DNF'd at 23% -- This one just didn't work for me, but thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity!

There are a handful of authors whose books I always look forward to reading, and Mr. Goldberg is one of them. And with this book, he once again doesn't disappoint; it's a real barn-burner. Besides that, I absolutely loved the main characters, the super-skillful arson investigator Walter Sharpe and his new partner, Andrew Walker - so much so that I'm hoping we'll see them again (and again) in a series.

For this nonstop adventure, they're hot on the trail of ex-con Danny Cole, a clever thief who, during his prison time, volunteered for the prison's firefighter squad. The work is challenging and dangerous, but to Danny, it beat being stuck in a prison cell and trying to avoid payback from people he'd scammed. But living out in the wilderness sparked not only his expertise with wildfires, but also his desire for another big payoff - along with getting revenge on behalf of a friend who was terribly wronged. Almost as soon as he walked out the prison door as a free man, he began putting together an air-tight plan and assembling his team of experts.

Chapters shift back and forth between Danny's efforts to get rich and what's going on in the lives of the arson team's effort; it's no surprise when everything and everyone come together amid an out-of-control wildfire that threatens multi-million dollar California mansions. Along the way Andrew - himself a seasoned detective - soaked up Walter's extensive knowledge of wildfires (as do readers, BTW). Good thing, because it'll take all that, and more, if they want Danny's grand plan to go down in flames.

Suffice it to say there's never a dull moment from the first page to the rather unexpected ending, whether it be chuckles, gasps or nail-biting angst over which character might not make it to the next chapter. That's another way to say this is another sizzler, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. Good job!

I enjoyed this novel highlighting the activities of wildfire fighters and fire investigators. The heroes are two fellows who compliment each other well. Their interaction is entertaining, their dialogue is fun and they have skills that, working together, allow them to go after the bad guys. The villain is an interesting character, a con with a heart.

This is a great novel to read during the wildfire season. I always like to learn something when I read fiction and here I learned a great deal about wildfires, such as how they move and how the weather factors in. I also learned about arson, some techniques and about motives. After a prologue, the narrative jumps around a bit, from present to previous events. The back flashes help set up the current action but the style is a bit awkward.

Goldberg's writing style is good, however. There is plenty of action balancing insights into characters' lives. This book releases September 1, 2023. That will be at the time when the fire season ramps up with the dry winds increasing. It is an entertaining and informative novel.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

I did not know what to expect from Malibu Burning by Lee Goldberg, as I was not familiar with it until I started reading, but I was very pleasantly surprised. It was a fast-paced, character driven thriller that, thanks to Net Galley, I was able to discover and read early! I would definitely reckoned it to anyone looking for a quick, easy, and engrossing read.
4/5

This was a quick but fast-paced read from Lee Goldberg of the Eve Ronin series. I especially liked how the author brought the past and present timelines together into present day and I thought that made it quite interesting. Malibu Burning is relatively short and I would have liked there to have been more character development with Walter Sharpe but perhaps in the next book? Danny Cole, the con man, was an interesting character, a "villain" with a good heart, although a bit unbelievable.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this book and I thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy.

A con man with a conscience. Arson investigators discovering new means of setting fires. Convicts who fight fires. When these all come together you have this great story! You can't put down this book until the end! It's addictive, interesting, and well written. Malibu Burning is a great combination of thinking outside the box and the possibilities for crime to ensue. The ending leaves a sense of satisfaction as well as justice served.

Malibu Burning by Lee Goldberg is a very highly recommended thriller and procedural. What happens when you mix a charismatic and caring con man, a smart aleck, insightful former US Marshall, and a brilliant arson investigator and add in wild fires? A very engaging, entertaining thriller and pursuit.

An unexpected incident allowed US Marshall Andrew Walker to apprehend master thief and con man Danny Cole. While serving his sentence, Danny is a volunteer inmate firefighter and several memorable incidents during a fire sear a plan into his mind. When he is released, Danny begins to set his plan into motion.

