Fallen Star begins with a flashmob robbery, which Eve Ronin stops in a rather unorthodox manner. (My favorite scene in the book!) This leads Eve to wonder if she is becoming the "superhero" character in the television series based on her life, rather than vice versa. This is followed by a 55-gallon drum having been found with a body inside it. And THAT is followed by a BIG BANG - the sound of a helicopter crashing into the hillside below Eve's house. Hang on to your hat because it's a long and dangerous winding road from there. The mystery is twisty right until the end!

Mr. Goldberg is one of my very favorite authors. When I see a new book is about to be released, I don't even need to see what it's about ... it's an auto-read for me! I love that Eve and her partner, Duncan, have appeared in the Sharpe & Walker arson series, and it was great fun for Sharp, Walker (and his HAT) to have appeared in Fallen Star.

I think my second favorite part of Fallen Star was the screenplay titled “Hercules: Licensed to Kill.” What a scream!!

Four stars instead of five because the many mysteries and storylines made the book feel a little overly complicated to me.

One last note. I read that Mr. Goldberg "lives in Los Angeles with his wife and his daughter, and still sleeps in his Man From UNCLE pajamas." Honestly, what an entertaining author!!

HUGE Thanks to #ThomasAndMercer for providing this book for review and consideration via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own. Fallen Star has an expected publication date of October 14, 2025.

#LeeGoldberg #StrongFemaleProtagonist #FunSeries

A strong 4.5 stars for this great read! I love the character of Eve Ronin and hope to be able to follow her adventures for many years. The storyline in this book, the 6th in the series, is one of my favorites as it has a bit of everything - drama, action, friendship, mystery and intrigue. The setting is close to a part of the country I spent a bit of time in so I really enjoy the familiarity. The author does a fantastic job of weaving all of the personalities and issues together in a well-paced manner that makes this read exciting and a bit hard to put down. I can't wait for the next installment of Eve's story and hope to see a bit more of her boyfriend. I appreciate receiving an ARC for my opinion of the book - many thanks to the Author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity.

Fallen Star by Lee Goldberg is the sixth book in the Eve Ronin series. Another great episode with Eve and Duncan aka Donuts. Solid police procedural with a complex plot, twists and turns and a multitude of miscreants and reprobates. As always there is the familiar warmth and humorous banter between Eve, her coworkers and friends. Ready for the next installment.

Thank you to the author, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Yet another another solid and compelling Ronin/Pavone police procedural that had me glued until the final page. Just when you think Eve is starting to really hit her stride, along come some unwelcome blasts from the past. I really appreciated the return of these some loose threads as it helped drive the story forward instead of keeping Eve in stasis. As always the Eve/Duncan working partnership is a huge highlight, and with developments at the end, I am now dying for the next book to see what happens next.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the ARC.

Whenever I know a need to read a fantastic book after a series of duds, I know Lee Goldberg never disappoints and Fallen Star is proof of that. Another winner by an amazing author. Highly recommended.

Another great book from my favorite police procedural author, where the characters are fantastic as always and the storytelling is linear and easy to read. The plot is complex and interesting, but still easy to follow. Great dialogue with lots of humor.

I received a free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I snatched this as soon as I saw it come across my dashboard. This is one of those series that I always enjoy in the moment, and then after I finish the books I promptly forget everything that happened. Since these are procedurals, you can really jump in at any point, skip any book, and not really miss too much. They’re all self-contained stories. There is an author’s note here, mentioning that this outing contains some spoilers for a couple of the earlier books - and I do feel like this one was the most inter-connected to past events - but that you could read it as a standalone too. I sort of vaguely remember the whole thing with the city council and the plot of land (conveniently located just below the ridge Eve’s new house sits atop). And a lot of the players in that drama come into play here as well. And for reasons I won’t get too much into because of spoilers, it reads a little like a final volume as well. (Duncan is fine! Donuts forever!)

Our mystery begins when a plastic oil(?) drum washes up on the beach. Inside that drum? A dead body! It’s Gene Dent, who I guess we met in book 5 but I confess to having no memory of. He’s sort of a slimeball fixer involved in the land management scam being run by the corrupt city councilmen. So there’s no shortage of people who want him dead. Eve is looking into his murder, and also trying to come to terms with being a celebrity of sorts thanks to her TV show. We hear a bit less about the show itself in this book - it’s just kind of in the background - but given that it’s currently airing, Eve is forced to reckon with her TV image vs her professional one. She’s constantly questioning her actions - is she acting in the public’s best interest, or is she trying to make good TV? (there’s this whole sideplot about flashmob robberies, and she stops one by shooting out the tires of the getaway cars - it’s reckless, but very much on brand for both her AND her TV persona)

There’s a little less detective work and a little more city hall drama this time around, and I confess those parts just don’t hold my interest as much. Then there’s a second complication in the form of a helicopter crash in Eve’s literal backyard. And the pilot of that helicopter? Someone Eve knows quite well!

