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Eve Diamond Mystery #4
Savage Garden
Nationally bestselling and critically acclaimed author Denise Hamilton returns with a new Eve Diamond novel that courses through L.A.'s vibrant theater community and confirms her reputation for sexy, sophisticated crime writing with an urban edge."L.A. Times" reporter Eve Diamond has been looking forward to a romantic date with her new love, Silvio Aguilar, for quite some time. She envisions opening night at the theater, cocktails, and then a sultry evening to catch up on all they've been missing. But when the play's beautiful and notoriously unstable lead actress, Catarina Velosi, fails to appear, Eve learns that Silvio and the missing woman share a complicated past. And his friend, gangbanger-turned-playwright Alfonso Reventon, may know more than he lets on when he dispatches Silvio to Catarina's Echo Park bungalow to check up on his leading lady.
A messy scene indicates that Catarina could have been abducted--or worse--and when it becomes clear that Silvio is no stranger to the actress's home, or her bed, Eve must stifle her own feelings of betrayal and fight to clear his name. She knows Silvio is innocent...or does she?
Summoning her journalist's skills and steeling herself for further revelations, Eve methodically approaches the players in Catarina's personal tragedy, including Alfonso, the actress's sometime lover and director, and the high-strung and evasive Marisela Reventon, Alfonso's jealous wife. An enigmatic drama instructor, a powerful movie mogul, and a lecherous political yes-man round out the intriguing cast. Is one of them hiding something that might lead Eve to the truth? And who is responsible for attacking her in a darkened street and threatening herlife?
To complicate matters, Eve's been assigned to mentor young African-American reporter Felice Morgan, who insinuates herself into the case at every turn. Felice's overeager boasting on the job escalates into outright lies, testing Eve's conscience as a reporter and a friend. As Eve begins to suspect Felice of unethical journalism, she navigates a treacherous landscape in both her professional and personal life. From the barrio to the newsroom, nothing--and no one--can be taken at face value in this intoxicating tale of scandal, murder, and revenge.
"The Washington Times" says "Hamilton writes like the pro she is," and with Savage Garden, her star is on the rise. Frequently compared to Raymond Chandler and his classic detective Philip Marlowe, but with a sleek, modern veneer, Denise Hamilton and Eve Diamond have cut a groundbreaking swath through the streets of ethnically and culturally diverse Los Angeles, revealing the glory and the corruption of their beloved hometown.
A messy scene indicates that Catarina could have been abducted--or worse--and when it becomes clear that Silvio is no stranger to the actress's home, or her bed, Eve must stifle her own feelings of betrayal and fight to clear his name. She knows Silvio is innocent...or does she?
Summoning her journalist's skills and steeling herself for further revelations, Eve methodically approaches the players in Catarina's personal tragedy, including Alfonso, the actress's sometime lover and director, and the high-strung and evasive Marisela Reventon, Alfonso's jealous wife. An enigmatic drama instructor, a powerful movie mogul, and a lecherous political yes-man round out the intriguing cast. Is one of them hiding something that might lead Eve to the truth? And who is responsible for attacking her in a darkened street and threatening herlife?
To complicate matters, Eve's been assigned to mentor young African-American reporter Felice Morgan, who insinuates herself into the case at every turn. Felice's overeager boasting on the job escalates into outright lies, testing Eve's conscience as a reporter and a friend. As Eve begins to suspect Felice of unethical journalism, she navigates a treacherous landscape in both her professional and personal life. From the barrio to the newsroom, nothing--and no one--can be taken at face value in this intoxicating tale of scandal, murder, and revenge.
"The Washington Times" says "Hamilton writes like the pro she is," and with Savage Garden, her star is on the rise. Frequently compared to Raymond Chandler and his classic detective Philip Marlowe, but with a sleek, modern veneer, Denise Hamilton and Eve Diamond have cut a groundbreaking swath through the streets of ethnically and culturally diverse Los Angeles, revealing the glory and the corruption of their beloved hometown.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published February 28, 2005
3 people are currently reading
84 people want to read
About the author
Denise Hamilton
32 books117 followersDenise Hamilton is a Los Angeles-based writer-journalist whose work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Wired, Cosmopolitan, Der Spiegel, and New Times. A reporter for the L.A. Times for ten years, she covered not only L.A. stories, but also the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, the breakup of the Soviet Union, and burgeoning youth movements in Japan. A Fulbright scholar, she taught in the former Yugoslavia during the Bosnian War. She lives in a Los Angeles suburb with her husband and two young children. Her first novel, The Jasmine Trade, received wide acclaim and was a finalist for the Edgar, Anthony, Macavity, and WILLA Awards.
Series:
* Eve Diamond Mystery
Series:
* Eve Diamond Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 1, 2013
I found this kind of bland; not bad, not good, just neutral. None of the characters resonated with me and I really didn't care who the murderer was, why they did it or what happened next. The characters were so thinly drawn that they seemed like shadows to me. Nothing much else to say. I wouldn't read it again or recommend it to others when there are so many other, better crime novels available.
June 2, 2008
In the beginning an intriguing who done it but it looses steam and the plot resolution is far fetched.
August 16, 2012
I just didn't enjoy this book. Didn't feel emoathy for the characters, nothing. I thought her dialogues were shallow and cliche-ish. Nope, didn't like it.
June 7, 2022
The first seven or so chapters are ridiculously slow, and I nearly slapped the delete key. It gets better, and the subplot involving a young black woman who wants to be a reporter was fascinating—arguably the best part of the book. So, this begins with a missing leading lady at a Los Angeles theater. The playwright is a former gangbanger, and theatergoers in Los Angeles thrill to his life story and apparently his play. The woman picked for the main role doesn’t show up one night, and reporter Eve Diamond and her Hispanic boyfriend investigate it. The boyfriend is along because he was a regular semen depositor, and the missing actress was more than accommodating. The boyfriend seems like a throwaway character, and Eve is close to that from my perspective.
But the plot improves when a young black woman hires on to enhance the newspaper’s ESG score—or the equivalent thereto. That newsroom just isn’t diverse enough.
Eve is immediately suspicious of the young woman. She constantly insinuates herself into Eve’s stories and always seems intent on one upping Eve when it comes time for the old byline.
They find the actress’s car then the body, but it’s up to Eve to find a killer, and there’s no end to the number of suspects. Her boyfriend is among them.
So, there’s only one more book in the series, and I’ll read that sometime in the fall or early winter. But it feels like this series is sputtering to a herky-jerky nondescript conclusion. I hope I’m wrong. The other books in the series have been memorable and excellent. Maybe it was the setting for me. Actors with egos larger than the cosmos don’t often rate as people I cheer for in a book, and when you add all kinds of Spanish names to that list, I struggle trying to remember who said what and who did what to whom. It’s a relatively short book at just under nine hours at normal speed, but I won’t remember by this time tomorrow that I read it.
But the plot improves when a young black woman hires on to enhance the newspaper’s ESG score—or the equivalent thereto. That newsroom just isn’t diverse enough.
Eve is immediately suspicious of the young woman. She constantly insinuates herself into Eve’s stories and always seems intent on one upping Eve when it comes time for the old byline.
They find the actress’s car then the body, but it’s up to Eve to find a killer, and there’s no end to the number of suspects. Her boyfriend is among them.
So, there’s only one more book in the series, and I’ll read that sometime in the fall or early winter. But it feels like this series is sputtering to a herky-jerky nondescript conclusion. I hope I’m wrong. The other books in the series have been memorable and excellent. Maybe it was the setting for me. Actors with egos larger than the cosmos don’t often rate as people I cheer for in a book, and when you add all kinds of Spanish names to that list, I struggle trying to remember who said what and who did what to whom. It’s a relatively short book at just under nine hours at normal speed, but I won’t remember by this time tomorrow that I read it.
