St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Ellis writes well and has a good sense of pace and timing. Once you start The Lost Witness, you'll stay with it through those zigs and zags. And even when you finish the book, it'll spring up like a side effect each time you see those pharmaceutical commercials on the network evening news."

New Mystery Reader Magazine

"One of the first things noticed when reading Ellis´s latest (The Lost Witness), much like his first, is the realistic and fantastic job he does with his approach to this high octane tale from a female´s perspective. With not too much, and not too little, his creation of a female heroine comes off with just the right amount of bravado and sensitivity to convince even the most discerning of readers. And to top that off, while the story starts off with an even and steady tone, its steady but ever-increasing pace heads towards the explosive ending like a firecracker; one that explodes with more force and surprises than ever expected. And it´s in reaching this unexpected ending and finding out finally who done what and why that makes this read top-notch; there´s much more here than meets the eye. Filled with greed, big money, family loyalty, and things best left to the reader to discover on their own, this is one that comes highly recommended."

Barry Martin, Book'em Mysteries, Pasadena, CA

"With City of Fire Robert Ellis joins the elite company of California crime writers like Robert Crais, Michael Connelly, Don Winslow and T. Jefferson Parker. City of Fire captures the L.A. landscape with a crackling good story, great character development and solid writing. Robert Ellis is a writer to watch."

NightsAndWeekends.com

"With a gritty heroine and a case that swoops and twists all over the

place, Murder Season takes readers on a thrill ride full of hairpin turns

and unexpected obstacles. All of the suspects look equally guilty, and the investigation will challenge your mind while keeping you hooked on the compelling crime story."

Bookgasm.com

"LAPD detective Lena Gamble is assigned to a double murder in MURDER SEASON, Robert Ellis’ third in the series. It’s a challenging enough assignment, but Gamble quickly learns exactly how tough it is when her own law enforcement allies turn against her."

"With the original prosecution referred to as a “slam dunk,” and an assumed killer — in the trial of public opinion — set free due to police incompetence, Ellis’ novel can’t help but carry echoes of the infamous O.J. Simpson trial. The author readily acknowledges this in his narrative, as well as other lesser-known cases where the mishandling of evidence resulted in unexpected verdicts. As the story progresses, however, Ellis adds several factors that distinguish this from its predecessors."

"His style is mostly straight-ahead and to-the-point, with some noticeably impressionistic passages that open and close the novel. Yet, at every moment when a conclusion seems obvious, Ellis tosses in twists and surprises that propel the story to different levels, keeping us guessing until the final page."

"The combination of unanticipated revelations and the effectively portrayed sense of utter alienation that eats away at Gamble’s confidence make this the most intense and haunting entry of the series to date."

"What’s certain is that Gamble, thanks to MURDER SEASON, is now among the growing list of female crime-fiction protagonists as worthy of following as any of their male counterparts."

Janet Evanovich, People Magazine

"I just discovered this guy. City of Fire is terrific."

Chicago Tribune

"City of Fire by Robert Ellis is a no-holds-barred, barnburner of a thriller

that blends Los Angeles-style crime fiction a la Michael Connelly with

pulse-pounding Dean Koontzian psychological suspense. With a

Southern California increasingly threatened by Santa Ana-fueled

wildfires as backdrop, the emotionally supercharged story line centers

on a killer who terrorizes west Los Angeles ... like Connelly´s gritty

Bosch saga, 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."

Baltimore Sun

"Ellis nicely depicts how the unsolved murder of Lena's musician brother casts a specter over her life and work. But City of Fire is ... about its propulsive plot: the ins and outs of police investigation and how the growing horror of a mad multiple murderer loose on the fiery streets of Los Angeles leads to unexpected decisions, layers of betrayal, and a scorcher of an ending."

Oline H. Cogdill:

BEST MYSTERIES OF THE YEAR

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

"Robert Ellis' brisk, complex City of Fire is hot stuff. Ellis excels at vivid writing and the expert plotting keeps the reader off-kilter. Ellis takes the police procedural and makes it a tale of personal corruption and desire, where right and wrong overlap. Here, the answers aren't easy as Lena wonders about 'blowback ... what the truth could do to a soul.' L.A., which is written about so often, seems fresh in the hands of an original storyteller such as Ellis."

Library Journal

"This potboiler dishes it out. This book is fast, gruesome and twisted, like a scary Jodie Foster movie. Ellis makes it easy to be terrified. Recommended for all popular collections."

Publishers Weekly

"Through the literal and metaphorical fog of a forest fire that rages through much of Ellis´s tense third thriller (after Access to Power and The Dead Room) ... the story is tight, the characters alive ... and the end refreshingly uncharacteristic of female protagonists."

