Portfolio Archive - Lee Goldberg

Dream Town

Coming in January 2024

A gated dream town for the mega-rich becomes a murderous nightmare in a riveting Eve Ronin thriller by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Goldberg

Hidden Hills is a private, celebrity enclave of white-picket-fences and horse trails that seems to exist in a dream world. But when reality superstar Kitty Winslow is killed within their gates, and corpses are found in the vast state park outside of them, LASD detective Eve Ronin realizes there is a deadly, razor thin line between what’s real and imagined…

Eve discovers that Kitty’s surreal on-and-off-camera life, a blur of fact and fantasy, shockingly mirrors her own as she struggles to investigate the killings, wade into a music industry war, and battle a vicious Chilean gang…all while her own life is being turned into a fictional cop show directed by her estranged father.

Her grip on reality and the case is strained to the breaking point as the slayings continue, the media frenzy reaches fever pitch, and the only inescapable truth she can see is death…and it’s coming for her.

“Goldberg has created a terrific character in Eve Ronin, and he knows how to write a fast-paced thriller mixed with humor and inside jokes with no fluff. Like Michael Connelly, Goldberg also utilizes the Los Angeles landscape effectively.”
—FirstClue

Calico

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Goldberg, comes an explosive, page-turning investigative thriller – with a mind-blowing twist.

There’s a saying in Barstow, California, a decaying city in the scorching Mojave desert . . .

The Interstate here only goes in one direction: Away.

But it’s the only place where ex-LAPD detective Beth McDade, after a staggering fall from grace, could get another badge – and a shot at redemption.

Over a century ago, and just a few miles further into the bleak landscape, a desperate stranger ended up in Calico, a struggling mining town, also hoping for a second chance.

His fate, all those years ago, is linked to Beth’s when she’s assigned two very different cases: investigating an old skeleton dug up in a shallow, sandy grave, and identifying a vagrant run-over by a distracted motorhome driver during a lightning storm.

Every disturbing clue she finds, every shocking discovery she makes, force Beth to confront not just her own troubled past, but also one that’s not her own . . . until it all smashes together in a revelation that could change the world.

Praise for Calico:

“A superb twin-track thriller featuring constant intrigue and a huge secret – could be Lee Goldberg’s best ever.” Lee Child

“Expands the boundaries of the police procedural in rip-roaring way. If you have time for only one mystery, one Western, and one SF this year, this will ding all three targets.” Kirkus Reviews

“A genre-bending, gripping read.” Harlan Coben

“Goldberg interweaves two storylines into a remarkably unconventional crime novel that is warm, thrilling, and fun to read.” Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

“This book is so inventive, so different, and so much fun. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.” Linwood Barclay

“Goldberg has crafted is a page-turning novel that has surprises up to the final page. Calico is arguably one of his best.” FirstCLUE

“Lee Goldberg attempts something very tricky: combining a gritty Southern California police procedural and an epic Western historical saga. Does he succeed? The answer is a resounding yes, in splendid fashion. Calico is one of the most compelling novels I’ve read in a long time. Great characters, a vivid historical setting, and intriguing plot twists had me staying up late to finish it. Honestly, I wondered how Goldberg was going to be able to pull it all together and make it work, but he does so in a very satisfying way, right down to a final twist that’s a great sting in the tail. Goldberg always delivers the goods, and Calico is something special.” James Reasoner, Spur-Award finalist and author of more than 350 westerns, including 41 Longarm novels and 20 books in the Trailsman series.

“Lee Goldberg delivers with the unapologetically savvy Beth McDade, a detective unafraid of following the dead bodies and the mystery surrounding them. Calico is a time warp that couples history with good old fashioned detective work.'” Yasmin Angoe, author of Her Name is Knight

“If you enjoy murder mysteries – complete with the obligatory detective tropes, investigative twists, whodunit suspense, and strong female lead – then you already know that few can do it better than Lee Goldberg. However, by combining all of those crime-fiction staples into an unconventional, widely different approach, Goldberg delivers something altogether new, radical and exciting for his readers. Calico is a very clever crime-fiction novel authored by an absolute pro. Highly recommended.” Paperback Warror

“An absolutely wonderful and surprising novel, suddenly crossing genres so shockingly yet so believably. The contrast between the Barstow police milieu of today and the Calico mining town of the 1880s is superbly drawn. The authenticity is overwhelming, the action moves quickly, and the mystery is thoroughly engrossing.” James Robert Daniels, author of The Comanche Kid, a Spur Award finalist for Best Western Novel.

