The Late Show

"If you go into the darkness, the darkness goes into you. You then have to decide what to do with it. How to keep yourself safe from it. How to keep it from hollowing you out."

Detective Renée Ballard works the "late show" (11 pm to 7 am shift) with the Los Angeles Police Department. Unlike most cops, she doesn't have the luxury of following a case to its conclusion as she is meant to pass it off to those in the appropriate departments that come on in the morning. The assignment is "usually awarded to those who run afoul of the politics and bureaucracy of the department." Ballard earned the assignment after she filed and lost a sexual harassment suit against Lieutenant Robert Olivas, the head of a homicide team 4 years prior.

This gritty police procedural focuses on 3 separate cases that come in on a single night of duty. The first concerns and elderly lady who believes her credit card was stolen when she gets an alert that it was used to make online purchases on Amazon. The second involves the vicious beating of a male prostitute who is transitioning to female on the Santa Monica stroll. And the big one -- a multiple murder in a nightclub -- 5 persons shot dead and the shooter escaped. Ballard and her partner Jenkins write up the files and then Ballard can't let go and pursues them on her own time, against policy.

Filled with police jargon and detailed investigative description, this was absorbing and addictive. Renée Ballard is not a typical female detective given her backstory and the way she lives. Not particularly good with relationships, she is sort of a lone she-wolf and definitely hard boiled. I love Connelly's writing style and have read most of his previous series, and this is apparently the start of one featuring a female protagonist. I'm hooked and definitely will be eagerly waiting for the next book. The writing is crisp and the complex plot is believable though it of course contains the inevitable, stereotypical dramatic sequence where the female is taken captive (my only beef).

Here's a little bit of an oxymoron for you: Michael Connelly is one of my favorite authors, yet I haven't read one of his books in a while. I love the way he writes, but somewhere along the way I lost track of which Harry Bosch books I've read so far, so I've missed a bunch of them. I'll have to just suck it up and read from somewhere in the middle, because he sure knows how to tell a story.

The good news is, with The Late Show, he's introduced a brand new character to get hooked on, LAPD Detective Renée Ballard. She has her issues (and I look forward to Connelly spending more time exploring them in future books) but she's definitely not as dark and cynical as Bosch is (not that there's anything wrong with that). And with this new book, once again, Connelly proves he's a master at weaving suspense, emotion, character development, and some good-old-fashioned police work.

Ballard works the night shift in Hollywood, known as the late show. She and her partner are often the first to respond to different incidents throughout the night and early morning—robberies, assaults, the occasional homicide—but they usually don't see them through to fruition, because they're kicked to the day squad. This frustrates Ballard, who once had a promising path as a detective, only to be shuffled to the late show after filing a sexual harassment complaint against a supervisor.

She loves the job, but it frustrates her, because she has so much more potential than taking initial statements and then leaving them to someone else to solve. And she knows that she could solve at least some of the cases, probably more so than those who take them on, but overtime isn't allowed, and she just needs to learn how to play the game.

But one night gives her a little more than she bargains for. First, she and her partner are called to the scene of a transgender prostitute who was brutally beaten and left for dead. The amount of violence perpetrated on this individual amazes Ballard, and she is reluctant to let the case go, because she wants to find who could do such a thing. While at the hospital, they're called to watch over a young waitress shot in what appears to be a multiple homicide case at a nightclub. When the woman dies from her injuries, Ballard wants to understand if she was intended to be a victim or if she was just collateral damage.

Both cases give her more than she bargained for. And as much digging as she wants to do on the nightclub shooting, the lead detective on the case is her former supervisor who had her demoted to the late show, and her former partner, who refused to back her up in her claims, is involved. The more she gets involved trying to track down the perpetrator in the assault case, and the more she tries to find dirt in the shooting, the more she finds the cases are intertwined, and bring her own demons to light at the same time.

"To me it's like the laws of physics—for every action, there is an opposite and equal reaction. If you go into darkness, the darkness goes into you. You then have to decide what to do with it. How to keep yourself safe from it. How to keep it from hollowing you out."

Renée Ballard is a brilliantly drawn character. I love her determination, her hard-headedness, her vulnerability, her strong (if occasionally misplaced) sense of right and wrong, and the way she takes her job seriously. She is definitely flawed, and you can see the potential for those flaws to cause her danger. But she is a truly fascinating character, and in Connelly's hands, she so transpires the stereotypical qualities you often see in fictional female detectives.

Once again, Connelly does a terrific job balancing the narrative of the story with its suspense and action. There are a few twists and turns along the way, and I was hooked from the start. Reading The Late Show reminded me why Connelly is one of the greatest crime writers around, and it makes me want to kick myself that I've let so much time slip by since I've last read one of his Bosch books.

