Somewhere or another, I saw a complaint that the titles of Michael Connelly’s Catalina novels were too ordinary. I totally disagree. Ironwood, the title of the second book, is perfect. An Ironwood tree has one solid root that grows deep and wide. It’s the perfect description of Detective Sergeant Stilwell. He was sent to Catalina as a punishment. He found a home there, and cares deeply about his deputies and the substation and the people of the community. And, he’s determined to protect them, although some aren’t always grateful.
He’s angry at himself, though, for failing to protect two of his deputies. It’s a tip that sends Stil and two deputies to the airport in the middle of the night. They watch as a duffle bag is dropped off, but, while Stilwell chases the pickup man on an ATV, shots are fired on the runway. Now, Stilwell is kicked off the investigation while the lives of his two deputies are destroyed.
Instead of working on the case, Stil is ordered to stay in the substation as much as he can, and clean up the lost-and-found room. But, what he finds puts him onto a whole other case. There’s a backpack there, and when he traces it, it belongs to a young woman, a hiker who went missing three or four years earlier. The complicated search for answers leads him to the Cold-Case Unit of the LAPD and the officer in charge, Renee Ballard.
While Stilwell is shut out of the case involving his deputies, Ballard brings him up-to-date with the case involving missing and murdered women. He also juggles the day-to-day little cases on the island, graffiti, missing golf carts, destroyed grape vines. But, it’s the “Little island, big crimes” that worry him. There’s a search for the bones of the female hiker. But, who is following up on the case involving the officers shot at the airport?
Connelly’s Ironwood is a fast-paced, complex police procedural with an officer determined to do the right thing, no matter who is involved. He bucks the system, but he’s looking for justice. I hope Stilwell and Ballard meet up again in the future. But, even without her help, Stilwell will find his way to answers. Check out this take-no-prisoners, exciting novel. And, Ironwood is a perfect title.
Michael Connelly’s website is https://www.michaelconnelly.com/
Ironwood by Michael Connelly. Little, Brown and Company, 2026. 336p.
FTC Full Disclosure – The publisher sent me a galley of the book, with no expectation of a positive review.
Ohhhhh! I am so excited about this! I listened to the first one and loved it.
If you loved the first one, you’ll like this one, too, Melissa.
Well, Connelly is probably my favorite current mystery writer, so this has been on my radar for a long time. I liked the first one – Catalina Island has always fascinated me – so no doubt I will like this one too. And Ballard! Great.
Today’s release day, Jeff, so you should have it soon! It’s very good.
My favorite, too, Jeff. I don’t think I’ve missed a single one of any of his novels! I can’t wait to read this one.
That was me! I said I thought Ironwood and some other Connelly titles were too boring. But I love Michael Connelly because I know he’s a fantastic author and rarely miss one of his books. It’s just that I didn’t know anything about an ironwood tree before reading it so the title alone didn’t resonate with me. Fortunately, I don’t rely on the title alone to attract me to a book, but sometimes titles do determine whether I want to read a book by someone who is not familiar to me. Let’s agree to disagree. I’m so glad you enjoyed the book.
Oh, we can easily agree to disagree, Margie. I just couldn’t remember who said that about the titles. And, I understand. Sometimes I read a book, and still don’t know where the heck the title came from after I finish. I just thought it worked for this one.
And, that’s funny. Unless it says book or bookstore in the title, I seldom pay a lot of attention to the titles.
Hope to read it.
Hope you get a chance, Carol.
I enjoy pretty much everything about Michael Connelly’s writing; the characters, the setting, the pacing.
I read the first in this series and will read this eventually. Unless I happen upon a “Lucky Day” copy – two weeks, no renewals & no holds.
We have the same thing here, MM. I think they’re Hot Picks here.
Thanks for telling me this book was out, Lesa. My husband and I are leaving for a two-week vacation in Sardinia on Friday, and I just bought IRONWOOD for the trip. Yay!
You’re welcome, Kim! I’m glad you’re still around on Thursday. I hope you have time to stop by even if you will be getting ready for your vacation. Have a wonderful trip!
I’m a big fan of the Ballard and Bosch series but haven’t tried this new Michael Connelly series yet. I’m generally slow to come to a new series, so this is no surprise to me. But now that multiple books are out, this seems like a good time to jump in. Connelly has never let me down.
Sam, And, if Jeff likes the series, too, that’s a good indicator. I hope you get a chance to pick up the first one, Catalina. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
I have now devoured his latest Ironwood just as fast as I devoured Nightshade. I loved both of these books, I should admit that I’m obsessed w/ Catalina Island so there’s that. Bought the book the day it hit Barnes & Noble shelves and in 2 sittings it was finished. Great book, great writer, great series. I can’t wait for more to come!!
I agree, Stephen. I’m looking forward to the next one in the series, too.
Due to the cliffhanger ending, this book cannot really be read as a stand-alone book. The reader feels bulldozed into buying the next book to find full resolution. I probably would have bought the next book anyway, but I intensely dislike being forced to do so!
I am surprised and disappointed that Michael Connelly would resort to such yellow tactics.
I am really struggling with reconciling my anger and my loyalty to an author I used to admire.
I’m sorry you felt that way, Stefan. I was perfectly satisfied with the ending because I just felt I knew where it was going.
I don’t see how you can “feel where it was going.”?
All we know at this point is that there is a big conspiracy, and we know only about 3 of the people involved, Stillwell’s captain being one of them. We have no idea why, who else, or how they will respond next, what will happen to Stillwell, what Lionel will publish, or what the effect will be of that, etc., etc.
Clearly, this is material for a whole new book. Obviously, we were strung along and became invested in this entire plot, but almost none of it was resolved at the end of the book. To know these answers, we are not only forced to wait but also to pay.
These are the facts. But if all this didn’t matter to you, well, that’s fine, for you. For me, it is definitely not fine.
I don’t really consider this a cliffhanger ending not is there enough material for a follow up novel. Bringing the local reporter into the picture and presenting him with all the evidence will result in perp walls for the 3 characters you mentioned, especially if Stilwell surreptitiously recorded the last conversation with the Captain. True, we don’t really know why/how the Captain got involved with this, but there’s obviously some bad players at the top.
That being said- I do prefer drawn out endings and the book was about a hundred pages short.
Thanks, Ron, for a comprehensive answer. I agree.