Category: Michael Connelly Page 1 of 3

Clearing the Deck III: Tweet-length thoughts about books I can’t find time to write about

I did this last month to catch up up to 2023, but the backlog I’d accrued last year was too big for me. So here we go again. This doesn’t get me totally cuaght up, but it’s close enough. Hopefully it’ll be years before I have to resort to this again.

I frequently mention how looming Mt. TBR is getting for me, but what’s worse is my “To Write About” pile, I know I’m never going to catch up with that properly and it bugs me to no end. But in the interest of something being better than nothing, a dash of realism, and a heavy dose of self-care, I’m cutting myself some slack. This was painful to do, I was looking forward to writing about most of these, and I have so much that I want to say. But I’m just not going to get to them—and other books are starting to pile up, too. So, in 144 characters or less, here’s me cutting myself some slack.

(Click on the cover for an official site with more info)

If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face?
3.5 Stars
If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face?: My Adventures in the Art and Science of Relating and Communicating by Alan Alda
Not sure how helpful this was–but it was quite entertaining & interesting. Hours of Alda’s narration–it almost doesn’t matter what he said.
The Librarian of Crooked Lane
3 Stars
The Librarian of Crooked Lane by C.J. Archer, read by: Marian Hussey
Great idea. Okay (ish) execution. Had to push myself to keep going more than once.
The Bittlemores
4 Stars
The Bittlemores by Jann Arden
So strange at times. The ending made all of the “why am I bothering” parts worth it. Capital Q-quirky and emotionally effective. Give it a try.
Things My Son Needs to Know about the World
3.5 Stars
Things My Son Needs to Know about the World by Fredrik Backman, read by: Santino Fontana
Hilarious and touching. Backman seems more down-to-earth than expected–a great writer & a relatable dad. Should give this to my grandkid’s dad.
That Old Cloak and Dagger Routine
3 Stars
That Old Cloak and Dagger Routine by Anne Louise Bannon
Ummm…a cozy and fairly self-consciously chaste spy novel. Who knew that was possible? Wasn’t wowed, but intrigued enough to read more.
The Deal Goes Down
3.5 Stars
The Deal Goes Down by Larry Beinhart
A compelling, self-aware, action read. Really dug it, but not sure I’m 100% into the story’s wrap-up, but the denouement helped.
Endangered
3 Stars
Endangered by C.J.Box, read by: David Chandler
Ehhhh…I liked this, I think. I’m not sure what to say about it (hence the months of silence from me, I guess)
Strong Female Character
3 Stars
Strong Female Character by Fern Brady
Funny and helpful look at one woman coming to terms with an ASD diagnosis, and how she got to it.
Hammered
3 Stars
Hammered by Lindsay Buroker, read by: Vivienne Leheny
Good world, great protagonist/narrator. Decent introductory novel. I’ll be back for more.
Vampire Weekend
4 Stars
Vampire Weekend by Mike Chen
Heckuva read. Words have failed me for a year with this one. The premise, execution, characters, plot–all typical Chen greatness.
Spider-Man’s Bad Connection
3 Stars
Spider-Man’s Bad Connection by Preeti Chhibber
Not as good as book 1, but filled with everything I liked about it. Seemed more concerned about setting up the series arc than this book’s plot.
Blue Like Me
3.5 Stars
Blue Like Me by Aaron Philip Clark, read by: Preston Butler III
The mystery/police aspect of this series is great. The personal life material is less so. This author/narrator combo makes it worthwhile.
Once Upon a Tome
3 Stars
Once Upon a Tome: The Misadventures of a Rare Bookseller by Oliver Darkshire
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to work in an antiquarian bookshop or if you like quietly charming people talk about unusual occupations…
The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry
3.5 Stars
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin, read by: Scott Brick
So sweet, so heartwarming, so charming. This novel about booksellers in love–and Firkney’s adorable daughter–will steal your heart.
Killing Me
4 Stars
Killing Me by Michelle Gagnon
Great take on vigilante serial killers. Great turns and twists.
Teen Titans: Robin
3 Stars
Teen Titans: Robin by Kami Garcia, Art by: Gabriel Picolo
Not the best in the series, but Garcia’s take on these characters is good enough to overcome that. I just wish these came out faster.
Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation
2 Stars
Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation by Stuart Gibbs, read by: Emily Woo Zeller
The problem with an impossibly smart characters is that the creators behind them aren’t that smart. The results are disappointing.
Evil Valley
3 Stars
Evil Valley by Simon Hall
I like this series, I like the characters…didn’t think this was up to the author’s standards. Some great scenes and a compelling killer.
Summer Hours at the Robbers Library
2 1/2 Stars
Summer Hours at the Robbers Library by Sue Halpern, read by: Josh Bloomberg, Dara Rosenberg, Allyson Ryan
Meandering. The major reveal was a major letdown. It was just intriguing enough to keep me listening, but I wish it hadn’t been.
The Stench of Honolulu
2 Stars
The Stench of Honolulu: A Tropical Adventure by Jack Handey
What a waste of time (mine and the authors) and talent.
Pieces of Eight
3.5 Stars
Pieces of Eight by Peter Hartog
I <3 this universe. I think this case was weaker, but the character moments, growth, and magic were so great that it didn't matter. I need more.
Posthumous Education
3 Stars
Posthumous Education by Drew Hayes, read by: Kirby Heyborne
Good to be back in Fred’s world. Not the best collection of episodes for the Vampire Accountant, but pleasant enough.
The Last Ranger
3 Stars
The Last Ranger by Peter Heller, read by: Mark Deakins
Feels like a CJ Box standalone that he abandoned because he couldn’t come up with an ending. Heller couldn’t either, but called it good anyway.
The Door-to-Door Bookstore
3 Stars
The Door-to-Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn, read by: Raphael Corkhill, translated by Melody Shaw
Schmaltzy but pure-of-heart. One central character’s motivation makes no sense. Ignoring that, it’s a sweet celebration of books/readers.
Murder Your Employer
3.5 Stars
Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide by Rupert Holmes, read by: Simon Vance, Neil Patrick Harris
Possibly too clever for its own good. I vacillated between reveling in it and utter disdain. It’s a mixed-bag that won me over in the end.
Fixit
4 Stars
Fixit by Joe Ide
IQ and Dodson are back and better than ever. Who needs to say more than that?
Thornhedge
3 Stars
Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher, read by: Jennifer Blom
Great prose in service of a solid modern take on Cinderella.
Flood and Fury
4 Stars
Flood and Fury: Old Testament Violence and the Shalom of God by Matthew J. Lynch
Helpful work on Divine Violence (how to think of it, how not to think of it or avoid the idea, either) and about the conquest of Canaan.
But Have You Read the Book?
2 1/2 Stars
But Have You Read the Book?: 52 Literary Gems That Inspired Our Favorite Films by Kristen Lopez
How can a book with this premise be so dull? And snobbish, too.
The Chinese Groove
2 1/2 Stars
The Chinese Groove by Kathryn Ma, read by: James Chen
Great characters, an okay story, but the payoff wasn’t there. The ending was bad enough to make me wish I hadn’t spent the time.
Noirville
4 Stars
Noirville: Tales From The Dark Side by Chris McVeigh
15 of the best short stories I’ve ever read. This is how Crime Fiction should always be.
Grand Theft Astro
3 Stars
Grand Theft Astro by Scott Meyer, read by: Elizabeth Evans
The Stainless Steel Rat with a contemporary twist. Meyer is capable of better, but I had enough fun (not sure I’m sold on the ending)
The Eternity Fund
3.5 Stars
The Eternity Fund by Liz Monument
Dynamite dystopian adventure. Worth the $ just for the worldbuilding. The story and characters were even better–I’d relish a sequel.
The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise
4 Stars
The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise by Colleen Oakley, read by: Hillary Huber
It took me a long time to decide what this book was really about, but I enjoyed the trip. The destination was okay, too.
The Raven Thief
3 Stars
The Raven Thief by Gigi Pandian
See what I said about Spider-Man’s Bad Connection.
Killers of a Certain Age
3.5 Stars
Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn, read by: Jane Oppenheimer, Christina Delaine
Who doesn’t enjoy an octogenarian assassin? Who doesn’t love female assassins? A group of them out for revenge? Sure-fire fun.
Vanished
3 Stars
Vanished by Kat Richardson, read by: Mia Brown
Good story, but felt underwhelmed by it all. I think it was me and my timing. not Richardson. I need to get back on this horse.
She-Hulk: Jen Again
3 Stars
She-Hulk, Vol. 1: Jen, Again by Rainbow Rowell
A real winner from Rowell. I knew I should’ve started reading this series earlier. Good art, interesting arcs, & some real smiles were induced.
How to Examine a Wolverine
3 Stars
How to Examine a Wolverine: More Tales from the Accidental Veterinarian by Philipp Schott, read by: Geet Arora
A fun Veterinarian Memoir, with a lot of heart. James Herriot with more laughs and technology.
The Green Ember
3 Stars
The Green Ember by S.D. Smith, read by: Zach Franzen
Maybe too much like Wingfeather Saga, but with rabbits instead of humans. Still, a good fantasy for the MG crowd.
Don't Hang Up
3.5 Stars
Don’t Hang Up by Benjamin Stevenson, read by: Luke Arnold, Sybilla Budd
I can’t do better than Mike Finn did. Go read what he said. It’s why I listened.
How I Won a Nobel Prize
2 1/2 Stars
How I Won a Nobel Prize by Julius Taranto, read by: Lauren Fortgang
Some good writing, but squandered for…I’m not sure really.
The Marlow Murder Club
3 Stars
The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood, read by: Nicolette McKenzie
Decent cozy with an intriguing cast of oddball slueths.
Questland
3.5 Stars
Questland by Carrie Vaughn
Jurassic Park for RPG, SF, Fantasy, etc. fans. Been a Vaughn fan for years, but don’t know that I’ve had this much fun with one of her novels.
All Systems Red
3 Stars
All Systems Red by Martha Wells, read by: Kevin R. Free
Oh, wow. I understand all the fuss over this series. I shouldn’t have slept on this–or the sequels like I have.
Self Help
3 Stars
Self Help by Ben H. Winters, read by: Wil Wheaton, Ron Perlman
Cool concept. Great cast. Entertaining but not-entirely satisfying result. Worth the time. But not much more.

Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

Clearing the Deck II: Tweet-length thoughts about books I can’t find time to write about

I did this back in January 2020, and need to do it again.

I frequently mention how looming Mt. TBR is getting for me, but what’s worse is my “To Write About” pile, I know I’m never going to catch up with that properly and it bugs me to no end. But in the interest of something being better than nothing, a dash of realism, and a heavy dose of self-care, I’m cutting myself some slack. So I’m clearing the deck of everything from 2020-2022 that I haven’t made time for. This was painful to do, I was looking forward to writing about most of these, and I have so much that I want to say. But I’m just not going to get to them—and other books are starting to pile up, too. So, in 144 characters or less, here’s me cutting myself some slack.

How bad am I at keeping up with my To-Write-Titles? I put together the list of books for this post in January 2023. And am just now getting to it. I wish that was a joke.

(Click on the cover for an official site with more info)

Battle Ground
5 Stars
Battle Ground by Jim Butcher
I just can’t talk about this one yet. I need more time. (yeah, they’re fictional characters, but I’ve spent too long with them to not be reeling)
Desert Star
3.5 Stars
Desert Star by Michael Connelly
Loved it while reading it. But I have more and more questions about all of it the longer I think about it. Not Connelly’s best but well worth it
Dead Ground
5 Stars
Dead Ground by M. W. Craven
Not a typical Poe and Tilly case, just as good and gripping as the rest though.
The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas
3.5 Stars
The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas by Machado de Assis, Flora Thomson-DeVeaux (Translator)
A strange and somewhat humorous look at a ghost’s POV on his life. I want to read it a few more times to really get a handle on it. Heckuva read
Nightwing: Year One Deluxe Edition
5 Stars
Nightwing: Year One Deluxe Edition by Chuck Dixon
If there’s a better Nightwing writer out there, I’d like to see it. A great, great, great telling of his origin.
Mythos
3 Stars
Mythos by Stephen Fry
Drags a little. Wish he could pick a tone for his retellings/commentary on the classic stories. Still, it’s Stephen Fry talking—worth the time.
Heroes Mortals and Monsters, Quests and Adventures
3.5 Stars
Heroes: Mortals and Monsters, Quests and Adventures by Stephen Fry
See above, but felt it dragged a bit more.
Teen Titans Beast Boy
3.5 Stars
Teen Titans: Beast Boy by Kami Garcia,
Gabriel Picolo (Penciller)

