I started this book bummed that it was not a Harry Bosch or Mickey Haller, but Renee Ballard and Michael Connolly do not disappoint. He was and still is one of my favorite authors, looking forward to his next book, no matter who the main character is.

I love this new detective of Connelly's! Welcome addition to his canon of flawed, albeit likable, characters.

I really enjoyed this book. It has been quite a few years since I last read a book by Michael Connelly. I had almost forgotten how much I enjoy his writing but it came back to me pretty quickly once I started reading this book. I made the decision to read this book largely based on the fact that it was the start of a new series that sounded pretty interesting. Once I started reading, I had a really hard time stopping because I had to know how things would work out.

This book features Renée Ballard. She is a detective in Hollywood working the midnight shift or the Late Show. Renée and her partner don't keep the cases that come up on their shift instead they focus on doing the initial processing before handing it off to someone on the day shift. Renée was transferred to the Late Show after accusing her former supervisor of sexual harassment.

The book opens with Renée and her partner on the job. They deal with a theft and then go immediately to deal with a severe assault that has left the victim near death. Before they can leave the hospital to collect evidence at the scene, they are pulled to work on a night club shooting that has left several people dead. Renée doesn't want to let these cases go and keeps trying to figure out what really happened.

I liked Renée even though I didn't always like the things she did. There were a few times that she seemed to step over the line just a bit. As the book progressed and I got to know Renée better, I understood that she really wanted to do what needed to be done to find justice for the victims. She was a really unique character and her home life was not at all what I would have expected.

The story was really exciting and the mystery was rather complex. There were a few things that happen in the story that I didn't see coming at all. I love all of the twists that this story took and I honestly didn't figure anything out until it was revealed in the story. I loved how the story flowed with equal focus on the mystery and learning about the characters as they worked to solve the cases.

I would highly recommend this book to mystery fans. I found this to be a very well-written story filled with interesting characters and a solid mystery. I am really looking forward to following Renée on more cases as this series continues.

I received an advance reader edition of this book from Little, Brown and Company via NetGalley.

Michael Connelly just gained himself a new fan! I liked the character of Renee and the story was well-written and exciting. I liked that a background was provided for Renee, it helped me to get more into the story. I mean, that wasn't necessary since I was engaged from the very beginning, but it was appreciated!

Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Books for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for my review. Here is that review:

Renee Ballard is a disgraced LAPD detective. After bringing sexual harassment charges against her Lieutenant, and not being backed up by any of the witnesses, she was demoted to the "Late Show", the overnight shift which sees the worst of LA. During one memorable shift, Ballard and her partner are called out to an empty lot where a hooker has been beaten and left for dead. Before they can do much on the case, another call comes in of a shooting at a nightclub with multiple casualties.

Although the Late Shift usually just passes on their cases and doesn't follow up, Ballard is somehow drawn to the transvestitie prostitute has almost been beaten to death. She gets permission to follow the case and is soon deep into a mostly off-the-books investigation.

The nightclub case investigation is being headed by the same Lieutenant with whom she had the run-in, so she is kept off of it, but somehow manages to get involved anyway.

Renee is a great new character from Michael Connelly and I look forward to more from her.

This was just a really solid detective story from Michael Connelly. I like this new spunky surfer-detective, Renee Ballard, and I will pick up the installations to see where her story goes! This will be an easy title to recommend to patrons who already love Harry Bosch, or any of the other PI/detective series of a little higher caliber (Daniel Silva, John Connolly, LesCroart). I will definitely booktalk this in my next program, the introduction to this new detective is intriguing and although the story was a tad predictable, I felt like all the supporting characters were fantastically brought to life. I was really able to just relax into the book and enjoyed the yarn.

This was the start of a great new series for Michael. It was nice to see him write a female lead and the idea of the the Late Shift seems ripe for many more excellent thrillers.

Once a rising star, young police detective Rene Ballard was exiled to the Hollywood station's night shift after losing a sexual harassment complaint against her boss. Not a good career move for Ballard, but a perfect one for crime novelist Michael Connelly, who launches a new series with The Late Show (Little Brown, digital galley). Ballard and her partner typically hand off night-time crimes to the day shift for further investigation, but a nightclub shooting upsets the routine. Ballard is with a badly beaten transgender prostitute at the hospital when she is detailed to the arrival of a waitress fatally wounded at the shooting. While other detectives are all over the four other victims, Ballard tries to find out more about the comatose prostitute and confronts a sadistic killer. Then the death of another cop draws her into the nightclub investigation. The relentless pace is relieved by glimpses into Ballard's lonely life. A surfer since childhood, she lives mostly out of her van, spending days at the beach with her rescue dog, sleeping in a tent. You thought Harry Bosch had issues. -- from On a Clear Day I Can Read Forever

This was a decent police procedural and the start of a promising new series featuring a female lead. I was a little bogged down with the details and the pace was a little slow for me. But I think fans of Michael Connelly's other books will enjoy this one as well.