Walker, now a new arson investigator, is assigned to partner with veteran arson investigator Walter Sharpe. Sharpe has an encyclopedic knowledge of flammable items and no real need for a partner, especially a comedian wearing a Stetson. When a series of fires begin right as the Santa Ana winds are blowing, resources are stretched thin and the fires are out of control. Sharpe and Walker are investigating, while Danny and his group are planning.
Memorable characters, great dialogue, dangerous situations, fast-paced action, and an interesting plot all work together to make Malibu Burning an impressive un-put-downable novel.

Obviously, the writing is excellent which makes for a compelling and captivating narrative. The descriptions and details in the story make it come alive and the plot keeps the action interesting and moving along at a brisk pace. Adding to its appeal are the well-developed and engaging characters who are all portrayed as unique individuals. There is plenty of humor, especially in the interaction between Walker and Sharpe, and several heart-stopping scenes with even a twist or two.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Google Books, and Amazon.

Malibu Burning is a new series opener from the author of the reliably entertaining Ian Ludlow and Eve Ronin series, and is also set in Los Angeles. This one features three distinct protagonists - arson investigators Walter Sharpe and his new partner, maverick former US Marshall Andrew Walker, and con man with a heart Danny Cole who is released from prison and plans one major final con as revenge for the death of a friend.

This was an enjoyable heist story that vividly conveys the horror of out of control California wildfires, although I had problems with any arsonist being portrayed as a hero/antihero. Yes he may be targeting billionaires who can afford to lose everything, and not be intending for anyone to die, but given the millions of animals that die horribly in fires, to me deliberate arson is one of the most despicable crimes of all. Danny is so consumed by his lust for vengeance that he dismisses the risks to innocents, and that made him impossible to sympathise with or root for. I did like Sharpe & Walker though, and it looks like hey will be back for further adventures, which I look forward to reading. 3.5 rounded up for good storytelling and dramatic action scenes.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC, I am posting this honest review voluntarily.
Malibu Burning is published on September 1st.

Love me a good Lee Goldberg book and this one did not let me down! I now have another series I am addicted to - the pairing of the arson investigator and the murder detective is a slam-dunk and I can't wait to read more about them! I also love the multilayered take on his characters, even the "bad guys"!

#MalibuBurning
#NetGalley

An Enjoyable Action Thriller

The novel begins eight years earlier. US Marshall Andrew Walker walks into hotel room where a joint FBI/DEA team is conducting surveillance/arrest operation. He startles the two agents, but he brings donuts. Also, one of the team knows him. The team is waiting for local drug cartel boss, Diego Grillo, to arrive and deposit one million dollars in a private bank so that they can arrest Grillo. Walker tells them that the bank isn’t a real, and they can have the Grillo. He wants Danny Cole who is acting as the banker in this scam. Cole already knows that the FBI is watching them. Once Grillo and crew leave, they split the money and scatter quickly dressed as yellow jacketed bicycle messengers. In his truck, Walker follows Cole who cuts through a shopping plaza. Unfortunately, Cole hits an old man knocking him into a surf and large rocks. As Cole stops to rescue the old man, Andrew arrives. From this heroic act, the novel proceeds.

There are three threads in this novel. The first is introduction thread that introduces the two main characters, Andrew Walker, the good guy and narrator, and Danny Cole, the villain. This thread quickly transitions into the second thread where Cole’s method for staying safe while incarcerated gives him time to discover an idea for his next job. This thread is presented in the pass until its timeline merges with the third thread. In this thread, Walker has transitioned from the US Marshall Service to the LA County Sheriff’s detective in the Arson and Explosives Unit. He is partnered with a very experienced arson investigator, Walter Sharpe. Before this and the Cole threads’ timelines meet, this thread covers some arson investigations where Walker starts to learn the ropes of his new line of work. Sharpe is methodical in discovering all the evidence and testing his hypotheses. Walker is action based depending upon his gut feelings. This makes for some interesting interactions between them. At this point, the narrative’s pace is pedal-to-the-metal. The novel is not read for its cerebral content. This is an action thriller. This chase aspect is what captured my interest and kept me reading.