August 12, 2017
Meh. Not the kind of thing I usually read, but better done than what I am used to from this genre. I liked the way the race issue was handled, and that class was included in that analysis, instead of separated as so many people (erringly) try to do. I don't know much about the world of reporters, so found no fault on that front. However, I knew who the killer was as soon as said character was presented in the story. (This is why I don't read these types of tales.) Mostly it was okay, although I did find myself skimming some here and there, especially in the final chapters. Seemed at that point like spitting it out and wrapping it up was crucial, rather than keeping it interesting. That was my take anyway. ----- Heard about this book from elsewhere, so when I came across it years later I remembered the title and picked it up. Didn't realized it was an ongoing series, but as these things go, it was written so as to be able to be read w/o having read the former books. Can't say I'll go in for another, though. Overall, better than I expected, but still predictable.
January 3, 2020
This story is full of action, centering around journalism and the LA theater world. Journalist Eve Diamond learns that her new love has a past with the firey Catarina Velosi, who fails to appear for opening night of her lover, Alfonso's new play, in which she is to play the lead. Eve then embarks on a mission to find out what happened to her, while having to contend with Felice Morgan, a brand new hire, who has been assigned to work with Eve. The chase takes them all over LA and into some pretty scary situations.
This is a fast-paced thriller with twists I did not see coming.
This is a fast-paced thriller with twists I did not see coming.
September 18, 2019
I have no complaints about turning the pages rapidly through this multi-cultural glimpse of celebrities and reporters in Los Angeles. All the colors were painted carefully and the surprising plot lines and actors were nearly believeable.
December 18, 2022
I like this series about an LA reporter who solves mysteries while battling the bureaucracy of her job, working through a complex relationship with a lover, and giving us a street view of life in LA. Always a fun read.
November 6, 2012
Another story revolving around the author's returning character, L.A. Times reporter, Eve Diamond. In "Savage Garden," Eve's personal relationship with boyfriend Silvio Aguilar becomes significant. Silvio, a music producer, is taking Eve to the opening of Alfonso Reventon, his best friend's, new play. Nothing goes as planned, however, when leading lady, Caterina Velosi, fails to appear. Eve unexpectedly learns that both Silvio and Alfonso have had romantic relationships with Caterina and when it becomes apparent that Alfonso's relationship is ongoing, even though he's married, Eve's reporter instincts take over. The only problem is that her editor doesn't want her "on the case," because of her personal connection to it.
As it becomes apparent that Caterina may have met with harm, Eve is not about to sit back as a bystander. She reluctantly enlists the help of cub intern, Felice Morgan, to explore the truth behind Caterina's disappearance and, hopefully, prevent Silvio from becoming a suspect. Eve, herself, can't stay away, however, and becomes central to the unfolding events, despite the order to keep clear of them. As the story advances, there are consistent twists and turns throughout, and Savage Garden becomes the perfect depiction of what is known as a "page turner."
As it becomes apparent that Caterina may have met with harm, Eve is not about to sit back as a bystander. She reluctantly enlists the help of cub intern, Felice Morgan, to explore the truth behind Caterina's disappearance and, hopefully, prevent Silvio from becoming a suspect. Eve, herself, can't stay away, however, and becomes central to the unfolding events, despite the order to keep clear of them. As the story advances, there are consistent twists and turns throughout, and Savage Garden becomes the perfect depiction of what is known as a "page turner."
August 21, 2014
As a former journalist for the LA Times, Denise Hamilton is perfectly placed to write crime fiction. Eve Diamond is Hamilton's protag, a reporter who seeks the truth, with compassion and relentless energy.
Los Angles is itself a character in Hamilton's works and Eve works those streets, knows the buildings and places of this great city. In Savage Garden, Hamilton uses these themes to craft a thriller that bridges the good life, and seamy secrets that underlie growing fame and celebrity of the Hispanic community and the LA theater world.
Always a good read, Hamilton's latest mystery is Damage Control published in 2011. She was also the editor of Akashic's LA Noir and LA Noir 2. In 2012 and 2013 Hamilton explored the exclusive world of perfume with a regular column in the LA Times called Uncommon Scents.
