The Lost Coast

This is the fifth in the Clay Edison coroner turned private eye series written by the father and son Kellerman team. It is the third I have read; it works well as a standalone.

While investigating a property sales fraud case, Clay finds a relatively unknown and dangerous section of the California coast known as Swan’s Landing that seems to be a hotbed for a real estate scam that preys on vulnerable individuals. When he visits, his questions put him in danger especially when he becomes interested in searching for a missing person.

I am a big fan of Jonathan Kellerman’s Alex Delaware series and enjoy this one as well. These books have the authors’ characteristically vivid detailed descriptions that paint a good sense of place. They show more are observant and often amusing. This is a quick read with a bit of a tangled plot A new player, a fellow female PI is introduced who is quite the character. And speaking of characters, the inhabitants of Swan’s Landing are uniquely peculiar.

Thanks to #NetGalley and @RandomHouse #ballantinebooks for the DRC. show less

The Lost Coast by Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman is a very highly recommended mystery/thriller and the fifth book in the series featuring private investigator Clay Edison written by the acclaimed father-son duo.

Clay Edison is now a licensed private investigator after leaving the position of coroner's investigator. Chris Villareal, who is referred to Clay by a former client, needs help investigating a monthly payment he noticed while managing his grandmother's estate. It seems to be a simple case of real estate fraud that leads Clay to look at a remote community called Swan's Flat on Northern California’s remote Lost Coast. After reassuring his wife Amy that he will keep in close contact with her and not do anything risky, Clay show more sets off to investigate the lot Villareal's grandmother purchased.

Once there the situation is odder and more secretive than Clay anticipated. The roads are nearly nonexistent, there is no cell service, and the locals are few, reticent, and duplicitous. He is shot at by one local and another is trying to con him into buying one of the lots. It seems the area has been running an elaborate real estate con for decades. There is another mystery in the area as a local bulletin board in the nearest town is full of posters for missing people and on it Clay recognizes something that makes him expand the case.

The Lost Coast is an extremely entertaining, well-written mystery that it full of intrigue, deception, secrets, and interesting characters. The complexity of the case increases with each new turn in the investigation, which keep interest high, the pace fast, and the plot compelling. It works well as a stand alone novel, although after reading it you will likely want to go back and read the previous novels in the series.

Clay is a charismatic character who will immediately garner your support and loyalty. He is trying to follow the advice of their couples therapist and keep Amy informed of his actions, situation, and safety level. All the characters are fully realized and interesting. Part way through the novel Clay teams up with Regina, another PI, and the scenes with the two working together are golden and sometimes hilarious. I hope to see her team up with Clay again in the future.

This really is a smart, interesting and un-put-downable investigative mystery. I'm looking forward to the next installment. Thanks to Random House/Ballantine for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
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My thanks to Goodreads FirstReads and Ballantine Books for my ARC.

Clay Edison, former coroner, has had a career change. And an identity change. He is now Clay Gardner, PI. Conducting investigations of a different sort.

His current case BEGAN as a property fraud. That was what he was hired for. But then someone went missing…

Although I’ve read a few books by Jonathan Kellerman, this was my first by Jesse. I did like the snappy dialogues and humor. The character descriptions were vivid. But there were too many of them to keep track of how they were connected to one another. The plot became convoluted. Finishing it was a struggle.

Quick read, enjoyable. I just somehow lost the relationships between all the characters, so while it had a great climactic ending, it lost it's punch for me. Clay Edison, former coroner, is hired to look into a shady real estate deal by the grandson of a recent decedent. This takes Clay to the lost cost of California and a multiple missing persons case and some very wicked local townspeople (population 10).

An enjoyable mystery novel with good characters, timing and dialog. Easy to follow; exciting but not overwhelming.

Quick read.

The Lost Coast is a book that sadly starts out in one direction and then becomes a completely different story. In the end characters appeared and then died leaving the reader not understanding what the significance of the character was to the story. This is not one of Jesse or his father, Jonathan's better stories. Only three stars were given to this book.

Great story and character building & development. It was a fast and very pleasurable read