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.
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