The background on Walker is quite extensive as the author uses the interaction between Walker and his very pregnant wife for his reasons for transitioning from the US Marshall Service to being an arson investigator. In the thread after his transition, it is clear that old habits die hard but provide more investigative avenues that his partner, Sharpe, never would have discovered. At the start, Walker’s and Sharpe’s relationship could be described as a ball and chain for Sharpe. Seeing that relationship evolve over the course of the novel added to my reading enjoyment.

For the aspects of novels that some readers object, first there are not any intimate scenes but some pillow talk and innuendo. Second, there is some rude language but less vulgar. The violence is all presented in the more edgy as it occurs, but not with the emphasis on the violence. As this is the first book of a new series, there is not any problem missing anything from a previous novel. Overall, in my opinion, almost all readers should be able to read this novel without any of these issues.

This novel is an action thriller. The only mysteries are how Cole or Walker/Sharpe solve the immediate obstacle confronting them. As with any action/thriller novel, it is this aspect that hooks the reader. It did me. The verbal barbs and give-and-take between Walker and Sharpe just added to that reading enjoyment. This author has created another great partner pair. If you enjoy action thrillers, do try this one. I have read and enjoyed all the author’s Eve Ronin series published to date and have placed this author in my must-Read category. I am looking forward to reading his next novels. As I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel, I rate it five stars.

I received a free prepublication e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from Thomas & Mercer. My review is based only on my own reading experience of this book. I wish to thank Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

When I first saw this book I thought it was a new Eve Ronin but I was wrong it is a new Sharpe and Walker. This is the first book in a brand new series by Lee Goldberg and boy is it good. Now I eagerly await the second one in this series. The story and the characters in this suspensefilled new adventure are well created as usual and I get the feeling that Goldberg has some feel for the location, it's almost as if he lives there?(HaHa) This is actually the second book in a short time that concerns wildfires but this one is really brutal. There is a great timeline that narrows as one reads the story and in the end the two timelines melts into the present. It's a fastpaced book that is very easy to enjoy thanks to the wonderful writing of Goldberg, I can see why he also writes for the screen. I think I have to look into some of his other works because so far everything I have read by him is great. Thanks to Thomas & Mercer, Amazon publishing and Netgalley for providing me with this great story.

Action-packed and captivating, Malibu Burning is a scorching hot and fast-moving thriller that will have you sweating as if you’re in the middle of a five-alarm fire. Once again, Lee Goldberg delivers a fast-paced, entertaining novel with well-constructed characters and an intriguing plot. Readers will devour this book in short order and beg for another helping.

California is no stranger to massive wildfires that leave a path of destruction in their wake. Sometimes those fires are started by natural causes, other times by humans. That’s where arson investigator Walter Sharpe and his new partner, ex-US Marshall Andrew Walker, come in. They are responsible for determining if a blaze was set intentionally, and if so, gathering evidence and tracking down the perpetrator to ensure they face justice. And right now, they are pursuing a case that everyone else believes is the result of faulty power lines, but Sharpe and Walker have a hunch is something much more nefarious. Which puts them on the trail of brilliant con artist/master thief/former convict firefighter Danny Cole, who is trying to pull off his magnum opus of heists in the middle of a raging inferno. As Danny attempts to pull off the impossible, Sharpe and Walker try to spoil his plans. But with the fire closing in and another enemy lurking, they all might end up dead before they can succeed in their missions.

The main attraction of Malibu Burning is the yin and yang of law enforcement vs. criminal, propelling the reader forward to see who will win the day. But there’s much more depth to this book beyond the pursuit of a big score for the thieves in conflict with the cops trying to put them in jail. On one side, the nascent relationship between Sharpe and Walker is entertaining to witness. They both seem to be lone wolf personalities, but as they realize they have several things in common and their strengths complement each other, their partnership and trust in one another grows which puts them on the path to success. But there’s quite a bit of feeling out and ball-busting along the way.

On the other side, Danny is a slick, risk taking, high stakes hustler who uses masterful planning to separate rich folks from their valuables, but he also has a moral code and a heart of gold. He isn’t in it just for the money, motivated by his personal principles which makes him a complex antihero that you want to root for but find that somewhat distasteful given the fact he’s a convicted felon once again breaking the law. Putting both sides of the equation together results in a fascinating race to the finish with conflicting emotions on what outcome the reader prefers.