Ballard isn't portrayed as a superwoman, but she's a super woman, and one I can't wait to see in another book sometime soon. This is a fantastic start to a new series I hope has the staying power of Bosch's.

NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!

Great new book from Michael Connelly. As a fan of Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch and Lincoln Lawyer series, I hope this is the start of a new series. The characters and pacing are perfect as is the heroine who straddles the gray area of the law to bring criminals to justice. A great read!

Michael Connelly's thirtieth novel is a bit of a curveball for long-time readers, but he absolutely smashes it out of the park. For the first time in many years, there's no Harry Bosch or Mickey Haller. Instead, a new hero, young detective Renee Ballard, a beach-loving Hawaiian who's been relegated to the midnight shift in Hollywood after speaking up against her former supervisor's sexual harassment.

Ballard was a star on the rise, but now she's persona non grata with many former colleagues in the prestigious Robbery Homicide division. Instead, she spends the early hours of the morning being called out to all manner of incidents, beginning investigations before passing them on to the daytime detectives. She's a shepherd of crime, more than a crime solver. But Ballard won't allow her current situation to push her out of the police force. She's determined to make a difference, to help victims.

Although she has a partner, the pair of detectives on 'the late show' (the nickname for the midnight shift) have to cover the entire week between them, so end up working some nights solo. Ballard's partner Jenkins is a solid detective, but is often now just punching the clock, eager to get home to spend time with his ailing wife. He doesn't share Ballard's burning drive to go the extra mile.

When on one night there's a credit card theft, a trans prostitute is brutally beaten and put in a coma and a bar worker is caught up in a nightclub multiple murder, Ballard finds it hard to let either of the latter two cases go. Despite the fact that her old nemesis, Lieutenant Olivas, takes over the nightclub investigation with his crack RHD team, and makes it very clear he needs no help from her.

Ballard is on the outside looking in, but won't let that stop her trying to find the truth.

Even if it puts her career, and her own life, on the line.

Connelly absolutely nails the tricky balance between familiarity and freshness with The Late Show. For long-time fans, Ballard has some Bosch-like characteristics (trouble with her superiors, extremely driven, solves crimes in LA) while being a fascinating, fully-formed character all of her own too.

It's easy to see why The Late Show is already being touted as the start of a new series, rather than a standalone. Renee Ballard is a wonderfully intriguing character, who gets more and more interesting as the book goes on, and we learn a little more about her. She is fierce, has a different way of looking at the world, and faces issues as a female detective that haven’t been addressed in other Connelly tales. I was curious as to how Connelly might handle writing from the perspective of a female detective, but he does it with aplomb and authenticity (I understand the character was inspired in part by a real-life LAPD female detective who Connelly has known for many years).

The Late Show starts well and gets even better as the pages turn, as we learn more about Ballard and her LA world, and are handcuffed by a sublimely wrought crime tale.

A brilliant start to a new series from a true master of the craft.

This book is an exciting start to what promises to be a great new series. Detective Renee Ballard is a formidable and tough detective working late shifts in LA. She is gutsy, brave and determined. We have different plots running through the book but they are all woven together very masterfully by Michael Connelly. I really love the character of Ballard and I am looking forward to reading more of her. Many thanks to Net Galley for my copy. I reviewed on Goodreads and Amazon.

Go Renee! Connnelly has created a new winner in this book, introducing Renee Ballard, an out of favor detective who has been pushed into the Late Show by her vengeful boss. She is another quirky character, living in a truck, tough and alone.

Connelly gives us sufficient backstory so we will be prepared for many exciting books in the future. This is a brilliant debut in my favorite genre.

Renee stumbled upon several cases which she worked on with dogged tenacity, despite threats to her career and life. I was enthralled by her and the brilliance of her mind which navigates through problems, often in an unorthodox (or illegal) way.

Obviously, this will be another winning character for Connelly. Unlike other authors, Connelly allows his characters to age, grow and change. I am excited to know that Renee will provide another series to look forward to. Thanks Michael Connelly, for giving me slouch excitement and joy.

I’ve long believed Connelly to be a master storyteller, he tells it straight and he keeps the lines clear. I don’t get confused when I read one of his books – I always know what’s happening. That’s not to say I necessarily know where it’s going, that’s a different story. In fact, he normally keeps me guessing, with hidden linkages, motives and agendas. His lead characters speak their mind, can be abrupt to the point of rudeness and take no crap from anybody. I love his books.

Here he introduces a new character, a female LAPD cop called Renée Ballard. The turf is the streets of Los Angeles Connelly readers will be well used to. And the motivation for drawing a new character is easily understood too: his classic crime stopper, Harry Bosch, is now now in his mid to late 60’s (if I’ve got my arithmetic right) and this is proving to be a limiting factor. Whereas you’d expect Bosch to be calming as the years catch up, Ballard is all steaming attitude and elbows. She’s got good reason to put all this to good use too, an incident with an ex-boss followed by betrayal from her partner has left he stranded on the night shift (AKA ‘the late show’). It’s a career graveyard.

We catch up with Ballard on what turns out to be anything but a routine night. After taking details of a credit card fraud she’s called to attend a scene where a transsexual woman has been virtually beaten to death. If that’s not enough, she ends her night assisting at a night club where 5 people have been shot to death. Strictly speaking, her job is to play a holding role on all cases, passing them over the the day shift to manage. Her current partner is ever keen to remind her of this – he’s a clock watcher, ever keen to escape his shift to attend his sick wife. The last thing he wants is to get dragged into something that’ll potentially extend his shift. But Ballard has other ideas.

There’s a lot going on but, as ever, Connelly holds a tight rein and never allows the narrative to get away from him. As the story progresses we learn more about Ballard (why do American cops always address each other by their surnames?) and she’s got an interesting back story. She has no significant man in her life – just a couple of guys she has semi-relationships with. Her surfing dad was drowned whilst doing the thing he loved and her mother seems to want nothing to do with Renée. In consequence, her main relationships are with her grandmother and her dog, Lola. Our lead lady is smart, work obsessed, driven, and forthright. Like a young Bosch? Yes, but different too. I really liked her.

Connelly has managed to make a new, fresh character seem like an old friend. I don’t quite know how he does it, but he does it. It’s a gripping story – or set of stories – and I defy any reader of crime fiction not to be drawn in heavily. He remains one of the best out there and in Ballard he’s opened up a whole new line of interest for his many fans and anyone who has yet to discover his books.

I was anxious to read this one, as I am a huge fan of Connelly's Bosch series. The new protagonist, a female detective, has some issues that aren't fully explained, so it will be interesting to see how she progresses through the series. I enjoyed the book very much. Despite being different from his other series', it's just as well written and engrossing. There are several intersecting storylines that are nicely tied together. An excellent start to a new series.

THE LATE SHOW
Michael Connelly
Little, Brown
ISBN 978-0-316-22598-4
Hardcover
Thriller

THE LATE SHOW, as the cover hastens to tell us, introduces Detective Renee Ballard of the LAPD detective bureau. We meet Ballard, Michael Connelly’s newest character, right out of the box, within the first sentence of the book as she and her partner John Jenkins --- a twenty-five year LAPD veteran answer a call on the midnight to eight shift, nicknamed “the late show” by the cops who staff it. The call is a soft one --- a missing credit card --- but it enables Connelly to give his new character a soft opening before getting to the good stuff, which is to say, the bad stuff, as in a brutal assault on a prostitute and a mass murder in a popular nightclub.

It is the latter two cases that showcase Connelly’s first-rate chops at writing police procedurals, chops which never seem to get old or lose their luster. Connelly, as Ballard investigates the brutal assault on a hooker in L.A.’s twilight world, drops a bit of backstory about her here and there throughout the narrative. Ballard was on an upward trajectory in the LAPD until she accused her supervising lieutenant of sexual harassment. He of course denied the charge and her partner at the time (not Jenkins) refused to back her up. The end result is that Ballard got shunted to the late show, a less than glamorous shift on which the officers are de facto hunter-gatherers, passing off the cases they collect during the night to the day shift. Ballard manages to get and keep the assault case --- one which, for various reasons, could otherwise well get buried in the shuffle --- but finds herself attracted to the club killings, a no-no given that it is most definitely not her case. Ballard begins a pattern of quietly working the cases by day while working her regular late-show shift at night, much to the chagrin of all, including Jenkins, who worries that she’ll really step in it. The way in which Ballard attempts to balance her on and off hours also gives Connelly a chance to explore Ballard’s personal life as well as her past. Ballard was born in Hawaii but moved to Los Angeles with her father, who disappeared under a big wave while surfing with her. Ballard now lives with her dog and occasionally her grandmother, but she seems only a step or two up from homeless, a state which she seems to have acquired by choice rather than by circumstance as she lives on the beach and dogpaddles into the ocean with every chance she gets. One takes the sense that her relationships with those outside of her family are transitory at best, but she has mad skills for detective work which ultimately hold her in good stead as she works all three cases (don’t forget that stolen credit card) following wherever the evidence leads her, no matter how dangerous or surprising the result may be.


