This book is an excellent start to Michael Connelly's new series. Renee Ballard is a tough as nails L.A cop who has been relegated to "the late show" after accusing her former captain of sexual harassment. In her current 11:00pm- 7:00am shift, she gets the ball rolling on cases and then hands them off to the day shift. For a dedicated cop, it galls Ballard to not be able to follow through on cases, especially those who may be ignored by the detective officially assigned to the case.

One such case is the brutal beating and assault of a prostitute. This case coincides with a deadly shooting at a nightclub. Renee races against the clock to solve both cases.

Renee is an excellent new focus for Connelly. I like that he's writing a great female character. Renee is tough but relatable. She is clearly exhausted by the sexism she experiences in her everyday life, from having her career stymied to being hit on by colleagues. The plot was intricate and surprising. For once I didn't guess the end!

Michael Connelly is a brave man. Putting aside, for the moment, his long running Harry Bosch Series, Connelly took a chance and hit the ball out of the park with his new Detective Renée Ballard Series.

Ballard ‘s punishment for an allegation of sexual harassment against a high-ranking official has landed her on The Late Show. It could even be called the graveyard shift, the dead shift where you work your tail off all night only to roll your cases to the real detectives each morning. A few of the brush strokes, Ballard’s a loner, her father died while surfing but she continues the sport more often being found paddle boarding. She uses her Grandmother Tutu’s address for job profile but lives in a pop-up on the beach along with her rescued dog, Lola. Possibly due to the dysfunctional beginnings of her own life she is loyal, organized, fierce and dedicated. There’s a lot of room here for character development and it’s apparent Connelly is ready to give us more as he prepares us for the nest in this police procedural.

Connelly has blended the LAPD, and the Los Angeles he knows to create Ballard. Though Ballard is a cop just like Bosch, it’s like giving birth to a baby as he fills in the colors of this new canvas with a fresh eye.

Don’t miss it.

like the new detective but she has a hard job if she is going to replace Harry. Good writing, good story, goos lead character.

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I can already tell this is going to be a great new series from Connelly. Ballard is a cop working the late show. She just works her night shift, but isn't allowed to follow up the cases. That drives her nuts. As the story unfolds, we get to know her and a hint of her past. She is an intriguing and fun character to read. She lands on a case that she just doesn't want to hand over. Naturally, it gets her into dangerous territory. Excellent read and I'm ready for more.

Once again Michael Connolly hits it out of the park with this new detective. There were a few similarities between Ballard and Bosch. The biggest was their determination to find out the truth no matter what it takes. I'm hoping that Ballard keeps going and ranks up there with Bosch, who is one of my all-time favorite detectives.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Michael Connelly never disappoints and delivers another great character in LAPD detective, Renee Ballard. Ballard was an up and coming robbery-homicide detective who was banished to the night shift in Hollywood as a result a sexual harassment suit filed against a male supervisor. On the night shift, also known as the Late Show, she is doomed to start many investigations, but never allowed to finish any as they are turned over each morning to the day shift to do the real detective work.

 Frustrated with not being allowed continue any of these investigations, one night Renee catches two cases that she doesn’t want to lose: the brutal beating of a prostitute who was left for dead in a parking lot and the senseless killing of a young waitress in a multiple homicide in a nightclub. Against orders, and her partner’s advice, she works both cases on her own during the day while continuing to work the night shift.

 Renee is no a Harry Bosch clone in female clothing. She is a Hawaiian/California surfer girl who spends most days camped out on the beach and surfing. But like, Harry, she is driven and no no-nonsense, and not above bucking the system. She is sometimes likeable and sometimes irritating. She has her flaws, which just serves to make her more relatable.

 If you are looking for an excellently written, captivating police procedural with a new tough female lead, The Late Show is the book to read.

I couldn't put the book down with all the twists and turns. Just when I thought I could take a breathe something else would happen. I love this character and look forward to the next book.

Michael Connelly has a new series starring Renee Ballard and I am psyched! I love this character! Her boldness, relentlessness, and determination are just some of the traits of this ballsy character that I love!

Renee has just been demoted to "The Late Show" which is the 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. shift that no one really wants due to a sexual harassment allegation she imposed on her superior. Especially a stubborn, tenacious woman like Renee who wants to be able to investigate the cases and see them through. This determination, while an excellent trait for a policewoman, gets her into a lot of trouble at work and into some scary situations with some intimidating suspects.

Keeping herself safe is foremost in her mind, however, she sometimes lets the heat of the moment and the risks fall wayside leading to her abduction and near death.

I especially loved the ending. I had to read twice the part when the suspect was revealed. I could not believe it. I was so sure it was someone else. How did this other guy slip into that list? I surely did not see that one coming.

