Is Arson Covering Another Crime?
I’ve let myself get behind on Lee Goldberg’s books, which is a shame since I usually enjoy them. He’s introducing some new characters in Malibu Burning, and it is another fun one.
After years as a US Marshall, Andrew Walker is taking a new, safer job working for the LA Sheriffs as an arson investigator. Walker is partnered with a veteran, Walter Sharpe, and quickly realizes how much he has to learn.
He’s going to get a great training when multiple massive fires break out in the Southern California area. While the general consensus is that old power lines are to blame, Sharpe begins to think the fires are deliberate. But it is Walker who begins to think the fires might be a distraction for another crime going on. Is he right? If so, can both of them prove they are right in time?
If you are someone who must have a book take place in chronological order, this book isn’t for you. For roughly the first two thirds of the book, we are switching from the modern day story to the villains over the last eight years leading to today. This allows us to understand why they do what they do and watch how they plan it all. These time shifts are always clearly marked and I was able to follow what was going on. In fact, maybe I followed a little too well because there seemed to be one aspect that didn’t make sense time wise to me. But it was minor overall.
And don’t get me wrong, this part of the book is interesting. We are watching Sharpe and Walker get to know each other and start their investigation while also learning exactly what they are up against. It’s a testament to Lee’s writing that this part works as well as it does since, in lesser hands, this could get boring.
Once the timelines merge, the blistering pace never lets up until we are through the climax. We still see the story from multiple viewpoints, and that makes it all the more thrilling. I had a hard time putting the book down when real life got in the way of my reading. I did have an issue here as well, and I’m still chewing over my reaction to things. I suspect it’s more a me thing and most people will be fine with it.
Like all of Lee’s books, not all of his attempts at humor to ease the tension work for me. Many of them do, but there are a few moments that either felt forced or just made me cringe instead of laugh. Given the characters, this isn’t one of my cozies, but as long as you know to expect that going in, you’ll be fine.
Being the first book in the series, I felt we got to know Sharpe and Walker pretty well. At first, they are a bit cliché, but as the book goes along, we get to know them better. I enjoyed watching them become a team here. Some of the other characters are equally well rounded by the time the book is over.
If you’ve read Lee’s Eve Ronin series, the fire in this book might sound familiar. He acknowledges that yes, it is the same fire he created for that series, just used to tell another story. Don’t let that stop you from reading this book. Nothing here is a retread. And, while I read that book several years ago, I didn’t remember any of the details from that book. Frankly, I like the creativity that was used here.
Sharpe and Walker will be back with another book later this year, and I’m looking forward to seeing them back in action. If you’ve missed Malibu Burning, be sure to pick up their hot debut.
Thanks. I wondered what it was about. I've read many of Lee's TV series knockoffs, and they are fun. My Hubby was building a mega-ritzy house in Malibu when some really bad fires occurred. He might like to read Malibu Burning, too.
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