Nightshade by Michael Connelly: Review

I have a shocking admission. I have never been one to gravitate to big name authors in this genre. Which means I’ve really not read a whole lot of Michael Connelly books.

That is an astounding thing to say for me because I love cop fiction, thrillers, mystery, etc. It’s one of my top genres. And this author does it right.

This particular book caught my eye because it is a new series starting, and I wanted to get in from the beginning. So in the future, you’ll probably be seeing more of these author reviews from me, but for now, let’s check out this one on this new release.

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Nightshade by Michael Connelly
Publisher: ‎ Little, Brown and Company
Publication date: ‎ May 20, 2025
ISBN-13: ‎ 978-0316588485

OVERVIEW:

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 first only by a streak of purple dye in her hair. At the same time, a report of poaching on a protected reserve turns into a case fraught with violence and danger as Stilwell digs into the shady past of an island bigwig.

Crossing all lines of protocol and jurisdiction, Stilwell doggedly works both cases. Though hampered by an old beef with an ex-colleague determined to thwart him at every turn, he is convinced he is the only one who can bring justice to the woman known as “Nightshade.” Soon, his investigation uncovers closely guarded secrets and a dark heart to the serene island that was meant to be his escape from the evils of the big city.

Nightshade by Michael Connelly Review

I love it when we have a Detective who lives a little bit on the edge. Following those gray areas instead of completely black-and-white.

This new character is based in Catalina and is finding a lot of deep-seated crime in this small island: murders, endangered species issues, theft, conspiracy, corruption. The list goes on and on.

But what’s awesome is the inter-connection with his past placements and the mutual dislike of a select officer. This connection to his last post and supervisor is a critical piece in this evolving story.

The main character, Stilwell, is smart and knows how to dig deep and follow a path. But he also knows how to move things along if needed, going into that little bit of gray area that makes Connelly’s stories intricate and developed.

This new guy is a breath of fresh air with his low-key persona and his growing romantic interest. I know that as this series develops, so will these characters into that addictive quality we love with a long-running series.

Nightshade is a unique and highly developed, intricate story containing great pacing and twists that will keep us addicted to the flow of the story. Connelly crafts another winner with this new character, and I can’t wait to see where it goes.

4 STARS!!

Disclaimer: Chris has personally reviewed the product listed above. She has not received any monetary compensation for her review but did receive a free ebook so she could evaluate and use it for this post. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ.