Wed 16 Aug 2017
MICHAEL CONNELLY – The Late Show. Renée Ballard #1. Little Brown & Co,m hardcover, 2017.
After 21 books in his Harry Bosch series and six Mickey Haller (“Lincoln Lawyer”) books, including crossovers, plus a handful of other novels over the years, with this book Michael Connelly has begun a new series. Renée Ballard is a L.A. cop, a detective working in the same world as the Bosch books, but in this first outing his name comes up only once, and then only in passing.
The book is called The Late Show for a reason. Ballard has been transferred to the night shift of the LAPD after accusing her former commanding officer of an untoward pass at her. Unfortunately her partner at the time did not back her up when he could have, and she lost her case. And was transferred to the night squad.
This one begins as an ordinary police procedural, told in crisp, clear sentences and with lots of authentic police jargon, with Ballard and her new partner balancing several cases at a time — and mostly dropping them off to the day team — but two in particular she keeps to herself. One involves the near fatal beating of a transgender woman; the other is a shootout at a dance club that also kills a couple of the club’s employees.
Ballard works within the rules, but if you have read any of Connelly’s other books, it will not surprise you to learn that she is also somewhat of a maverick. Investigating on her own also gets her into trouble, of course, including getting some unwanted scrutiny from the brass up above, but one serious scrape she gets into is caused when she gets too close to a killer too soon, and working alone.
Connelly is an excellent writer with extremely smooth prose that can easily keep you up reading late into the night, which seems totally appropriate to me. The only problem I found is how perfunctory her second case is closed up. Not that it was easy, and keep that i mind, but I was expecting an extra twist or two, and there wasn’t one. I was left wishing for more.
August 18th, 2017 at 11:06 am
I think it is interesting when an established author reaches out of their comfort zone and attempts a different series character. I feel the easy way out is to keep writing the same character/story, and who knows how the new series will be received? On the other hand, readers like myself that like to read a series from the beginning this is a great chance to read an author you may have not read but don’t want to go back twenty books and start reading.
I would think as an author with a respected series character you would want to stretch your legs and go in a different direction once in a while, but still having the ability to go back to your main series.
August 18th, 2017 at 11:26 am
I agree on all counts, David. Add to what you’ve said the fact that Connelly chose a female protagonist. I assume that he did so deliberately, for the additional challenge.
Did he succeed? I think so, but I have the same inherent handicap that Michael Connelly does. I’m male.