A wonderful mix of crime procedural, western and time-travelling scifi. The story is compelling and successfully manages to entertain you, amuse you and even make you think. The plot is well-thought, characters are fleshed out and you're constantly wondering what will happen next. A 2023 favorite, no doubt.

Calico by Lee Goldberg The story if filled with interesting people, history, romance, humor, and science (fiction and real). A truly unique blend of an old wild west adventure combined with a present day mystery. The shift between past and present is flawless making time travel entirely conceivable. An exceptionally entertaining and one of a kind story.
Thank you to the author, Lee Goldberg, Severn House and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

This book has everything that I love in a good read. There’s a great plot, one which you have no idea how everything can be tied up into a believable ending, a bit of romance, police investigation, the old West and engaging characters. There’s also been some really good research done, particularly for the area around Calico, the scientific areas needed and a really large dose of imagination. Loved it!

I liked the fact that there are two distinct stories being told, Beth’s and Owens. Beth is an interesting character, flawed, determined, dogged and likeable, except maybe by the baddies she comes across. She’s had her own share of bad luck, by the way she was treated when working as a Dectective in the LAPD, but has fought back, not letting it make her so embittered that she can’t do her job. Owen has his own charm too, and is more resilient than he thinks he is, passionate about his daughter Nicole, and determined to try to let her know how much he loves her. I love the nods to the present day that are used in the late 1890s, some made me laugh out loud, and also how mind boggling upsetting the future from the past can be. All in all a must-read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I must say that Calico by Lee Goldberg was not what I expected, but in a good way. Going from a good police procedural to a time travel story, the history of the town of Calico, CA at two different times in its life was a really interesting way to write a mystery. Between the travails of Beth McDade, a jaded police detective relegated to the California desert around Barstow and the unexplained explosions on the military base nearby and the unexplained deaths and disappearances of various characters, this book will keep you guessing and wanting to finish!

First read by this author even though his other books have been on my radar for awhile. I love the mystery of starting a recommended book without reading the synopsis. I do read it after finishing the book and I felt this one could have been more effective.

Wow this book was interesting and took me on a quite the journey to say the least! The main character was intriguing to the point that I don’t know if I liked her or not. There was a decent number making up the remaining cast of characters to help support the telling of this story. A homestretch that was a little long but wrapped up the story with only one loose end. Excellent writing. Nice ending…..and this book left me thinking a bit.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this opportunity in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first book by this author, but it was a great read, so it won’t be my last. I loved a good police procedural and this book delivered. The writing well was developed and on point and wove elements of historical fiction into the story. The descriptions were wonderful, and I could picture the entire book in my head as I was reading. I always have a lot of fun with that. I enjoyed that this book was told from current and past timelines. This book has plenty of drama, and the twists and reveals were wonderful.

Thank you so much to the publisher and netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve never read anything from this author, but I am familiar with some of the shows he’s worked. I loved them, so I definitely wanted to read this. Man is it weird to read a book set in the area you grew up! I’ve never in my life read a book that mentions Barstow or Victorville, and I read a lot. (Describing the meth labs and gang members is spot on. Try being the tiny nerdy girl in that setting.) This book was so entertaining! It made me think of Blake Crouch’s Dark Matter if it was part western. Really well-done and kept me interested until the very end. I would be so happy if there were a sequel!

Huge thanks to Severn House and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

This modern-day police procedural turns up an unexpected link to a mining town’s past, and the rest of the narrative alternates between past and present. Goldberg is an expert at well-paced novels featuring homicide detectives, so you know you’re in good hands, but this one takes a different turn. The chapters taking place in the past are detailed and entertaining (though the repeated references to bodily functions were definitely excessive). If you’ve watched enough TV, the general idea here will be familiar. You have to be willing to play the game and suspend disbelief. Surprisingly, this is easier for the overall premise than it is for some trivial day-to-day stuff.

There are some cute twists on the old TV trope; for example, the old-timers use a clever signaling method that is very funny. The ending is fun and satisfying on all points but one: we never find out where that one guy bought his improbably durable lightning cable. I’d like to switch brands.

Thanks to Netgalley and Severn House for a digital advance review copy.

When I picked up this book, I was prepared for a great police procedural, like the previous books I had read by Lee Goldberg. WOW... I was wrong! This was a wonderfully written book that encompasses a huge electrical storm, missing person and a man that was hit by a RV at the same time, on the same highway. What the heck has happened? This book was so wonderfully written with a vivid description of the historical scenes. I ended up really enjoying this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for allowing me to preview this great book.

