Hidden in Smoke

If you enjoy crime action thrillers and well-done series cross-overs, then look no further than Hidden in Smoke by Lee Goldberg. This is the third book in the Sharp and Walker series, but it also features Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Detectives Eve Ronin and Duncan Pavone and adds in Deputy Sharon Carter based out of West Hollywood.

Several cars are set on fire on carports with apartments above them as well as a tower of apartments under construction in a single night. Arson investigators Walter Sharpe and Andrew Walker take the case to find the culprit. When a fire destroys a major freeway through the city, they take on another case. When a body is found, they call in homicide detectives Eve Ronin and Duncan Pavone. As they work to determine if and how are the cases related, an old foe with a revenge scheme adds complexity to the story.

Walter Sharpe and Andrew Walker are partners. Sharpe is brilliant at his job, methodical, observant, and experienced, and loves the forensics part of the investigation. However, he tends to speak his mind and isn’t diplomatic when dealing with others. Walker craves action and the independence he had as a US Marshal. He loves the hunt for the criminal, but not the forensics part of the investigation. They balance each other. Readers get insight into the personal lives of both characters in this book, especially Walker.

Eve is an energetic, ambitious, and compelling main character and someone you can root for. She works tirelessly and has clear goals and good instincts. Duncan is more methodical and thinks about food constantly. He hasn’t retired so he can help protect Eve from corrupt officers.

The author’s writing style continues to hook me quickly with a twisty plot combined with humor, great characters, and excellent world-building. The plot is absorbing and intriguing with a storyline that packs a punch. The fast pace and sense of urgency kept me rapidly turning the pages. Readers easily become mentally and emotionally involved with the characters as well as the story. Visual and auditory imagery comes through vividly. My biggest quibble is that the culprit was a little too easy to discern.

Overall, this is a fast-paced, compelling, and suspenseful novel with some great twists, a little humor, and some action. If you enjoy excellent crime thrillers and police procedurals, then I recommend that you check out this one. The series is best read in order to fully understand past interactions between the four detectives as well as character growth and backstories. However, the mystery is written so that one can read it as a standalone. I can’t wait to read the next one.

Thomas and Mercer and Lee Goldberg provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for April 22, 2025.