“If you like the Yellowstone series and its spinoffs, you’ll love Calico!” Peter Brandvold, multiple Spur Award nominee

“Calico is stunningly original – a magical mixture of a murder mystery and an old-fashioned Western, set in the California desert. It’s also a heartwarming epic story of one family that spans the centuries. Read it today – you won’t soon forget it!” Matt Witten, author of Killer Story

“My favorite Lee Goldberg novel yet! Calico alternates between contemporary investigation, intriguing sciences, and fascinating history. Each aspect is told with a stellar sense of place, engaging characters, and the kind of real, yet snappy, dialogue readers have come to expect. Highly recommend!” Tori Eldridge, author of The Ninja Betrayed

Malibu Burning

For a professional criminal and a relentless arson investigator, fear and revenge spread like wildfire in an incendiary thriller by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Goldberg.

Hell comes to Southern California every October. It rides in on searing Santa Ana winds blasting at near hurricane force, igniting voracious wildfires. Master thief Danny Cole longs for the flames. A tsunami of fire is exactly what he needs to pull off a daring crime and avenge a fallen friend.

Soon the most devastating firestorms in Los Angeles history scorch the earth, setting Malibu aflame. Veteran arson investigator Walter Sharpe and his new, wild-card partner Andy Walker, a former US Marshal, suspect that the massive blazes were intentionally set, a terrifying means to an unknown end.

As the blazes rage out-of-control, Danny pursues his brilliant scheme, unaware Sharpe and Walker are closing in. But when they meet in a canyon of fire, everything changes, pitting them all against an unexpected enemy within an inescapable inferno.

Read the first chapter!

“Malibu Burning is a blistering thrill ride full of Southern California thieves, cops, and firefighters, all facing high stakes and imminent danger. Superbly researched and told, fast-paced, and downright fun, this is Lee Goldberg at his best!”
—Mark Greaney, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of the Gray Man series

“Goldberg’s well-drawn characters will keep readers rooting for both crooks and cops, and he hangs everyone’s fates on a clever, complicated con. The result is as explosive as a wildfire.”
—Publishers Weekly

“The heist mystery — when the theft is the most overriding plot point — is having a resurgence, and among the leaders of this venerable subgenre is Lee Goldberg. The prolific Goldberg melds the heist with the procedural into a solid plot with fully realized characters in the highly entertaining Malibu Burning.”
—The Sun-Sentinel

“By turns, tense and rambunctious, wildly entertaining and breakneck-paced, Lee Goldberg’s splendid Malibu Burning is pure storytelling pleasure from beginning to end.”
—Megan Abbott, Edgar Award, Anthony Award, Thriller Award, & Los Angeles Times Book Prize winning author of The Turnout

“A fast-paced, over-the-top caper that entertains while keeping readers guessing.”
—Library Journal, STARRED review

“Goldberg is a master of his craft, creating vibrant characters brought to life through Eric Conger’s voice-acting talents. A nail-biting thriller that will have listeners on the edge of their seat.”
—Library Journal STARRED review (audiobook)

“Lee Goldberg writes a scorching hot thriller that delivers on all the heat. Fast paced, the plot moves relentlessly to an unexpected climax.”
—Montecito Journal

“Hilarious and touching, exciting and endearing. Highly recommended. Rating: A”
—Deadly Pleasures

“An inventive, twisty, and funny caper from one of crime writing’s true pros. Elmore Leonard and Donald Westlake would’ve loved this wild heist.”
—Ace Atkins, New York Times bestselling author of Robert B. Parker’s Bye Bye Baby and The Heathens

“Goldberg returns to the wildfire he memorably chronicled in Lost Hills (2020) from a strikingly new angle….A businesslike thriller that shows how rewarding it can be to revisit the same story from a new point of view.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Malibu Burning is classic Lee Goldberg at the top of his game: a fast-paced, funny, and deeply satisfying page-turner.”
—Jess Lourey, Amazon Charts bestselling author of The Quarry Girls

“Both fans and newcomers to Goldberg’s work will enjoy the fast-moving, at times terrifying, tale and its close look at firefighting and arson-investigation techniques. A bonus is the companion buddy story featuring likable new police-procedural partners and their unusual focus.”
—FirstCLUE

“This is a book I couldn’t put down. Lee Goldberg is a master when it comes to building tension and writing heart-pounding action scenes. Malibu Burning is a roundhouse kick of a thriller, a true nail-biting race against time.”
—Simon Gervais, author of Robert Ludlum’s The Blackbriar Genesis

“If Malibu Burning was a wine, we’d describe it as rich and full-bodied, with tasty top notes of humor and light-heartedness, a robust blend of experience infused with enormous heart.”
—The Thriller Zone

