Book Review: Dark Sacred Night by Michael Connolly and its UK Kindle publication day!

Available here

Dark Sacred Night is every crime readers dream - Two of Michael Connolly's best characters - and they're both in te same book!. In Dark Sacred Night we see Harry Bosch returning in his 21st offering as the much beleagured detective and this time he's joined by the wonderful Renee Ballard, the surfing cop from the late shift. 

Bosch may be showing signs of his age by now, but Connolly's writing shows no sign of slowing down. I think the combination of Ballard and bosch worked really well. Bosch's experience tempered by Ballard's tough, relentless determination are a powerful mix.






BLURB
Detective Renée Ballard works the graveyard shift and returns to Hollywood Station in the early hours to find a stranger rifling through old files.

The intruder is none other than legendary LAPD detective Harry Bosch, hunting for leads in an unsolved case that has got under his skin.

Ballard escorts him out but - curious to know what he was searching for - soon becomes obsessed by the murder of Daisy Clayton. Was she the first victim of a serial killer who still stalks the streets?

For Bosch, the case is more than personal: it may be all he has left.

But in a city where crime never sleeps, even detectives have a dark side...

Detective Renée Ballard works the graveyard shift and returns to Hollywood Station in the early hours to find a stranger rifling through old files.

The intruder is none other than legendary LAPD detective Harry Bosch, hunting for leads in an unsolved case that has got under his skin.

Ballard escorts him out but - curious to know what he was searching for - soon becomes obsessed by the murder of Daisy Clayton. Was she the first victim of a serial killer who still stalks the streets?

For Bosch, the case is more than personal: it may be all he has left.

But in a city where crime never sleeps, even detectives have a dark side...

My Thoughts

What I loved most about Dark Sacred Night was the synergy between the two characters. Bosch, his quest for truth never diminishing as he seeks to conclude a cold case that has become very dear to his heart and Renee, starting her career with a similar fire in her belly, if less inclined to bend the rules. Both characters have been subjected to indignities over their careers and despite this they rise above it and still place their foculs on representing the vulnerable in society. 

The contrasting snapshots of LA life is beautifully constructed. From the meandering Mulholland Drive in the Santa Monica hills  to the glitzy facade of Hollywood and all that it hides.

This is a chilling serial killer novel that, I must admit, kept me guessing right till the end. The idea that a killer could be so prolific, yet still go undetected over a period of years is quite galling. 

Connolly's biggest coup for me though is the way he humaniss his characters. Every character is well drawn - Connolly breathes life into even minor characters andthis pushes the narrative along at a rate of knots whilst making us invest in each character whether it's a lifeguard, a grieving parent or a porn star. Fantastic writing - very envious!