C'mon now.......

What would life be without the superb talent of Michael Connelly gracing the pages of blockbuster novels time after time? I shudder to think.

Connelly digs deep in this latest offering featuring both Renee Ballard and the incomparable Harry Bosch. There's a flow to this one while Connelly emphasizes both the strengths and the weaknesses of human nature. Not even the good guys get it right every time.

Renee Ballard is drawn to the waves that pound the shores of Southern California. She drags her board at the crack of dawn and takes to the highs and lows of Nature. Like life in general, you can be flipped on your face in seconds. The relentless nature of it all presents a power beyond one's reach. You rise above or you crash below.

Upon returning to her vehicle, Renee notices that both her service revolver and her LAPD badge have been stolen from her car. She's frustrated beyond belief. She's already on thin ice with her male counterparts back at the station. Buying more time, Renee refuses to report the loss. That's where Harry Bosch steps in. Between the two of them, they're onto an almost impossible task of getting the stolen items back in her possession.

Ballard is in charge of the Open Unsolved Unit with a bevy of handpicked talent to peruse cold cases. These individuals range from retired FBI, a previous Vegas Metro cop, a former prosecutor, a Stockholm software genius, and a genetic geneaology pro. Each brings their own expertise that benefit the team. Ballard needs another current official badge member and hires Maddie Bosch, Harry's remarkable daughter. Maddie will bring a bombshell to the table in the confines of a cold, cold case.

The Waiting does read as a standalone. It's pure police procedural which Connelly is a master of. But it's Connelly's gift of injecting the human element deeply into his storyline that wins the day for this one. Both Ballard and Bosch don't always play by the rules. But they are driven by a sense of fairness and resolve in fighting the good fight day in and day out. Be on the lookout for this one that's due to publish on 10/15/24. You'll agree that Connelly is head's above all the rest.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Little, Brown and Company and to the talented Michael Connelly for the opportunity.

Another riveting, page turning thriller from Connelly. Ballard”s LAPD Open-Unsolved unit is immersed in solving several cases that were part of LA’s history. Plus, Ballard is trying to recover her badge, gun that were stolen from her car while surfing. Many twists and plots to solve. Great read.

I didn't know how much I needed the Maddie and Ballard duo. It would be awesome to see them both working full time on the unsolved unit. A lot like Harry, Renee takes some time to warm up to/like, but by the end I felt like I was figuring her out. This one had less action/suspense than some of his other books, but I think it sets up a duo that could be really badass to see develop.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

If you like straightforward who-dunnits,unleavened by humor, the Bosch-Ballard series was made for you, and The Waiting is no exception. As a retired librarian with a strong need to organize, I love the straightforward approach Connelly takes in getting his crimes solved. The reader is kept in the loop every step of the crime solving process. There are hurdles to be overcome, but our crime fighters, whether Bosch father or daughter or Ballard, head of the Unsolved Case squad, move singlemindedly to their goal. As I already mentioned, there is very little humor to lighten the mood. In fact Ballard plays it so close to the vest, it is surprising she sees a therapist to deal with her insomnia. Maddie Bosch as a new recruit to the team does provide a little spontaneity but she is willing to be schooled and bring her natural instincts under control. Bosch Pere has definitely moved to the sidelines, retired and grappling with cancer, but he did play a key role in setting up some would be terrorists. I am thinking the Bosch-Ballard stories will now incorporate more Maddie than Daddy.
My recommendation is reading The Waiting as a pleasant escape from your own life. Can’t wait for the next cold case to be solved.

Connelly fans will love this latest chapter in the Bosch and Ballard universe. There are multiple cold cases to be solved including the notorious Black Dahlia, as well as contemporaneous crimes to be stopped. Maddie Bosch joins Ballard's cold case unit as a volunteer bringing with her the evidence to solve one of ma's greatest mysteries. And Harry is around to bail Ballard out of a tricky situation. It's great to see the familiar characters moving forward and the cases are fascinating. Great read!