Overall, this is a pretty typical Eve Ronin outing - she goes rogue and keeps almost losing her badge, Duncan eats a bunch of McDonald’s (he’s becoming a parody of himself at this point). There’s an appearance from Nan, the no-nonsense medical examiner, who is probably my favorite side character (after watching The Residence, I’m now picturing her played by Uzo Aduba). I honestly can’t believe this hasn’t been made into a CBS procedural yet.

This was another compelling read in the Eve Ronin series. Having purchased all the other books in the series, I was happy to have a chance to preview this latest book courtesy of NetGalley.

Let's just say that Eve stays true to form throughout, throwing herself at danger while trying to solve the case involving falling drones and a helicopter, her rock star neighbor, and a whole lot of devious and nefarious cops, politicians and business people on the take. She and her partner Duncan Pavone pull together the multiple threads and put a stamp of finality on the case,and there are many surprises to keep the reader on their toes throughout. All the while, Eve struggles to define her own persona and keep it separate from the one portrayed in the TV series she inspired, along with some compromises she has had to make that could lead to her downfall.

I enjoyed Goldberg bringing in Sharpe and Walker from their own arson detective series to play a part in this book, since Eve also has been a character in one of their books as well. It's just an added bonus for those of us who enjoy both series.

What if Goldberg was able to turn Ronin into a real-life TV series - wouldn't that be a hoot? One can hope...

I highly recommend Fallen Star along with all the books in the Eve Ronin series - check 'em out!

Ronin the Incredible is back in the latest terrific thriller from The Great Goldberg. The sizzling sixth installment of the Eve Ronin series does not disappoint. Ronin continues to run (and bike) towards trouble in this one despite the concerns of her fellow detective Duncan Pavone. Pavone is still on his "see food" diet and has moments where he waxes philosophical to Ronin. Fallen Star could almost be subtitled Duncan Pavone and the Philosopher's Spoon. Of course, Eve throws caution to the wind time and again as she tackles a case that wakes the ghost of cases past. Readers who have enjoyed the series from the start will appreciate the plot Goldberg has crafted in Fallen Star. I know I did. Thankfully, it's a storyline which provides the opportunity to bring back Sharpe and Walker too. Fallen Star is an instant classic. Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the advance reading copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Fallen Star is the latest installment in the series of Eve Ronin, a detective in Los Angeles, whose seemingly superhuman deeds have led to a television series based on her exploits. This novel is well written and has some humor throughout - especially with Duncan, her partner, and his eating habits. The novel is exciting and has many facets to enjoy and is replete with action —- drones, a, helicopter crash, murder, work conflicts with authority, arson, etc.
This book is highly recommend and I thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publication.

Another winner! This book picks up right after the last and involves some of the same characters from Movieland, namely the ones involved in the government bribing scandal. The author notes that this book contains spoilers of other books earlier in the series so I think that it is important to read these books in order. I really enjoy the relationship between Eve and her partner, Duncan, and in this book we get to see Eve mature and grow as a cop as she takes Duncan's advice and behaves less impulsively and tries to take better care of herself. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good police procedural sprinkled with humor.

With corruption, bribery and a string of dead bodies, Fallen Star is another gem in the Eve Ronin series. Ronin and her partner Duncan Pavone investigate a body stuffed in a fifty-five-gallon drum which leads them to past and current corruption. The politics and the ambition of not only the mayor but also the sheriff have our favorite detectives watching their comments as past coverups may come to light. Meanwhile, their list of suspects and bodies grows.
Fast-paced action, witty dialogue and the inclusion of arson investigators Sharpe and Walker make this another Lee Goldberg favorite. I will be recommending this book.
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer, Lee Goldberg and NetGalley for this ARC.

