For fans of Michael Connelly and his characters Harry Bosch and Renee Ballard, a year always seems like a long time to wait for a book featuring one or both of them. Throw in Connelly’s besuited Lincoln Lawyer into the mix, things can get even more sticky.
But the title of this latest novel doesn’t pay tribute to impatient readers; instead, The Waiting refers to the friends and families of cold case victims, forever on tenterhooks, hoping against hope that the crime will be solved and they finally get some closure.
It could also refer to the work of LAPD’s Cold Case Unit, headed up by Detective Renee Ballard, whose talented team of volunteers seem to be forever waiting for the results of tests, vital paperwork, or replies to messages. It can feel like purgatory, working in the library of lost souls.
As the book opens, Renee is having some downtime, riding the waves on her beloved surfboard. Followers of her story in previous books will know that she loves to be on the water or by the sea. In fact, when we first met her in The Late Show back in 2017, she was effectively homeless and sleeping with her dog Lola in a tent on the beach.
Nowadays Renee has a home of her own and a new dog, Pinto, who seems to spend most of his time in doggy daycare. While her personal circumstances have moved on, she is still as committed as ever to her work. Which is why, when she returns to her car after her surf and discovers it has been broken into, she immediately clicks into cop mode. Trouble is, the thief got away with her detective’s shield and her service weapon – and the loss of these items could lead to suspension or even dismissal. She needs to get them back, and pronto.
Time to enlist the help of former LAPD detective, no a private investigator, Hieronymus ‘Harry’ Bosch – a man who has never been averse to bending a rule or two. As the two set to work under the radar, it soon becomes clear that they’re going to need help. It’s a neat way to bring our beloved Harry into this book. His cancer is under control, but he spends a lot of time at home kicking his heels and stewing – good to see him being useful again!
Another Bosch has an important role in The Waiting, too. Maddie, Harry’s daughter is now an LAPD cop, and she’s champing at the bit to become a detective like her father. Which is why she rocks up as a volunteer at Renee’s unit. She brings with her new evidence that could finally close the book on one of Los Angeles’ most famous open cases.
Unsurprisingly, Maddie is welcomed with open arms and it soon becomes clear that Maddie has more to offer than just a famous LAPD surname. Time to bring a new renegade into the fold.
Ballard, Bosch and Bosch sounds like a firm of dodgy solicitors, but Connelly gleefully fits this new combination together with ease. Yes, Harry is something of a bit player here, but with each outing Renee Ballard elevates her position in the crime fiction universe. She sits amid the multiple plot strands like a tarantula in a web and can be just as deadly if the situation demands it. Surrounding her are her team of volunteers, some familiar to lovers of this series, others adding new blood. Each of them is neatly drawn and fully-formed, with the annoying Colleen Hatteras a standout.
There’s laughter and tears in this one, plus a rock-solid storyline that keeps those pages a turning. I’m losing count of how many novels Michael Connelly has under his belt, but this guy never lets the standards slip and The Waiting is definitely well worth the wait. A five star read.
For a similar setting, try Lisa Gray’s To Die For.
Orion
Print/Kindle/iBook
£12.50
CFL Rating: 5 Stars