"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!"

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5818916550
https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/775203396

I’ve been a fan of author Lee Goldberg for a long time. Between his nonfiction books about television (which all TV lovers should read) and his novels, I’ve read close to 20 of his books.

His latest, CALICO, is probably my favorite of all of them.

Golberg combines multiple genres in CALICO. It’s partly a mystery, partly a western, and partly science fiction. It has a very unique and clever storyline. Plus, there’s a very nice mixture of drama and action, with some nice humor sprinkled in here and there.

I’ve never read anything else quite like it before. I mean that in the best possible of ways.

CALICO is one of those special kinds of books that is probably most enjoyable for readers if they don’t know too much about the plot before they begin reading it. Therefore, I’m not going to say much more about it, because I don’t want to spoil any of the many great twists and surprises in the storyline.

If you’re looking for a very entertaining read, you can’t go wrong with CALICO. I’m already looking forward to reading it again.

NOTE: I received an advanced reading copy of the book from the publisher, Severn House, via NetGalley.

Ideal for fans of fire-cracker fast American Noir, twisted with time travel. A sure-fire hit for this bestselling author.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.

A new character is introduced in this police procedural. Beth McDade is called to the scene of a vagrant run over by an RV out in the California desert near Barstow. The case is intriguing because it happens moments after explosions happened at the two military bases near the site. The body is strange because it seems to be dressed in clothing that is original to the 1800's and he is suffering from maladies and diseases common to miners of that time. On that same night a motorist driving to LA from Las Vegas vanishes without a trace. In her further investigations a coffin is found at a construction site but the bones inside are over 100 years old, but have a titanium elbow replacement from the 1990's. A fascinating adventure unfolds that is hard to put down.
This is a fast paced thriller with possible world changing results for some.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I have already encouraged people to read it as soon as they can get it!

Calico is essentially two stories in one: a mystery thriller, and a slice-of-life drama about a man trapped in the past. The past narrative truly compels, while the thriller is a middle of the road police procedural.

The thriller’s plot is good. Detective Beth McDade’s latest case involves a dead man that, according to the autopsy, stepped straight out of the 1800’s. This leads her down a twisty road involving secret military experiments and time travel. However, the plot comes with distinctly average trappings. The prose is brisk, but not evocative enough to consistently create a strong atmosphere. As a character, Beth never rises above her very stereotypical traits: she is a disgraced, lonely cop, trying to protect people just as her deceased father did as a police officer. I found her sympathetic, but not very interesting. The side characters don’t help much as they are lightly sketched. Readers that like police procedural tropes may be satisfied. Most others will be disappointed.

In the past narrative, Owen Slader finds himself transported away from his daughter and into the 1880’s to the small mining town of Calico, California. The prose and the characterizations (if now less stereotypical) are similar, but the story sets itself apart by its detailed, seemingly very well-researched rendition of the past. It vividly captures how rough the past without our modern comforts is (Calico has no sewer system) and what adjustments would be necessary to get used to past sensibilities. The plot is also surprisingly wholesome, and the story unique as Owen makes the best out of his situation and carves out a life for himself as a chef.

Calico’s final sticking point is the way it weaves the two narratives together. At times they meld well, especially before the climax, building suspense off each other. At the same time, both narratives are dropped for extended periods of time (it takes a while for the past narrative to even come into play) and I suspect many readers will be frustrated, preferring one narrative over the other. Additionally, because of the reader’s knowledge of the past, much of Beth’s revelations at the end are already known and lack the shock the best reveals give. (That said, there is one good twist that caught me off guard.)

All in all, if you like the familiar elements of a police procedural, but are interested in a genre twist, Calico is worth investigating.

Thank you to Severn House and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I became a huge fan of Lee Goldberg because of the Ian Ludlow series, each of which (at the time of this review) was a 5-star read. So, I was really excited by the opportunity to read a new series from this author.

And half of the book met those expectations. I really enjoyed the police-procedural style mystery focusing on Detective McDade, a down-on-her-luck former LAPD officer trying to maintain her career in a more rural SoCal area. As the book begins, she catches a couple of seemingly unrelated cases - in particular, a driver in a motor home runs over a person and bones are found buried in land being developed.