A solid, believable update of Gar Logan’s backstory. Very promising follow-up to the Raven book. Really impressed with Picolo.
Beast Boy Loves Raven
3 Stars
Teen Titans: Beast Boy Loves Raven by Kami Garcia,
Gabriel Picolo (Penciller)

Bring the two together and it’s even better. I’m curious about the overall story, but would read just them being awkward together. Like the art.
Missing Pieces
4 Stars
Missing Pieces: A Kings Lake Investigation by Peter Grainger, Gildart Jackosn (Narrator)
The Murder Squad tackles a cold case and is as excellent as ever. I don’t know how to talk about this series w/o being redundant. I want more!
Junkyard War
3.5 Stars
Junkyard War by Faith Hunter, Khristine Hvam (Narrator)
This was utterly fine. A lot didn’t go the way I expected. But I’m still in this series for the long haul.
The Dime
4 Stars
The Dime by Kathleen Kent
One of the best first chapters ever. The rest is pretty good. Not sure I buy the motive for the murders, nor that I want to see what comes next.
City of Crime
3.5 Stars
Batman: City of Crime by David Lapham
If you buy (I can’t) Batman losing sight of his mission, this story about him recovering it is great. If you can’t…well, it’s pretty good.
Bluebird, Bluebird
5 Stars
Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke, J.D. Jackson (Narrator)
A stunning work of fiction. Words fail me. A deeply compromised Texas Ranger tries to solve a potential hate crime and keep his job.
Flynn (Audiobook)
5 Stars
Flynn by Gregory McDonald, Donald Corren (Narrator)
I expected the Fletch narrator for some reason, but Corren won me over in minutes. One of my favorite novels of all-time. Great audio version.
Son of Fletch
3.5 Stars
Son of Fletch by Gregory McDonald, Dan John Miller (Narrator)
Oh, I wanted to love this. But I just liked it. I’ll probably hear Miller in my head anytime I read Fletch in print.
Fletch Reflected
3 Stars
Fletch Reflected by Gregory McDonald, Dan John Miller (Narrator)
This is not the way the series should’ve ended. Some fantastic moments, but not sure it was worth it. Miller was solid as always.
Last Couple Standing
4 Stars
Last Couple Standing by Matthew Norman
Norman’s best female characters (to date). Stupid premise, but it almost convinces me to like it by the end. Lots of great moments.
Weakness Is the Way
3.5 Stars
Weakness Is the Way: Life with Christ Our Strength by J.I. Packer
Packer’s great on 2 Corinthians and what Paul tells about weakness as a way of life for the Christian.
The Monster in the Hollows
3 Stars
The Monster in the Hollows by Andrew Peterson
I’m not sure I loved the way the story went in this one, but I grew to appreciate it. Characters are still great.
The Warden and the Wolf King
4 Stars
The Warden and the Wolf King by Andrew Peterson
Whatever my misgivings about the last one, this was the right way to end the series. Just what I wanted (if mildly predictable)
Deathstroke: The Professional
3 Stars
Deathstroke, Vol. 1: The Professional by Christopher J. Priest
I prefer the version Wolfman and Perez initially told about his origin, but this ain’t a bad version. And I see why it was necessary. Good ’nuff
There Goes the Neighborhood
1 Star
There Goes The Neighborhood by S. Reed
I stopped working with a book tour company because they wouldn’t let me be honest about this book ever. So I won’t be. Loved ALL of it. <3<3<3<3
Percy Jackson's Greek Gods
3 Stars
Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods by Rick Riordan, Jesse Bernstein (Narrator)
If Percy Jackson edited D’Aulaires’s book you’d get this. A great way to introduce the myths to young readers. Bernstein is a spot-on Percy.
Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes
3.5 Stars
Percy Jackson’s Greek Heroes by Rick Riordan, Jesse Bernstein (Narrator)
See above, but with heroes.
I Will Judge You
3 Stars
I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf by Grant Snider
If someone looked into my brain, took all of my ideas and feelings, and improved them, you’d get this book. But only one-third as good as this.
All These Worlds
3.5 Stars
All These Worlds by Dennis E. Taylor, Ray Porter (Narrator)
Taylor and Porter are unbeatable together. This is funny (duh), and the grief and sadness are real. As is the anger. Is the ending too easy?
The Fellowship of the Ring
5 Stars
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien, Andy Serkis (Narrator)
Serkis nails the narration (as you’d expect). Is there a better first book of a series in Fantasy?
The Two Towers
4 Stars
The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien, Andy Serkis (Narrator)
Serkis is tremendous here. This whole book is ridiculously good.
The Return of the King
5 Stars
The Return of the King by by J.R.R. Tolkien, Andy Serkis (Narrator)
One day the pacing on this won’t surprise me. The book gets better every time. Serkis was phenomenal.
Annihilation Aria
4 Stars
Annihilation Aria by Michael R. Underwood
Found family stars in this fun, space opera about archeologists fighting an empire.
The Cartel
5 Stars
The Cartel by Don Winslow
The best of the trilogy. Shocking. Moving. Gripping. All-too-real—if you told me this was non-fiction, I’d almost believe it. A true classic.

The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly: Ballard Tackles a Pair of Tough Cases in this Timely Novel

Finally…I’d hoped to get this posted no later than November 17th. But every time I started writing something, I ended up overthinking or was distracted. I’m not sure the end result is that coherent, but…it’s finished. I can live with that.


The Dark Hours

The Dark Hours

by Michael Connelly
Series: Harry Bosch, #24/Renée Ballard, #4

Hardcover, 388 pg.
Little, Brown and Company, 2021

Read: November 12-15, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

It was like a bag of popcorn cooking in a microwave. A few pops during the final countdown of the year and then the barrage as the frequency of gunfire made it impossible to separate it into individual discharges. A gunshot symphony. For a solid five minutes, there was an unbroken onslaught as revelers of the new year fired their weapons into the sky following a Los Angeles tradition of decades.

It didn’t matter that what goes up must come down. Every new year in the City of Angels began with risk.

The gunfire of course was joined by legitimate fireworks and firecrackers, creating a sound unique to the city and as reliable through the years as the changing of the calendar.

What’s The Dark Hours About?

It opens on December 31, 2020—Renée Ballard and a fellow detective are partnered up for the night—it’s a kind of all-hands-on-deck kind of night. These two are also part of a team on the trail of a pair of serial rapists that they’re calling the Midnight Men.

