I just love Michael Connelly books!! The Late Show, the first book in a new series, is no exception! I was hoping I would love it from the beginning just like I did with the Harry Bosch series. And I honestly reall did!! Detective Ballard is such a great character. This book is everything you have come to expect from this author, great characters, great settings, and great storyline. If you haven't picked up a book by this author, I strongly suggest it!
I voluntarily reviewed a reader copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

Wow - What a great beginning to a new series!! Loved the character of Renee Ballard and can't wait to find out more about her!

Renée is a new character and I like her very much. She's tough, determined and won't let anything get her down. She's been treated badly before, so now she's being much more careful but she still pursues cases that intrigue her. She just covers her butt better.

Little Brown and Company and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you). It has been published so you can grab a copy now.

As is usual, this is a fast paced read with casualties along the way. Renée accused her supervisor in the past of harassment. He wanted more than just good police work. However, even her own partner wouldn't back her up. She gets stuck on the night shift which is where old police officers go to die or retire, whichever comes first. What she finds is that's where the interesting cases show up. Her new partner tells her she needs to turn it in to the squads that handle those cases. But she's invested in the transvestite that took such a beating with brass knuckles he/she might die. And she hates the fact that a young waitress was shot in the bar. Especially since she thinks a cop was involved. So she keeps snooping.

She does find the guilty parties but one of them finds her and almost kills her. When she fights back and kills him, they try to make her look like she used excessive force but she survives that. It helps that she recorded the cop talking to the reporter and feeding him false information.

She also finds evidence left for her by her previous partner. Someone has killed him in his garage, and he knew he was skating close to death. Now she has the information to take down a bad cop. If only she lives long enough to do it...

Most authors I cringe when I hear they are writing a new book with new characters. But not Michael Connelly. I knew from page one that Ballard was going to be another great character. I also had plans to just read a few chapters and get my housework done for the weekend. Needless to say, I couldn't put this book down so no chores got done this weekend! The writing for Ballard is different than Bosch or Mickey and is very action packed--I felt like I was seeing the book through the eyes of Ballard which is a cool thing to do. As always, Michael Connelly did not disappoint.

Fast paced with many twists and turns. This story kept me guessing until the very end.
I look forward to more adventures with Renee Ballard and the late show!

This was a solid mystery/thriller from one of my favorite authors. I really liked Renee Ballard. She was flawed, smart, and a good detective. I look forward to more in this series. I gave this 4 stars on goodreads.

RHD detective Renée Ballard finds herself on The Late Show since she filed a complaint against Lt. Olivas two (2) years prior and her complaint was deemed unfounded. She was given a new partner, Jenkins, who pretty much phones it in every night. He never really gets interested in a case and has no issue turning them over to the day shift when their time is done for the night.

Ballard gets two (2) cases that intrigue her and she does her best to see them through to the end. Some of her methods were definitely not within the strict sense of the law, but she did what she felt she needed to in order to propel her cases forward. When her ex partner becomes a victim in one of her cases, she really goes above and beyond in order to try and clear the case.

It was intriguing to see how her mind worked and all of the obstacles she needed to overcome in order to get the knowledge she needed to get the perpetrator to face justice. I liked how Michael Connelly was able to give me a good grasp of what made her tick and why she was the way she was with her childhood and her history with the LAPD. She did have an issue with letting things go and seemed to be hellbent on people being put on trial. Even when one of her cases cleared in a way that didn't need to courts to decide it, she still lamented that he should have had to face a jury of his peers.

I do not want to give away the facts of either of her cases, since I do not want to spoil the book for anyone. They were both intriguing and showed different aspects of her detective work and ability to shortcut some things that maybe another cop wouldn't have done. She did seem to be all over the place at times and didn't really seem to grasp her personal situation as being as dire as it seemed. She was quite to be defensive and seemed to think her methods were okay as long as the results got what she wanted. Would definitely read another book about her. I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

5 Stars.
<b> <u>Michael Connelly at his Absolute Best. </u></b>

Detective Renee Ballard is Cop. Plain and Simple. Except that she is anything but. She works “the late show” at the “Hollywood Division” of the LAPD after being shipped off there for filing a complaint against her former boss (Lieutenant Olivas). A Sexual Harassment Complaint. It wasn’t well received. Now she is kind of known as a black sheep and she works cases with her new partner Jenkins. Cases that require no follow up. None. Its killing her inside, yet she has no choice. It’s this or nothing. The only good part of working the late show is that it allows her time to surf during the day and spend time with her dog, Lola.

