#policeprocedurals – Rosepoint Publishing

Fighting Edge by Margaret Mizushima #BookReview #policeprocedurals #TuesdayBookBlog

A Timber Creek K-9 Mystery

Book Blurb:

Major crimes intersect in this nail-biting installment of the Timber Creek K-9 mysteries by award-winning author Margaret Mizushima.

A routine welfare check becomes a nightmare when Deputy Mattie Walker finds a young mother dead and a hysterical toddler, possibly the only witness to a brutal crime. Before the investigative team can start piecing together what happened, Mattie discovers another criminal act in Timber Creek.

During a traffic stop for speeding, Mattie observes a nervous driver and a teenage passenger frozen with fear. A quick sweep of the car with her K-9 partner, Robo, reveals a dangerous mix of drugs and suspected human trafficking, providing Mattie with grounds to arrest the driver. After she places the teenager in protective custody, the sheriff’s department hands the case over to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

As the team gathers evidence and information, Mattie’s husband, veterinarian Cole Walker, notices suspicious activity during ambulatory calls at dog kennels, indicating yet a third crime lurking in the shadows. What begins as isolated incidents quickly reveals a chilling truth: Organized crime has infiltrated their rural mountain community.

Every clue leads to more questions, and each answer brings them closer to greater danger. Do Mattie and her law enforcement partners have what it takes to shut down this criminal ring before it claims more victims? And could its next victim be someone Mattie loves?

My Review:

I don’t miss a chance to read the latest Timber Creek K-9 Mystery by Ms. Mizushima. I love the characters and have watched their growth almost from Book 1. The protagonist is Deputy Mattie Walker, of course, but the star (at least for me) is Robo, the German Shepherd.

This installment starts right off with a welfare check of a young mother who is found dead with her toddler crying nearby. As always, however, these K-9 stories are layered in between Mattie’s home life. She and the local veterinarian Cole Walker married and created a ready-made family with her step-daughters Sophie and Angie. Sophie is the youngest and easiest as Angie has progressed to sullen teen. The family recently underwent a collective trauma for which they are now consulting a therapist. Maddie’s job creates a bit of tension by duties that keep her from family sessions.

I love the parts where not only Robo, but Cole are used in her police investigations and procedures are often explained. It’s interesting how Mattie gets Robo psyched up for a pursuit, but usually just the Kevlar vest means that Robo is going to work. His demeanor changes instantly and he’s all business. Serious business.

The author has a talent for storytelling, describing her well-developed characters and tackling topical issues such as human trafficking as well as domestic issues. The people seem real—we’ve watched them grow and meld. The pacing doesn’t waver or slow and the plot builds tension and suspense as each episode thread is tackled.

It’s a series where each book can be read as a standalone, but also as an old friend when read from the beginning

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

Rosepoint Rating: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Police Procedurals, Women Sleuths
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: September 8, 2026

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Margaret Mizushima writes the internationally published Timber Creek K-9 Mysteries. She served as a past president of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Mystery Writers of America and was elected Writer of the Year by Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. She is the recipient of a Colorado Authors League Award, a Benjamin Franklin Book Award, a CIBA CLUE Award, and two Willa Literary Awards by Women Writing the West. Her books have been finalists for a SPUR Award by Western Writers of America, a Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award, and the Colorado Book Award. She and her husband recently moved from Colorado, where they raised two daughters and a multitude of animals, to a home in the Pacific Northwest. Find her on her website, Facebook, X, BlueSky, and Instagram.

Rosepoint Publishing--book haul — Graphic courtesy ChatGPT

Countdown by Sara Driscoll #BookReview #policeprocedurals #NetGalley

NYPD Negotiators Book 5

Book Blurb:

Following their terrifying ordeal as hostages of domestic terrorists, NYPD Detective Gemma Capello is back in the negotiator chair, while Detective Sean Logan, healed from injuries sustained saving Gemma’s life, has resumed leading an A-Team tactical unit—just in time for their next challenge . . . perfect for fans of James Patterson and David Baldacci.

It’s New Year’s Eve, Manhattan is alight with celebration, and Gemma and Logan are hoping for a relatively normal night amid the revelry. But that hope is shattered by a 911 text from a luxury yacht somewhere in busy New York Harbor. Below deck, a college student working aboard is hiding from a hostage taker. The student reports that the crew was ordered to join the guests. Gunshots followed.

