Lesa's Book Critiques: Kevin’s Corner Annex – Illusion of Truth by James L’Etoile

 Lesa's Book Critiques: Kevin’s Corner Annex – Illusion of Truth by James L’Etoile

Friday's Forgotten Book: Bury the Past: A Detective Penley Mystery by James L’Etoile

 

It has roughly been a year since the events of At What Cost: A Detective Penley Mystery by James L’Etoile occurred as Bury the Past: A Detective Penley Mystery begins. The repercussions of those events have rocked Detective Penley, professionally and personally, but the work is keeping him going. The ongoing work of solving cases is also keeping Detective Newberry going as well though the fact that she used to work in Internal Affairs is still an issue for many that work with her. They like to play petty harassment games and did so again this morning as her and Penley were dispatched to a murder scene.

 

Larry Burger never made it home from his night shift job at a local truck stop. His car suddenly broke down on an isolated and dark road as he made his way home. A person or persons unknown had then attacked him. From the clues at the scene, it appears that he was beaten to death.

 

A few years ago, Larry Burger was a cop. He turned informant in a case that Paula Newberry handled in her role of working in Internal Affairs. A case that she thought she was done with and over.  

 

It isn’t. That case is now back and back in a really bad way for Detective Puala Newberry and the Sacramento Police Department.

 

This second book in the very good police procedural series builds on the first. Storylines begun there continue here as does the further evolution of several characters. Thus, it is best, as it always is with quality series, to read the previous book first.

 

Strongly recommended.

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4jL805m

 

 

My hardback reading copy was provided by the author with no expectation of a review.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2026

Publication Day Review: Illusion of Truth: A Novel by James L’Etoile

 

The third book of the police procedural series that began with The Face of Greed delivers in every possible way for the reader. Illusion of Truth: A Novel begins a few months after River of Lies and starts with a bang.

 

The call out to a local church was a ploy to get police officers to respond. Allegedly, according to the caller to dispatch, there was some sort of disturbance involving a large crowd looting a church in North Sacramento. The church is located on the edge of the territory held by a certain gang though the church itself is supposed to be neutral territory and safe from all the gangs. For the several officers that responded to the scene, the place was anything but safe. Within minutes of their arrival, two separate improvised explosive devices are detonated.

 

Several officers are seriously injured in the blasts. That includes Sergent Brian Connor who recently asked Homicide Detective Emily Hunter to move in with him. She said she wasn’t ready. With his injuries now, she may never have the chance to change her mind.

 

Homicide Detective Emily Hunter is very used to getting the middle of the night call to go to a crime scene. This time the call is from a lieutenant who tells her to respond instead at the hospital. It was supposed to be his night off. Instead, Brian Connor is fighting for his life in the trauma unit.

 

Detective Hunter wants in on the investigation. One that is being led by her partner, Javier Medina. Not that he is not a good detective. He certainly is. But, she can’t just sit by. She is going to be involved, no matter what. Since that will happen anyway, her Lieutenant gives her the go ahead to work the case, but she has to follow Medina’s lead to the letter or she is benched. She agrees. Before long the case leads them in ways they never saw coming.

 

This third book in the police procedural series published by Oceanview Publishing is a good one. A read that could stand on its own if you are new to the series. But, those who choose to read the series in order will get far more out of the book.

 

One aspect of this series is the developing relationship between Hunter and Connor. So too is the evolving political scene as well as the fallout from earlier cases Hunter has worked. There are other aspects as well that continue to be developed and evolve. Those aspects are why this is a series that should be read in order.

 

Bottom Line---A very good read and strongly recommended.

 
 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3YynS1j

 

 

My digital ARC came from the author with no expectation of a read or a review.

 

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2026

Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: Illusion of Truth by James L’Etoile

  

James L’Etoile has nearly 30 years of experience within the criminal justice system as associate warden in a maximum-security prison, hostage negotiator, facility captain, and director of California' s state parole system. His writing is laden with the authoritative detail only someone with that kind of background can supply. His series characters include Detective Nathan Parker of the Maricopa County, Arizona, Sheriff Department; Detective John Penley of the Sacramento, California, Police Department; and Detective Emily Hunter of the Sacramento, California, Police Department.