“Superb characterizations & pacing, a tight-as-a-drum plot, and bold pops of humor make this cinematic tale a scorching (can’t resist) page-turner.”
—Amazon Editors’ Picks

“Lee Goldberg knows how to write entertaining novels. His latest thriller, Malibu Burning, is a prime example. He creates a diversity of characters, throws them into some impossibly dangerous situations, and ratchets up the tension and suspense. Like a wildfire storming through the woods, I was racing to get to the novel’s ending.”
—The Gumshoe Review

“A master thief with a conscience? Only from the pen of Lee Goldberg, a virtuoso of crime fiction who knows how to keep the pages turning. This fiery tale of revenge against powerful Malibu homeowners is the background of what, if it’s successful, will be the biggest heist in U.S. history.” The News-Courier (Athens, Alabama)

The Joy of Sets: Interviews on the Sets of 1980s Genre Movies

Go back in time to the 1980s, and visit the sets of movies like Back to the Future, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and A View To a Kill, where young journalist Lee Goldberg, years before he was a #1 New York Times bestselling author (Lost Hills, True Fiction, etc) and TV writer/producer (Monk, Diagnosis Murder, SeaQuest, etc.), interviewed Michael J. Fox, William Friedkin, Wes Craven, Chevy Chase, Robert Zemeckis, Roger Moore, and many other actors, directors, producers and screenwriters.

These informative, fascinating, and trivia-packed interviews offer a revealing look at film-making in the 1980s, while also exploring the long careers of established talents like Kurt Russell and director Fred Schepsi at the top of their game… and introducing newcomers like Johnny Depp and director W.D. Richter, some of whom went on to greatness, and others who disappeared into obscurity.

Lee Goldberg put himself through college by writing freelance articles, primarily about movies, TV and publishing, for publications like Starlog, American Film, Cinefantastique, and the San Francisco Chronicle. He didn’t do it just to pay his tuition and support himself… he also saw it as a way to get a graduate school education in all aspects of the entertainment industry… learning lessons he’s still benefiting from today.

The Dreamweavers: Interviews with Fantasy Filmmakers of the 1980s

The box office smash Back to the Future was almost a bomb, saved only by the talents of Michael J. Fox, who was brought in to star six weeks after production had started. Ivan Reitman wasn’t really interested in directing Ghostbusters. Producer Gloria Katz described Howard the Duck as “a comedy about a person with certain particular characteristics,” foremost of which was that he was a duck.

These insights and many more are revealed in these interviews with some of the leading creative talents in Hollywood fantasy films during the 1980s. Fox, Reitman, Katz, Joe Dante, Robert Zemeckis, Richard Donner, Jamie Gertz, Ray Bradbury, Michael Ritchie, Timothy Dalton and others discuss Big Trouble in Little China, James Bond, Conan, Dead Zone, Gremlins, Ladyhawke, Lost Boys, and other fantasy films of the decade. Each of the interviews (previously published in a different form in Starlog) is preceded by a brief introduction setting it in context.

“All the interviews are informative” Classic Images

“Gives a variety of perspectives…enjoyable and informative” Library Journal

Science Fiction Filmmaking in the 1980s: Interviews with Actors, Directors, Producers and Writers

Aliens, Blade Runner, Dune, Mad Max, Return of the Jedi, the Star Trek series, Blue Thunder, Cocoon, Enemy Mine, Robocop, 2010, War Games… these are all movies that defined science fiction films in the 1980s. But what was it like making these movies? This collection of in-depth interviews with the actors, writers, producers and directors takes you behind the scenes with the people who made these movies happen, including David Lynch, Kyle MacLachlin, Raffaella De Laurentiis, Mel Gibson, Harve Bennett, William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Roy Scheider, Keir Dullea, Richard Marquand, John Badham, Ridley Scott, and Gale Ann Hurd.

The interviews, many of which were originally published in Starlog Magazine, were conducted by Lee Goldberg, Randy Lofficier, Jean-Marc Lofficier, and William Rabkin, all writer who went on to great acclaim in various corners of the entertainment industry, including publishing, screenwriting and TV production.

The James Bond Films 1962-1989: Interviews with the Actors, Writers and Producers

The inside story on the James Bond movies…from the people who made them.

In the 1980s, long before Lee Goldberg became a #1 New York Times bestselling author and successful TV writer/producer, he paid his UCLA tuition by working as a freelance journalist covering the entertainment industry. His first, big interview was with one of his idols, screenwriter Richard Maibaum, who wrote most of the James Bond movies. That lengthy, controversial, and award-winning interview, first published in the UCLA Daily Bruin and later reprinted in Starlog Magazine, was the beginning of Lee’s extensive 007 coverage.