One night however, two cases come in that gain her attention and she wants them. Big time. The first, involves a trannie prostitute (Ramona Ramone) being beaten within an inch of her life and left for dead; the second involves a waitress, (Cynthia Haddel) being murdered in a nightclub along with a couple of others. While the waitresses’ murder seems peripheral to the other murders at the club, Ballard thinks it warrants an investigation. The Lieutenant in charge of the investigation does not. He is, of course, Olivas. And he wants her out.

Ballard, however is tenacious and fiery – thus she finds a way to work the Ramona Ramone investigation on company time. Where it leads is dangerous, yet Ballard can’t stop herself. As for the investigation into Cynthia Haddel’s death? Well, Ballard investigates that one on her own, despite being warned to stay away.

Renee Ballard is a loner. The only things she needs in this life are her dog and her surf board and her job. Her life hasn’t been an easy one but she is pretty great at taking care of herself. Because of that, she has grit and strength and a crazy sense of right and wrong. Further, she can’t let go of anything, no matter where it leads or how dangerous it gets. And both of these cases lead down roads, that spell trouble with a capital T, but that’s not much of a surprise, is it?

<b>With “The Late Show” Michael Connelly does something special here, he creates a new character as almost as likeable as Harry Bosch. I, for one, didn’t think that was possible.</b> I have read every single Michael Connelly novel ever published. He is one of my favorite mystery/suspense authors. And Harry Bosch? One of my favorite characters EVER. I will admit that I’m not that big of Mickey Haller fan… he’s a little too smooth and slick for me (though Matthew McConaughey, does a great job portraying him). But Renee Ballard? Well, Michael Connelly knocked it out of the park with her character. Somehow, she isn’t a female Bosch. She’s vulnerable, yet resilient; kind, yet stubborn - and frankly she is courageous as hell. And I can’t wait to see what Michael Connelly has in store for her next.

I just have to say a HUGE thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. When I receive ARC’s that I request of my favorite authors (Connelly, Backman, Hoffman, Demille, Atwood, etc.), and I get approved, I end up jumping for joy and doing little whoops…) and when I got this one (my first Michael Connelly – I could barely contain myself). I’m pretty lucky – that’s all I have to say. So, thank you to NetGalley, Little Brown and Company and Michael Connelly for this ARC. I am so lucky to have received this. In case it wasn’t obvious, I loved it and I recommend it to mystery/suspense fans and all Michael Connelly fans out there. Dig in guys!

Published on NetGalley, Goodreads and Amazon on 7.23.17.

New character and series? Base hit. By a favorite author? Double play. Getting a copy from the publisher to read in exchange for an honest review? Bases loaded.

The new character is Renee Ballard, a relatively young and feisty detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. The author is Michael Connelly, well known and much loved by me for his Harry Bosch and Lincoln Lawyer (Mickey Haller) series. And my honest opinion? A home run!

Also in all honesty, though, neither Harry nor Mickey need worry; this mama still loves them best. But when someone new comes along that's worthy of note, there's plenty of room left on my virtual bookshelves. And that means the next time Renee Ballard makes an appearance, I'll be there to greet her.

A native of Hawaii with a journalism degree from the University of Hawaii, Ballard spends part of her free time riding the California surf with her faithful dog Lola. She's also fighting a few demons from the past, including the untimely death of her beloved father in a water-related accident and the fact that her long-time day shift partner failed to support her in her sexual harassment claim against her supervisor. As a result of that unsuccessful complaint, she's been relegated to the night shift - a.k.a. the Late Show. Now, she and her new partner, John Jenkins, are charged with investigating crimes that happen in the wee hours, but they must turn all their findings over to an appropriate "desk" rather than follow up on their own.

