This was something new from Connelly. Takes place on Catalina Island, about a cop that lost favor on the mainland and ended up on Catalina. He manages to find murders, kidnappings, and other mayhem while enjoying the leisure life of Island life and a romance to boot. Its promising as a start of a new series, but it has lost some of the action, suspense, and intrigue of other series. Hopefully he will step it up on the next outing. Meantime, look forward to another romp on Catalina! Recommended if you like his other books. Maybe a good easy beach or vacation read.

This is a new series featuring a new character in a new setting, so I found it a bit harder to slip into than the usual Bosch/Ballard books. But once I got the lay of the land, it was a typical (read: good) Connelly novel with a tight plot and a good cop willing to go slightly rogue as he fights for justice within a somewhat reluctant establishment.

Connelly debuts a new protagonist in this fast paced and intricate mystery. Looking forward to more books in this series.

4+ out of 5 Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

Michael Connelly is one of my 'must-read' authors, and I was excited to see a new (series?) character and setting added to his canon.

Detective Stilwell has been transferred (banished) to the fairly idyllic Catalina Island, where most of the 'crime' is petty, but there's less chance of him antagonizing a partner who doesn't follow the rules. Like Connelly's other 'loners' Stilwell is dedicated to justice, but has some trouble with interpersonal relationships.

Seemingly unexpected events like a buffalo mutilation and a body turning up in the harbour mean that Stilwell has to get re-involved with LA County mainland police to solve these crimes. The small community of Catalina (and its politics) is so well described it almost becomes another character.

I did appreciate that the book just dumps the reader into the protagonist's life and details trickle into the plot at random (I much prefer this to a couple of chapters of info dump). While it causes the characters to seem a bit 'thin', the action and story are the stars - I'm hoping to find out more about ongoing characters as more books come out.

Nightshade was a terrific read, and it kept my interest throughout this powerhouse novel. Michael Connelly introduces a new character, Detective Sergeant Stilwell, who’s with the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department which handles all the cases on Catalina Island. There is a murder to be solved and the twists and turns made for a fast read that I did not want to put down. Stilwell’s girlfriend Tash lends a feminine touch, and she gets unwittingly involved, which revs up the story even more. Detective Stilwell is just as engaging as Bosch who we all know and love. It was also very interesting to find out what the title “Nightshade” referred to. I will be highly recommending this title to all my patrons. Don’t miss this one - hopefully there will be plenty more stories coming out of Catalina.

Thank You to NetGalley, the Author Michael Connelly and the Publisher Little, Brown and Company for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest review.

Michael Connelly never disappoints and Nightshade is no exception. It's a read-in-one-sitting book, like everything this master storyteller writes.

Having read the Bosch, Lincoln Lawyer and Ballard series. I was excited to see a new character with the ending of my favorite, Bosch.
The move from Bosch to Stilwell was seamless. He is easy to connect with and I'm excited to see where his story arc goes. I see why Connelly is considered the best at his craft. His knowledge in the police procedural, including the law side is fantastic. Nightshade was a great read and I can not wait for the next book in this series. Highly recommended!

3.25 Stars

When someone anchors a body to the bottom of a Catalina harbor, Detective Stilwell happily sets mundane petty misdemeanors on the back burner. Resurrecting the homicide skills he procured on the mainland before department politics resulted in his exile, he’s determined to identify the young woman and bring her killer to justice.

As he exposes the dark secrets and the evil that resides beneath the virtuous façade of those responsible, Catalina Island seems anything but a serene oasis.

I am a Michael Connelly fan…it’s even stated in my bio. Unfortunately, NIGHTSHADE didn’t resonate with me. I found the pacing incredibly slow, the dialogue often stilted, the characters one-dimensional, and the plot predictable. Am I finished with Mr. Connelly? Not on your life. Much appreciation to Little Brown and Company, Michael Connelly, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Michael Connelly's new book, Nightshade, is either a standalone or the start of a new series. If the latter, it's off to a good start. Although Nightshade starts slowly, taking its time to introduce us to its main character, Detective Stilwell, it gains momentum as it takes the reader through two serious crimes. Detective Stilwell, "Stil, " has been banished, er transferred, to Catalina, an island off the coast of Los Angeles. Forced to work with the LA detective who's actions resulted in Stil's transfer, he quickly takes charge. Connelly's signature style is evident in this novel that is almost as interesting for its descriptions of Catalina's physical environment as it is for its mystery. Connelly fans will not be disappointed.

Michael Connelly Is a one-of-a-kind Author with amazing books and character development that even throws surprises at me when I think I have it all figured out. Nightshade introduces us to a brand-new main character Detective Sergeant Stillwell of the LA Sheriff’s office. Stillwell was sent to Catalina Island due to his supposed transgressions in pursuing further a previous case. His days are usually dealing with Drunks and thefts when the island is busy. We begin with a dead Buffalo investigation. And then there is a grizzly finding of a dead body in the water that turns into a murder investigation.

Despite having to deal with some roadblocks from rich people as well as politics from his bosses and some not so nice mainland detectives Stillwell does not let that distract him from doing his job. We also get some of his personal life as we read through and find out he is dating a special lady and despite being sent to the island as punishment he does not seem to want to leave anytime soon, at least not permanently.