Over the next few years, his Bond-related interviews for Starlog and other publications included actors Barry Nelson (the first man to play James Bond in TV’s Casino Royale), George Lazenby (the one-time Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service), Roger Moore and Timothy Dalton, screenwriters Tom Mankiewicz, Michael Wilson and Lorenzo Semple Jr., and directors John Glen and Peter Hunt. Those interviews and more, quoted for decades in reference books about the Bond films, are now collected for the first time, in their original form, in this entertaining, and unique volume.

This book, the first in a series of Goldberg’s collected Hollywood journalism, isn’t an exhaustive, detailed examination of the Bond films. Instead it’s an intriguing snapshot of filmmaking in the 1980s, a revealing look at the creation of the Bond films…and perhaps also offers a glimpse into Goldberg’s formative years as a writer, and how the lessons learned from his interviews may have shaped his own career as an acclaimed novelist and screenwriter.

“Goldberg’s book is quite a time capsule for James Bond fans, offering glimpses at select films through major creative talents. What it’s not is a front-to-back narrative, so don’t expect that; do expect a little repetition, necessary for piece-by-piece context — these are reprints, after all. Being a sucker for the 007 movies, I regularly buy books about them … only to usually emerge disappointed. That’s not the case with The James Bond Films 1962-1989, thanks to Goldberg’s access, insight and skill, approaching the work as one should: a writer first, a fan second.” —Rod Lott, Flick Attack

Movieland

Malibu Creek State Park is a beautiful locale for campers, tourists, hikers, and Hollywood. For Detective Eve Ronin, it’s a backdrop for murder in a riveting thriller by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Goldberg.

For decades Malibu Creek State Park was the spectacular natural setting where Hollywood fantasies were made. But when a female camper is gunned down, it becomes a real-life killing ground. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department homicide detectives Eve Ronin and Duncan Pavone are assigned the case…which Duncan fears is the latest in a series of sniper attacks that began long before Eve came to Lost Hills.

Seven victims over fourteen months…and top officials still refuse to see a connection. Eve and Duncan are stonewalled, threatened, and ordered to keep quiet. But Eve won’t back down. She’s no stranger to intimidation or corruption—she’s had a target on her back from day one at Lost Hills station.

Despite finding no evidentiary links between the shootings, Eve and Duncan follow their instincts into the shadows of Malibu Creek, where it’s not enough to expose the secrets and break the conspiracy of silence. They also have to make it out alive.

“Finished this on the plane home. Typically classy police procedural from Lee Goldberg—giving Michael Connelly a run for his money…” Ian Rankin

“The fourth book in Lee Goldberg’s series is his most ambitious and best realized yet…Movieland is crime-writing of the highest order. Goldberg’s style touches on both Michael Connelly and Robert Crais, in whose company he now squarely belongs.” Providence Journal

“Movieland, Lee Goldberg’s fourth novel featuring Ronin, is every bit as good as the first three. The characters, including victims, suspects, and an assortment of lazy, hardworking, honest and corrupt cops, are quirky and well developed. The depiction of police procedures feels authentic. The writing is vivid and precise. And with startling twists around every corner, the suspenseful tale unfolds at a furious pace.” Associated Press

“Bestseller Goldberg’s strong, fourth Eve Ronin mystery… assured prose matches the tight plot.” Publishers Weekly

“Goldberg’s compelling follow-up to Gated Prey is a fast-paced, riveting police procedural influenced by actual events in California. A character-driven series entry that skillfully depicts Hollywood corruption.” Library Journal (Starred Review)

“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.” Best Thriller Books

“Splendidly compelling.” Mystery Scene Magazine

“Lee is fantastic at combining clever plotting, humor, and thrills in his stories.” Boyd Morrison, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“[An] intelligently written series [with] memorable characters and intriguing plots. Lee Goldberg is one of those authors with natural-born story-telling gifts.” Deadly Pleasures

“Totally loved Lee Goldberg’s new Eve Ronin book, Movieland. This series just keeps getting better.” Nick Petrie, Thriller Award–winning author of the Peter Ash series

“A tense, gritty, and engaging novel with wit, suspense, action, and some great twists.” Mystery & Suspense Magazine

“LA noir is real, so is Malibu noir, and no one does it better than Lee Goldberg.” Luanne Rice, New York Times bestselling author