The yacht party, hosted by billionaire venture capitalist Lucas Horner, includes local government officials and some of the city’s wealthiest, most influential people. Gemma and her team hypothesize that Horner, an infamously arrogant hustler, has burned someone financially—someone who now wants revenge.

Once the Aviation Unit identifies the yacht and its location, Logan and his team are transported through the brutal winter waters toward Liberty Island. Gemma finally connects with the hostage taker and learns of a cryptocurrency ransom demand—and a chilling execution plan if it’s not fulfilled by midnight. But Horner is refusing to pay. And Gemma senses things aren’t adding up—because beneath the unnerving scenario lies an even more twisted plan, layers of deceit—and a captor with nothing to lose.

My Review:

It’s New Year’s Eve but a call to Gemma Capello, hostage negotiator, has been called out on an unusual location and a unique situation. Detective Sean Logan of the NYPD Emergency Services Tactical Team will join her as the two units work together to save the persons taken hostage aboard a luxury yacht owned by a coldhearted billionaire.

Gemma has been proven successful in getting into the head of the hostage taker before. The hostages include the employees working the party as well as the guests of the host and the host himself. The location of the captives presents a singularly rare problem in that, besides the number of perps involved is unknown, the approach by water and boarding will take a multi-sided strategy.

The owner refuses to pay the cryptocurrency ransom, which has been given a time frame of midnight. It is the terror-stricken call from a college student subbing for a crew member who secreted himself below decks that forced the initial immediate action and call to multiple available teams.

As the author creates an atmosphere of the harbor water with frigid winter night winds and the tension inside the cabin, Gemma begins to feel a deep sense of loss in the hostage taker as he fails to communicate.

The pacing escalates through negotiation, well-plotted through multi-layers of emotions and objectives. The characters radiate the apprehension, the uncertainty, the concern, and the sweat under pressure.

The last book I read in this series was Book 3, Lockdown. I’m not sure this one could be read as a standalone, as I missed Book 4 and there was obviously something major that occurred with Sean and Gemma that only now finds them getting back into full service.

The narrative appears to be growing in the complexity of scenarios and the characters are more fully developed, especially the relationship between the two. The inner workings of police tactics are descriptive and informative, interesting, the capability of technology amazing. If you enjoy intelligent storylines with engaging characters, this one will fill that bill.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

Rosepoint Rating: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Police Procedurals, Women Sleuths, Cozy Mysteries
Publisher: Kensington Books
Publication Date: April 28, 2026

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Sara Driscoll is the pen name of Jen J. Danna, coauthor of the Abbott and Lowell Forensic Mysteries and author of the FBI K-9s and the NYPD Negotiators. After over thirty years in infectious diseases research, Jen hung up her lab coat to concentrate on her real love—writing “exceptional” thrillers (Publishers Weekly). She is a member of the Crime Writers of Canada and lives with her husband and four rescued cats outside of Toronto, Ontario. You can follow the latest news on her books, including the FBI K-9s, at http://www.saradriscollauthor.com.

AI generated Irish Wolfhound courtesy Freepik.com

Nightshade by Michael Connelly #AudiobookReview #ThrowbackThursday #policeprocedurals

Catalina #1

Editors’ pick Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

Book Blurb:

AN INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Introducing Detective Stilwell: a cop relentlessly following his mission in the seemingly idyllic setting of Catalina Island.

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 weighed down at the bottom of the harbor—a Jane Doe identifiable at first only by a streak of purple dye in her hair. At the same time, a report of poaching on a protected reserve turns into a case fraught with violence and danger as Stilwell digs into the shady past of an island bigwig.

Crossing all lines of protocol and jurisdiction, Stilwell doggedly works both cases. Though hampered by an old beef with an ex-colleague determined to thwart him at every turn, he is convinced he is the only one who can bring justice to the woman known as “Nightshade.” 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.

My Review:

Of course, my favorite books by this author are the Ballard, Bosch, or Haller stories, but, hey, it’s Michael Connelly and he’s a go-to author for me no matter the book, in this case, number one of a new series.

This one centers around Santa Catalina Island, one of California’s Channel Islands twenty-six miles off the Los Angeles coastline. I’m most familiar with Avalon, located on the south end. It’s the storied stuff of an old song. (Yeah, a long time ago, oh the nostalgia.)

