Lyle's prose is stylish, smart, and compelling. Another grand slam in an immensely entertaining series. Highly recommended. -- Sheldon Siegel. New York Times best-selling author of the Mike Daley/Rosie Fernandez novels.

This is the first book that I read by D.P. Lyle and I was positively impressed by the way he puts the story together and tells it. The language used is very colloquial and I felt like I was listening to my friends talking which I found rather different. The characters are also very different from those that average in other books and I loved Pancake, what a scene he can make! Hopefully, this story is only fiction and won't happen in real life, being stalked must be one of the worst feelings one may have in life. I really enjoyed reading this book, and it was entertaining, taught me some new words, made me wish I could be on a California beach!

The storyline was good, but the writing was lacking. The story kept me until the end, though, because I wanted to know what happened.

My favorite part of this book was the setting of Orange County. Since I live in OC, all the 'landmarks' mentioned were familiar to me.

The characters are good and it was a pretty good story although I guessed the 'culprit' very early and kept wondering why Jake, Nicole, Pancake and Ray were so late in figuring it out!!

I have to admit I got a little tired of the constant "cute bantering" between Jake and Nicole as well as the constant repetition of so many things (how many times do we have to know Carla takes care of everything in Jake's restaurant and that Pancake likes to eat everything in sight?!) In spite of those little irritants though, basically I enjoyed the book.

I love the Jake Longly books by D P Lyle. This is the fifth book in the series, and they are all good. Lyle writes fun and entertaining mysteries which keep the reader's interest.

"The O C" starts with Jake, an ex-MLB pitcher, and his girlfriend Nicole in southern California because Nicole has written a screenplay. Their friend Megan, a television reporter is being stalked, and they get mixed up in her problems. I am not giving spoilers when I say that they call in Jake's father Ray, and Pancake, who are private investigators. They make a formidable group.

Sometimes you don't want something deep and ponderous, but rather a book to read and enjoy. "The O C" is that book. You don't have to have read the other books, but after reading this one you are going to want to.

Jake Longly is in LA with his girlfriend, Nicole, to see her first screenplay get turned into a movie, but what they thought was just some fun in Sunny California turns into a whole lot of mystery and danger when a stalker starts threatening Nicole's friend and local TV reporter, Megan Weatherly. It quickly turns into a bit of a race against time and a battle of wits that could have deadly consequences.
Stalker stories always run the risk of either getting too dark or not taking it seriously enough. I like how Lyle manages to add some fun and lightheartedness to the story without taking away from the horror that a stalker inserts into their victim's life. It's in big part thanks to the fun cast of characters that inhabit the page. Their quirks and offside comments help keep things from getting too dark, and that's something that I really appreciate.
I am intrigued by the fact that the main character in the story is not the main participant in it. Jake Longly is more the observer that narrates all the action to readers as those around him delve into the mystery that is the scary stalker threatening his girlfriend's friend. It's an interesting twist that actually made me like him more.
This is the first book I've read in the series and I think that Lyle does a fantastic job of making it accessible to new readers by giving just enough info about each character to give new readers an idea of them without maybe being repetitive to long-time readers. You can just jump into the story and revel in the mystery of the case.
Overall, it's a pretty enjoyable mystery with characters you can relate to and a solid reveal at the end that ties it all up perfectly.

Many happy thanks to NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for the entertaining early read!

The OC by D. P. Lyle is a recommended investigative mystery and the fifth book in the Jake Longly series.

Jake Longly and Nicole Jamison are flying from Alabama to Orange County, CA for some relaxation before they go on to LA for the filming of Nicole's screen play. Once they arrive they find out that Nicole’s friend Megan Weatherly, a local TV reporter, has a stalker, which causes some concern for Jake and Nicole. After they arrive the behavior of the stalker escalates and Jake decides it's time to call his friend Pancake Jeffers, who works as a PI in Ray Longly's firm. What Pancake uncovers concerns him enough that he travels to CA to help Jake and Nicole protect Megan.

This is a snappy quick paced investigation that follows the actions of the stalker as the tone of the emails sent and the gifts quickly intensify the investigation for the perpetrator. The tension quickly rises in the plot which will keep you reading at a breakneck pace to see what happens next. There is no doubt that Jake, Nicole, Pancake, and Ray will find the stalker and justice will be served. The pleasure is found in reaching the climax of the investigation. This is the fifth book in the series but it seemed to work as a stand alone too. The other books in the series are Deep Six, A-List, Sunshine State, and Rigged.

What I enjoyed was the fast paced plot, the characters, and the well written, compelling investigation. I liked Pancake, Ray, and Jake and Nicole (when they were not bantering with each other). The playful dialogue between all the characters worked but what dampened a bit of my enthusiasm was all the over-the-top and continuous suggestive dialogue between Jake and Nicole. It just seemed a bit too much at times and it became a distraction. Some would be fine a fit right into the plot, but it went beyond that. I enjoyed the mystery and the conclusion, but I'm not sure these are the characters for me. I did like the flow of the plot enough to maybe give them another chance.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Oceanview Publishing.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Google Books, Edelweiss, and Amazon.