The third book about Detective Hunter will be released on 6 January by Oceanview, a publishing house I’ve come to rely on for good crime fiction.

Illusion of Truth (Oceanview, January 2026) finds Detective Emily Hunter at a crossroads in her relationship with Detective Brian Conner. He wants to share living arrangements and she isn’t ready. With that on his mind, Conner and his partner respond to a call about a crowd and an active burglary near a church in a rough section of the city. Several units respond, only to find no crowds and no evidence of criminal activity. They are dispersing when a bomb explodes under one police unit and another goes off in the church doorway where Conner and his partner are standing. Both are injured, Conner severely.

The residents of the area are among those demanding a reduction of police funding and accusing the force of overzealous monitoring. A councilman named Davis speaks up whenever possible, accusing the police of brutality and improper behavior. The bombings are seen by some as the natural outcome of abusive law enforcement.

Emily and her partner Javier Medina dive headfirst into the investigation, despite her supervisor’s urging to let others lead. However, I can’t credibly believe she would be allowed anywhere near a case in which she had such a personal investment. Yes, I know this is fiction.

The councilman’s involvement is questioned when Emily and her colleagues learn that the components for the bombs were purchased from the electronics store that the councilman owns. Some good detail throughout about mobile explosive devices, their construction, and the ways they can be deployed.

An original story with a realistic scenario. The push to defund police departments in some areas is quite real and its inclusion here as a major plot point is timely. The links between street gangs and unethical police are known, if not always acknowledged, sometimes with adverse public safety impact. The changing misdirection, especially in regards to the retired captain, is nicely handled. Emily’s mother continued deterioration is a sad situation that many readers will recognize from first-hand experience.

Emily herself is intelligent, quick-thinking, and a natural for the detective role. Her willingness to take risks, though, sometimes borders on the foolhardy.

For fans of contemporary police procedurals. No need to read the earlier books in the series, this one is fine as a stand-alone. Starred review from Kirkus.

·         Publisher: ‎Oceanview Publishing

·         Publication date: ‎January 6, 2026

·         Language: ‎English

·         Print length: ‎366 pages

·         ISBN-10: ‎1608096491

·         ISBN-13: ‎978-1608096497

 

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/45uiD6D

 

 

Aubrey Nye Hamilton ©2026

Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.

Lesa's Book Critiques: Kevin’s Corner Annex – At What Cost: A Detective Penley Mystery by James L’Etoile

 Lesa's Book Critiques: Kevin’s Corner Annex – At What Cost: A Detective Penley Mystery by James L’Etoile

Friday's Forgotten Book: At What Cost: A Detective Penley Mystery by James L’Etoile

A serial killer is active in At What Cost: A Detective Penley Mystery by James L’Etoile. Not just your average run of the mill serial killer either as West Sacramento Police Detective John Penley and his partner, Detective Paula Newberry, have discovered. They already knew a killer was dumping bodies and those bodies were found missing organs. The latest victim, a well-known gang member going back many years, and a guy who did a lot of horrible stuff in his past regardless of what he was doing in the here and now, is missing his head and his limbs. His extremely distinctive tattoo on his chest made what is left of him easy to identify.

 

Evidence leads them to believe more and more that the killer is also a collector. They think he is collecting body parts from the kills. In a way, he is. In another way, he is a harvester. He, somehow, is aware of the needs of patients on the national transplant list. He is harvesting organs to fill those needs and others on the black market.

 

He soon makes it very clear that he knows Penley’s son is on the transplant list for a kidney and the need is critical. His disease progression is such that the window for his son to survive the surgery is closing a little each day. The killer makes it very clear that he can get a kidney for Penley’s son, but it is going to cost in many different ways.

 

What follows is a complex and often disturbingly intense police procedural. For those of us who have been through the transplant process, the read can be a bit much at times. While it is all fiction, one wonders just how strong are the safeguards to prevent what happens in the read.

 

At What Cost: A Detective Penley Mystery by James L’Etoile is the first book of this police procedural series. Published in 2016 by Crooked Lane Books, the read is just as powerful and relevant today.

Strongly Recommended.

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4mX79Pv

 

My hardback reading copy came from the Central, or Downtown Branch, of the Dallas Public Library System. Book two of the series, Bury the Past, is on hold for me at the library.

