Calico

Calico by Lee Goldberg
9/3/24 (original release Nov. 2023); 416 pages
Severn House

Calico by Lee Goldberg is a very highly recommended and very entertaining fusion of a procedural, historical western, and science fiction novel.

In Barstow, California, a city in the Mojave desert, detective Beth McDade is now working after a fall from grace banishes her from the LAPD. The first strange case she encounters is a man who is killed after he runs in front of an RV outside Peggy Sue’s in Yermo. By all appearances he appears to have come out of the 1800s. Oddly enough, next an extinct grizzly is killed after attacking a camper. Then Owen Slader, a chef and food writer, completely disappears on his way from Las Vegas to LA with no trace and no car. While she is search for leads, his bones, buried in a coffin, are found a week later. They appear to be over 100 years old. Beth is suspicious that the nearby Marine Corps Logistics Base may be involved, although they deny everything.

The novel follows two story lines in two different time periods. The present day follows along with Beth as she investigates. The second follows Owen back in the 1880s. I'll freely admit that the novel became more interesting as both stories were further explored and I was hooked. Admittedly, you have to suspend disbelief along the way, but once the dual narratives both got going I was totally immersed.

Beth is a highly flawed character, She drinks too much and makes poor personal choices. I can't say I really liked her, but by the end of the novel I did respect her insight and intelligence during her investigation. Owen is more likeable character while being thrust into a surreal situation that forces him to make a way for himself. The descriptions alone of life in the 1880s are great. There are many other characters in both time lines that fall clearly on the side of good or bad.

This is a very entertaining compelling blend of three different genres with many clever scenes and moments along the way. Realistic, nope, but sit back, read, enjoy, and picture the movie Calico would make. Thanks to Severn House for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.