Anyway, one of those quiet little island paradises that holds tourist interest but probably not the ideal location where LA Detective Stilwell would have wanted. It’s a low-key assignment, drunk and disorderlies, not exactly the exciting homicide department he’s used to, so it’s extremely unusual when a body is found at the bottom of the harbor. About the same time, a poaching on the island reserve is a no-no, which investigation takes him into the dark territory of an old island despot.

Nightshade by Michael Connelly — Nightshade cover – US

He tackles both, sometimes creating conflict with an ex-colleague left on unfriendly terms. In the meantime, the reader enjoys an armchair visit with the island and the people, the little town of Avalon, a unique location.

Underneath that bucolic sea air and picturesque setting lies a cloudy layer of subterfuge. Secrets never meant to surface. It doesn’t take long before the twists and turns have you flipping pages.

Stilwell is richly drawn, the storyline gritty, and the setting atmospheric. Connelly fans get a hook at the beginning as it sets up and establishes the setting and the characters (quite a few of them). There is a budding romance (seems like there always is) and as usual the MC’s fierce dedication to his job may cause a bit of friction. We’ll see.

I waited quite a while for this audiobook to come up on the wait list. It was worth it. Narration was smooth and nuanced. The CE read and reviewed the book when it first came out, offered by NetGalley. He quite enjoyed and gave it five stars last year.

Many thanks to my local library for providing me with the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Police Procedurals, Murder Thrillers
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Narrator: Will Damron

Title Links:

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Michael Connelly is the bestselling author of more than forty novels and one work of nonfiction. With over eighty-nine million copies of his books sold worldwide and translated into forty-five foreign languages, he is one of the most successful writers working today. A former newspaper reporter who worked the crime beat at the Los Angeles Times and the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, Connelly has won numerous awards for his journalism and his fiction. His very first novel, The Black Echo, won the prestigious Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best First Novel in 1992. In 2002, Clint Eastwood directed and starred in the movie adaptation of Connelly’s 1998 novel, Blood Work. In March 2011, the movie adaptation of his #1 bestselling novel, The Lincoln Lawyer, hit theaters worldwide starring Matthew McConaughey as Mickey Haller. His most recent New York Times bestsellers include The Waiting (2024), Resurrection Walk (2023), Desert Star (2022), The Dark Hours (2021), The Law Of Innocence (2020), Fair Warning (2020), and The Night Fire (2019). Michael is the executive producer of Bosch and Bosch: Legacy, Amazon Studios original drama series based on his bestselling character Harry Bosch, starring Titus Welliver and streaming on Amazon Prime/Amazon Freevee. He is the executive producer of The Lincoln Lawyer, streaming on Netflix, starring Manuel Garcia-Rulfo. He is also the executive producer of the documentary films, “Sound Of Redemption: The Frank Morgan Story’ and ‘Tales Of the American.’ He spends his time in California and Florida.

Audiobooks with headphones — Graphic books and coffee courtesy Freepik.com

Reverse by Steven F Havill – #BookReview #policeprocedurals #NetGalley

A Posadas County Mystery Book 28

Book Blurb:

A road to nowhere . . .

Recovering from a near-death collision with a giant elk, Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman is back to finish her last month at the Posadas County sheriff’s office. It’s supposed to be a quiet road to retirement, until a body is found at the bottom of a water-filled quarry. The barely alive figure of the grandson of the wealthiest man in town also lies further down the ravine.

Figuring out what really happened is going to take everything that Estelle and her understaffed, overworked team have. Especially when there’s a vandal on the loose targeting the local airfield and the department has its own internal issues wreaking havoc.

Plunged into another tricky investigation, one Estelle hopes will be her last, she can’t help but think her retirement can’t come soon enough . . .

His Review:

She is a lovely 16-year-old girl and has the chance to drive a vintage Corvette. The opportunity is overwhelming. Sure, the car is a stick shift but she knows she is a quick learner. The key is handy and the ride up to the quarry will be fun on this warm and breezy night. What could possibly go wrong?

Young Martin Chavez is smitten with her and would like to ride along. However, he does not have access to the car or the garage where it is stored. So, he takes his motorcycle up to the quarry to keep an eye on her and her escort. The quarry is deep and filled with water but many young couples use the area as a quiet place for a tryst. A little night petting after a joy ride is not unusual, but Martin is very jealous of the guy with her.