(Thank you Netgalley for an early reader copy and Goodreads for a First Reads!)

If you like Harry Bosch, you'll love The Late Show, Michael Connelly's new book. Think female version of Harry B: tenacious, creative, has trouble with authority and stupid rules, there's tragedy in her childhood, and she just plain doesn't give up until justice has been served!

Renee Ballard works the "late show", which is what the late night/overnight shift at the Hollywood Police department is called. Renee takes the calls, and hands them off to the day shift to follow through on them. But Renee wants to do more than just take calls, she's a problem solver and wants to close cases and bring justice to the victims. One really busy night she covers two cases that really resonate for her: a mass murder in a dance club, and the brutal beating of a transgender sex worker. As she digs deeper into the cases, she finds some strange things...are there links between the two cases? Was the murder of her former partner related to one of the cases, and if so, how?

The writing is typical high quality Michael Connelly. Renee is a well written, flawed character who can see the patterns in the evidence, and solve the mystery. Her relationship with her former boss, who continues to punish her for bringing a complaint against him, creates a challenge in solving her cases. Renee is creative, and just doesn't give up. I loved the book, and I love Renee as much as I love Harry Bosch. Can't wait for Renee's next story! So nice to have a strong, albeit somewhat flawed, female character in an engrossing police/murder mystery!

I am a huge fan of Michael Connelly’s work so I was thrilled to see the start of a new series, particularly one with a female protagonist! And boy did Connelly deliver! This is a great book – interesting, compelling and well written! The character of Renee Ballard was fascinating to me. I loved how different she is from most other fictional detectives in literature – she’s a unique and thoughtful character. I’m going to enjoy getting to know her as the series moves on. I liked that this novel covered several cases (rather than just one as many of these books do) which kept me on my toes as a reader. The story is so well plotted, as you’d expect from Connelly.

Great character development and I love the ‘realness’ of his characters. They feel like real people and often respond in non-traditional ways which I think is always interesting and one of the reasons I keep coming back for more of his novels!

I definitely recommend this for Connelly fans and people new to Connelly. It’s just a solid read. Engaging and compelling! Read this one … you won’t be sorry!

Once again The author brings both characters and plot alive. I wish there was a little less description of areas but by mid book I was hooked.

First, I'm a Michael Connelly fan. I still think his book, The Poet, is one of the best EVER.
Second, this introduces a new, female, lead. So--interest piqued.

The setting:
"Renée Ballard works the night shift [i.e, the "late show"] in Hollywood... once [an] up-and-coming detective, she's been given this beat as punishment after filing a sexual harassment complaint against a supervisor.

But one night she catches two cases she doesn't want to part with: the brutal beating of a prostitute left for dead in a parking lot and the killing of a young woman in a nightclub shooting. Ballard is determined not to give up at dawn. Against orders and her own partner's wishes, she works both cases by day while maintaining her shift by night." [as the late show cases ususally end up with the day-time detectives]

And so it begins. It's a page turner with many twists and turns--some predictable. I couldn't wait to see how it all turned out. Every time a new character was introduced into the story line, I wondered where it would lead. And I enjoyed the ride--very much--more so the latter half of the book where things seemed to pick up as the complications and intertwining grew.

BUT. I did not care for the end [too abrupt] and I couldn't quite get a handle on Renee. So for me a 3.5, cant quite round up.

While the story of a brave woman trying to make it in the male world of a police department has almost become a cliche, this effort is well worth reading. Multiple cases impact Renee as she is assigned to the midnight shift after calling out a sexist boss. The book is filled with suspense as Renee faces danger from every side. Surprises along the way keep the reader engrossed, and the ending is a real twist. I will want to read more about Renee's adventures.

I love that there is a new series by Michael Connelly. Can't wait to see this character develop further and I hope we learn more about her back story. It seem reserved on purpose.

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.

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>

Strong female primary character. Very good beginning to what is supposed to be a new series.

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 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.