Kirkus Reviews

"An LAPD detective goes out on an emotional limb chasing a violent serial killer. Lena Gamble and her new partner, Hank Novak, are called

to an early morning crime scene in a small house near the Pacific Coast Highway ... A complex portrait of the flawed but righteous Lena by Ellis (The Dead Room, 2002, etc.) makes this sure-footed police procedural something special."

Mystery Scene Magazine

"City of Fire begins like a roller coaster, building tension, anxiety and fear. Then it plunges at full speed, spiraling and twisting through scenes that will have hearts pounding and fingers flying through the pages. But there is no smooth braking to a stop in this book. It careens to the end

and then flies off the rail with a shocking twist that will leave readers stunned. Robert Ellis is a master of suspense."

Library Journal

"Certain powerful and corrupt individuals, some of them with the LAPD, arrange an efficient murder. Then, curiously, the department assigns the case to a detective whom they think will mess up the investigation. Two problems emerge: Robbery-Homicide Detective Lena Gamble (City of Fire) has no intention of failing, and there is an unknown witness helping her. Doggedly, Lena cuts through all the corruption, defies her superiors’ orders, and, of course, puts herself in danger repeatedly. Ellis’s elaborate puzzle is a nail-biter to the final page. Great LA settings enhance this high-speed thriller. Recommended for all popular collections."

The Guardian (UK)

"Ellis piles on the Hollywood atmosphere and procedural detail, and the end revelation is expertly timed and genuinely shocking."

The Evening Telegraph (UK)

"The Lost Witness is a tough thriller that makes Ellis a name to watch."

Toronto Sun (CA)

"The Lost Witness is another gripping story by a writer who knows the seamy L.A. underworld well."

The Kingston Observer

"City of Fire, the first in the Lena Gamble series, was good, but this second installment, The Lost Witness, is better. Nothing is as it seems in this unputdownable thriller which stars a woman of uncommon courage."

"'Murder Season' is, at its heart, a kick ass police procedural with lots of twists. Ellis is also wonderful with characters, and he makes you care not only about Lena Gamble, but about several other characters in the book, notably a cop on his way down. Ellis's thoughtful meditations on what's right and what's wrong make this novel a standout. The rest of the series is good, but 'Murder Season' is a cut above."

"Lena Gamble works for the victim, and she pays no attention to office politics, making her extremely likable. She goes for the throat no matter whose it may be. She gets in the tight spaces and uncovers damaging proof—and she isn’t afraid to drag it into the light for all to see. She’s one heck of a strong character, and I look forward to seeing more of her."

"Murder Season will sweep through your reading hours like a raging, out of control forest fire. It roars with suspense and growls with danger—and the unexpected and clever conclusion will leave you with your mouth hanging open in shock. You might just need to be put on oxygen after reading this one."

"Within the space of a few books, Ellis has demonstrated that rare ability to skillfully navigate his readers through a complex plot filled with interesting, dangerous and surprising characters. If you need an escape from the anxiety of the season -- or even if you don’t -- MURDER SEASON is just the ticket."

"Even he is "unable to comprehend how anyone, no matter what their psychological issues ... could do this to any living thing." Jones is a bystander to the crime that ignites the plot: a teacher's affair with his student that ends horribly. Why do the arresting officers start dying? Why do murders continue after the presumed killer is caught? Characters multiply and the plot grows ever more complex, but Ellis keeps everything in focus while building a staggering forward momentum. Then a tsunami of revelations and reversals begins, each put forth with stunning emotional force as everything Jones--and the reader--knew for sure is turned on its head. Awesome, as the kids say, but not necessarily right for late-night reading. Not those Chelsea Grins."

That’s pretty close identification with a character, and only really good writers can make you feel so strongly about one.

As the threads of the cases began to draw together with a sizable chunk of the novel left to go, I wondered where Ellis was going with his story. The denouement is powerful, heartbreaking, and explicates Matt’s decisions and character, all at the same time. City of Echoes is another bravura effort from the talented Robert Ellis.

It’s been a few years since we have had anything from Ellis, a fact that makes the publication of CITY OF ECHOES all the sweeter, if “sweeter” is a word we want to attach to this grim, violent and wonderful novel. Ellis introduces Matt Jones to his constellation in the LAPD firmament. Jones is a detective with extensive military combat background. He had been working in Narcotics prior to his transfer to Homicide. His celebratory dinner is marred by a tragic and ironic murder mere steps from the restaurant where it is to take place. The crime is laid at the feet of the “three-piece bandit,” a polite but elusive holdup man who had been robbing people at gunpoint. The problem is that the three-piece bandit had never injured anyone prior to this.

CITY OF ECHOES is full of surprises. Ellis’ trademark plotting is on full display here. Think of a cube of C4 detonated in a closet, and you’ll be close to what he does with his numerous twists and turns.