She Treads Softly: Fallen Star

Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Fallen Star

Fallen Star by Lee Goldberg
10/14/25; 301 pages
Thomas & Mercer
Eve Ronin #6

Fallen Star by Lee Goldberg is a very highly recommended police procedural and investigative thriller. This is the sixth book in the series featuring Los Angeles Sheriff's Department (LASD) Deputy Eve Ronin but it can be enjoyed as a standalone novel.

This open with Eve individually stopping a flash mob from robbing an Ulta on her day off. Then Eve Ronin and her partner Duncan Pavone are assigned the investigation of a body stuffed into a 55 gallon drum found washed up on the beach. The body is quickly identified as Gene Dent, the key player in a bribery scandal involving local politicians. The investigation quickly indicates several individuals that may be involved. Then Sheriff Richard Lansing publicly reveals evidence linking the crime to LA's mayor, Ward Keegan. This is followed by a helicopter crashing near Eve's home and the victims were all well known individuals. Complications arise when it becomes clear that it was more than an accident.

Fallen Star is a well-written, fast-paced, action-packed novel with a plot full of complications and twists as the investigations proceed. It held my complete attention throughout. Eve continues to be impulsive at times but she also a has good instincts and observational skills. The interactions between characters is quick, clever, and sometimes sarcastic. Arson investigators Sharpe and Walker from another Goldberg series make an appearance too.

For those who are following the series Eve and Duncan are well-known characters, but there is additional character development in this outing. Eve is struggling with her fame due to the TV series based on her exploits. The show portrays her as a super hero character and people conflate her with the character.

Fallen Star is a great choice for everyone who enjoys action-packed 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.