She backs up the car expecting the photo shoot to give her lifelong memories. When things go awry, what follows is a very extensive investigation that attempts to pin the blame on young Martin.

C E Williams The MC is Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman who is looking forward to retirement and counting the days. This tragedy, however, takes most of her focus as she is also wrestling with a vandal wreaking chaos and confusion. The MC appeared to me to be quick to judge, no one’s fool, seen it-been there, and had no patience for anyone she suspected of wrong doing. You wouldn’t want to cross her. This along with the usual internal issues of the department spells some slow time for the plot. 3.5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. Any opinion expressed here is my own.

Rosepoint Publishing: Three point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Police Procedurals, Women Sleuths
Publisher: Severn House
Publication Date: May 5, 2026
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Steven F. Havill is an American author of mysteries and westerns.

Havill lives in Raton, New Mexico, with his wife Kathleen. He has written two series of police procedurals set in the fictional Posadas County, New Mexico; along with other works. [Goodreads]

#SundayRead

We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter #BookReview #TuesdayBookBlog

A Chilling Psychological Thriller Where Secrets Lead to Deadly Consequences

A North Falls Thriller Book 1

Best Books of the Year 2025

Book Blurb:

An instant #1 New York Times bestseller!

The first thrilling mystery in the new North Falls series from Karin Slaughter, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Pretty Girls and the Will Trent Series.

Welcome to North Falls—a small town where everyone knows everyone. Or so they think.

Until the night of the fireworks. When two teenage girls vanish, and the town ignites.

For Officer Emmy Clifton, it’s personal. She turned away when her best friend’s daughter needed help—and now she must bring her home.

But as Emmy combs through the puzzle the girls left behind, she realizes she never really knew them. Nobody did.

Every teenage girl has secrets. But who would kill for them? And what else is the town hiding?

My Review:

Well, okay. More than read the blurb, I really should research my own reviews to see how much I enjoyed (or didn’t) the last book I read by this author, Pretty Girls.

I’ve no doubt Ms. Slaughter has a way with words; she can get downright poetic at times. Unfortunately, this is a book regarding two teens who go missing during fourth of July celebrations. Since I’m not a big fan of plots regarding missing kids and torture, I accept it’s a book I should not have requested nor attempted to read.

We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter — We Are All Guilty Here–UK cover

Ms. Slaughter has some heavy fingers when it comes to her writing style and length of narratives. This is Book 1 of a new series and introduces Officer Emmy Clifton who has a number of personal issues she’s grappling with. Her issues shut down a teen in trouble looking for a responsible, trustworthy adult. That’s a big mistake and leads to the entire plot while also setting up the development of a new protagonist.

The novel also introduces a number of support characters, some we get to know ad nauseum while others we can’t muster up any kind of engagement. I’m not sure I’m supposed to like the FBI gal—she being family and all—but I found Jude most interesting. Of course, there are the whispers of a romance dancing in and out of scenes.

The hook at the beginning provided initial engagement, but then came the long tedious investigation, often punctuated with interpersonal relationship drama. I thought too long in the tooth on the personal side, too short on the police procedural side, and it sagged for me quite a while before the last twist that may or may not come as a surprise. Well, not one surprise, perhaps a couple.

In the meantime, the graphic descriptions the girls suffered was too much, the chapters too long, the plot undergoes a distracting timeline change, the pacing slows, and it tends to repetition.

This is not a book for me, nor could I recommend.

Many thanks to our local library for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

Rosepoint Rating: Three Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Police Procedurals, Psychological Thrillers, Suspense Thrillers
Publisher: William Morrow
ISBN: 978-0063336803
ASIN: B0DN6K594T
Print Length: 448 pages
Publication Date: August 12, 2025
Source: Local Library

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Karin Slaughter is the author of more than twenty instant NEW YORK TIMES bestselling novels, including the Edgar–nominated COP TOWN and standalone novels THE GOOD DAUGHTER, PRETTY GIRLS, and GIRL, FORGOTTEN. She is published in 120 countries with more than 40 million copies sold across the globe. PIECES OF HER is a #1 Netflix original series starring Toni Collette. The Will Trent Series is on ABC (and streaming on Hulu in the U.S, and Disney+ internationally). THE GOOD DAUGHTER and FALSE WITNESS are in development for film/tv. Slaughter is the founder of the Save the Libraries project—a nonprofit organization established to support libraries and library programming. A native of Georgia, she lives in Atlanta.

http://www.karinslaughter.com

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/AuthorKarinSlaughter/

Instagram http://www.instagram.com/karinslaughterauthor/

Twitter @SlaughterKarin

https://linktr.ee/karinslaughter

Have a merry Tuesday!

The Snow Lies Deep by Paula Munier #BookReview #TuesdayBookBlog

A Mercy Carr Mystery Book 7

Book Blurb:

Mercy and Troy are looking forward to baby Felicity’s first holiday season, and they’re determined to make it a Christmas to remember. At Northshire’s annual Solstice Soirée, hosted by Northshire’s finest and funded by Mercy’s billionaire pal Feinberg, Amy’s little girl Helena is sitting on Santa Claus’s lap. She’s telling him she’d like a Bitty Baby doll just like little Felicity when the bearded man leaps up, thrusts the toddler at her mother Amy, and staggers away from the festivities. He disappears into the woods. By the time Elvis and Mercy find him, Santa Claus aka the town mayor, is lying on his back, dead. A yule log made of oak sits on his chest, burning bright, a beacon of light on the darkest day of the year.

This strange murder is the first of a series of similar Solstice-themed killings targeting the town’s most prominent citizens. Beloved family friend Lillian Jenkins, the grande dame of Northshire, could be next. Mercy and Troy and the dogs must team up with Thrasher and Harrington to capture The Yuletide Killer before he strikes again, this time far closer to home.

My Review:

I’ve been a fan of the author and this series since the first Mercy Carr mystery I stumbled across, the last one being Home at Night (#5) read and reviewed in July 2023. (Dang! I missed number six!) And I greatly enjoyed them all, so grabbed this one as soon as I saw it offered on NetGalley.

Last I read, Mercy and Troy (her game warden hubby) had bought an old Victorian called Grackle Tree Farm as they were expecting to expand their family beyond their respective working dogs, Elvis (the Malinois) and Suzy Bear (the Newfoundland). “A fed bear is a dead bear.”

I still trip over that name every time I see it printed, but this installment has the couple looking forward to baby Felicity’s first Christmas. They are preparing for the Solstice Soirée, as well as other activities, including choirs and Santa.

Unfortunately, Elvis finds Santa (the town’s mayor) dead in the woods with a Yule log burning on his chest. It’s followed shortly by the second murder, and soon the Druid-inspired celebration and ensuing village festivities are not looking so jolly.

I still love those dogs, complementary to each other, and look forward to their contributions to the plot line. However, this novel, meant to be a Christmas-themed narrative, tries to keep the spirit of the season at the forefront.

“As she spoke, she was struck by the contrasts that marked their lives: crime and crib, poaching and playtime, murder and motherhood…a seemingly random and yet eternal cycle of hope and despair, happiness and sorrow, light and dark.“

The storyline appears to put the domestic themes in front of the mystery. Mercy tends to find babysitters easily enough when she wants to dash off on another clue in the murders. (So much for “just being a mom” now.) Also, while I was fascinated with the Druid folklore and practices, I became a bit disillusioned that the antagonists reverted to the Russian oligarch thing. (There’s gotta be other bad guys out there.)

“The neo-pagan legend recounted the story of two brothers, the Holly King and the Oak King, and their endless battle of the seasons. The Holly King ruled winter…the winter solstice marked the victory of the Oak King…until the summer solstice when the Holly King won the crown…”

I do enjoy the author’s writing style, which includes quotables and prose:

“May the log burn,
May the wheel turn,
May evil spurn,
May the Sun return.”

While I was a bit disappointed in this installment, I look forward to the next, and indeed will go back and see if I can find the one I missed.

“The past is prologue.”

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

Rosepoint Rating: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Cozy Animal Mystery, Cozy Animal Mysteries, Police Procedurals
Publisher: Minotaur Books
ISBN: 978-1250389992
ASIN: B0DPTMPYYZ
Print Length: 308 pages
Publication Date: December 2, 2025
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: PAULA MUNIER is a literary agent and the USA TODAY bestselling author of the Mercy Carr mysteries. A BORROWING OF BONES, the first in the series, was nominated for the Mary Higgins Clark Award, and was recently named the Dog Writers Association of America’s Dogwise Book of the Year. The second, BLIND SEARCH, pubbed in November 2019. The third, THE HIDING PLACE, will debut in March 2021.

Paula was inspired to write the series by the hero working dogs she met through Mission K9 Rescue, her own rescues, Newfoundland/retriever mix Bear, Great Pyrenees/Australian cattle dog mix Bliss, and Malinois mix Blondie, and a lifelong passion for crime fiction.

Paula also written three popular books on writing: PLOT PERFECT, THE WRITER’S GUIDE TO BEGINNINGS, and WRITING WITH QUIET HANDS, as well as the acclaimed memoir FIXING FREDDIE: A True Story of a Boy, a Mom, and a Very, Very Bad Beagle, and HAPPIER EVERY DAY: Simple ways to bring more peace, contentment and joy into your life.

She lives in New England with her family, her three rescue dogs, and a rescue torbie tabby named Ursula. Find Paula at http://www.paulamunier.com.

The Night Fire by Michael Connelly #AudiobookReview #ThrowbackThursday

A Ballard and Bosch Novel: Harry Bosch Book 22

Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

Nominee for Readers’ Favorite Mystery & Thriller (2019)

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

A finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize
A New York Times Book Review Best Crime Novel of the Year
A CrimeReads Best Crime Novel Notable Selection

Harry Bosch and LAPD Detective Renee Ballard come together again on the murder case that obsessed Bosch’s mentor, the man who trained him – new from number one New York Times best-selling author Michael Connelly.

Back when Harry Bosch was just a rookie homicide detective, he had an inspiring mentor who taught him to take the work personally and light the fire of relentlessness for every case. Now that mentor, John Jack Thompson, is dead, but after his funeral his widow hands Bosch a murder book that Thompson took with him when he left the LAPD 20 years before – the unsolved killing of a troubled young man in an alley used for drug deals.

Bosch brings the murder book to Renée Ballard and asks her to help him find what about the case lit Thompson’s fire all those years ago. As she begins her inquiries – while still working her own cases on the midnight shift – Ballad finds aspects of the initial investigation that just don’t add up.

The bond between Bosch and Ballard tightens as they become a formidable investigation team. And they soon arrive at a disturbing question: Did Thompson steal the murder book to work the case in retirement, or to make sure it never got solved?

Written with the intense pacing and masterful suspense that have made Michael Connelly “the hard-boiled fiction master of our time” (NPR), The Night Fire continues the unofficial partnership of two fierce detectives determined not to let the fire burn out.

My Review:

I’m a big fan of Harry Bosch whether TV series, ebook or audiobook and usually prefer the audiobook as narrated by Titus Welliver as Bosch and Christine Lakin as Ballard if I can find it.

These two MCs work so well together, both experienced, strong and intelligent, and manage to juggle a number of balls while working on their shared case. They both have a rather singularly driven personality.

The Night Fire by Michael Connelly — The Night Fire – US cover

Ballard works the LAPD’s “Late Show,” the midnight shift in this series installment while Bosch, retired detective is still wrestling with cold cases as well as support for Ballard, as he handles the wilds of LA as well as his personal life. He is currently battling health issues. Ballard continues to fight for equality and frequently clashes with male superiors while Bosch also works as a private investigator for his brother, attorney Mickey Haller (a spin-off series I also follow).

The character development fleshes out each protagonist and gives each a level of sympathy. They are characters you want to root for. The episodes are well plotted and build tension while pushing police procedures.

Always complex, each installment brings a fresh storyline (so many stories in LA) and keeps a strong pace that doesn’t lag in the middle. Neither character is above slightly bending rules when the case warrants whether or not they’ll face consequences.

Each installment can be read as a standalone, you get enough character development to bring them alive in your imagination. It doesn’t hurt, either, that both Bosch is seen in a TV series and Haller his own.

I’ve had just a small issue in prior audiobooks regarding what seems a slight lag in the conversations between Ballard and Bosch and happy to say, I thought this installment fixed it. Bosch’s voice on the audiobook creates a vivid mind picture. What’s not to love?