A tremendous start to a new series with incredible potential, Malibu Burning should be on everyone’s TBR pile.

This is a very intense mystery by Lee Goldberg. The main characters are firefighters, arson detectives and criminals- sometimes all three in one person! The mystery action spans years and builds as the past and present explode in a crime-laden fire scene. Difficult to put down as the action and drama are continuous. Malibu Burning is also very funny as the main characters have super senses of humor and witty repartee. A great read!

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I'm a big fan of Lee Goldberg and I have read and enjoyed his previous books. They are always easy to read, uncomplicated, fast paced and always include likable characters. Malibu Burning is no exception and fans of his previous books will not be disappointed. I can really recommend this book.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for this advanced copy.

Fast-paced action of a heist with morals (mostly). Lee Goldberg maintains their standard of writing with this enjoyable story.

Another great start to a series from this author.

I feel like this book is a cross between the Fox and O'Hare series and Eve Ronin series that you didn't even know you needed. But you definitely do! Danny definitely reminds me of Nick Fox in the best possible way, and arson investigators Sharpe and Walker remind me a bit of the cops we know from the Eve Ronin books. But this author really has the ability to re-tell a familiar story and find something new in each of these characters, so at no point did I feel like I was reading something I'd read before. Everything was new and exciting.

Danny is a highly intelligent thief who spent several years of his prison sentence working as a firefighter in the dangerous burning forests of California. Now he decides not only to make his last heist, but to take revenge on the people who hurt his colleagues. Walker, once US Marshall who caught Danny red-handed, give up on his dangerous duty and went to a dull job as an arsenal investigator and Sharpe's partner. But when the California forests start to burn and Walker suspects that Danny may be involved, things start to get a much less boring then Walker expected.

This is really great fun. The dialogues are excellent and funny. I really like this author's writing style, light and easy to read with some really smart jokes. This makes the book a quick read and great entertainment. And this is not at the expense of the plot, which is really interesting and complex and very satisfying to discover. I see great potential in these main characters. I will be very happy when we meet them again in the next books, as it looks like this is the beginning of a new series by this author.

I definitely recommend it to everyone who is looking for good entertainment and a good story.

Lee Goldberg writes cinematic true to life fictional stories about the men and women who serve in law enforcement and public service jobs. This book focuses on the Arson Investigators branch of the Sheriff's department. After serving time for a con gone bad, Danny Cole has a plan for for a master burglary to exact revenge for a friend who was killed while they were working on the convict fire brigade. Walter Sharpe and his new partner, Andrew Walker are hot on a lead that may destroy Cole"s well laid plan. Will the California fires be the winner in this duel???

Inventive story about a group of criminals determining how to take advantage of wildfires to rob the wealthy and the arson detectives stumbling upon the plan. The arson investigation aspects were really interesting and the initial set up using time shifts, although being done to death these days by authors, were used very effectively for the purposes of telling this story. It was good to read a clever story about a subject that doesn’t get much attention in novels.

Publishing June 20, 2023

Grade: B

Wow, this is one thrilling read that kept me on the edge of my seat. It's a story of a master thief planning a heist during one of the worst wildfires in LA history, and an arson investigator who is trying to stop them. The story had a great amount of action and humor keeping me laughing and engaged with every turn of the page. Part 2 of the story is where I found my love for this book, it was fast-paced and had me guessing what was about to happen. If you love a good crime thriller with humor well placed then you will enjoy this book!

I discovered Lee Goldberg a few years ago and have become addicted to his story-telling. Malibu Burning does not disappoint and is actually a more interesting read than his last venture into California wildfires.

Put together a con man with a good heart, a couple of seasoned law enforcement officials, a drug cartel, and obnoxious billionaires, and drop them in the heart of southern California - that's the heart of this story, told masterfully while injecting a humourous vein throughout.

The ending wasn't what I expected, but was very satisfying. Do bad guys always have to pay for their crimes, or is it enough that they pay in some way other than going to prison? Do law enforcement grunts always get their man and do they always take the ethical action you expect them to? I really liked how the author made the "bad guys" someone the reader roots for without making the cops the bad guys.

Great story all around - hoping this becomes a series.