I was thrilled to see another Eve Ronin book by Lee Goldberg. This book was nonstop from the very first page until the last page. I couldn’t put it down until I finished it. There is plenty of action, twists, and suspense that will keep Eve on her toes with this case. Wherever Eve goes, trouble seems to follow her. Eve is facing an internal dilemma about herself and how she is portrayed on the TV show about her life. Especially when she singlehanded stops a robbery in progress. Before she knows what happens she and her partner Duncan are assigned a case where a body was found in a five-gallon drum. This leads to bribery, the FBI, crooked cops and much more. Then while she is investigating this case a helicopter crashes right near her house and she finds connections to both to the body in the barrel and the people killed in the helicopter crash. Goldberg keeps your guessing to every end of the book. What made this book so much fun was that Walker and Sharpe, another series by Goldberg were involved with helping Eve in her investigation. I highly recommend this book to anyone who really enjoys police procedurals. Thank you Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC in Exchange for an honest review

Lee Goldberg has created a familiar world with a cast of wonderfully crafted characters to give the reader a thrilling story. His writing is very cinematic Probably because he has been a script writer for many TV Shows such as Monk and Murder She Wrote. In this book Eve Ronin is witness to a helicopter crash on the hillside below her house. Several of the people killed in the crash are also involved in a homicide investigation she and her partner Duncan Pavone are working. The pace is fast as they unravel the clues in both cases. At first the helicopter appears to be an accident until a bullet wound in the shattered skull of the pilot and in the instrument panel indicates a homicide. As one discovery leads to another the reader will be kept guessing until the last page! This is a fabulous read just as all the others in this series. The author does meticulous research and notes in the acknowledgements all the experts who provided information which helped develop the story. Being so creative in his characterization, it was fun to see Andy Walker and Sharpe , the arson investigators from other books have roles in this story.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and always look forward to the next book by this author. This book will be enjoyed by people who read police procedurals, have an affinity for California and like non-stop action and adventure.

Fallen Star by Lee Goldberg – 5 Stars
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
ISBN: 9781662526497

In this sixth of the Eve Ronin series, Eve is pulled into a complex web of greed and politics while she discovers the cause of a deadly helicopter crash and solves the murder of a corpse washed up in a 55-gallon plastic drum. Her ideals are challenged as she encounters dishonest self-serving people. There is humor too. Her partner Duncan is back to provide snappy commentary and wisdom.

I absolutely enjoyed this book. It is smart, timely and fun.


Reviewer: Nancy

In the latest book from Lee Goldberg, Eve Ronin and her partner, Duncan Pavone, embark on an investigation of a dead body found in a barrel that was washed up on the beach. Their suspicions lead them to believe the body is connected to corrupt local politicians. As if this wasn't enough, they also delve into a helicopter crash that could be related, adding more layers of mystery and intrigue to the story.
This book is the sixth installment in Goldberg's Eve Ronin series, and it's a standalone book that can be enjoyed without prior knowledge of the series. However, the author's notes reference the ending of another book in the series, so if you're planning to read the other books, keep this in mind.
Despite not having read other Ronin books, I found it easy to connect with the characters. The author's subtle introduction of the characters in the story was effective. While reading the other books to understand Eve's family dynamics would be beneficial, it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story.
It was interesting that the book reminded me of a TV show in how it was written. It all made sense when I discovered that Goldberg had been involved in the production of several television shows.
The book follows a detective who doesn't follow the rules, the rebel cop, but there is a twist in that there is a streaming TV show based on Eve's exploits. She's also a celebrity and whatever she does attracts attention. Sometimes, her actions are exaggerated for the show, much to her annoyance. She's a celebrity cop who gets away with breaking the rules. Eve had gained material and career success because of her show but wasn't happier. She still questioned herself and the choices she had made on the job.
The story was fast-paced and was a great read that kept my interest. Goldberg has a nice writing style and is the story was compelling. But sometimes, it was too heavy on the details. There were too many technical details about police work at times, but they didn't take me out of the story and make me want to stop reading.
I appreciate a strong female character, but complaining about having a TV series and the benefits she receives while living in an expensive house in Calabasas annoyed me.
Some interesting crossovers by characters from Goldberg's other book series made me want to check out the Sharpe and Walker series. I'd recommend this to fans of detective stories and thrillers.

This might be the best one yet. It has all of the sharp turns and quick wit that made the rest of the series a drop everything/instant download for me, but, and you'll have to forgive me for being a touch off brand here (iykyk), it also has something like heart.

A fifty-five-gallon drum washes ashore in the Malibu Lagoon, packed with the corpse of Gene Dent—the central figure in a bribery scandal that brought down several local politicians. LASD detectives Eve Ronin and Duncan Pavone are all too familiar with the case—and its cast of shady characters. But just as they launch their investigation, the sheriff drops a bombshell: newly uncovered evidence links the murder to Los Angeles’s mayor.

