Catalina, Book 2
From the publisher:
Sworn to protect a scenic island meant to be far from the evils of the mainland, Detective Sergeant Stilwell can feel danger closing in.
Detective Sergeant Stilwell knows that his posting on Catalina Island is no paradise, but to most residents, it seems blissfully separated―by twenty-two miles of ocean―from the troubles of Los Angeles County. But now a threat is coming to his safe haven.
Acting on a tip from a confidential informant, Stilwell and his deputies watch a plane land in the middle of the night at the Airport in the Sky, a remote airstrip in the mountains. A duffel bag of drugs is dropped and the deputies move in, but things quickly go sideways. While Stilwell chases the fleeing pickup man into the mountainside brush, shots are fired on the runway and the plane flies off.
An internal inquiry follows, putting Stilwell on the bench until he is cleared of responsibility for the disastrous operation. But he is determined to find out who brought deadly violence to his island, and begins his own secret investigation into the drug deal gone wrong.
While under orders to remain in the sheriff’s substation, he finds in the lost and found a valuable backpack that was never claimed. He traces it to a woman who disappeared while hiking on the island four years ago. But then why was the pack only turned in two months back? Now thoroughly intrigued, he follows the mystery all the way to the LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit and Detective Renée Ballard.
Stilwell and Ballard work the case from both sides of the channel, and soon realize they are on the trail of a criminal who revels in taunting the authorities. Meanwhile, frustrated at being shut out of an investigation on his own island, Stilwell risks his already shaky standing in the department to pursue a case whose reach is wider than he ever imagined.
Page-turning, packed with intrigue, and bringing together an unstoppable investigative team, Ironwood continues the Catalina series with all of Michael Connelly’s signature “relentless narrative drive…evocative atmosphere, realistic dialogue, and well-developed characters” (Washington Review of Books).AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
“A special treat from a genre master whose work seems as fresh as ever.”―Wall Street Journal
“Connelly is at his most polished and incisive here, with crackling dialogue, complex investigations, tricky relationships, escalating suspense, and dogged and inspired sleuthing by a principled, rule-breaking hero. The satisfying ending promises more enthralling episodes on the horizon.”―Booklist (starred review)
“Connelly has another great series on his hands with his Catalina novels…The mysteries are intriguing, the pace is relentless, and Stillwell is a captivating character. Adding Ballard makes a great book stellar.”―Library Journal (starred review)
https://bookshop.org/a/123058/9780316595384
The second Detective Sergeant Stilwell novel proves Michael Connelly hasn’t lost a step. Ironwood builds on the strong foundation of Nightshade, establishing Stilwell as much more than a new addition to the Bosch universe. He already feels like a fully realized Connelly protagonist—principled, relentless, and willing to bend the rules when justice demands it.
About a year after the events of Nightshade, a midnight drug interdiction on Catalina Island ends in disaster. One deputy is killed, another is critically injured, and the suspects escape. While an internal investigation sidelines Stilwell to desk duty, he’s ordered to stay out of the case. Naturally, that doesn’t last long.
While sorting through the Avalon station’s lost-and-found, Stilwell discovers an abandoned backpack connected to a young woman who vanished while hiking on the island four years earlier. What begins as a forgotten missing-person case soon collides with the fallout from the failed drug operation, drawing Stilwell into a far more dangerous investigation than anyone anticipated.
The cold case eventually brings in Detective Renée Ballard and the LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit, who are pursuing a serial killer with possible ties to the missing woman. Ballard is as sharp as ever, and her dynamic with Stilwell crackles. He admits he’s getting too close to the case; she hits him with classic Harry Bosch wisdom about working the murder book from every angle until something breaks. Speaking of Bosch — yes, he appears, and no, it doesn’t feel like a stunt. It feels like a torch being passed, which is exactly what it is.
Catalina Island continues to be one of the series’ greatest strengths. Connelly captures both its postcard beauty and its small-town politics, where petty disputes, vandalized landmarks, and long-held grudges exist alongside murder investigations and high-stakes police work. The island feels every bit as alive as the characters.
What I continue to admire most about Connelly’s writing is how effortless it feels. The pacing is brisk, but never rushed. The procedural details add authenticity without slowing the story, and every subplot serves a purpose. Even the smaller island cases deepen our understanding of Stilwell’s character, revealing a detective driven as much by compassion as determination.
The short chapters and razor-sharp plotting made this nearly impossible to put down. Every clue matters, every revelation lands, and Connelly expertly weaves multiple investigations into one satisfying conclusion.
While Ironwood can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend starting with Nightshade. Watching Stilwell grow into his role—and into the larger Bosch universe—is part of the fun. This is an even stronger outing than the series debut and another reminder that Michael Connelly remains the gold standard for modern police procedurals.
7/2026 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
IRONWOOD by Michael Connelly. Little, Brown and Company (May 19, 2026). ISBN: 978-0316595384. 336p.
Posted by Stacy Alesi 
Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™ 