Another worthy addition to the Bosch/Ballard detective series (even the Lincoln Lawyer gets a quick mention). Michael Connelly is the expert at police procedural novels that give equal focus to police department politics involved in crime solving. Great characters and a fast paced plot had me reading late into the night, Although this can be read as a stand a lone, you'll be missing out if you don't start at the beginning and read all of Michael Connely's series. Highly recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for an advanced reader copy

Name of Book: The Waiting
Author: Michael Connelly
Series: Renée Ballard #6, Harry Bosch #24, Bosch Universe #37
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Little Brown and Company
Pub Date was: October 15, 2024
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pages: 416

Story starts when Renee Ballard is out surfing before work, as she returns to her car she finds the door open and her badge, gun, and ID are gone!. She does not want to report the theft fearing it could end her career especially since she has made a few enemies. Since she cannot pass through security so calls her friend Colleen Hatteras to let her in the fire exit. She knows she has to find the thief and decides to investigate herself. She turns to Harry, who is now retired and undergoing cancer treatments, to help her recover these items after discovering possible evidence on the beach. Together they uncover a far greater danger than just some stolen goods, referring the situation to the FBI.
Ballard takes on a new volunteer to the cold case unit. Bosch's daughter Maddie wants to supplement her work as a patrol officer on the night beat by investigating cases with Ballard. But Renée soon learns that Maddie has an ulterior motive for getting access to the city's library of lost souls.

I was delighted that Maddie Bosh had a role in this: seems like only yesterday she was a little girl, and then was off to Chapman University and now working her way to be a detective.

The team is dealing with cold cases and thanks to modern techniques they have leads in solving long forgotten cases.
Maddie finds some information which she feels may solve the well-known Black Dahlia case!
Additionally there is DNA results of a man who seems to be the son of an infamous ‘Pillowcase Rapist’.

WOW! This kept me interested and I did like it.
I do have a low tolerance of f-bombs – I have read plenty of Michael Connelly stories so I know they are part of ‘his’ DNA.
I do wish Ballard would toned it down.
Anyway - yes! I am looking forward to next in this series – especially if Maddie is included.

Want to thank NetGalley and Little Brown & Company for this eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for October 15, 2024.

SO FREAKING GOOD! this book kept me on my toes and it was so engaging that I couldn't put it down! I need to read more with Renee Ballard!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Some time ago, I decided to read only books with female protagonists. Female protagonists in mysteries, to be specific. I wanted to read about women who were smart, capable, interesting, and independent. They could work alongside men but if they had to work for men, they needed to make it apparent that they had the skills necessary to work independently while placating their male superiors. Well, my goal did not last all that long. There were just too many great mysteries, suspense novels and police procedurals in which women played a large role but were often second fiddle to a man, whether he was her boss or a colleague. There were novels, however, that had strong male characters but equally strong female characters. The series featuring Detective Harry Bosch and Detective Renee Ballard is an excellent example,
Michael Connelly’s The Waiting, Book 6 of 6 in the Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch series, shows off Detective Ballard as the head of the LAPD Open-Unsolved Unit. The story provides background for her character and thus we are better able to understand her motivations and values. Renee is very much like her mentor, Harry Bosch, taking matters in to her own hands, not afraid of being an outsider in the department.
After having her badge, gun and ID stolen, Ballard, reluctant to report the theft to the LAPD and discovering shocking information in her search for the items, seeks out the help of retired detective Harry Bosch.
Ballard agrees to add Maddie Bosch, Harry’s daughter and a LAPD patrol officer, to her squad of volunteers in the Open-Unsolved Unit. The volunteers work at least one day a week. The group includes a retired FBI agent, a past Vegas Metro police officer, a former prosecutor with the district attorney’s office, the owner of a LA based software company and an expert in finding people on the Internet, and a homemaker with expertise in genetic genealogy as it pertains to law enforcement. The unit works from unsolved cases, recorded since 1975, in which the murderer is believed to be living and still free.
Ballard’s unit uncovers the familial connection between a young man recently arrested for a domestic dispute and the twenty year old case of a serial rapist and murderer known as the Pillowcase Rapist. Maddie uses her new role as a volunteer investigator to gain access to the archives after she discovers clues to the well-known 1947 murder of Elizabeth Short, known as the “Black Dahlia.”
Two strong female protagonists, a terrorist plot, two infamous criminal cases, and a surprise twist are the absorbing ingredients of a great crime fiction. The setting is familiar to Harry Bosch fans as is Harry’s loyalty and bravery. Renee and Maddie are an impressive team and I hope to see them paired together again soon.
The Waiting will be published on October 15, 2024. I would like to thank Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the sixth book in this series and the first that I have read, although I have read a number of the Harry Bosch and Lincoln Lawyer novels. It revolves around Renee Ballard and the cold case squad. Bosch’s daughter, Maddie, joins the squad early in the book. There are two cases being worked on. One is the Black Dahlia from the 1940s and a more current case involving domestic terrorists. The one major drawback to the book (and only those who live near the areas) is that he confuses streets and directions, in particular South Pasadena and Pasadena. Other than that is it an engaging and quick read.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Goodreads, Net Galley, Amazon, Facebook and my nonfiction book review blog.

