Ashes Never Lie

Sharpe & Walker, Book 2

By: Lee Goldberg

Narrated by: Eric Conger, Nicol Zanzarella

Worlds collide as Eve Ronin and Sharpe & Walker race to find hidden secrets in smoldering ash, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Goldberg.

Vacant homes in a new housing development are erupting into flames in broad daylight with no apparent cause. It’s a perplexing mystery for dogged arson investigator Walter Sharpe and his restless new partner, Andrew Walker, an ex-US marshal who craves action.

But as they puzzle over the blazes, another home miles away burns to the ground, leaving a man’s corpse in the ashes and homicide detectives Eve Ronin and Duncan Pavone demanding answers. The burn patterns and charred body tell Sharpe a bizarre story that only creates more questions for Eve. So the four detectives team up to find the answers. Their investigation into the two unrelated cases leads to one shocking discovery after another.

Now they must gamble their lives to unmask a brilliant arsonist, crack open a massive swindle, track down a desperate fugitive with a terrifying secret, and race against time to save thousands of people from an agonizing death.

©2024 by Adventures in Television, Inc. (P)2024 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Goldberg manages to give each of his four leads their due while keeping the investigation’s fuse burning bright. This series deserves a long life.” —Publishers Weekly

“The sequel to Malibu Burning unites Goldberg’s Ronin and Pavone police team with his arson investigators Sharpe and Walker in a clever, complicated story. With its witty banter and well-developed characters, Goldberg’s latest procedural is tailor-made for readers who enjoy shrewd investigators in fast-paced dramas.” —Library Journal

“Pure enjoyment for anyone who doesn’t happen to own a home in the Valley.” —Kirkus Reviews

Excellent Walker/Ronin story!!

This is a perfect collaboration between Walker and Ronin, and I hope that there are many more!! Engaging story and intriguing plots. Well done!!

Great complex story

Lee Goldberg is remarkable in his multiple threads, entertaining metaphors by chapters in dialogue and tying all the threads into a tight knot. I can’t wait for his next book. Thank you, Lee.

Almost as Good as the previous books

I read Malibu Burning (the first Sharpe & Walker) and absolutely loved it. I couldn't wait to get the 2nd one....then I realized this was a "cross-over event" with Mr. Goldberg's other character Eve Ronin. So, I read Lost Hills and loved it!
In this book, Veteran investigator Sharpe and his protégé Walker start investigating a house fire. When it's determined there is a body inside, rookie Homicide Detective Eve Ronin gets involved and all three get involved in a much bigger arson/murder investigation. Walker's wife Carly, a Therapist, has a big role in this book and she is a great addition.
My only small criticism of this book is that I didn't like Eve as much as I did in her first book. She was lovably cocky in the first book, and embraced the fact that she 'lucked into' her Homicide promotion (right place right time). In this one, the cockiness crosses the line into arrogance and entitlement. I still like the character but not as much as in the first book.
I hope this series (or both series separately) continue and I'll definitely keep reading them.

Mandalorian & Arson!

This was the second book in the Sharpe and Walker series. I loved the first one, Malibu Burning and had preordered this one. It did not disappoint. Our favorite arson investigators meet up with detective Eve Ronin and her partner Duncan Pavan. They are brought together investigating several arson and homicide cases that ran together. I love the arson series because it’s very funny, very creative and I love how the author uses the locations in the story. And this book included another of my favorites, Star Wars. Detective Walker chasing a suspect dressed as the Mandalorian was excellent. The author even got the info from the show correct about Beskar and lightsabers. A great read, but even better audiobook is even better. I can’t wait for the next one!

Twisty, amusing, and great characters

I am very pleased with this sequel to "Malibu Burning". I love hopping along on Walker and Sharpe's new arson cases, and we get the added bonus of police detective Eve Ronin (from the author's other series). I love how the book is a duet performance with the female narrator only speaking Eve's speaking parts. The cases are fascinating and sometimes dark. Trigger Warning about suicide. The story is told from Walker's perspective, and I love his personality and sense of humor. Great narration! I highly recommend this series to all mystery fans who are okay reading about house fires and wildfires.