But on this night, they’re called out to a shooting death. Ballard’s role is to be the initial investigator and then pass off the case to the homicide detectives after the weekend—but she’s hoping she can keep it longer (their work on a different case could allow for that). There’s a match for the bullet—the same gun was used in an old unsolved case, investigated by Harry Bosch.*

Isn’t it always reassuring to see that no matter what kind of super cop he is, there are cases that Bosch couldn’t close?

The two put their heads together and quickly find a new angle for Bosch’s case as well as a promising line of investigation for Ballard’s.

Meanwhile, the Midnight Men strike again, and this time, there’s something a little different that Ballard picks up. A string she starts pulling that proves to be instrumental.

With Bosch to bounce her ideas off of, as well as a backup she can trust, Ballard gets her chance, once again, to bring a little light to the dark hours of the night.

Bosch

While this is by and large a Renée Ballard book, there’s enough about Harry Bosch to keep a fan satisfied. He’s doing okay with his medical condition, Maddie’s well (and is dating someone, so isn’t spending as much time with Bosch), he’s pretty much holed-up during COVID, studying old case files.

Not at all-surprisingly, when Renée’s path crosses with his, he’s ready to jump into action. Sure, he always is, but add in a lockdown-induced cabin fever? It’s a wonder that Harry wasn’t calling his mentee daily to see if she needed help with anything (although it’s clear that the two have kept in touch).

In the past, the pair have done a better job of keeping Harry’s involvement under the radar, but between Bosch’s Cabin Fever, Ballard’s need to make fast progress on the cases, and her lack of trust for any other detective at the moment they throw that out the window. Which does come back to bite Ballard (as it should).

The 2021-ness of It

… this was the new LAPD—officers stripped of the mandate of proactive enforcement and waiting to be reactive, to hit the streets only when it was requested and required, and only then doing the minimum so as not to engender a complaint or controversy.

To Ballard, much of the department had fallen into the pose of a citizen caught in the middle of a bank robbery. Head down, eyes averted, adhering to the warning: nobody move, and nobody gets hurt.

I don’t remember Connelly’s books being so obviously of the moment until last year’s The Law of Innocence which ended just as lockdowns were starting in California.

Connelly’s books have always felt contemporary—other mystery series might feel 5-10 years out of step, but not Connelly. Although, even the older books largely felt like they could’ve taken place a couple of years ago (except for the technology involved). But The Dark Hours has to be a 2021 novel—Ballard, Bosch, and the city are going through things that could only have happened after the protests of 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic.

It makes things feel more immediate, but does it hurt readers in 5-10 years? Fair Warning, also published last year, could take place anytime after 2010 (maybe earlier). A lot of the other books felt timely to their context, but even now they don’t feel that dated. Will these?

I don’t know if this is a strength or a long-term weakness, but it is, as far as I can remember, a change.

However, seeing Renée having to adapt to COVID restrictions (no more living on the beach!) and struggling with the changes (temporary? long-lasting?) that the protests of Summer of 2020 about policing in America have brought to the LAPD is great to see. Connelly is able to show a department in flux, which can’t have been an easy tightrope to walk.

So, what did I think about The Dark Hours?

Ehhh…I’m not sure what to say here.

In the moment, while I was reading, it was typical Connelly—I was gripped, I was riveted, I couldn’t wait to see the murder solved. I was less invested in the rape case because once Ballard starts to get a little traction, once she starts to learn a little bit about these guys, I was repulsed. I really didn’t want to learn more—I just wanted them locked away—I even said something to a friend like “can’t we just get a quick, miraculous, resolution to this by page 180 and spend the rest of the book focusing on the murders?” Great job by Connelly creating some very horrible criminals, but I don’t want to spend time thinking about them.

But it’s not his best work—I’m not sure it’s not up to his par, even. The more I think about it, the more I’m bothered by parts of the story and storytelling. The Epilogue, by the way? It’s a scene from a TV show. Working on Bosch, Lincoln Lawyer, and Bosch: Legacy have impacted Connelly at least a little and it shows here.

I thought the stuff about the impact of COVID and the protests was fantastic—and you get no simple answers about the past/present/future of policing in LA. I’m just not sure the rest of the novel was as good as we’ve come to expect from Connelly (I’m open to being corrected by others who read it, though).

Good—but not good enough—I guess is my takeaway. Still, time with Bosch and Ballard? Always time well spent.


3.5 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

Cover Reveal: The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly

I’m excited to take part in the UK Cover Reveal for the new Harry Bosch/Rene Ballard thriller, The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly this morning. Before we get to the cover, let’s talk a bit about the book, okay?

Book Blurb

Has a killer lain dormant for years only to strike again on New Year’s Eve? LAPD Detective Renée Ballard and Harry Bosch team up to find justice for an innocent victim in the new thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Connelly.

There’s chaos in Hollywood on New Year’s Eve. Working her graveyard shift, LAPD Detective Renée Ballard seeks shelter at the end of the countdown to wait out the traditional rain of lead as hundreds of revelers shoot their guns into the air. As reports start to roll in of shattered windshields and other damage, Ballard is called to a scene where a hardworking auto shop owner has been fatally hit by a bullet in the middle of a crowded street party.

It doesn’t take long for Ballard to determine that the deadly bullet could not have fallen from the sky. Ballard’s investigation leads her to look into another unsolved murder-a case at one time worked by Detective Harry Bosch.

Ballard and Bosch team up once again to find out where the old and new cases intersect. All the while they must look over their shoulders. The killer who has stayed undetected for so long knows they are coming after him.

Book Details:

Book Title: The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly
Publisher: Orion (UK)/Little, Brown and Company (US)
Release date: November 9, 2021
Format: Hardcover/Ebook/Audiobook
Length: 416 pages


And now…

The Cover

The Dark Hours UK
If that doesn’t grab your eyes, call your optometrist/ophthalmologist, there’s something wrong with them.


My thanks to The Orion Publishing Group for the invitation to participate in this reveal.

PUB DAY REPOST: The Law of Innocence by Michael Connelly: To Prove He Didn’t Do It, Haller has to Prove Who Did

The Law of Innocence

The Law of Innocence

by Michael Connelly
Series: Mickey Haller, #7

eARC, 416 pg.
Orion, 2020

Read: September 26-27, 2020
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

What’s The Law of Innocence About?

On his way home from celebrating a win in court—a precious finding of “NG” (Not Guilty), Mickey Haller is pulled over in a traffic stop that quickly goes south and Haller finds himself in the back of the patrol car while the officer opens his trunk to discover a dead body—it turns out to be a former client of Haller’s who happens to owe his former defense lawyer a hefty amount of money.