Renee Ballard is clearly the star of the newest Ballard and Bosch mystery, The Waiting, by Michael Connelly. As the single-minded leader of the LAPD’s open-unsolved case unit, Renee is determined to solve even the most impossible crimes with the help of her diverse team, several of whom are civilians. Connelly is a master at describing Renee’s dogged, step-by-step investigations, including research, interviews, interactions with other law enforcement—often unfriendly—and situations of risk and personal danger. The team’s work on a high-profile 70-year-old cold case is juxtaposed with Renee’s search for her stolen police badge and gun. The suspense is palpable, and Renee is truly a character worthy of rooting for.

Harry Bosch, now retired and recovering from a serious illness, also makes a brief but impactful appearance. And his daughter, a police officer hoping to become a detective, becomes a member of Renee’s team.

We don’t know much about Renee’s personal life. She surfs to combat her insomnia, sees a therapist on the down-low, and her estranged mother hasn’t been found after the Maui fires. I would love to read more about her life outside of the LAPD in future series entries to flesh out her character.

My thanks to Little, Brown, and Company and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

My thanks to Michael Connelly, Little Brown & Co. publishers, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this work. I attest the review is my own original and unbiased work.

The Waiting brings together Detective Renee Ballard, retired detective Harry Bosch, and his daughter, now a police officer who is volunteering at Ballard's open/unsolved murder case team to try and clear out cold cases in the Los Angeles Police Department. There is a lot of waiting in this book, which covers three different "cases" or plots involving the lead characters.

All three protagonists play important roles in the book, although this is more of a Ballard/Maddie Bosch book. Harry has an important part in one of the three ongoing plots involving a potential terrorism event, but not the others.

Connelly is a gifted writer, and his characters are realistic and engaging. I avoid spoilers in my review so I won't detail the plots; I will just say the other two plots are very good and keep the reader turning the page (in my case a Kindle version). Only one of the cases involves an actual cold case, and to me this was the most interesting of the three plots.

I did find the ending of one of the plots a bit meh; this one involved Ballard on her own and to me the climax was less that what I've experienced in other Connelly plots. Nevertheless, it is a good book and I had trouble putting it down.

If you enjoy detective/police/thrillers you will enjoy this read.

I recently read that Michael Connelly has written 38 previous novels, and his experience shines in the pace and plotting of his latest, The Waiting.

Detective Reneé Ballard, now in charge of LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit, juggles three separate cases, one with the help of her mentor and close friend Harry Bosch. Also joining the volunteer team in this installment, his daughter, police officer Maddie Bosch, shows good instincts and growth she hopes will help in her quest to become a detective.

I loved how expertly Connelly blended the many threads and pieces in this volume into exciting and believable conclusions.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for a digital advance reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is the best Ballard book yet. I was utterly captivated from beginning to end. Even though we are deep into the series at this point, The Waiting feels like a fresh start. Ballard feels more independent this time around as Harry Bosch is on the sidelines of two of the three cases in this book. She's a strong enough character, fully fleshed out, at this point, that she can carry her own stories. The addition of a different Bosch, Harry's daughter, also feels like a really smart idea. While Maddy has been around for a long time, she's finally beginning to really fill her dad's shoes.
I can't wait to see what is up next for both Renee and Maddy and while Harry Bosch is one of the best characters of all time, I'm okay if he moves further and further into retirement.

Renee Ballard, police officer assigned to an LAPD cold case unit, is joined on her team by retired law enforcement volunteers and her retired mentor Harry Bosch in attempting to solve unsolved cases dating back to the 1970's. Any earlier cases will likely lead to perpetrators who have passed away. Ballard and Maddy Bosch (Harry's cop daughter), are exploring persons of interest in a 1980's string of rapes which culminated in a rape/murder.
While this is going on, Maddy comes across materials in storage facility which pertain to the 1947 unsolved murder of The Black Dahlia, Elizabeth Short.
Connolly is a master of keeping the suspense and interest growing throughout the novel, which culminates in a satisfying conclusion.