Ballard won’t make you forget Harry Bosch or Mickey Haller. I suspect, however, that forgetting those two worthy characters is not Connelly’s intent. He has created --- perhaps intentionally, perhaps coincidentally --- a geographical link among the three characters which will keep Connelly’s world bordered firmly by the Los Angeles megalopolis and suburban San Fernando, with Haller straddling both. I give mad props to Connelly for getting through the entirety of THE LATE SHOW without mentioning either of (current) his primary characters. He had to have been tempted, and would have been justified in doing so. Nonetheless, he persisted without them. The focus of THE LATE SHOW thus remains entirely on Ballard, for better and worse, and if THE LATE SHOW heralds the beginning of a new series --- there are just enough loose ends at the conclusion of THE LATE SHOW to lead into a sequel --- I don’t feel like I need it, but I certainly wouldn’t turn it down. More Connelly is good Connelly. Recommended.

Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
© Copyright 2017, The Book Report, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Late Show by Michael Connelly

I’ve enjoyed many books by Michael Connelly, and when I learned his new book, The Late Show, was coming out, I looked forward to reading it. I didn’t know anything about the storyline, and I think perhaps I assumed it would be another in the long line of Connelly’s crime novels set in Los Angeles with a strong male protagonist (such as Harry Bosch or Mickey Haller).

But no! In the first paragraph, we learn that two police officers (“Ballard and Jenkins”) are working the night shift. We soon learn that Ballard is a female officer (at which point I thought, “OMG, is she the lead character here? A woman? AWESOME!!)

The way Connelly reveals Renee Ballard’s backstory, interweaving it with a complex police procedural full of the workings of the LAPD, is masterful. We learn that she is working nights (aka “the late show”) as a punishment for filing a sexual harassment suit against a former supervisor. She managed to keep her badge, but is clearly a black sheep in the squad room.

One night Renee catches two assignments that seem unrelated: the brutal beating of a prostitute left for dead in a parking lot and the killing of several people in a nightclub. Although typically the night shift turns all their cases over to the day shift, Ballard is determined not to give up these two cases. As the plot moves along, she chooses to go against both explicit orders and her partner's wishes, working on both these cases during the day while still taking her regular shifts at night.

She is definitely a woman with a past that drove her to become a cop. After a fatal shooting, she notes there “…was something inside her she didn’t know she had. Something dark. Something scary.” As her investigations progress, she calls on sources she has developed, including navigating the intricacies of dealing with the media: “She knew a couple of things about how the murky lines between the media and law enforcement were negotiated. She knew there was little cooperation.”

She is advised that her job takes her “…into the bleakest side of the human soul…If you go into darkness, the darkness goes into you. You then have to decide what to do with it. How to keep yourself safe from it. How to keep it from hollowing you out.”

No spoilers here, just a STRONG recommendation for Connelly fans, anyone who likes a good mystery, appreciates police procedurals, or just enjoys a good story with a strong, interesting female character, to READ THIS BOOK. It is terrific! Five stars (only because I can’t give six)!

With gratitude to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley, as I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

I've read all of Michael Connelly's books and eagerly await his new release every fall. I was SO EXCITED to see TWO new books this year and a new series with a new character! I really enjoyed Renee. She reminded me of Bosch. Tough and doesn't always follow the rules. This was exactly what I was hoping for in a new Connelly release. I am excited to continue with this series!

New character and series? Base hit. By a favorite author? Double play. Getting a copy from the publisher to read in exchange for an honest review? Bases loaded.

The new character is Renee Ballard, a relatively young and feisty detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. The author is Michael Connelly, well known and much loved by me for his Harry Bosch and Lincoln Lawyer (Mickey Haller) series. And my honest opinion? A home run!

Also in all honesty, though, neither Harry nor Mickey need worry; this mama still loves them best. But when someone new comes along that's worthy of note, there's plenty of room left on my virtual bookshelves. And that means the next time Renee Ballard makes an appearance, I'll be there to greet her.

A native of Hawaii with a journalism degree from the University of Hawaii, Ballard spends part of her free time riding the California surf with her faithful dog Lola. She's also fighting a few demons from the past, including the untimely death of her beloved father in a water-related accident and the fact that her long-time day shift partner failed to support her in her sexual harassment claim against her supervisor. As a result of that unsuccessful complaint, she's been relegated to the night shift - a.k.a. the Late Show. Now, she and her new partner, John Jenkins, are charged with investigating crimes that happen in the wee hours, but they must turn all their findings over to an appropriate "desk" rather than follow up on their own.

It's not always easy to let go of cases that come her way, but she manages - until, that is, she doesn't. On a single night, she lands in the middle of two: The first is the brutal beating of a prostitute who ends up close to death in an induced coma at the hospital. The second involves the murder of several patrons and a female employee at a local nightclub. She pleads her case for continuance on both cases, winning the right to follow up on the prostitute's. On the murders, though, everyone from the top down, including her partner, insists that she back off - but she's not having any of it. Bringing her extensive investigative skills and instincts to bear, she deals the beating incident during work hours. Then, using off hours and spare time, she delves into the nightclub murders with equal gusto - and lands smack dab in the middle of a close-to-home "hit" and a complex case that not only threatens her own future, but that of the entire department.