Renee Ballard is definitely and going to be one of my favorite characters. I can't wait to read more books with her as the main character. Especially now that she has a "new job".

Thanks to Little, Brown and Company and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

I’m a huge Michael Connelly fan and have read every book to date! Imagine my excitement and surprise when his next book was announced and it is book one of a brand new series, with a female lead no less.

Renée Ballard and John Jenkins have been partners on the late show for the past two years. The late show is the overnight shift and they move from case to case throughout the night. They go to any scene where a detective is needed to take initial reports, but they don’t keep any of the cases. Every case gets turned over to the appropriate investigative units in the morning.

Renée likes her job and her partner, but she is itching to get involved in a case, to take a case from start to finish. She gets permission to work on one of the cases that she had been called out to while on the late show. Working this case has reenergized her and when things start to come together during her investigation she realizes she has been missing the investigation process more than she realized.

<em>It was the Holy Grail of detective work. It had nothing to do with evidence or legal procedure or probable cause. It was just knowing it in your gut. Nothing in her life beat it. It had been a long time coming to her on the late show but now she felt it and she knew deep down it was the reason she would never quit, no matter where they put her or what they said about her.</em>

Renée is smart, persistent, and a real go-getter. Nothing will hold her back – not being told to back-off a case or even when she is in physical danger.

I loved the way Michael Connelly intricately wove this mystery together. There were a lot of characters and many moving parts, but in the end it all fell into place. It was also very clever of him to work his own Amazon series, Bosch, into the book. Well done!

I think it will be fun to see where this series goes. There is a lot to explore outside of investigating cases. Renée’s dad passed away when she was very young and her mom was basically out of the picture, so she was raised by her grandmother. I also think the sexual harassment complaint she filed in the past against Robert Olivas could make for an interesting storyline should Michael Connelly decide to dive deeper into that.

If you have never read a Michael Connelly book this would be an excellent place to start!

Thank you NetGalley, Little, Brown and Company, and Michael Connelly for the opportunity to read and review this book for my honest opinion.

Extremely tense, highly suspenseful and masterfully paced!

The Late Show is a skillfully crafted, well-executed police procedural that introduces us to the feisty Detective Renée Ballard as she heads out on a shift that will have her hunting a burglar, a sadist, and a ruthless killer.

The writing is tight and seamless. The characterization is spot on with a gang of multi-layered, gritty characters including the gutsy, tenacious Ballard. And the plot is a thrill ride of twists, turns, surprises, corruption, violence, forensics, police politics and murder that will have you hooked from the very first page.

Connelly is a best-selling author, and with this new release it's easy to see why. The Late Show is a raw, action-packed page turner that is compelling, entertaining and will leave you wanting more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Michael Connelly is back with another hit with The Late Show. I just have to say, I love this author. I was first introduced to his work via The Lincoln Lawyer. Of course my initial interest was due to Matthew McConaughey starring in the movie and I have the he's definitely one of my celebrity crushes.


Anyway, Connelly is a genius when it comes to fictional crime. He has a way of pulling in the reader in a way that most writers can only wish for. Renee is a fully fleshed character that I can't wait to become even more acquainted with in the way I am with Mickey or Det. Bosch. I don't feel The Late Show needs a long review in order to simply say READ IT!!!! You will not be disappointed.

Thank you Michael Connelly for giving me (and fans alike) another great read!

Copy Provided by Little, Brown and Company via Netgalley

Very suspenseful. I found some of the situations a little implausible as the daughter of a law enforcement officer. I felt that the detective would have protected her phone number and identity preventing her own kidnapping. I enjoyed the investigation of the initial crimes, but I thought it was doubtful that a police detective would risk her own personal safety. Good characters, good suspense. Good beach read. This is an established best-selling author, and I have enjoyed many of his past novels - this was not his strongest effort, but it was good.

All the previous great reviews are absolutely true. Connelly has created a modern character in the LA Police force, a young woman officer trying to navigate the masculine environment. Due to a misunderstanding with her previous commanding officer, she is relegated to the night shift--The Late Show, where she and her partner ctach cases but are not allowed and follow through. Renee Ballard is a fascinating woman and it will be thrilling to follow her career.

Loved this book!!! I never saw the ending happening at all. Can't wait for the new Harry Bosch book in the Fall.

Could not stop reading. Renee Ballard, the newest character in Michael Connelly’s repertoire of no-nonsense, hardworking law enforcement professionals, is the golden locks to his bears-she is just right. Coming from Hawaii she has a bit of the island flare with a Tutu to look after her. She is a professional and doesn’t tolerate poor behavior as inevitable on the ladder to the top. She is kind, takes her dog to a pet sitter, and not a show boat-standup paddler not a surfer. What is not to love? Combine this awesome new character with the exciting plot driven intensity that only Connelly can deliver and this is a great read not to be missed.