It’s clearly a frame-up. There’s no reader who will buy Haller committing the crime in this way—sure, it’s possible that Haller would be driven to murder by something (for the sake of argument), but he wouldn’t do it this way. He’s too slick, too clever for that. Thinking like that is well and good for readers of Crime Fiction, it’s not how the police think. If you get all the evidence pointing at someone, they’re likely to be guilty, especially if there’s no evidence pointing in another direction.

Which is what happens here. So from his cell in the Twin Towers Correctional Facility, Haller has to plan his own defense. Sure, he knows all the conventional wisdom and jokes about defending yourself, but defending people in court is what has defined Mickey Haller for his adult life and there’s no way he can let someone else take the lead on this. It’s the fight of his life—literally a fight for his life—and Haller has to be the one doing the fighting.

Haller can’t count on a “reasonable doubt” defense. It won’t be enough to get a “Not Guilty” verdict, not if he wants to be a defense lawyer ever again, he can’t go into court with the world thinking he got off on a technicality. Haller has to prove he’s innocent, and the only way he can do that is by finding out who’s guilty, and proving that in court.

The prosecuting attorney is no slouch—frequently in legal fiction, you get someone who’s clearly there to play Washington Generals to the series protagonist’s Harlem Globetrotters, putting up a token case for the defense attorney to use as a way to show off all his tricks. But Dana Berg, star prosecutor for the Major Crimes Unit is hard, smart, and utterly convinced that Haller is guilty. So convinced that she’s not above using as many tricks and sneaky moves as Haller. She’s a worthy opponent which makes it all the better.

Hail, Hail, the Gang’s All Here

Mickey’s friends and family won’t believe this accusation—he’s not a killer. They know this and show up to help—many of them probably would if they had some doubt about his guilt, but we all know that Haller’s half-brother. Harry Bosch, wouldn’t have anything to do with him if Bosch thought there was a chance he was a killer. But Bosch is as involved as Cisco, Haller’s own investigator is. Lorna’s there, as well as Jennifer Aronson. I wasn’t terribly impressed with Aronson the last time we saw her in The Gods of Guilt, but she’s come a long way since then and is key to Haller’s defense.

It keeps going, Maggie “McFirece” McPherson, his ex-wife, and his daughter, Haley, are stalwart supporters, too—and Maddie Bosch even pops in. I’ve always liked Haley and enjoyed her a lot here. You’ll never see me say anything against Maggie’s character, either. Connelly created a great family for Haller back in The Lincoln Lawyer and they continue to pay off here.

While it’s great to see everyone show up to support and help—and Haller needs all that he can get—it’s his novel, it’s his fight, it’s his life in the balance and the novel’s focus is solely on him. With a character like Bosch, he’s a constant threat to steal the reader’s (and likely the writer’s) attention—but he doesn’t even come close. It’s all about Mickey Haller.

Isn’t this just like Fair Warning?

I was slightly afraid of that when I read the blurb for this—do we really need two books from Connelly in 2020 where the protagonist is suspected of a murder that there’s no chance at all that he committed? I figured Connelly would pull it off, but, yeah, there was a degree of trepidation on my part going into it.

Here’s where they were different—in Fair Warning, McEvoy being suspected is just his way into the mystery, and the shadow of suspicion may linger over him, but it’s never really much more than that. But here, Haller being the suspect is the whole novel—he’s only the suspect for a couple of days (which we don’t even see), he’s the accused for all but the first chapter. That makes all the difference, there’s no way to compare the experiences of McEvoy and Haller.

Current Events

This book takes place at the close of 2019 and over the first few months of 2020, and through news reports in the background and some conversations between characters we get glimpses of what’s going on in American culture at the time—specifically, the impeachment and reelection bid of Donald Trump and the early days of the spread of COVID-19. Neither makes a significant impact on the plot, but they act as part of the background, nailing the events of the novel to a specific moment.

I wondered for a while if this would make the novel dated in years to come, making it too “of the moment” to last. But the more I think about it, the more I think adds some flavor, some perspective to the novel, and the way that Connelly uses the current events to ground the novel. I ended up really liking the way he did it. Sure, Haller’s very few and quick comments about the President may put off some readers, if they couldn’t have guessed Haller’s political leanings, they haven’t been paying attention.

So, what did I think about The Law of Innocence?

If I hadn’t been approached to be on this tour, what would’ve likely happened is this: I’d buy The Law of Innocence on release day and had been really excited about it, but would’ve set it aside so I could catch up on some backlog—and it would’ve ended up languishing away on my shelf unnoticed. I’d have probably have made it my last book of 2020 or first of 2021 as a little treat to myself. And I would’ve been mad at myself for that once I got to about the 20% mark (if not earlier). For this to be available and unread would be just wrong.

There’s a one page (or so) introduction/foreward that’s just dynamite, followed by a really strong first chapter, and then starting in chapter 2, we’re off to the races. It’s just unrelentingly good, gripping, fast-paced, smart, and tension-filled from that point through to the jaw-dropping end. Sure, you may be confident that Haller would prevail, but you can never be sure for a moment how that might come to pass—and any time you start to think you know? You quickly discover that was hubris.

Connelly is one of the best in the business, but he’s not satisfied with coasting on his reputation or his laurels, he’s constantly striving to prove that he’s one of the best around—and usually succeeds at it. The Law of Innocence has him doing just that. The prose is lean and tight, the characterizations are spot on, the pacing is perfect and you just can’t put this down. I had a lot going on last week when I read this and several things I needed to accomplish—and I ignored almost every single one of them just so I could finish this. I gave myself five days to read this and finished it in two. Between the story, the characters, and the way Connelly put this together, I had no choice.

A lot of the legal thrillers I’ve read over the last couple of years save some of their best moments for things the lawyers get into outside of the courtroom, The Law of Innocence doesn’t do that. Yes, there are some good moments with Haller and the team investigating things, or while Haller is incarcerated. But the best moments of the novel take place in the arena that Haller comes most to life—in the courtroom, facing off against a good prosecutor, in front of a smart judge and a jury that he can only hope to persuade. Haller’s good at putting the pieces of a puzzle together (especially when Bosch and Cisco give him the right pieces), he can get a witness to give up just the right information, but he shines when he’s using the rules of the court, rules of evidence and the laws of California to further his own ends.

