“Night Shade” by Michael Connery. Little, Brown & Co. ; 352 pages; $30
Michael Connelly is one of today’s top mystery writers and not the top mystery writer, consistently pushing his plot, characters and settings in different directions. This approach is set in Los Angeles for him and his readers, through his novels, about (now) police Harry Bosch, detective René Ballard, and lawyer Mickey Haller (aka Lincoln).
This strategy leads to “Night Shade,” a satisfying series launch featuring Stillwell, the LA County Sheriff’s detective stationed on Santa Catalina Island. Still – no one will call him by his name – moved to the island after his disagreement with a good officer. During my first months on Catalina Island, this mission felt like a punishment. The exiles on the “departmental freak path” are only 22 miles from LA, but were a year of light in terms of crime, attitudes and culture.
But now that he has settled down, Catalina Island seems to be the right place for him. He has a girlfriend, an assistant Harbaughmaster who he is in love with, and he likes to be in charge without politics in the larger division.
The major crime will be under the jurisdiction of the LA Sheriff’s Murder Division on the “mainland.” But so far the island has been relatively quiet, with some minor thefts and disorderly arrests of drunkards, permanent residents and tourists.
Until now.
The body of a young woman with a distinctive purple stripe in her hair is located in the harbor. Still is supposed to have LA lawmakers investigate her murder, but he doesn’t trust those agents, especially if he is the one who reveals important information and links the victim to the island’s exclusive Black Merlin club. Still is also considering who illegally killed Buffalo, a federally protected animal, on the island’s nature reserve.
“Nightshades” shed light on the greed, corruption and exploitation of the working class that flows through the island. Connery shows what is drawn to the island’s “long history of supposed UFO sightings,” including the contrast between the wealthy and working class who live here, as well as the weekly invasion of rich tourists who enjoy water and outdoor activities. There is also often ruthless competition between businesses.
Connery’s novel is very intricately linked to Los Angeles, but “Night Shade” shows how large-scale crime can be easily removed from metropolitan areas. The compressed area of Catalina creates as much tension and bad behavior as a broad area like Los Angeles. While Catalina is known as a place of vacation, Connery shows that life and crime don’t take leave. This is reflected in the various meanings of the title. “Night shade” is the name of the color used by women on their hair. Night shades are both beautiful flowers and deadly poison.
Stillwell doesn’t have the same cache as Bosch, but gives him time. He is a sturdy character who can hold himself up as the series progresses. Equally important, Stillwell shares the same code, sense of justice and attention to detail as Bosch.
“Night Shade” shows another bright turning point for Connery.
About the author
Michael Connelly grew up in Fort Lauderdale, attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School and worked at South Florida Sun Sentinel from 1981 to 1987. He will publish two novels in 2025. AI company. The third season of the Netflix series, “The Lincoln Lawyer,” is streaming and has been updated for the fourth season. Meanwhile, Amazon Prime Video’s over, the final season of the TV series, “Bosch: Legacy,” is based on the novel by Harry Bosch.
Original issue: May 14th, 2025, 12:13pm EDT
