Murder, politics and deception in the heart of Hollywood…oh my! Movieland brings the heat and packs a punch like a shotgun blast to the face.
A camper is killed and another injured in a shooting within Malibu Creek State Park, a location famous for the setting of many Hollywood movie productions. Eve Ronin and her partner Duncan “Donuts” Pavone of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department pick up the case, with Duncan believing this is just the latest in a series of shooting incidents going back over a year. However, politics being what they are, the powers that be refuse to admit there’s a connection and try to make this go away quietly. But they still underestimate Eve’s dogged pursuit of justice and not letting anything stand in her way. With her partner’s help, Eve continues her investigation and puts herself in the crosshairs once again. Eschewing personal safety, she will not stop until the perpetrator is brought to account for his or her violent actions.
Movieland continues the solid Eve Ronin series, now four books deep and finding its legs with another entertaining storyline, heinous crime and twisting investigation. Eve continues to be developed as the headline character, though she’s still hardheaded and lacks the self-awareness to realize her approach makes her a target. But you can see the potential for her to turn the corner as events unfold at the end of this novel. Which I hope she does because at times she can be quite unlikeable and hard to root for despite her persistence. However, she’s balanced out by her immensely likable partner Duncan who does a great job being Eve’s mentor, providing praise or the hard criticism of her performance when appropriate. The pairing works very well to both toe the line of the department’s policies and challenge the status quo. Add in a cast of characters who all add their unique personalities and perspectives, and you get a page-turning story that grabs your attention early and doesn’t let go until the case is solved.
But perhaps the best part of the book is the inclusion of Councilman Netter as an important character in the plot, being mentioned something like 117 times throughout the novel. I won’t say what happens to him, but fellow Best Thriller Books reviewers will probably tell you he deserves any harm that might befall him. And even though Councilman Netter has a different first name than mine, I’m going to assume the character is named after me and claim my 15 minutes of fame. Thank you, Lee Goldberg! The check is in the mail :)
If you are a fan of strong female protagonists and haven’t discovered the Eve Ronin series, Movieland is a great place to jump in. Page-turning plots, good characters, interesting crimes and more, all with the backdrop of Hollywood as a supporting character. Check it out!
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