She Treads Softly: Hidden in Smoke

Friday, April 4, 2025

Hidden in Smoke

Hidden in Smoke by Lee Goldberg
4/22/25; 300 pages
Thomas & Mercer
Sharpe & Walker #3

Hidden in Smoke by Lee Goldberg is a very highly recommended investigative procedural following two different story lines and the third installment of the Sharpe & Walker series. Although you don't have to read the others in the series to enjoy Hidden in Smoke, Goldberg does suggest you might want to read the previous novels in this case.

The main story line follows Los Angeles County arson investigators Walter Sharpe and Andrew Walker as they are assigned to a series of arson fires at apartment buildings. When they are coming close to a suspect, a major fire breaks out under part of the I-10 Freeway and closes it down. Sharpe and Walker are pulled off their original investigation and put on the freeway disaster.

Complicating matter is that contractor George Petroni, who is experienced in repairing infrastuctures after a fire, has already cleared the scene in anticipation of repairs, thus destroying any forensic evidence. Sharpe and Walker, however, are not defeated and uncover clues indicating an even larger problem. They end up calling in homicide detectives Eve Ronin and Duncan Pavone to assist them.

A second story line involves Danny Cole, the con man from Malibu Burning (2023), and a favor Walker asks him to do, after finding him. It involves wealthy businessman Roland Slezak and the increasing drug prices one of his companies is now charging. Danny calls in his cohorts and sets up an elaborate scheme to do this.

The action is fast-paced and the investigations are interesting, compelling, and multifaceted. Admittedly, sometimes you have to set disbelief aside and in other cases there is some dialogue that goes over the top, but when taken in all together this really is a satisfying , entertaining novel that held my complete attention throughout. The second plot line is much shorter so the focus is really on the arson investigations of Sharpe and Walker, joined in part by Ronin and Pavone.

All the characters are well known for those who follow their series. Their characters are established along with all of their various strengths, weaknesses, and piccadillos. It's always enjoyable to follow a well planned plot following a logical investigation with characters you know.

Hidden in Smoke is a perfect choice for those who enjoy procedurals. Thanks to Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

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John Updike's six rules for reviewing:

1. Try to understand what the author wished to do, and do not blame him for not achieving what he did not attempt.

2. Give him enough direct quotation--at least one extended passage--of the book's prose so the review's reader can form his own impression, can get his own taste.

3. Confirm your description of the book with quotation from the book, if only phrase-long, rather than proceeding by fuzzy precis.

4. Go easy on plot summary, and do not give away the ending.

5. If the book is judged deficient, cite a successful example along the same lines, from the author's oeuvre or elsewhere. Try to understand the failure. Sure it's his and not yours?

To these concrete five might be added a vaguer sixth, having to do with maintaining a chemical purity in the reaction between product and appraiser.....Review the book, not the reputation.... Better to praise and share than blame and ban. The communion between reviewer and his public is based upon the presumption of certain possible joys in reading, and all our discriminations should curve toward that end.