Many thanks to my local library for providing me with the opportunity to listen to and review this book. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

Book Details:

Genre: Renée Ballard and Harry Bosch, Book 3 of 6
Publisher: Hachette Audio
ASIN: B07SM14SXT
Listening Length: 10 hrs 4 mins
Narrator: Christine Lakin, Titus Welliver
Publication Date: October 22, 2019
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Links: Amazon-US
Amazon-UK
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

The Narrators:

Titus Welliver - actor, narrator — Titus Welliver–Compliments of Wikipedia–thank you!

Titus B. Welliver is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayals of the Man in Black in Lost, Silas Adams in Deadwood, Jimmy O’Phelan in Sons of Anarchy, and the title role in the television series Bosch. Wikipedia Born: March 12, 1962, New Haven, CT.

Christine Lakin - narrator — Christine Lakin – narrator – AI generated search

Christine Lakin is an acclaimed audiobook narrator known for her versatile performances in a wide range of genres. Best known for her acting role on Step by Step, she has narrated over 150 audiobooks and won awards for her work, including a Best of 2024 award for Just for the Summer. Her narration has been praised for its ability to capture character nuances and create atmosphere. [AI generated search]

#TuesdayBookBlog

The Proving Ground: A Lincoln Lawyer Novel by Michael Connelly #BookReview #LegalThrillers

Lincoln Lawyer Book 8

Rosepoint Rating: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Connelly, the Lincoln Lawyer is back with a case against an AI company whose product may have been responsible for the murder of a young girl.

Following his “resurrection walk” and need for a new direction, Mickey Haller turns to public interest litigation, filing a civil lawsuit against an artificial intelligence company whose chatbot told a sixteen-year-old boy that it was okay for him to kill his ex-girlfriend for her disloyalty.

Representing the victim’s family, Mickey’s case explores the mostly unregulated and exploding AI business and the lack of training guardrails. Along the way he joins up with a journalist named Jack McEvoy, who wants to be a fly on the wall during the trial in order to write a book about it. But Mickey puts him to work going through the mountain of printed discovery materials in the case. McEvoy’s digging ultimate delivers the key witness, a whistleblower who has been too afraid to speak up. The case is fraught with danger because billions are at stake.

It is said that machines became smarter than humans on the day in 1997 that IBM’s Deep Blue defeated chess master Garry Kasparov with a gambit called “the knight’s sacrifice.” Haller will take a similar gambit in court to defeat the mega forces of the AI industry lined up against him and his clients.

My Review:

Does it get much better than the Lincoln Lawyer? I love these books and devour any new installment that comes up in print, digital, or Netflix.

Even better, this one tackles AI, a current hot topic, a novel that grapples with so many moral questions over the legal. Haven’t we been talking about our children watching violent cartoons? Now with computer games the kids of eight years up are playing, do we have any clue what kind of intelligence they are dealing with?

AI generated by Gemini

What about the mind of a sixteen year old? Who has written the code for the chatbot he calls Wren? And who is to blame when that sixteen year old violently acts on a suggestion from Wren?

I love the character of Haller. He has left criminal law for civil. The narrative examines in detail the question: who is ultimately responsible for games coded with possible explosive code? We’ve all heard of GIGO. Garbage in, garbage out, “bad programming, programming contradictory to the purpose of the app?”

The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly — Lincoln Lawyer cover-US

That is the supposition of this extremely complex legal thriller. The storyline boils over with tension, almost from the beginning. All your favorite Haller characters are included, though I never warmed up to a new character who provided deep intel on AI while gathering journalistic juice. A layered plot from main to sub, each adding depth, creating a fully rounded story from professional to personal, those of his family and close associates.

I love the way the writer mentions or includes characters, including Harry Bosch, from his other series in his current narrative, consolidating the Haller world. In his world, he is up against a multi-billion dollar corporation, and he’ll have his work cut out for him.

He has his flaws but he brings an intelligence to the legal science of law that is downright compelling. He has wit, energy, and charisma you can’t beat. And, by the way, I enjoyed the author’s little humorous zinger by naming the judge in the case, Judge Ruhlin. RUHLIN? Funny, Mr. Connelly.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

PS: No AI was used in writing this review. (Or perhaps that’s obvious. )

Book Details:

Genre: Police Procedurals, Legal Thrillers, Murder Thrillers
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
ISBN: 978-0316563840
ASIN: B0DZ24GYPN
Print Length: 400 pages
Publication Date:
Source: Publisher and NetGalley