Now, of course, I'm looking forward to Ballard's next assignment. Bring her on!

5 Stars.
<b> <u>Michael Connelly at his Absolute Best. </u></b>

Detective Renee Ballard is Cop. Plain and Simple. Except that she is anything but. She works “the late show” at the “Hollywood Division” of the LAPD after being shipped off there for filing a complaint against her former boss (Lieutenant Olivas). A Sexual Harassment Complaint. It wasn’t well received. Now she is kind of known as a black sheep and she works cases with her new partner Jenkins. Cases that require no follow up. None. Its killing her inside, yet she has no choice. It’s this or nothing. The only good part of working the late show is that it allows her time to surf during the day and spend time with her dog, Lola.

One night however, two cases come in that gain her attention and she wants them. Big time. The first, involves a trannie prostitute (Ramona Ramone) being beaten within an inch of her life and left for dead; the second involves a waitress, (Cynthia Haddel) being murdered in a nightclub along with a couple of others. While the waitresses’ murder seems peripheral to the other murders at the club, Ballard thinks it warrants an investigation. The Lieutenant in charge of the investigation does not. He is, of course, Olivas. And he wants her out.

Ballard, however is tenacious and fiery – thus she finds a way to work the Ramona Ramone investigation on company time. Where it leads is dangerous, yet Ballard can’t stop herself. As for the investigation into Cynthia Haddel’s death? Well, Ballard investigates that one on her own, despite being warned to stay away.

Renee Ballard is a loner. The only things she needs in this life are her dog and her surf board and her job. Her life hasn’t been an easy one but she is pretty great at taking care of herself. Because of that, she has grit and strength and a crazy sense of right and wrong. Further, she can’t let go of anything, no matter where it leads or how dangerous it gets. And both of these cases lead down roads, that spell trouble with a capital T, but that’s not much of a surprise, is it?

<b>With “The Late Show” Michael Connelly does something special here, he creates a new character as almost as likeable as Harry Bosch. I, for one, didn’t think that was possible.</b> I have read every single Michael Connelly novel ever published. He is one of my favorite mystery/suspense authors. And Harry Bosch? One of my favorite characters EVER. I will admit that I’m not that big of Mickey Haller fan… he’s a little too smooth and slick for me (though Matthew McConaughey, does a great job portraying him). But Renee Ballard? Well, Michael Connelly knocked it out of the park with her character. Somehow, she isn’t a female Bosch. She’s vulnerable, yet resilient; kind, yet stubborn - and frankly she is courageous as hell. And I can’t wait to see what Michael Connelly has in store for her next.

I just have to say a HUGE thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. When I receive ARC’s that I request of my favorite authors (Connelly, Backman, Hoffman, Demille, Atwood, etc.), and I get approved, I end up jumping for joy and doing little whoops…) and when I got this one (my first Michael Connelly – I could barely contain myself). I’m pretty lucky – that’s all I have to say. So, thank you to NetGalley, Little Brown and Company and Michael Connelly for this ARC. I am so lucky to have received this. In case it wasn’t obvious, I loved it and I recommend it to mystery/suspense fans and all Michael Connelly fans out there. Dig in guys!

Published on NetGalley, Goodreads and Amazon on 7.23.17.

Fast paced with many twists and turns. This story kept me guessing until the very end.
I look forward to more adventures with Renee Ballard and the late show!

Most authors I cringe when I hear they are writing a new book with new characters. But not Michael Connelly. I knew from page one that Ballard was going to be another great character. I also had plans to just read a few chapters and get my housework done for the weekend. Needless to say, I couldn't put this book down so no chores got done this weekend! The writing for Ballard is different than Bosch or Mickey and is very action packed--I felt like I was seeing the book through the eyes of Ballard which is a cool thing to do. As always, Michael Connelly did not disappoint.

Wow - What a great beginning to a new series!! Loved the character of Renee Ballard and can't wait to find out more about her!

I just love Michael Connelly books!! The Late Show, the first book in a new series, is no exception! I was hoping I would love it from the beginning just like I did with the Harry Bosch series. And I honestly reall did!! Detective Ballard is such a great character. This book is everything you have come to expect from this author, great characters, great settings, and great storyline. If you haven't picked up a book by this author, I strongly suggest it!
I voluntarily reviewed a reader copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

Renée Ballard is a good LAPD detective but when she made waves in the department by telling the Brass that her boss was sexually harassing her things got tough. Now as one of her punishments, she has been assigned to the Late Shift (night duty). That doesn't stop Renée from being a thorough and dedicated cop. It is fascinating to see how she investigates, builds her cases, and solves crimes. Lots of suspense, action, and great writing!

