Michael Connelly’s iconic detective, Hieronymus ‘Harry’ Bosch has become something of an institution over the last thirty years, graduating from the page into two successful television series starring Titus Welliver. Connelly’s other creation, Mickey Haller (aka The Lincoln Lawyer) has also courted success with a movie starring Matthew McConaughey and several seasons on Netflix headlined by Manuel Garcia-Rulfo in the role). Rene Ballard is set to do well, moving from the printed page to her own series starring Maggie Q in July (and in which Welliver will guest). But occasionally, Connelly will produce standalone stories and come back to other creations. Void Moon, about a thief named Cassie Black is still screaming for an on-screen adaptation and titles such as The Scarecrow and Fair Warning featuring reporter Jack McEvoy, have also proved their worth (with the author hinting that he’d like to see that character make it to the screen as well).
For his fortieth novel, Connelly is introducing a new character to his procedural universe, with the likely intent to continue the character in novels beyond his debut in this month’s release Nightshade. For this new story, the author shifts the main action away from Los Angeles, or at least takes a majority of it off-shore and to nearby island, Catalina. Detective Stilwell (you almost don’t notice that we don’t discover his first name throughout the story… but his friends call him ‘Stil’) is the only detective on the island, assigned there after he fell from favour after making a complaint against a fellow officer on the mainland. Like several of Connely’s creations, he’s still frustrated at his treatment by his superiors, but has come to terms with his new role and is successfully making a new life from himself on a personal and professional basis.
(US cover)
When a body is found in the harbour, initially weighed down with an anchor, it’s clear that a murder has taken place – never good, but even worse on the eve of a busy weekend of events on the island. It’s quite by chance that Stilwell, working a case where a valuable statue vanished from a local high-brow and elite fishing club, realises that the two cases are connected and that the dead woman might well be the thief. But how did she end up dead? Warned off by the territorial mainland police and facing a clash with an old rival, Stilwell is determined to play a part in solving the cases, even if he has to indulge in some savvy misdirection and use his local resources to do so. However, the troubled victim didn’t seem to have many well-wishers and these latest, fatal events take place against a background of the island’s own internal politics. Stilwell and his colleagues quickly realise that forces are being put in place to make sure the case goes away.
Connelly’s latest creation is engaging as ever. The author, with a proven gift for making the procedural aspects interesting but never dry, has consistently given us a range of characters who walk the line between a sense of duty and a disdain for some of those on the political sides of authority and Stilwell makes a welcome addition. If we don’t have the welcome familiarity and history that many of the Bosch books bring – and, subsequently, it takes a minute to sort his array of new, supporting characters – then Nightshade still demonstrates the writing style and sense of engagement that makes us want to know more – always a good sign. Even if you’ve never been to Catalina, there’s an immediate grounding in an environment that’s close to Los Angeles but retains its own identity. So far, there’s no overt connective tissue to previous books (though eagle-eyed readers will note a reference to an event in the most recent Renee Ballard outing) but that ultimately works in the book’s favour, allowing it to live and breath on its own merits.
Nightshade is a strong, but pacy and fun title, ideal for the summer months – a procedural thriller to carry with you on your holiday and vacation and if – at some point in the future – Stilwell joins the ranks of his tv brethren, it wouldn’t remotely be a surprise…
Nightshade, by Michael Connelly, is published 20th May, 2025 by Orion in the UK and by Little, Brown and Company in the US…
- Story9
