In a quiet neighborhood in Los Angeles overlooking the Pacific Ocean—in a pristine home with lush gardens—James Brant returns from a late night at work to find his young wife, Nikki, savagely murdered in their bed.
At least that’s his story.
But for Detective Lena Gamble, thrust into the limelight as she tackles her first major case, it’s only a beginning into a dark, twisted journey and a series of ritualized killings that point to a serial killer like no other.
Dubbed ‘Romeo’ by an insatiable media, the killer’s pattern draws Lena into a treacherous web of deceit that may be linked to her own past—the murder of her rock star brother, gunned down on a dark street in Hollywood five years ago.
With panic over the murders sweeping across the city and wildfires burying the streets in clouds of smoke, Lena rips through the evidence and uncovers Romeo’s vile secret.
But now no one is safe. Not even her, as the hunter becomes the hunted, and Romeo believes only Lena Gamble can satisfy his every desire.
Out of answers and out of hope, Lena knows in her heart of hearts that there’s only one way left to end Romeo’s barbaric rampage. Face the terror head-on and enter the madman’s world—on her own.
PRAISE FOR THE LENA GAMBLE THRILLERS
“City of Fire is a gripping, spooky crime novel.”
—The New York Times “Hot List” Pick
“City of Fire is my kind of crime novel. Gritty, tight and assured. Riding with Detective Lena Gamble through the hills of Los Angeles is something I could get used to. She’s tough, smart, and most of all, she’s real.”
—Michael Connelly
“City of Fire features a tough but deeply flawed protagonist, a tantalizingly complex plot, fully realized—and realistic—characters, and most of all, a palpable intensity. And if that weren’t enough, the bombshell plot twist at the novel’s conclusion makes this an absolute must read for thriller aficionados.”
—Chicago Tribune
“I just discovered Robert Ellis. This book is terrific.”
—Janet Evanovich, People magazine, City of Fire
“Fast, gruesome, and twisted, like a scary Jodie Foster movie.”
—Library Journal, City of Fire
“Scorching. Deliciously twisted. Ellis succeeds masterfully in both playing fair and pulling surprise after surprise in a story that feels like a runaway car plunging down a mountain road full of switchbacks.”
—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review, The Lost Witness
“A killer crime tale with relentless twists.”
—Booklist, Starred Review, The Lost Witness
“Murder Season: a terrific sick-soul-of-LA thriller. Before you can say Chinatown we are immersed in a tale of mind-boggling corruption where virtually every character in the book—with the exception of Lena—has a hidden agenda. Ellis is a master plotter. Along the way we meet wonderful characters.”
—Connecticut Post, Murder Season
A Lena Gamble Novel, Book 1