When I started reading this story, I will admit I thought it was going to be a slower read then it actually ended up being. However, Connelly really picked things up relatively quickly and the book pulled me in and kept me gripped wanting to read more every spare moment I had despite being a new character. You also really get a sense of the island from how things are described without really distracting from the main plot of the story. The Story had twists and turns and surprise arrests that kept things interesting. Michael Connelly hit a Home Run with Nightshade I truly hope this is the start of another amazing series to come from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley , Little, Brown and Company and Michael Connelly for this amazing opportunity to read this book in advance of its release in exchange for my honest review.

The book started out a bit slow, but it eventually picked up and finished strong, which is why I took off a star. Otherwise, I’m happy to report that Connelly has FINALLY stopped inserting his political views into his thriller novels. It’s taken a long time, but maybe he finally realizes that people on both sides of the aisle like to read good fiction.

A brand new character from Michael Connelly!! This longtime fan has been very excited about Nightshade ever since I heard about it. It has been a long time since this has happened and it was so exciting to meet Detective Stilwell and explore Catalina with him.

As always with a Connelly book, there is so much going on with multiple storylines happening. Stilwell has been exiled to. The island off the California coast after an incident on his last case. But it turns out, he quite likes it there. His usual day to day work has him dealing with thefts and drunk tourists, but now he has a body. A woman has been weighed down in the water in the harbour and has to call in the mainland cops.

I absolutely loved this book. It was dark and clever, with a touch of humor and sass . I really enjoyed the setting of Catalina, and all the challenges that came with being a cop on a small island. Stilwell is still earning the trust of the locals but really doesn’t care what people think of him. He does what he has to do to solve the case and get the right person for the crimes. Sounds familiar? yes there were times that I could see Bosch is Stilwell but he is different in so many ways as well.

I cannot wait for more from Catalina, and maybe a first name for Detective Stilwell as well. This is the first in a new series, so there is absolutely no excuses for not picking it up.

Thank you so so much to Little Brown and Company for my advanced copy of Nightshade to read. You made me very happy. Out on May 20th.

Michael Connelly has been consistently dropping a Bosch book a year since the end of the Clinton Administration, and now we get a spring novel in a new series about Detective Stilwell who is an LAPD officer who has been exiled to Catalina Island. A body washes up and Stilwell gets involved with a fancy Yacht club, as well as a grimier interaction with a crooked owner of a tour guide business. This has all of the Connelly hallmarks of dogged cops working cases, as well as a unique setting on Catalina island, and the subculture around an Island town.. Dedicated Connelly fans will find this scratches that itch, while they wait for another Bosch or Lincoln Lawyer installment.

Michael Connelly's newest book, Nightshade, is either the beginning of a new series or a standalone, with no trace of the characters from the author's other series. I was intrigued that the book is set on the island of Catalina, off the coast of Southern California--a place I visited briefly many years ago. There are no automobiles allowed on the island, and much of the activities revolve around the water--sailing, fishing, beach sunbathing, water sports, and so on.

Detective Sergeant Stilwell of the LA County Sheriff's Department (even at the end of the book, we don't know his first name) is responsible for investigating crimes that originate on Catalina--unless the LA detectives try to take over. Stil (as his friends call him) was "transferred" to this position a year ago as a punishment for alienating the management and certain members of his previous department, but he finds he greatly enjoys the new environment and has found a girlfriend in Tash, who works for the Harbormaster. When the body of a woman with a purple streak in her hair (hence the nickname Nightshade) is found tied to an anchor, it calls for the Catalina and LA detectives to put aside their bad blood and work together, At the same time, Stil needs to bring to justice the person who beheaded and absconded with the head of one of the island's protected buffaloes.

The book's immersion into Catalina local color and customs makes for an interesting read, and Connelly's signature writing style and intricate plot are in evidence. I'm hoping that if this is a series, Stil's character will be fleshed out and his romance with Tash developed.

My thanks to Little Brown, and Company and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

The characters are not deep or complex, but they are consistent and interesting. All characters have a purpose in the story, and most of them change in some way by the end.
The plot strikes a balance between complex and easy to follow. There are a great deal of plot twists and dead ends, but the story takes its time and allows the reader to process everything. I hope I re-read this book one day, so I am able to look for clues to the culprit that I might have missed the first time around.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

I very much enjoyed this book. The writing was great and the characters were well developed. I hope to read more from this author in the future.

Connelly's newest protagonist, Detective Stillwell, makes his debut in Nightshade. I thoroughly enjoyed this flawed, yet determined character and look forward to reading the next installment.

I love Connelly's books so knew I'd love this one with new protagonist Harry Stilwell and girlfriend, Tash. A dead body has been discovered off the coast of Catalina and Stilwell is on the case. Fortunately she has a streak of purple in her hair which makes it easier to identify her so Stilwell is off and running! Like Connelly's other novels, this one is just dicey enough to keep you engrossed until the bitter end!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Michael Connolly introduces a new hero for our times with a plethora of twists and turns in a riveting narrative. Nightshade is the type of police procedural that embraces the taut pacing that comes with being a bit rogue

I am a big fan of Michael Connelly and have read every book that he has written. From Harry Bosch to Lincoln Lawyer to Renee Ballard, I am always amazed that the author continues to put out wonderful suspenseful novels. In this book, we meet a new character, Detective Stilwell, who has been relocated to Catalina Island as a result of a homicide decision that he was involved with. Not to give away too much of the plot, the reader meets this dectective and other new characters who are involved in a murder set on this California island. Well written ( as all his books are). I look forward to reading more books involving Detective Stillwell. Wouldn't it be great to have all the other characters from previous books come together to solve another murder mystery!