It's not always easy to let go of cases that come her way, but she manages - until, that is, she doesn't. On a single night, she lands in the middle of two: The first is the brutal beating of a prostitute who ends up close to death in an induced coma at the hospital. The second involves the murder of several patrons and a female employee at a local nightclub. She pleads her case for continuance on both cases, winning the right to follow up on the prostitute's. On the murders, though, everyone from the top down, including her partner, insists that she back off - but she's not having any of it. Bringing her extensive investigative skills and instincts to bear, she deals the beating incident during work hours. Then, using off hours and spare time, she delves into the nightclub murders with equal gusto - and lands smack dab in the middle of a close-to-home "hit" and a complex case that not only threatens her own future, but that of the entire department.

Now, of course, I'm looking forward to Ballard's next assignment. Bring her on!

Wonderful read, with great pacing. Renee Ballard is an engaging character; I look forward to more books featuring her.

I've read all of Michael Connelly's books and eagerly await his new release every fall. I was SO EXCITED to see TWO new books this year and a new series with a new character! I really enjoyed Renee. She reminded me of Bosch. Tough and doesn't always follow the rules. This was exactly what I was hoping for in a new Connelly release. I am excited to continue with this series!

This was a good mystery. I liked the new character. She was intense. I would have given it a four star but it took me about a third of the way to really start getting into it. Then I loved it.

LAPD Detective, Renée Ballard, a new Michael Connelly character, works the midnight shift, "The Late Show," as retribution for a harassment complaint she filed against a superior officer, but she brings the same intelligence and ferocity to her assignments there as she had during the day shift. She investigates credit card theft, a vicious attack on a transgender prostitute as well as a night club shooting from which she is barred.
I definitely look forward to reading more Renée Ballard books.

The Late Show by Michael Connelly

I’ve enjoyed many books by Michael Connelly, and when I learned his new book, The Late Show, was coming out, I looked forward to reading it. I didn’t know anything about the storyline, and I think perhaps I assumed it would be another in the long line of Connelly’s crime novels set in Los Angeles with a strong male protagonist (such as Harry Bosch or Mickey Haller).

But no! In the first paragraph, we learn that two police officers (“Ballard and Jenkins”) are working the night shift. We soon learn that Ballard is a female officer (at which point I thought, “OMG, is she the lead character here? A woman? AWESOME!!)

The way Connelly reveals Renee Ballard’s backstory, interweaving it with a complex police procedural full of the workings of the LAPD, is masterful. We learn that she is working nights (aka “the late show”) as a punishment for filing a sexual harassment suit against a former supervisor. She managed to keep her badge, but is clearly a black sheep in the squad room.

One night Renee catches two assignments that seem unrelated: the brutal beating of a prostitute left for dead in a parking lot and the killing of several people in a nightclub. Although typically the night shift turns all their cases over to the day shift, Ballard is determined not to give up these two cases. As the plot moves along, she chooses to go against both explicit orders and her partner's wishes, working on both these cases during the day while still taking her regular shifts at night.

She is definitely a woman with a past that drove her to become a cop. After a fatal shooting, she notes there “…was something inside her she didn’t know she had. Something dark. Something scary.” As her investigations progress, she calls on sources she has developed, including navigating the intricacies of dealing with the media: “She knew a couple of things about how the murky lines between the media and law enforcement were negotiated. She knew there was little cooperation.”

She is advised that her job takes her “…into the bleakest side of the human soul…If you go into darkness, the darkness goes into you. You then have to decide what to do with it. How to keep yourself safe from it. How to keep it from hollowing you out.”

No spoilers here, just a STRONG recommendation for Connelly fans, anyone who likes a good mystery, appreciates police procedurals, or just enjoys a good story with a strong, interesting female character, to READ THIS BOOK. It is terrific! Five stars (only because I can’t give six)!

With gratitude to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley, as I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

This will go live on my blog tomorrow. Kellyvision.wordpress.com

This is the first in a new series about Detective Renee Ballard. She's working "the late show," or overnight shifts in the LAPD. Here, she's investigating two different cases--and reluctant to turn them over to the day shift, which is what typically happens.

This isn't a departure from his usual series. Like his Harry Bosch novels, this is a police procedural. And, like Harry, Renee tends to maybe skirt acceptable cop behavior a tad in order to get results. Not like Dirty Harry or anything, but the ends definitely justify the means.

October will see the release of a new Bosch novel, and I am very happy about that (he is my favorite). But I very much like Renee Ballard, too. I look forward to spending more time with her.

Recommended.