4.5

I don't know why I don'read more Michael Connelly. He's so very good at what he does and I always really like his books when I am finished. This one, featuring a new lead character, is no exception. Renee Ballard is just full of quirks and idiosyncrasies but above all she is a dedicated cop.

After having the temerity of reporting her boss of boss of sexual harassment, she is assigned to the shift nobody wants, night shift. They work no cases because after their shift they are handed off to the various departments. Ballard is extremely frustrated by this and is just itching to handle one case from beginning to end. Her partner tends to his cancer stricken wife and could care care less. He just wants to go home where he's needed.

Then one night things get jumping. There is an investigation of a stolen credit card, the brutal beating of a transvestite, and a high publicity shooting at a dance club where noted criminals are killed at point blank range. The dance club investigation draws her former boss and partner to the scene and they take over. Ballard can't let it go and keeps her unwelcome nose in it as well as getting to keep the other two cases on her own unpaid time.

Ballard has no real address. She puts up a tent at the beach where she paddle boards. She has a large dog for company. Other than that she floats on the edge of things with no real friends or relationships. Yet she is deeply committed to her job and bitter how her complaint was handled, really not handled.

As the cases unfold, the action picks up with tension so thick that I could barely put the book down. There's nobody that writes these scenes like Connelly. I can't wait to read more books in this promising series. This was a great start.

My thanks to Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

I enjoyed this good start to a new series. This is set in the same world as the Harry Bosch series and Renee mentions knowing of Harry in passing but that is the only overlap.

This follows Renee, who is a detective that works the graveyard shift. She ended up there after filing a sexual harassment complaint against a supervisor. She has a sometimes partner who is working graveyards because his wife has cancer and he needs to be with her during the day. I liked his character a lot also and hope to see more of him in future books.

Two things happen at the beginning of the book that set up the plot. A prostitute is beaten almost to death and dumped in a parking lot and there is a shooting at a local nightclub and multiple people are killed. Renee wants to work the prostitute case but her bosses don't really care. They're caught up in the shooting that her ex-boss just so happens to be in charge of. Things get complicated very quickly.

The story was pretty fast paced and entertaining. Renee herself is different. We just got bits and pieces of how she lives her life and I find it intriguing. I will definitely be looking forward to the second book in the series.

**ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

LAPD Detective Renée Ballard filed a complaint against her commanding officer that her partner didn't back and now she has been pushed to the night shift. Here Renée is s, upposed to go to crime scenes, write the initial reports, and then turn the cases over to the appropriate units, such as robbery, vice, homicide, etc. for investigation. This arrangement is fine with her partner, John Jenkins who is focused on his sick wife, but Renée longs to see a case through from beginning to end. She takes the opportunity to unofficially stick with two cases she and Jenkins received during the midnight shift - a prostitute who was beaten and left for dead in a parking lot and a woman killed in a nightclub shooting. Renée is determined to help solve these cases, even if it puts her job and her life in danger.

It took me a while to warm to Renée who is in many ways aloof and a loner, even though she does respect her new partner and can still see the good in her former partner, even though he betrayed her. Renée makes decisions in both her professional and personal life that are sometimes hard to understand and even by the end of the book when I liked her more, I didn't completely connect with her. The investigation into both cases starts slow, but the suspense builds and the book becomes more and more interesting as the story unfolded. Although the book is missing the depth of a book in the "Bosch" series, I enjoyed the story and think this is a well-written police procedural.

I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of LIttle, Brown and Company. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

Opening a Michael Connelly book, you know what you are going to get -- straightforward writing, well-structured plots, interesting characters and the comfort of knowing you are in the hands of a master. His procedurals, whether they be Lincoln Lawyer, Harry Bosch, or this new series are a pleasure to read. They are not literary fiction, but well-crafted examples of the crime investigation genre. We meet police detective Renee Ballard,working the late shift in L.A. and immediately get pulled into her life and the cases she is following. We see she is stubborn, highly-principled and one of a kind. We learn some of her back story and her connections with other players in the police department, but the promise of further revelations keeps us reading. She will definitely be able to support a series.
One amusing note, early in the book Connelly references the filming of the Bosch tv series as part of the action of the story. Humor is not a strong element of a Connelly story, but this definitely made me chuckle.

This was a good start to a new series for Michael Connelly. I enjoy his Bosch and Mickey Haller series and I was happy to receive a copy of this one. Renee has some issues, especially those who are male and in positions of higher authority than she. That being said, there are definite similarities between her and Harry Bosch; she's like a younger, female version of Harry. It was interesting to hear more about the police procedures for the 'late show'. I am interested to see how this series progresses. I would think at a certain point, the Bosch series will be retired; Harry only has so many lives and he's probably used up quite a few of them!