Nightshade by Michael Connelly

 

 Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Detective Stilwell has been “exiled” to a low-key post policing rustic Catalina Island, after department politics drove him off a homicide desk on the mainland. But while following up the usual drunk-and-disorderlies and petty thefts that come with his new territory, Detective Stilwell gets a report of a body found wrapped in plastic and weighed down at the bottom of the harbor. Crossing all lines of protocol and jurisdiction, he starts doggedly working the case. Soon, his investigation uncovers closely guarded secrets and a dark heart to the serene island that was meant to be his escape from the evils of the big city. -michaelconnelly.com

 

Nightshade is the first in what promises to be a new series of novels starring Detective Stilwell on Catalina Island.  This isn’t Connelly’s first novel to feature a Catalina resident, it was also home to Terry McCaleb (Bloodwork, A Darkness More Than Night, The Narrows) from the Bosch universe.  While this was a great mystery and cop story, it felt like it was missing something that is present in Connelly’s other series: Bosch, Ballard and The Lincoln Lawyer. I just can’t put my finger on the missing element.  Perhaps it is the fact that all his other characters are known to be in the same universe and those main characters have all worked together, are family or are personally known to each other like the aforementioned Terry McCaleb.  But here with Stilwell on Catalina, we’re introduced to a whole new cast of characters so everyone is a stranger instead of characters we’ve come to know and love.  I did love the Catalina setting and this book definitely inspired me to take a trip out there some day.  The mystery itself was also strong and layered and I appreciated the small resort town misdemeanors referenced as well.  I look forward to the next Stilwell novel in the hopes that it will flesh out the characters a bit more and give us a new hero to root for.

I got my copy of Nightshade from Barnes & Noble where I caught one heck of a deal thanks to my bestie Melanie for racking up member rewards for me! At the time of this writing, Nightshade is currently 30% at Barnes & Noble so might want to pick yours up there or visit your favorite local bookstore or online shop.