This is the 6th book featuring Renee Ballard. Harry Bosch also makes an appearance but this is clearly Renee’s book. She is leading the cold case, Open-Unsolved Unit in the LAPD. The unit has volunteers helping out and Maddie Bosch, a patrol office and Harry’s daughter starts volunteering in hopes of boosting her career - she wants to be a detective. The unit comes across some DNA from a familial relation to the Pillowcase Rapist, a serial rapist and murderer who went quiet for twenty years. It was very interesting to see how the team kept finding more clues to tie things together along the way while also trying to look into another case that involved the Black Dahlia murder from 1947. As if that wasn’t enough action, there is one other story line about Renee trying to track down her badge, ID, and gun that were stolen from her car while she was surfing. This ends up being much more complicated once she finds out who stole the items and enlists Harry’s help. The author gives us more backstory on Renee and how she grew up. The plot was very interesting and moved along well. I’ve been a huge fan of Michael Connelly for a long time and this book did not disappoint. I give the book 5 stars out of 5.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on Oct. 15, 2024.

Nice story featuring Ballard and Maddie Bosch. Plenty of intrigue with great twists and turns. Nice story featuring Ballard and Maddie Bosch. Plenty of intrigue with great twists and turns.

I have read nearly all of Connelly’s novels, especially in the Bosch universe. I have to say, this may have been my favorite. It didn’t have the most complex storyline or the most thrilled “solve” but I think the story as a whole was the most complete, and the book itself was the most entertaining. I thought the addition of Maddie to the group adds intrigue and keeps that original Harry connection as well, which is fun. Overall just a great book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Michael Connelly, and Little, Brown and Company for providing me an advanced reading copy.

This is the sixth in the Renee Ballard series, a spinoff of the Harry Bosch stories and Harry does make an appearance. Renee’s gun, badge and ID are stolen. Fearing disciplinary action, she doesn’t report it and when her investigation uncovers a possible terrorist plot, she seeks the assistance of Bosch.

Meanwhile, her unsolved cases unit gets a DNA break on an old serial rapist/murder case and it just might involve a local judge. A new addition to the team is Maddie Bosch, Harry’s daughter, who thinks she might be able to solve a very old famous LA case.

As a fan of the old Harry Bosch series, I love that Renee keeps her connection with him. I also like police procedurals, although Renee’s flaunting of the rules and unconventional practices make me a bit uncomfortable. But, then again, Harry never played by the rules either.

Connelly is a skilled story teller. Well plotted, this is another welcome addition to the Bosch/Ballard legacy. It would, however, work well as a standalone for those new to this series.

Thanks to #NetGalley and @LittleBrown for the DRC.

The Waiting is another really strong installment in the Renée Ballard series. Michael Connelly is hands down one of the best crime fiction writers out there, and I was beyond thrilled to get my hands on an ARC of it! I devoured it in about three sittings because it was just that fast-paced and engaging.

In The Waiting, Detective Renée Ballard, as head of the LAPD's Open-Unsolved Unit, works to catch a serial rapist after a DNA connection points to a suspect from twenty years ago. As she navigates dangerous secrets and the theft of her LAPD badge, she receives help from an unlikely source: Harry Bosch's daughter, Maddie. This fast-paced thriller brings Ballard's story to the forefront while maintaining suspense through many different subplots. The book balances three subplots: the hunt for a 20-year-old serial rapist and murderer known as the Pillowcase Rapist, Renée's stolen badge (which turns out to be part of a much bigger plot and where Bosch steps in to help), and the infamous Black Dahlia murder. It’s a lot to juggle, but it keeps things moving at a good pace.

My biggest gripe with Desert Star was that it felt more like a Bosch book than a Ballard one, but The Waiting totally fixes that. Bosch is still in the mix, but he's back in his supporting role while Renée takes center stage. The entire story is from her perspective, and we get to learn a lot more about her backstory, which I loved. Once again, Connelly proves he's a master at writing believable characters—especially strong female leads like Ballard. If you're a fan of crime fiction, you won’t want to miss this one! A solid four stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.