Michael Connelly introduces a new detective in The Late Show (Little, Brown and Company, digital galley), a fast moving police procedural that is hard to put down. Renée Ballard works the LAPD overnight shift, responding to everything from burglaries to homicides. Because she has to hand off all of her cases at the end of her shift, she rarely gets to see anything through to completion. 

When Ballard becomes particularly attached to two cases -- the beating of a prostitute and a mass shooting at a nightclub -- she goes against the wishes and backs of her partner and LAPD brass to dig deeper and try to get some closure.

Connelly is a master story teller and with Ballard introduces a new character who is well versed in modern police work. She is at home navigating cell phones and computer databases in a way that Connelly's other fictional detective, Harry Bosch, is not.

The Late Show is the first of a new series featuring Ballard and will allow Connelly to explore some different aspects of detective work. And even write about cases other than homicide. But fans of Bosch and Mickey Haller should not despair, Connelly tells us in a Q&A interview at the Omnivoracious book blog that he has a new book featuring those characters coming out in the fall.

Renee Ballard has been working the overnight shift since she ratted her former boss out for trying to pressure her into having sex with him. Cops are an insular bunch.

The overnight shift for detectives is colloquially called The Late Show. She's gotten used to it, but she'd just like to see a few cases to their end once in awhile.

One night, two cases fall onto her docket. One she talks the daytime staff into letting her keep--the brutal assault of a trans prostitute--and one she's got to be careful if she wants to dig into. The one she needs to be careful with is the mass shooting of five people at a bar.

When the main detective on the case--Renee's old partner who didn't stand up for her against the boss--shows up dead, she just can't leave this case alone. Something is seriously off about it.

Connelly has done it again. This is the start of a new series, and it's just as much of a hit as the Bosch series. Ballard is a compelling character who is shaping up to be every bit as rich and nuanced as Bosch. Connelly is a pro at what he does, and it shows. Rather than another addition to the procedural cop murder mystery genre growing a bit stale, he's written something that's enjoyable and easy to consume quickly--you read it quickly because it's entertaining and really good.

Can't wait to see the next one.

The Late Show marks the beginning of a new series by Connelly, and it's cause for celebration. Renee Ballard is has been consigned to the Late Show, the night shift, ever since her partner failed to back her up in a sexual harassment complaint against a superior. She's a troubled but gifted investigator who must hand off all cases to the day shift each morning. Once again, L.A. Is practically a character, and force politics are always rumbling in the background, even if Ballard would rather they weren't. I look forward to further books in this series.

"If you go into darkness, the darkness goes into you. You then have to decide what to do with it. How to keep yourself safe from it. How to keep it from hollowing you out.”

Wowser, this was the perfect book at the perfect time for me. I enjoyed the h*ll out of it.

I don't know that I've ever read a Michael Connelly book that I disliked. I haven't read all of his Harry Bosch series but what I've read, I've enjoyed. Same with the Lincoln Lawyer series and I've read a lot of his other books, too.

THE LATE SHOW is an exciting police procedural introducing a new character of Connelly's - LAPD Detective Renée Ballard. She had a partner that didn't support her in a sexual harassment charge she filed on a superior and so she ended up working the 11pm to 7am night shift, also called The Late Show. Her new partner, Detective John Jenkins is pretty much by-the-book and works this shift by choice so he can be home with his cancer stricken wife during the day.

Ballard, though, is more ambitious and comes across two different cases she doesn't want to turn over to day shift detectives and she decides to work the cases in her off hours.

Loved this book. Loved the characters, especially Renée and her dog, Lola, and the surfing and paddle boarding sequences. Loved the many different cases discussed throughout the story.

Connelly is a master with characterization, exciting storylines, world building, word pictures, and police procedurals. I can always envision his books being made into movies or TV series (as some have been).

I received this book from Little, Brown and Company through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased review.

Michael Connelly is the undisputed master of crime fiction. His latest, The Late Show, underscores that fact. In this tale, we meet Renee Ballard, an RHD (Robbery Homicide Division) detective whose career is on an "upward trajectory." But then she files a sexual harassment complaint against her boss, Lt. Olivas. Her partner, who witnessed the event, chooses his career path over supporting his partner and Renée is shipped off to "the late show" – – – the nighttime shift that catches an assortment of cases but doesn't get to follow them, rather handing them over to other departments the next morning. Not how Renee saw her career going. Then, one night she catches two crimes that she cannot shake. She's a tough detective, and not above bending the rules, particularly when they have been bent against her so dramatically. She grabs the cases and pursues them with almost maniacal focus, which leads her into a web of graft, corruption, greed, murder, and ultimately a near fatal encounter from which she must use all her smarts and skills to escape. This is a wonderful, well-written story and one of Connelly’s all-time best. And that’s saying a lot. I could not recommend it more highly.