If you’ve been through the wringer with Haller before, you have an idea of what to expect—and you won’t be disappointed. If you’ve never spent time with the Lincoln Lawyer before this, you’re in for a treat. Either way—The Law of Innocence is one of the best thrillers of 2020 and you need to get your hands on it.


4 1/2 Stars

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Orion via NetGalley and Compulsive Readers in exchange for this post—thanks to all for this, but the opinions offered above are solely mine.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you.


My thanks to Tracy Fenton and Compulsive Readers for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including a copy of the novel) provided.

The Law of Innocence by Michael Connelly: To Prove He Didn’t Do It, Haller has to Prove Who Did

The Law of Innocence

The Law of Innocence

by Michael Connelly
Series: Mickey Haller, #7

eARC, 416 pg.
Orion, 2020

Read: September 26-27, 2020
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

What’s The Law of Innocence About?

On his way home from celebrating a win in court—a precious finding of “NG” (Not Guilty), Mickey Haller is pulled over in a traffic stop that quickly goes south and Haller finds himself in the back of the patrol car while the officer opens his trunk to discover a dead body—it turns out to be a former client of Haller’s who happens to owe his former defense lawyer a hefty amount of money.

It’s clearly a frame-up. There’s no reader who will buy Haller committing the crime in this way—sure, it’s possible that Haller would be driven to murder by something (for the sake of argument), but he wouldn’t do it this way. He’s too slick, too clever for that. Thinking like that is well and good for readers of Crime Fiction, it’s not how the police think. If you get all the evidence pointing at someone, they’re likely to be guilty, especially if there’s no evidence pointing in another direction.

Which is what happens here. So from his cell in the Twin Towers Correctional Facility, Haller has to plan his own defense. Sure, he knows all the conventional wisdom and jokes about defending yourself, but defending people in court is what has defined Mickey Haller for his adult life and there’s no way he can let someone else take the lead on this. It’s the fight of his life—literally a fight for his life—and Haller has to be the one doing the fighting.

Haller can’t count on a “reasonable doubt” defense. It won’t be enough to get a “Not Guilty” verdict, not if he wants to be a defense lawyer ever again, he can’t go into court with the world thinking he got off on a technicality. Haller has to prove he’s innocent, and the only way he can do that is by finding out who’s guilty, and proving that in court.

The prosecuting attorney is no slouch—frequently in legal fiction, you get someone who’s clearly there to play Washington Generals to the series protagonist’s Harlem Globetrotters, putting up a token case for the defense attorney to use as a way to show off all his tricks. But Dana Berg, star prosecutor for the Major Crimes Unit is hard, smart, and utterly convinced that Haller is guilty. So convinced that she’s not above using as many tricks and sneaky moves as Haller. She’s a worthy opponent which makes it all the better.

Hail, Hail, the Gang’s All Here

Mickey’s friends and family won’t believe this accusation—he’s not a killer. They know this and show up to help—many of them probably would if they had some doubt about his guilt, but we all know that Haller’s half-brother. Harry Bosch, wouldn’t have anything to do with him if Bosch thought there was a chance he was a killer. But Bosch is as involved as Cisco, Haller’s own investigator is. Lorna’s there, as well as Jennifer Aronson. I wasn’t terribly impressed with Aronson the last time we saw her in The Gods of Guilt, but she’s come a long way since then and is key to Haller’s defense.

It keeps going, Maggie “McFirece” McPherson, his ex-wife, and his daughter, Haley, are stalwart supporters, too—and Maddie Bosch even pops in. I’ve always liked Haley and enjoyed her a lot here. You’ll never see me say anything against Maggie’s character, either. Connelly created a great family for Haller back in The Lincoln Lawyer and they continue to pay off here.

While it’s great to see everyone show up to support and help—and Haller needs all that he can get—it’s his novel, it’s his fight, it’s his life in the balance and the novel’s focus is solely on him. With a character like Bosch, he’s a constant threat to steal the reader’s (and likely the writer’s) attention—but he doesn’t even come close. It’s all about Mickey Haller.

Isn’t this just like Fair Warning?

I was slightly afraid of that when I read the blurb for this—do we really need two books from Connelly in 2020 where the protagonist is suspected of a murder that there’s no chance at all that he committed? I figured Connelly would pull it off, but, yeah, there was a degree of trepidation on my part going into it.

Here’s where they were different—in Fair Warning, McEvoy being suspected is just his way into the mystery, and the shadow of suspicion may linger over him, but it’s never really much more than that. But here, Haller being the suspect is the whole novel—he’s only the suspect for a couple of days (which we don’t even see), he’s the accused for all but the first chapter. That makes all the difference, there’s no way to compare the experiences of McEvoy and Haller.

Current Events

This book takes place at the close of 2019 and over the first few months of 2020, and through news reports in the background and some conversations between characters we get glimpses of what’s going on in American culture at the time—specifically, the impeachment and reelection bid of Donald Trump and the early days of the spread of COVID-19. Neither makes a significant impact on the plot, but they act as part of the background, nailing the events of the novel to a specific moment.

I wondered for a while if this would make the novel dated in years to come, making it too “of the moment” to last. But the more I think about it, the more I think adds some flavor, some perspective to the novel, and the way that Connelly uses the current events to ground the novel. I ended up really liking the way he did it. Sure, Haller’s very few and quick comments about the President may put off some readers, if they couldn’t have guessed Haller’s political leanings, they haven’t been paying attention.

So, what did I think about The Law of Innocence?

If I hadn’t been approached to be on this tour, what would’ve likely happened is this: I’d buy The Law of Innocence on release day and had been really excited about it, but would’ve set it aside so I could catch up on some backlog—and it would’ve ended up languishing away on my shelf unnoticed. I’d have probably have made it my last book of 2020 or first of 2021 as a little treat to myself. And I would’ve been mad at myself for that once I got to about the 20% mark (if not earlier). For this to be available and unread would be just wrong.

There’s a one page (or so) introduction/foreward that’s just dynamite, followed by a really strong first chapter, and then starting in chapter 2, we’re off to the races. It’s just unrelentingly good, gripping, fast-paced, smart, and tension-filled from that point through to the jaw-dropping end. Sure, you may be confident that Haller would prevail, but you can never be sure for a moment how that might come to pass—and any time you start to think you know? You quickly discover that was hubris.

