Bone Canyon

By: Jamie Steinberg

Detective Eve Ronin has it rough. She first became infamous for taking a celebrity down for his bad behavior and now the world won’t let her forget it. Then, she saved a small child, further cementing her fame. She took her infamy and leveraged it into working in the Homicide Division at the Lost Hills police station. Little did she know that would be a big mistake. In author Lee Goldberg’s second installment of the Eve Ronin story, Bone Canyon, the officer finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation when body parts are located after a fire in Hueso Canyon. Eager to prove herself, Eve gets in over her head and finds herself in deep danger.

A wildfire in Santa Monica Mountains has revealed a human skull. Eve and her partner Detective Duncan Pavone report to the site, which is soon deemed a crime scene thanks to the help of forensic anthropologist Dr. Daniel Brooks. Eve and Duncan investigate the remains and determine it is of a woman that attempted to report a rape…by several Lost Hills officers who don the same tattoo. That is when the investigation gets more than messy as Eve is determined to bring the “bad guys” to justice.

Author Lee Goldberg does a great job of investing the reader in Eve’s insistence on finding the culprits behind the murder and the rape. Even if it gets her in hot water with her fellow officers, she is relentless. It’s great to see Goldberg has made Ronin such a boss lady as she doesn’t want to be seen as simply a pretty face who put a bad dude in his place and used it to her advantage in order to get into a higher position in the police department. She wants to be sure she is known for her hard work and the determination it takes to give a family peace of mind after they’ve lost a loved one.

Bone Canyon is an intriguing read that captivates and leaves the reader intrigued into discovering who is responsible for these heinous acts and if Eve earns the respect of her fellow officers. I could have done without the intermission for a bit of romance, but otherwise the story is a great edge-of-your-seat read. For those looking for a cool crime drama with a fabulous female lead, you no longer need to look to Olivia Benson on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.” Simply snag a copy of Bone Canyon and get to know Detective Eve Ronin.