“Goldberg’s work conjures up the same authenticity and mood as Michael Connelly’s Bosch novels…Movieland is a must-read for anyone who enjoys compelling crime fiction with a strong sense of place.” Crime Fiction Lover

“Movieland is a fast-paced mystery with interesting and well-developed characters and plenty of twists and turns. If this book, and this series, aren’t on your radar yet, they should be!” Kings River Life Magazine

Collectibles

“Villainy, paranormal goings-on, and cold-blooded murder… Standouts include Dennis Lehane’s gilt-edged chiller, A Bostonian (in Cambridge), and Joe Lansdale’s The Skull Collector, a gangster yarn featuring gun-toting female grave robbers. Overshadowing everything, though, is Lee Goldberg’s Lost Shows, a delightful shocker about a fanatical collector of short-lived and unaired TV shows.” Publishers Weekly

What leads one person to collect stamps and another coins, one fine art and another butterflies? Who can say? But one thing is certain: those who’ve got the collecting bug care passionately—sometimes violently—about the objects of their obsession. No one covets like a collector; and as you will find in the pages of this brand new anthology from MWA Grand Master Lawrence Block, a truly dedicated collector will ignore the other nine commandments, too, in his quest for his personal Holy Grail. From Joyce Carol Oates’ tale of the ultimate Marilyn Monroe collectible to Dennis Lehane’s bookseller with a penchant for other people’s tragic correspondence, from Lee Goldberg’s Hollywood hustler with a collection of unaired TV shows to Joe R. Lansdale’s stylish foray into noir, culminating in Lawrence Block’s own classic story of a killer with a unique approach to choosing his victims, Collectibles illustrates the range of the collecting impulse and the lengths people will go to in their hunger to possess the perfect piece.

“Lost Shows is a total surprise. Lee Goldberg hits the sweet spot from an unexpected direction in this tale of a collector of old and rare television episodes who attempts to help an ill and aging TV star who is being held as a de facto hostage in his own home. There are a couple of shocking moments here that will cause you to reread it.” The Book Reporter

“This anthology’s true gem is Lee Goldberg’s Lost Shows, a perfect, at times humorous, story from an underappreciated writer.” Mystery Scene Magazine

Gated Prey

A simple sting operation takes a violent and unexpected turn for Detective Eve Ronin in a gripping thriller by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Goldberg.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s detective Eve Ronin and her soon-to-retire partner, Duncan Pavone, are running a 24-7 sting in a guard-gated enclave of palatial homes in Calabasas. Their luxury McMansion is a honey trap, set to lure in the violent home invaders terrorizing the community. The trap works, leaving three intruders dead, a body count that nearly includes Eve and Duncan.

Eve’s bosses are eager to declare the case closed, but there are too many unanswered questions for her to let go. Was the trap actually for her, bloody payback for Eve’s very public takedown of a clique of corrupt deputies? Or is there an even deadlier secret lurking behind those opulent gates? Eve’s refusal to back down and her relentless quest for the truth make her both the hunter…and the prey.

“I whipped my head back and forth reading Gated Prey. So twisty, so funny, and so LA—a few of my favorite things. After zooming through these pages, I’ll ride shotgun with Lee any day!” —Rachel Howzell Hall, bestselling author of And Now She’s Gone

“Against all odds, Goldberg not only ties up most of the loose ends, leaving just a few deliberately dangling, but links some of Eve’s investigations in ways as disturbing as they are surprising. The seamy side of California dreaming.” Kirkus Reviews

“Hollywood decadence and duplicity are at the heart of bestseller Goldberg’s entertaining third outing for Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy Eve Ronin. Lively descriptive prose enhances the tight plot of this episodic crime novel. Columbo fans will have fun.” Publishers Weekly

“Another suspenseful, fast-paced yarn with engaging characters.” Associated Press

“Goldberg is every bit the equal of Michael Connelly.” Providence Journal

“LA County Sheriff’s deputy Eve Ronin is kick-ass. No doubt there. Also controversial and consistently butting heads with the brass.This fast-paced and well-written story will grab you and drag you to an explosive—literally—climax. Once you begin, you will not be able to put this book down. Loved it. Love Eve Ronin. Love this entire series.” D.P. Lyle, award-winning author of Sunshine State

“A beautifully cinematic novelist who strikes a precise balance between darkness and humor.” Bookmarks Magazine

“Goldberg has a wonderful way of developing his characters so that they seem quite relatable to the reader.” Mystery & Suspense Magazine

“Gated Prey is another stellar installment in the wildly entertaining Eve Ronin series and a further testament to Lee Goldberg’s strength as a creative, innovative storyteller. Highly recommended.” Paperback Warrior