Wow. Michael Connelly does it again. Nightshade introduces a brand-new character to stand alongside Harry Bosch, Mickey Haller, and Renée Ballard—and what a compelling debut it is. Just when you think Connelly has explored every angle of crime and justice in L.A., he flips the script and gives us a fresh perspective with Stilwell.
Exiled from the homicide desk on the mainland thanks to departmental politics, Stilwell finds himself assigned to Catalina Island—a picturesque but seemingly sleepy post. It feels like a dead-end reassignment… until a body is discovered at the bottom of the harbor, wrapped in plastic and weighed down like someone wanted it to disappear forever.
What follows is classic Connelly: a taut, tightly plotted investigation that crosses jurisdictional boundaries and dives deep into hidden corruption. Stilwell is dogged, flawed, and completely absorbing as a protagonist. As he digs deeper, what was supposed to be an island escape turns into something darker—a microcosm of the big-city rot he thought he left behind.
Connelly’s ability to craft atmosphere is as sharp as ever. Catalina comes alive as both a scenic refuge and a claustrophobic trap. The pacing is relentless, the mystery layered, and the writing razor-sharp.
It’s amazing to think that Connelly is launching yet another potential series after such a long, successful run—but if Nightshade is any indication, Stilwell is here to stay. Fans of Connelly’s work will be thrilled, and new readers will find this a perfect entry point into his world. Don’t miss it.