My disappointment with the book is mainly with the other half of the story. It's hard to properly explain the connection without spoiling it, but suffice it to say that this portion of the story is set in the 1880s and relates in some capacity to time travel. Unfortunately, that construct just doesn't appeal to me. I think this portion was well-written, just not interesting to me.

This is a 3/5 for me...a good, not great book. Extra credit for the wonderful, vivid descriptions and quick pacing.

It is February 2019 as Calico by Lee Goldberg opens and Beth McDade is in Barstow, California. Not that she ever wanted to be there, but in the here and now, she is doing time in exile. Things went bad for her in Los Angeles. There was a media driven firestorm and she had to leave the police department in disgrace.

After the scandal hit the media fan, her name and reputation in the minds of many meant that it was almost impossible to get a job. She finally did with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s department and is a detective. She is assigned to the substation in Barstow and is on call almost always, even when off duty. It means that even when she has spent the previous few hours drinking at a local place where everybody knowns your business, and she is currently in bed with a man from the bar, she still gets called out to bodies.

Like when a couple in a RV hit somebody who ran out in the road in front of them. That just happened outside of Peggy Sue’s in nearby Yerno. A roadside diner, it is part of string of small places clustered there at the highway, and is the last stop for gas or a remnant of civilization until one gets to Baker, about fifty miles to the east across yet more desert.

The deceased might have been homeless considering his clothing and general appearance. The couple claim that there was lightning storm in the sky and then a boom from the nearby Marine base. The driver looked over to see what was happening and when he looked back, the guy was screaming and running right out in the road in front of him. The husband and wife are very upset.

According to Sheriff’s Deputy Willits, who was first on the scene, the breath analyzer indicates neither one has been drinking. He is ready to write it off as an accident.

While Deputy Willits is sure it was an accident and Deputy Beth McDade would tend to agree, she does have some questions. Why was he running across the parking lot of the diner in terror seconds before impact. Why does he have some items on his person that have not been seen in decades? Why did the Security Chief for the Marine Corps Logistic Base nearby, Bill Knox, showed up on scene, ask her some questions, and then bald faced lied to her.

This is the first of several cases, a couple of which are interlinked, that become her focus in Calico by Lee Goldberg. This police procedural features adult language, adult situations including sexual intimacy, and is not for everyone. It is also very complicated and well worth your time. Cases from the past and the present are worked by a detective that does her job and more as she pursues answers and justice.

This reviewer is deliberately ignoring a major chunk of the story as to not cause any spoilers. This is a read that will bend your mind and is well worth your time. Calico by Lee Goldberg is very good.

My reading copy came by way of Severn House and a NetGalley ARC. There was no expectation of a review. The book releases on November 7th.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2023

Lee Goldberg is a compelling writer, and Calico was no exception. A mysterious explosion and disappearance, old bones and modern technology and a military cover-up are all part of the puzzle. Unnecessary sex scenes were a detraction from an otherwise interesting read and limit my recommendation.

Wow, what a wild ride this one was and in two dimensions. Calico by Lee Goldberg is as usually well written but he took me by surprise with this great story of travel. It was not what I expected and at first I was a little doubtful but it turned out to be a rivetting story that I had trouble putting down. Such a well researched story and wonderful characters and the story, the story is intruiging to put it mildly. I haven't read everything by this author but so far everything I have read is great. I highly recommend that you try this book when it's out in stores in early November. I give a big thank you to Severn House and also Netgalley for letting me read this advance copy.

Initially I wasn’t sure what to make of this book, time travelling and crime solving just seemed ridiculous. But the more I read on, the more invested I became, especially in life in 1882. It took to the end for the story to knit together in an almost believable fashion which brought out the best in all involved, well almost! A long time fan of Lee Goldberg, this was a little left field but completely riveting by the end. Thank you to Netgalley for the advance reader copy.

I loved the unapologetically savvy Beth McDade, a detective fighting her way back from a hard time in her life. She just wants to do her job, find answers for the dead bodies. But it seems nobody else wants her investigation to get anywhere close to the truth. No matter how many times Beth is warned off, she keeps searching, even when the evidence leads her to a conclusion she can't quite believe.
The authentic desert location is is so well written, I felt like I'd been there. You really can't say much more without spoilers. Calico didn't keep me up late, but I woke up this morning thinking about it and read two hours before breakfast. Highly recommended!