Connelly is one of the best in the business, but he’s not satisfied with coasting on his reputation or his laurels, he’s constantly striving to prove that he’s one of the best around—and usually succeeds at it. The Law of Innocence has him doing just that. The prose is lean and tight, the characterizations are spot on, the pacing is perfect and you just can’t put this down. I had a lot going on last week when I read this and several things I needed to accomplish—and I ignored almost every single one of them just so I could finish this. I gave myself five days to read this and finished it in two. Between the story, the characters, and the way Connelly put this together, I had no choice.

A lot of the legal thrillers I’ve read over the last couple of years save some of their best moments for things the lawyers get into outside of the courtroom, The Law of Innocence doesn’t do that. Yes, there are some good moments with Haller and the team investigating things, or while Haller is incarcerated. But the best moments of the novel take place in the arena that Haller comes most to life—in the courtroom, facing off against a good prosecutor, in front of a smart judge and a jury that he can only hope to persuade. Haller’s good at putting the pieces of a puzzle together (especially when Bosch and Cisco give him the right pieces), he can get a witness to give up just the right information, but he shines when he’s using the rules of the court, rules of evidence and the laws of California to further his own ends.

If you’ve been through the wringer with Haller before, you have an idea of what to expect—and you won’t be disappointed. If you’ve never spent time with the Lincoln Lawyer before this, you’re in for a treat. Either way—The Law of Innocence is one of the best thrillers of 2020 and you need to get your hands on it.


4 1/2 Stars

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Orion via NetGalley and Compulsive Readers in exchange for this post—thanks to all for this, but the opinions offered above are solely mine.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you.


My thanks to Tracy Fenton and Compulsive Readers for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including a copy of the novel) provided.

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: The Law of Innocence by Michael Connelly

I’m excited to welcome the Book Tour for new Lincoln Lawyer thriller, The Law of Innocence by Michael Connelly this morning—proof that even publishing behemoths need help getting the word out. I’ve got this little spotlight post and my take on the novel coming along in a bit. But let’s start by learning a little about this book, okay?

Book Details:

Book Title: The Law of Innocence by Michael Connelly
Publisher: Orion (UK)/Little, Brown and Company (US)
Release date: November 10, 2020
Format: Hardcover/Ebook/Audiobook
Length: 416 pages
The Law of Innocence

Book Blurb:

The brand-new blockbuster crime thriller from Michael Connelly – the #1 Sunday Times, New York Times and international bestseller.


Heading home after winning his latest case, defense attorney Mickey Haller – The Lincoln Lawyer – is pulled over by the police. They open the trunk of his car to find the body of a former client.

Haller knows the law inside out. He will be charged with murder. He will have to build his case from behind bars. And the trial will be the trial of his life. Because Mickey Haller will defend himself in court.

With watertight evidence stacked against him, Haller will need every trick in the book to prove he was framed.

But a not-guilty verdict isn’t enough. In order to truly walk free, Haller knows he must find the real killer – that is the law of innocence…

About Michael Connelly:

Michael Connelly

A master of the genre’ – Stephen King

No one writes a better modern thriller than Connelly’ – Evening Standard

America’s greatest living crime writer’ – Express

‘A superb natural storyteller’ – Lee Child

 

Michael Connelly, the bestselling author of thirty-five novels with over seventy-four million copies sold worldwide, is also the executive producer of Bosch, an Amazon Studios original based on his bestselling character Harry Bosch. In January 2019, Connelly launched the true-crime podcast The Murder Book which takes listeners inside a real-life Hollywood Homicide cold case with unprecedented access to the detectives themselves.


My thanks to Tracy Fenton and Compulsive Readers for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including a copy of the novel) provided.

Fair Warning by Michael Connelly: McEvoy’s out to clear his name and catch a twisted killer

Fair Warning

Fair Warning

by Michael Connelly
Series: Jack McEvoy, #3

Kindle Edition, 416 pg.
Little, Brown and Company, 2020

Read: June 5-8, 2020
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

Veteran reporter Jack McEvoy is no longer on the crime beat, he’s no longer hunting serial killers or anything of the sort. He’s doing consumer watchdog reporting for a website. One night after work, he’s approached by two LAPD Detectives about a former one-night stand, Christina Portrero, who has been murdered. The detectives take an almost instant disliking to McEvoy and he’s soon a Person of Interest.

I groaned once figured out what was going on initially (it’s in the book blurb, I really should pay more attention to things like that). Series protagonists being suspected of murder almost never works for me. The stakes don’t feel real. But Connelly abandons this fairly quickly, and his being a person of interest really only serves to get McEvoy interested in the case. Because there’s no way he’s going to wait for the police to clear him—he’s going back to his strengths to clear his name, and maybe uncover the truth.

McEvoy quickly discovers a handful of murders throughout the country that seem to match Portrero’s. But the link between them eludes him for a while—and once he begins to get an idea, it’s so outlandish that it seems near-impossible. Teaming up with another reporter at the website, he dives in—defying the police. He also recruits Rachel Waling (now in the private sector) to help build a profile of the killer.

McEvoy isn’t too far into this investigation before he comes alive—he seems content with his work (maybe not the income from it), but it’s not the same as this kind of work. Working with Walling doesn’t hurt his enthusiasm, either.

This would just not have worked as a Bosch or Ballard story, it possibly could’ve worked as a Mickey Haller story—had he been representing someone like McEvoy. But why go to that much trouble when you’ve got Jack in your back pocket for just this time? (also, we’ve already got a Haller novel slated for later this year).

One of the advantages of Connelly having invested so little into the character is that the peril he faces when the killer focuses his attention on McEvoy (or Walling)—there’s a strong sense of peril. I’m not worried about Ballard or Haller (although I can see the appeal of letting Bosch go out in action, rather than retiring), so even when things get threatening, you don’t really worry too much. But McVoy? Come on, the dude’s totally expendable and therefore the danger is real.

The initial set up just left me cold, but by the time that had been resolved and the team was fully into the investigation? I was hooked. Hooked in the “please don’t bother me with anything short of medical emergency” sense. That didn’t stop my family from interrupting me, but it did result in me glaring at them frequently.

This isn’t Connelly at his best—it’s not even the best McEvoy novel. But man, it’s gripping. It’s exciting. I had a great time reading it and am glad Connelly brought McEvoy back (and leaves the door open for more).


