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(as of Nov 23, 2025 01:25:13 UTC – Details)
B0DNDZWQ9R, AN INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
Introducing Detective Stilwell: a cop relentlessly following his mission in the seemingly idyllic setting of Catalina Island.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Detective Stilwell has been “exiled” to a low-key post policing rustic Catalina Island, after department politics drove him off a homicide desk on the mainland. But while following up the usual drunk-and-disorderlies and petty thefts that come with his new territory, Detective Stilwell gets a report of a body found weighed down at the bottom of the harbor—a Jane Doe identifiable at…, 4.5,
Reviewer: Nigelhein
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great first run at a new character and location for Connelly
Review: I’m a big fan of Connelly’s books so was excited to hear that he had a new character coming out in his latest book: Nightshade. Having visited Catalina Island many times, I was also intrigued that the story was set in such a small town where not much seems to go on other than the coming and going of tourists on a daily basis. So how do you setup a thriller with intrigue, action and corruption in a tiny town where not much that goes on is unnoticed?All the locations are mostly accurate (streets, restaurants, island environment) so Connelly must be a regular visitor to the island or perhaps spent some time there. A couple of the locations in the book are fictitious, but if you know the island you can picture the setting and the people in that setting (like the Black Marlin Club), as there are similar places on the island.The story rolls out pretty quickly as is usual in a Connelly mystery. The main character, Stilwell, a detective sergeant who got sent to the island after having a run-in with some of his fellow officers on the mainland, efficiently patrols the island and has a quick bead on troubles that arise. But things get out of control when several crimes are committed and it becomes apparent quickly that they are related.Some people have said that Stilwell was not thoroughly developed by the writer, but I believe the character will be developed further if Connelly continues to write Stillwel books. You can pick up any Bosch book and there is not a great amount of character development in any single book. That comes as the character appears across several books and is faced with multiple crises that require him to reach back into his past for experience and problem solving. That is my experience with Bosch.This is a good one, worth the read, and hopefully we see more of Stilwell keeping the peace on Catalina Island (or elsewhere!)
Reviewer: Ron Kelly
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Good read
Review: A good read but not his best. Its hard to relate to a new character in a much lower key area. The books tempo was a lot slower the. The traditional Harry Bosch type Novels. It was still a good read with twists and sub plots he is famous for
Reviewer: Eileen Goudge
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A new series off to a good start
Review: I enjoyed this novel and found it hard to put down. I was glad to see it’s the first in a series because I would love to read more. The sheriff hero, Stilwell, is an engaging character who’s up against some worthy adversaries, which keeps the pot boiling and makes it interesting. I enjoyed the romantic subplot as well. All in all, an excellent read and not as dark as his Bosch novels, which is a good thing in my opinion.
Reviewer: R. Tucker
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Feels Like a Rushed Draft
Review: I have been a fan of Michael Connelly since his first detective thriller and have enjoyed seeing him mature as a writer. He tells great, full stories full of unexpected turns of events. He builds suspense, sometimes to the point of anxiety. He builds deeply relatable characters. He anchors his stories in well-researched factual contexts. He tells a rich story, from beginning to end. In sum, he is a writer who richly deserves his success and reputation.Compared with virtually all of Connolly’s previous novels, few of his distinguishing attributes as an author were to be found in “Nightshade.” He writes well enough but the plot, characters, and story details have a first draft feel — rushed, unfinished, unexciting, and truncated. The book might better serve as a pitch outline for a television series or movie. Even the line spacing and white space has the appearance of attempting to make the book look like more than it is.I hope this fallback is temporary. In the meantime, those looking for “classic Connolly” will find all of those attributes well-expressed in Robert Dugoni’s Detective Tracy Crosswhite books.
Reviewer: Linda B Blossom
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A great read…
Review: Engaging. As I got further into it, I couldn’t put it down. There were two stories going on at once. I really enjoyed the intermingling of the characters throughout. It took some turns I didn’t expect which is what kept it interesting throughout.
Reviewer: J. C. Sandoval
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Catalina Island vibe
Review: I wanted to like this more being a big Bosch and Ballard fan. I am willing to give a second volume a chance since Nightshade was engaging but just didn’t pack the same punch as the Bosch and Ballard series. I enjoyed the Catalina Island vibe. Michael Connelly captured its essence well. Stilwell, the main character, enjoys his life on Catalina Island, with his semi-serious love interest, Tash, and the law enforcement cohorts and cast of characters he deals with. Two main cases are on his plate, and he discovers they are connected. Good character development and believeable characters.
Reviewer: Austin
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great beach read
Review: Got this on a rec from Jack Carr for a vacation read in Destin. It’s a great story, easy read, I was done by the end of our trip. Connelly is a great story teller. Will definitely look into his catalog further
Reviewer: Accessories rule!
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great Story About a Different World
Review: Catalina Island is the setting for this murder mystery. There’s something charming about this place off the coast of Long Beach, California. It retains some of the innocence of a time before social media and the internet shrank our world. Characters are heroic and flawed. Law enforcement entities’s rivalries are on full display. Politics disappoint, again. The schism dividing rich and poor is almost its own character. Intriguing. Colorful. Worth the read.
Reviewer: Kindle Customer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Mr Connelly has surpassed himself.Attractive new location, well drawn characters, clever plot line, murder, greed, intrigue, flawed people, romance and a story worthy of a sequel.Must read!
Reviewer: Lynne Blamires
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: I really enjoyed the new characters and storyline of this book.
Reviewer: Paul Ruffell
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Nice straightforward police procedural. No major plot twists and a linear timeline. Very relaxing and enjoyable. Well worth the read.
Reviewer: mark goldsmith
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Great story introducing new Connelly crime fighter. And there’s more to come.
Reviewer: minnu puri
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: When i began reading the book and discovered no Bosch or Ballard i was kind of put of but…. i was wrong!! The book is as riveting as any Connelly book. A must for all Bosch Ballard fans.
, Books > Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Thrillers & Suspense > Crime > Murder, #Nightshade #Catalina #Book,
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