Enjoy Denise Hamilton reading Prisoner of Memory on this 2008 episode of Ashland Mystery, when she was a guest author of the series. Prisoner of Memory.
--Ashland Mystery
Los Angles is itself a character in Hamilton's works and Eve works those streets, knows the buildings and places of this great city. In Savage Garden, Hamilton uses these themes to craft a thriller that bridges the good life, and seamy secrets that underlie growing fame and celebrity of the Hispanic community and the LA theater world.
Always a good read, Hamilton's latest mystery is Damage Control published in 2011. She was also the editor of Akashic's LA Noir and LA Noir 2. In 2012 and 2013 Hamilton explored the exclusive world of perfume with a regular column in the LA Times called Uncommon Scents.
Enjoy Denise Hamilton reading Prisoner of Memory on this 2008 episode of Ashland Mystery, when she was a guest author of the series. Prisoner of Memory.
--Ashland Mystery
July 29, 2014
LA crime novel with a savvy heroine and snappy writing, by a journalist and about a journalist. Great pace, keeps you hooked, some good characters. I found some of it a bit unbelievable – do people really share things after a murder with journalists in this way? If this writer has experience of it, maybe they do. It just seemed a little too convenient.
The drama theme made for plenty of – you guessed it – drama, and does the playwright's art imitating life turn around and become life imitating art?
Good tension and professional rivalry between the two main journalists, plenty of action and good dialogue. As a crime fan, I would have liked stronger motivations and better plotting. But I'd certainly pick up another of her books if one comes my way.
The drama theme made for plenty of – you guessed it – drama, and does the playwright's art imitating life turn around and become life imitating art?
Good tension and professional rivalry between the two main journalists, plenty of action and good dialogue. As a crime fan, I would have liked stronger motivations and better plotting. But I'd certainly pick up another of her books if one comes my way.
March 21, 2014
This installment in the Eve Diamond series is a well written mystery with a few fast-paced sections that raise tensions near the end of the novel. Diamond unofficially investigates a disappearance that may be a murder. The plot meanders and then tightens near the end of the novel.
Hamilton's noir-era novel, 'The Last Embrace' is a favorite of mine. The Eve Diamond character is maybe a bit too metrosexual to earn my love, but the series is worth exploring. Previous reviewers have criticized the ending of this novel, but I found it to be totally plausible in the context of crime genre.
Hamilton's noir-era novel, 'The Last Embrace' is a favorite of mine. The Eve Diamond character is maybe a bit too metrosexual to earn my love, but the series is worth exploring. Previous reviewers have criticized the ending of this novel, but I found it to be totally plausible in the context of crime genre.
August 7, 2011
Little more gritty than I like. The story centers around an LA Times reporter. Do papers still have reporters? They seem to be dying out and what they do carry, they seem to pick up from the internet - or you can pick up from the internet.
In any event this did hold my interest until the end. I was a bit disappointed by the resolution - it was a bit contrived and I hate when a very minor character that is hardly mentioned, ends up being the murderer. Its almost cheating, it seems.
In any event this did hold my interest until the end. I was a bit disappointed by the resolution - it was a bit contrived and I hate when a very minor character that is hardly mentioned, ends up being the murderer. Its almost cheating, it seems.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 25, 2009
i hadn't encountered an eve diamond novel before. it was interesting to read a book based on the outlook of a big city reporter. her boy friend silvio aguilar sounds interesting--hope they continue the relationship. also interesting is her having to mentor a young woman reporter who seems to be in competition with her at times. it is definitely "gritty" as publishers weekly terms it.
February 16, 2009
Hamilton is a former LATimes reporter and knows LA and its multicultural communities very well. Her series (of which this is one) should appeal to those that like Chandler and Ross MacDonald. I just wish her character, Eve Diamond, would learn to pick more trustworthy boyfriends...
April 16, 2008
I give this book 3.75 stars. I don't read many mysteries but I do enjoy the Eve Diamond series.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews