Struggling actor Wally Nash didn't really know what he signed up for when he agreed to be Edison Bixby's "minder." Bixby is wealthy, handsome, and-- due to a traumatic brain injury-- impulsively rude. Wally has been hired to keep Bixby from offending everyone he meets.
A former police detective with a 100% clearance rate, Bixby is now an insurance investigator who solves his cases by figuring out how the design of the man-made world around us makes them possible.
Wally's first case with Bixby looks like a simple accident, but Bixby is positive that the victim was murdered by design, subtly manipulated into causing her own demise. Now all Bixby has to do is prove his theory before more people die.
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Having enjoyed and come to depend on Lee Goldberg's laugh-out-loud funny, fast-paced thrillers with his Ian Ludlow and Eve Ronin series, I was really looking forward to this first Edison Bixby novel, Murder by Design. Unfortunately, the book fell flat for me.
Edison Bixby's looks, wealth, and home would make him the stuff of fairy tales if not for his mouth. He's always been obnoxious, but a traumatic brain injury has loosened what few restraints he had on his tongue. No longer in the Los Angeles Police Department, he is now the stuff of nightmares for the insurance company that hired him. The man needs someone to keep a close eye on him to prevent any more lawsuits, and that's where wannabe movie star Wally Nash comes in.
We see everything through Wally's eyes, and for a while, that's entertaining. (He tends to see everything as an opportunity for his Big Break in films.) Also intriguing is Bixby's contention that the design of man-made things can be the source of crime. Then, there's the relationship Bixby has with LAPD officer Bridget McGregor. Not only did McGregor get right up my nose, but I just couldn't buy into how their relationship worked.
In fact, that wasn't the only thing that didn't quite make sense. Too many aspects felt over the top. To be honest, the suspension bridge of my disbelief collapsed two-thirds of the way through Murder by Design. Perhaps it was partially due to my low tolerance of obnoxiousness. Hopefully, your mileage will vary.
Murder by Design by Lee Goldberg
eISBN: 9781662533600
Thomas & Mercer © 2026
eBook, 236 pages
Thriller, #1 Edison Bixby
Rating: D+
Source: Net Galley
I'm so sorry to hear this one fell flat for you, Cathy. That's so disappointing when you feel let down by an author whose work you usually like. But from your description, I don't that I'd have enjoyed it, either. Better luck with another book...
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