THE LATE SHOW
Michael Connelly
Little, Brown
ISBN 978-0-316-22598-4
Hardcover
Thriller

THE LATE SHOW, as the cover hastens to tell us, introduces Detective Renee Ballard of the LAPD detective bureau. We meet Ballard, Michael Connelly’s newest character, right out of the box, within the first sentence of the book as she and her partner John Jenkins --- a twenty-five year LAPD veteran answer a call on the midnight to eight shift, nicknamed “the late show” by the cops who staff it. The call is a soft one --- a missing credit card --- but it enables Connelly to give his new character a soft opening before getting to the good stuff, which is to say, the bad stuff, as in a brutal assault on a prostitute and a mass murder in a popular nightclub.

It is the latter two cases that showcase Connelly’s first-rate chops at writing police procedurals, chops which never seem to get old or lose their luster. Connelly, as Ballard investigates the brutal assault on a hooker in L.A.’s twilight world, drops a bit of backstory about her here and there throughout the narrative. Ballard was on an upward trajectory in the LAPD until she accused her supervising lieutenant of sexual harassment. He of course denied the charge and her partner at the time (not Jenkins) refused to back her up. The end result is that Ballard got shunted to the late show, a less than glamorous shift on which the officers are de facto hunter-gatherers, passing off the cases they collect during the night to the day shift. Ballard manages to get and keep the assault case --- one which, for various reasons, could otherwise well get buried in the shuffle --- but finds herself attracted to the club killings, a no-no given that it is most definitely not her case. Ballard begins a pattern of quietly working the cases by day while working her regular late-show shift at night, much to the chagrin of all, including Jenkins, who worries that she’ll really step in it. The way in which Ballard attempts to balance her on and off hours also gives Connelly a chance to explore Ballard’s personal life as well as her past. Ballard was born in Hawaii but moved to Los Angeles with her father, who disappeared under a big wave while surfing with her. Ballard now lives with her dog and occasionally her grandmother, but she seems only a step or two up from homeless, a state which she seems to have acquired by choice rather than by circumstance as she lives on the beach and dogpaddles into the ocean with every chance she gets. One takes the sense that her relationships with those outside of her family are transitory at best, but she has mad skills for detective work which ultimately hold her in good stead as she works all three cases (don’t forget that stolen credit card) following wherever the evidence leads her, no matter how dangerous or surprising the result may be.


Ballard won’t make you forget Harry Bosch or Mickey Haller. I suspect, however, that forgetting those two worthy characters is not Connelly’s intent. He has created --- perhaps intentionally, perhaps coincidentally --- a geographical link among the three characters which will keep Connelly’s world bordered firmly by the Los Angeles megalopolis and suburban San Fernando, with Haller straddling both. I give mad props to Connelly for getting through the entirety of THE LATE SHOW without mentioning either of (current) his primary characters. He had to have been tempted, and would have been justified in doing so. Nonetheless, he persisted without them. The focus of THE LATE SHOW thus remains entirely on Ballard, for better and worse, and if THE LATE SHOW heralds the beginning of a new series --- there are just enough loose ends at the conclusion of THE LATE SHOW to lead into a sequel --- I don’t feel like I need it, but I certainly wouldn’t turn it down. More Connelly is good Connelly. Recommended.

Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
© Copyright 2017, The Book Report, Inc. All rights reserved.

I was anxious to read this one, as I am a huge fan of Connelly's Bosch series. The new protagonist, a female detective, has some issues that aren't fully explained, so it will be interesting to see how she progresses through the series. I enjoyed the book very much. Despite being different from his other series', it's just as well written and engrossing. There are several intersecting storylines that are nicely tied together. An excellent start to a new series.

It's nice to see a new story line for Connelly. Our patrons sure appreciate it.

Review: THE LATE SHOW by Michael Connelly (Renee Ballard #1)

Michael Connelly delivers a certain presence in every novel, a presence which pulls the reader straight into the story and makes us live it vicariously. THE LATE SHOW is the first mystery-police procedural in a new series, focused on Detective Renee Ballard of the Los Angeles Police Department. Ballard is a tough and gritty character, akin to a bulldog when she gets an intuitive scent on a case. She is also vulnerable, as a female in a career that still has a male-dominant mind set.

THE LATE SHOW deals with very up-to-date issues: transgenderness, club shootings, the presence of evil. It's a nonstop thrilling read.