3.5 Stars

20 Books of Summer

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

The Friday 56 for 6/5/20

The Friday 56This is a weekly bloghop hosted by Freda’s Voice

RULES:
The Friday 56 Grab a book, any book.
The Friday 56 Turn to Page 56 or 56% on your ereader. If you have to improvise, that is okay.
The Friday 56 Find a snippet, short and sweet.
The Friday 56 Post it

from 56% of:
Fair Warning

Fair Warning by Michael Connelly

“We actually encrypted a DNA sample with a Trojan-horse virus and sent it in like everybody else does. Once in, the sample was reduced to code and it activated and we were in their mainframe. Complete backdoor access to their data. I’m a second-tier buyer of their DNA. I buy it, isolate the DRD4 carriers we want, and match the serial number that comes on every sample to the flesh-and-blood bitch we then list on the site.”

(I’m a long way from this point, so I’m not sure what it’s about, but it sounds pretty cool.)

The Night Fire by Michael Connelly: A Superfluity of Cases Hampers Connelly’s Latest

The Night Fire

The Night Fire

by Michael Connelly
Series: Harry Bosch, #22/Renée Ballard, #3

Hardcover, 405 pg.
Little, Brown and Company, 2019

Read: November 1-4, 2019

…I’m not sure how much I can be involved.”

“You’re dumping this case on me. You changed my radio station and dumped the case on me.”

“No, I want to help and I will help. John Jack mentored me. He taught me the rule, you know?”

“What rule?”

“To take every case personally.”

“What?”

“Take every case personally and you get angry. It builds a fire. It gives you the edge you need to go the distance every time out.”

Ballard thought about that. She understood what he was saying but knew it was a dangerous way to live and work.

“He said ‘every case’?” she asked.

“‘Every case,'” Bosch said.

In The Night Fire Michael Connelly gives one more piece of evidence that yes, you can occasionally have too much of a good thing. We’ve got a little bit of a Mickey Haller case, something that Bosch works mostly on his own, something that Bosch and Ballard work together, a case that Ballard works mostly on her own, and then a hint of something else that Bosch primarily does solo. Plus there’s something about Bosch’s personal life and a dash of Maddie’s life. Which is all a lot to ask out of 405 pages.

It’s plenty to ask out of 650 pages, come to think of it. But anyway, let’s take a look, shall we?

Haller was drafted to defend an indigent man accused of murdering a judge, and is doing okay in the trial, but not well enough with things coming to an end. Bosch watched a little bit of the trial, waiting to talk to his half-brother and something strikes him wrong. So he takes a look at the files and gives Haller to think about. But it’s clear to Bosch that the LAPD isn’t going to act on anything they turn up, they’ve got their man. So if anyone’s going to expose the judge’s killer, it’s going to be Bosch. While it’s to be expected that the detectives that arrested Haller’s client would resent Bosch’s involvement with the defense—but Ballard is antagonistic toward the idea as well. Just because these two respect each other and can work with each other, they’re not clones, they don’t agree on a lot.

Ballard’s called to the scene of a homeless camp, where someone had burned to death in a tent fire. She’s just there as a precaution, in case the LAFD decides it’s arson (and therefore homicide) instead of an accident. Having been brushed off—and afraid that the LAFD will do the same to the case—she takes a little time to turn up enough evidence to justify treating the case as a homicide. Then she was promptly removed from the case, so her old team at RHD could work it. Naturally, like every character Connelly has ever created, Ballard walks away, right? Yeah, I can’t type that with a straight face—she cuts a corner or two and works the case herself, making better progress than anyone else does, too. This brings her into contact with her old antagonist, now-Captain Olivas. He’s close to retirement, and it’ll be interesting to see what happens to her career after that.

But what gets the majority of the attention of the novel is the case that the Ballard and Bosch work together—Harry’s mentor (and father figure) has died and left him a murder book from 1990 that he’d, um, “borrowed” when he retired. John Jack wasn’t assigned to the case in 1990, it’s unclear that he did anything in 2000 when he took the file home. Bosch has no idea why he had it, but convinces Ballard to read it over and look into the case. They start working it, bringing them into contact with retired and not-retired gang members, digging up the past, and the question about why John Jack had taken the file.

Watching Connelly balance these mysteries/storylines is a treat—he does a great job of moving forward with each of them while bouncing back and forth between. I do think each case could’ve used 10-20% time than he gave them. But I could be wrong. They all wrap up satisfactorily, and There’s not a lot of time given for anything that isn’t case related, but we get a little bit. Both the personal material for Bosch (which is what he was waiting in court to talk to Haller about) and what we learn about Maddie make me really wonder what’s around their corners—and it appears we won’t learn anything in 2020 (unless we get a bit of an update in the Haller novel next year). Ballard’s material is always about her work primarily, but we do learn a little more about her life between her father’s death and her time with LAPD. I’m glad that Connelly hasn’t given us her whole biography, but man…what we have been given just makes me want more. Clearly, he’s making sure that fans of all three characters are going to have to come back for more as soon as he produces it.

I appreciated the discussion Bosch and Ballard had about some actions at the end of Dark Sacred Night, I have a friend who will rant at the drop of a hat about Ballard’s choices there (and I trust my email/text messages will get another one when he reads this post). I don’t think this conversation will satisfy him, but it’s good to see the pair acknowledge mistakes they made. While I don’t think either of them do anything quite as misguided in this book, but they both make a couple of reckless moves. Bosch’s always had a little bit of dirt on/leverage with superiors (even some history) to give him some coverage when he gets reckless. Ballard doesn’t. So when she goes maverick, it’s more nerve-wracking than it is when Bosch did/does it. A nice little bit of character work, and a good distinction between the two characters.

There’s a moment in every Michael Connelly novel, no matter how good it is, where something just clicks and suddenly I’m more invested in it than I am in almost any other book. I think I’ve talked about it before, but when That Moment hits—there’s nothing better. I get that with a lot of Thrillers/Mysteries (and even some books in other genres), but never as consistently as I do with Connelly. I knew that moment had hit when my phone told me it was time to put the book down and go into my office and I audibly groaned. How was I supposed to focus on anything else when Bosch and Ballard were on the hunt?

Lastly, and this is very likely going to be only a problem I had. Several right-hand pages in my copy that have very faint—practically missing—letters. It’s like it’d been left in the sun too long, or like when an inkjet printer is running out of ink. Please tell me that Little, Brown has better equipment than I do.

This isn’t the best Connelly can do, but man…it’s so good. Solidly put together, we get to spend time with all our favorites and it hits every button it’s supposed to. Connelly is one of the best around—The Night Fire shows why.


4 Stars

2019 Cloak & Dagger Challenge

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