Dark Sacred Night (A Ballard and Bosch Novel)

Renee Ballard is a young detective working the late shift in Hollywood. Her career has hit a snag due to gender-biased politics within the department, more specifically her defiance to the advances of a superior officer. The middle of her latest “late show” shift brings her into the orbit of Detective Harry Bosch. She views him with a wary eye rummaging through old case files. Bosch is now retired, but the dogged investigator is working as a reserve policeman for the San Fernando department. Ballard learns more about Bosch’s interest when she questions him directly. Bosch has been investigating the cold case involving the murder of a fifteen-year-old prostitute. The two come to an agreement and decide to work the case, albeit in their downtime, as it is not under their purview. Bosch and his current partner have been looking into a cold case homicide that is gang-related. The death of an informant and threats on Bosch could lead to Bosch and Ballard’s case going unsolved.

Dark Sacred Night is Michael Connelly’s latest in his continuing rung of suspenseful thrillers. The latest entry brings long-running hero Bosch together with new heroine Ballard. The results are gripping, taut, and entertaining. Connelly has not lost a step in his story-telling–each story gets better and better. A+