DP Lyle, award-winning author, lecturer, and story consultant

New series and a new detective, cited as female Harry Bosch but Renee Ballard is in a field of her own.
Looking forward to reading more in this series.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

The Late Show brings us a new series from author Michael Connelly and this time, instead of Harry Bosch, it’s Renée Ballard, a detective in the Hollywood Division. Renée and her partner, Jenkins, work at night, “the midnight shift, the late show, moving from case to case, called to any scene where a detective was needed to take initial reports or sign off on suicides. But they kept no cases.” She’s been shelved and transferred to this shift following a sexual harassment complaint, which was thrown out, against Lt. Olivas. Ballard is still bruised from the experience, but she’s dealing with it, working hard, and trying to do her job.

The book opens with a call to the home of a woman whose credit card appears to have been stolen, and then it’s onto Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center for the vicious beating and torture of a young woman (later discovered to be trans gendered), but before Ballard can press for forensic tests, another victim arrives from a quadruple murder that occurred in a Hollywood Club called the Dancers. When that victim, a waitress at the club dies, Ballard goes to the club to talk to witnesses.

So we have three crimes: a credit card theft, the beating and torture of a transgender person, and a multiple homicide at the club. The shooting at the club is odd. How are the victims related? –they’re an assorted trio of felons, a bookie, an enforcer, and a drug dealer, all in the same place at the same time, shot to death. And the drug-dealing waitress was “collateral damage.”

“Did anybody in here tell you they saw the waitress get hit?”

Jenkins scanned the tables, where about twenty people were sitting and waiting. It was a variety of Hollywood hipsters and clubbers. A lot of tattoos and piercings.

“No, but from what I hear, she was waiting on the table when the shooting started,” Jenkins said. “Four men in a booth. One pulls out a hand cannon and shoots the others right where they’re sitting. people start scattering, including the shooter. He shot your waitress when he was going for the door. Took out a bouncer too.”

Ballard is supposed to pass off the cases she works on the Late Show to the day team, but this is a driven detective who, still smarting at an unjust transfer, wants more.

She manages to wrangle holding onto the transgender torture case, but since the victim is in a medically induced coma, many questions are unanswered. Ballard’s partner Jenkins is distracted by his wife’s illness, but Ballard, who likes to go solo in her personal and professional life, starts investigating both the club shooting and the torture cases on her own. …

I thought I knew the direction the plot was heading, but I’m delighted to say that I was wrong. When it comes to crime enforcement, author Michael Connelly obviously has respect for the profession, but not every cop is idealized, and many flaws fester under the badges of some of the characters in these pages. The book’s visceral tone draws the reader into Ballard’s cases, and there’s a sense of immediacy–we are there with Ballard, an intriguing protagonist, who is strong enough to lead a series. It’s fun to think that we know how all the procedures of police work, but occasionally, only occasionally, there were too many details. But apart from that niggling issue, The Late Show is a pageturner.

Review copy.

I recently binge-watched the first three seasons of Bosch, the TV series based on Connelly’s main series. I absolutely loved it, and that gave me the necessary kick up the backside to start reading Connelly’s novels. As it happened, I received a review copy of The Late Show, so I decided to start here. This is a fantastic introduction of a new character, and a great crime novel. This is the first novel by Michael Connelly that I’ve read. It will not be my last.

As a first book in a series, we’re only just getting to know Ballard, but Connelly does a great job of giving her enough background to feel real, while not overdoing it. Despite this being our first meeting, she already feels pretty much fully-realized. She’s a great new character, and one who I think will open up a great many possibilities for the series to come. (I’m sure there will be a cross-over with Bosch, eventually, too.) Ballard is functionally homeless: officially, she lives with her grandmother, but in reality she sleeps on the beach in a tent, benefiting from the relaxed camping rules during the day. This also allows her to surf every morning (she’s from Hawaii), to clear her head after her shifts. Like Bosch, she’s something of a loose cannon, not entirely respectful for the chain of command. A classic trope, but it doesn’t feel forced. As she investigates on her own, a few of her decisions get her into serious trouble; but we also see her pull off some inspired investigative tricks. She doesn’t play too well with others, creating and enforcing a certain distance between herself and her colleagues. This could have made it difficult to connect with her as a reader, but Connelly writes so well this wasn’t an issue.

The Late Show centres around a couple of cases — a mass-shooting at a night club, and the savage beating and attempted murder of a transgender prostitute. Other, smaller cases appear over the course of the story, but these two are the main anchors for the novel. Through Ballard’s involvement (official and otherwise), we learn more about her co-workers, superiors, and also the unacceptable event that led to her being placed on the night shift (an overly-aggressive superior with a fragile ego and delicate masculinity who couldn’t take no for an answer). She navigates the whispers in her department, her dismissive superior. She’s bonding with her new(ish) partner. She’s dealing with her previous partner, who didn’t step up to defend her in the past. And then there’s the possibility that another cop was involved in the club shooting…

I realized while reading this that I don’t read many police procedurals. As it turns out, I really like them — I loved how understated much of this novel is, stripped of the Hollywood machismo, Michael Bay-esque explosive action that can dominate some crime novels. (Not that I dislike those novels, it’s just very refreshing to read a novel that just tells it like it is.) There’s a series of scenes of genuine peril that were also presented in a non-stylized and unexaggerated manner. It made everything feel more real, more claustrophobic and terrifying.

It is clear to me why Connelly’s novels are so successful: he’s an incredible talent, who can tell gripping stories grounded by an authentic realism. It feels redundant to say this, so far into his career. I’m late to the party, sure, but let’s celebrate that I arrived at all!

An excellent crime novel, I am definitely a convert. I’ll be reading and (hopefully) catching up with the Bosch series over the course of the next few months.

The Late Show is very highly recommended to all fans of crime fiction.

Harry Bosch will always be a favorite, but Renee Ballard, the feisty detective on the Hollywood Station night shift, will be fighting her way to the top to join him. She is unconventional and tends to stretch the rules. Though she has a partner, she often goes off on her own. Bosch would definitely approve.
In this book, she takes on two cases: the "big evil" who beat a transgender almost to death, and an unknown who disappeared after a night club hit on five people.

A great new addition to the Connelly family of characters, Renee Ballard is fascinating and I can't wait to read the next book in this series. Bravo!

New Michael Connelly series. Looking forward to the future adventures of Renee Ballard. This is a great opener. Well developed characters, great plot and in depth knowledge of the infighting and politics that must be present in the LAPD. Highly recommend this book.

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**

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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’s newest book The Late Show introduces us to a new character, Detective Renee Ballard and she’s one heck of a badass. Having been banished to the night shift (the late show of the title) after filing an unsuccessful sexual harassment complaint against her boss, she is now expected to just do the scut work with her new partner, Jenkins, conducting the opening investigation of a crime but then having to turn it over to other departments just as things look to be getting interesting. Jenkins is more than happy to do this but Ballard can’t let things go so easily. Fortunately, Jenkins would rather spend his time at home whenever possible so Ballard is able to go out on her, investigating cases, some no one else is interested in, but most she is supposed to have handed over but just can’t walk away from.

The Late Show is one compelling adrenaline rush of a story and Ballard is the perfect protagonist to match the furious speed. She’s a complicated woman - brash, brave, and willing to buck authority when she thinks, no, knows she’s the woman for the job even while realizing she is putting, not only her job but her life on the line but she also has flaws that make her sympathetic. She may not be Bosch but she’s plenty good enough to get the job done and keep the reader’s attention. A high recommendation from me for fans of Connelly or anyone who likes fast-paced thrillers and strong female protagonists.

<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown and Company for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review</i>

Michael Conelly is such a great storyteller; he has that very fine balance between giving the reader a bit of a clue, and holding back the surprise, absolutely perfected. And his writing style is so tense, so gripping and so absorbing that I feel totally emersed in the story and emotionally commited to the characters. I loved everything about this book and was utterly entertained throughout. And I do so love a just and satisfying ending, and this author always delivers. This is a classy, clever read and I can't imagine anyone not enjoying it.

Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch and Lincoln Lawyer novels have been a favorite pastime of mine for many years. When I've wanted to take in a good story, unravel a crime and have a few laughs his books have hit the spot. Anytime I pick up one of his novels I drop everything else I'm doing.

The Late Show is another excellent work with a new protagonist, Renee Ballard. Ballard is buried within her department on the night shift, mostly as a result of politics within the LAPD and a past beef with another detective. But she's determined, tough, and is bent on elimating big evil. Like Bosch, once she catches a case, she is determined to pursue justice.

The Late Show has three primary plot threads, as do most Connelly novels. But the big crime plot element centers on a night club shooting and the subsequent investigation. Ballard works the case, even when she is shielded from details by others within the department, in part because an ex-partner assigned to the investigation is gunned down while pursuing a lead. Ballard doesn't only want to see justice for the victims, but she suspects the case involves corruption within her own department. She is driven to find out.

Anytime Connelly publishes I'm going to check it out. Once again, he doesn't disappoint. And I can't wait to learn more about Renee Ballard.