 

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2025

Lesa's Book Critiques: Kevin’s Corner Annex – River of Lies by James L’Etoile

 Lesa's Book Critiques: Kevin’s Corner Annex – River of Lies by James L’Etoile

Review: River of Lies: A Novel by James L’Etoile

 

River of Lies: A Novel by James L'Etoile is the second book in the Detective Emily Hunter Mystery series that began with Face of Greed. Like any good police procedural series does, this read builds on previous events and ongoing issues so I strongly recommend reading that book first before you get to this one.

 

Detective Emily Hunter of the Sacramento Police Department has had her date for the evening with Brian Conner ruined as he got called into work suddenly. She is familiar with the problem and understands that things happen. Still, she is a bit bummed when she gets back home. She is barely inside the house when she gets her own call from the Watch Commander.

 

Other folks have had a far worse horrible evening than a cancelled date. The disturbance that her date was called in to work for has turned into some sort of mass casualty event at a local homeless camp. Fire swept through the camp displacing many who were already having a very hard time. There are casualties tonight at the third fire in a homeless camp in the last two weeks. Lieutenant Terri Williams does not yet know if they have any homicides, but the Chief wants her out there and working the case. She has a reputation and that is playing a major role in this situation. She heads out the door and calls her partner, Javier Madina, to arrange picking him up on the way to what is left of the homeless camp.

 

When they arrive at the still smoldering scene along the banks of the river, it is clear that it is a bad deal. The number of ambulances makes it clear that many folks were hurt. As they talk to witnesses and fire personnel, it is clear that the fire was a deliberate act of arson intended to do a lot of damage and burn everyone out of their shelters. If that wasn’t enough, various witness state that there was also a person attacking folks with a baseball bat Not only that, they have at least one body with a clear gun shot wound to the head.

 

While Detectives Simmons and Taylor had been the primary on the first two fires, those incidents and this new one are now all Hunter’s and Medina’s. The fires are obviously linked and escalating. Even the media has figured that much out and the public pressure is mounting by the hour. As things heat up in Sacramento, literally and figuratively, it is up to Hunter and Medina to find the culprits responsible and put an end to it.

 

This second book in the Detective Emily Hunter Mystery Series is another solidly good read. I am skipping a lot of things so as to not ruin the read for others, but this book, and the series, has a lot of storytelling meat on the bones. Detectives Hunter and Media are fully fleshed out human beings with their own personal lives beyond the job. The same is true for many of the secondary characters. Interpersonal relationships matter as these are not cookie cutter caricatures. Such details add a richness to the read that does nothing to slow down the story in any way.

 

River of Lies: A Novel by James L'Etoile is well worth your time.

  

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/44kSq9u

 

I picked this up awhile back at Amazon using funds in my Amazon Associate account.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2025

Lesa's Book Critiques: KEVIN’S CORNER ANNEX – FACE OF GREED BY JAMES L’ETOILE

 Lesa's Book Critiques: KEVIN’S CORNER ANNEX – FACE OF GREED BY JAMES L’ETOILE

Review: Face of Greed: A Detective Emily Hunter Mystery by James L’Etoile

 

Last week, Aubrey Nye Hamilton reviewed Face of Greed: A Detective Emily Hunter Mystery by James L’Etoile. If you have read her review, you know she liked it a lot. After setting up her review, I went looking for it at my local library with no luck. I went looking at NetGalley where I remembered recently seeing it offered. Oceanview Publishing still had it listed and so I requested it. Thankfully, it was instantaneously available with no gatekeeper delay and I was soon hooked. 

 

Detective Emily Hunter and Detective Javier Medina are working in Sacramento, California. In recent years she has been assigned to the Detective Bureau of the Sacramento Police Department. She is on call one evening when Lieutenant Ford, Watch Commander, calls her with an assignment. One is dead, one is injured, at what according to the initial report, is some sort of home invasion gone very wrong.

 

If that was not enough, both the Mayor and Chief of Police are already on scene. That means politics, powerful people, and probably pressure to get results quickly and quietly from on high. It is a cold evening this night in April and the neighborhood is clearly upscale where a murder just does not happen. But, it did this night, and Rodger Townsend is very much dead.