Eve and Duncan, however, suspect the explosive claim—true or not—is rooted in something far more dangerous...

The author claims that this is a standalone book even though it has the same cast of characters in the previous 2. I read both earlier books, but I was confused about the plot, the character and the stakes.

Eve Ronin is living because a TV show about her life is a success. However, she bitches too much. She's very luck and very rich. Get over it.

Fallen Star by Lee Goldberg 5 Stars

Fallen Star by Lee Goldberg is the sixth novel in the Eve Ronin series that began in January 2020 with Lost Hills. As the author points out in his note at the beginning of the book, there are major spoilers in the read for two of his books. He does not mention the fact that there are also other spoilers for previous books, though they are not as significant as the ones he cites.

He also mentions in his note that reading about Duncan eating all the time in this series makes some folks hungry. He suggests that one should have some carrots or celery on hand for those moments. How eating rabbit food is going to work when Duncan is eating a breakfast sandwich and hashbrowns, a burger and fries, and other great meals is never explained. Maybe that is being saved for the next book. It could also be an unsolvable case.

It also comes to mind that a book that featured crime locations mentioned in the series as well as food locations that Duncan has eaten at and thereby endorsed, would also make a great book for those in the Los Angeles area. Maybe something the author and publisher should consider. Just a thought.

Homicide Detective Eve Ronin of the Los Angeles County Sherrif’s Department is looking forward to a quiet evening at home with her boyfriend, Daniel Brooks. That is once they get through the grocery shopping. A chore he seems to enjoy and one that she ready to have finished on this drizzly Sunday evening in early November. Pay for the stuff, get out, and get the heck home. At least that was the plan until, as they were working their way through checkout, she noticed a numerous cars swarming the parking lot.

There has been a string of flash-mob smash-and-grabs across the area and the beauty store next to the grocery store where they are has been hit before. Homicide Detective Ronin thinks it is about to happen again. As the hooded and masked occupants step out of the many cars and start heading for the store carrying trash bags for their planned loot, she knows she can’t stop them easily as she is far outnumbered. After getting backup started her way, she does the next best thing.

She proceeds to move from car to car, shooting tires along the way, making the numerous vehicles undriveable for the moment. With no way of leaving as they exited the store, short of their own two feet, a number of the thieves surrender immediately, while others attempt to flee and are soon caught.

Of course, in the aftermath, Eve Ronin is in trouble yet again as her actions violated numerous policies. It is not the first time her actions have violated policies. She also didn’t see any other way to stop the thefts from happening and it got the job done.

(It also caused this reader to laugh out loud like crazy.)

Suspended, and probably facing a quick termination and the end of her career, she is quickly returned to duty by Sheriff Richard Lansing. A political animal and a mayoral candidate, the optics of what she did can’t be ignored. Videos of her actions went viral and the people of Los Angeles are expressing how thrilled they are with what she did. For a department that has been through some things, Eve Ronin is again generating good publicity, and they need it.

That means she is back at work that Monday morning when a fifty-five-gallon plastic drum was pulled onshore at the Malibu Lagoon. Once he got it on shore and out of the way, the lifeguard went and opened the drum. What he found means that Homicide Detective Eve Ronin and her partner, Duncan “Donuts” Pavone have a murder case. This is the first of several deaths and other cases they will handle in Fallen Star by Lee Goldberg.

The latest installment in this series is another very good read. It contains numerous references to previous books in this series as well as events in the Sharpe and Walker series and both the arson investigators are well involved here. As a result, if you are like me and have read all the material, you are ready for this one. If you have not, make sure you read this series, at the very least, before embarking here.

A great book in a great series, Fallen Star by Lee Goldberg, is definitely worth your time.



My digital ARC reading copy came from the publisher, Thomas & Mercer, through NetGalley, with no expectation of a review.


Kevin R. Tipple ©2025

“Fallen Star” by Lee Goldberg is the sixth book in the Eve Ronin series. Eve is the renegade Sheriff in the Los Angeles Sheriff’s department. Wherever Eve goes a riveting mystery follows, and in this book a five gallon drum washes up on Malibu Beach containing the corpse of a key player in a bribery scandal involving several local politicians. Our heroine spends a lot of time in this book dealing with her personal conflict which is based on a TV show that depicts her as a super-hero cop. Her true longing is just to be an exemplary police officer and her TV persona keeps interfering with her judgement.
When a helicopter crashes next to her home killing everyone aboard the mystery becomes very personal. From here the action ramps up to a complicated and shocking ending. Another fun and enjoyable read!

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.