 

The deceased was fairly wealthy and had donated a considerable sum of money to Mayor Stone’s last campaign. Not only that, but Ridger Townsend was also the campaign manager. Those facts at least partially explain why the Mayor is involved. The Mayor makes it clear from the start he expects how the investigation is to be done and that includes leaving the widow, Lori Richardson, alone.

 

Something Detective Hunter is not willing to do as she follows the evidence and believes that Lori is involved all the way up to her beautiful face and then some. That puts her and her partner on a repeated collision course with the Mayor and her own internal police chain of command. She enjoys poking the bear with people of power and intends to do it regardless of how much it could cost her professionally or how it reflects on her partner.

 

At the same time, she is dealing with a serious issue at home as her elderly mother has dementia. Connie Hunter is 74 and slowly getting worse. How Emily Hunt will help her mother and whether she can or not she can is a major secondary storyline in the book.

 

An entertaining read, Face of Greed: A Detective Emily Hunter Mystery by James L’Etoile is a good police procedural. As Aubrey pointed out in her review, it relies significantly on the trope of a smart good cop beset by incompetent supervisors. A hallmark of police procedurals and one that is long familiar to readers.

 

Despite that issue, the overall read is fast moving and highly entertaining. According to the note in the beginning of the digital ARC, there is a second one coming in the pipeline. I very much look forward to the read.

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/40khNa1  

As noted in the review, my reading copy came from the publisher, OceanView Publishing, by way of a NetGalley ARC.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2023 

Aubrey Nye Hamilton Reviews: Face of Greed by James L’Etoile

James L’Etoile worked within the criminal justice system for 20 years. His crime fiction is laden with the authentic detail only someone with that kind of experience can supply. His stand-alone novel Black Label (Level Best Books, 2021) won a 2022 Silver Falchion award at Killer Nashville. Dead Drop (Level Best Books, 2022), first in the series about Maricopa County Detective Nathan Parker, was nominated for 2023 Anthony and Lefty awards. Now Oceanview Publishing is releasing L’Etoile’s first book in a series about Sacramento, California, police detective Emily Hunter and her partner Javier Medina on November 7, 2023.

Hunter and Medina are called to what appears to be a violent home invasion in which the home owner is killed and his wife beaten. Both the mayor and the chief of police were on the scene when Hunter and Medina arrived, signaling the victims had political connections. In fact, the home owner was Roger Townsend, who ran the mayor’s last election campaign. The Townsends’ social and political pull permeated and hindered the investigation considerably, yet Hunter and Medina, who make a good team, managed to uncover some questionable alliances between the Townsends and local gangs. They soon began to wonder if the ostensible home invasion wasn’t a cover for something else entirely.

This is an encouraging start to a new police procedural series. The interaction and collaborative cooperation between Hunter and Medina are among the best parts of the book. The subplot of Hunter’s search for care for her failing mother hits home for a lot of folks these days. The mingling of gangs and politicians with questionable ethics is well done.

However, I feel compelled to point out that I am really tired of the competent cop fighting inept upper management trope that is so common now. Not that useless managers don’t exist, I have had more than my fair share of them. But portraying upper management as blithering idiots is not realistic. It’s more accurate to show them as consumed with the administrative demands of their positions: the higher up the chain any employee in any organization moves, the more attuned they have to be to financial and political dynamics. I always thought Steven Havill handled the uninformed manager in the early Bill Gastner books exceptionally well. Gastner made a point of getting along with his boss, no matter how little he knew, because Gastner understood it was part of his job. Gastner also recognized the strengths his boss brought to the sheriff’s office and acknowledged them openly. It’s an approach more writers of police procedurals should consider.

Booklist gave this title a starred review.

 

·         Publisher: ‎Oceanview Publishing (November 7, 2023)

·         Language: ‎English

·         Hardcover: ‎320 pages

·         ISBN-10: ‎1608095878

·         ISBN-13: ‎978-1608095872

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/40khNa1   

 

Aubrey Nye Hamilton ©2023

Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.

 

Murder Books: 30 DAYS IN THE HOLE by James L’Etoile

 Murder Books: 30 DAYS IN THE HOLE by James L’Etoile