Old coppers don’t retire, they just ‘plod’ on!

Harry Bosch has taken his pension but is still unable to fully retire. He is particularly troubled with a cold case in which a young girl, Daisy Clayton, was brutally murdered. And he has a personal connection to the case.

LAPD detective Harry is rifling through some drawers in the Hollywood Station when detective Renee Ballard first comes across him. Within a short space of time, she, too, is looking into this case and lo and behold, we have a new team emerging of Ballard & Bosch.

This may not be the best of Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch novels but I think we could grant him a little slack as he sets up the opening story for this new partnership.

Sméagol

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of this book to review

Having read all of Bosch, and the first Ballard book it was lovely to see them both together. When reading the first Ballard book I felt that she was a little bit of a maverick, reminded me a little of Bosch. A great pairing which I believe will improve in the future.. I don't think that Bosch being away from the police, and all the politics he gets involved in works as well for me. I wish he could go back, I do however appreciate he's getting older, A good couple of stories interwoven, it made me tear up at one part, I won't give it away. Not my favourite book, as it was like any new pairing the relationship needs time to gel. Bosch is my favourite character of any series that I read. I look forward to the next installment of Bosch.

3 stars from me

Ugh I hate only giving three stars to Michael Connelly - I mean the guy is a crime thriller god and yet I just found this book dragged in a lot of places.

The premise and the storyline are great, the characters (the main ones that is) are great - well rounded, clear identities - and sometimes the story just flew, yet other times it was incredibly slow.

I will not let this put me off picking up the next the series and will happily give Connelly another go as I've usually found him to be brilliant.



Synopsis: Detective Renée Ballard is working the graveyard shift again, and returns to Hollywood Station in the early hours only to find that an older man has snuck in and is rifling through old file cabinets.

The intruder is none other than legendary LAPD detective Harry Bosch, working a cold case that has gotten under his skin. Ballard kicks him out, but eventually Bosch persuades her to help and she relents.

Bosch is investigating the death of fifteen-year-old Daisy Clayton, a runaway who was brutally murdered. He crossed paths with her devastated mother while working a previous case, and Daisy's story has seized hold of him.

A fast paced and enthralling detective thriller. Ballard and Bosch complement each other very well. I would like to think that a real life detective would be as thorough and steadfast as Ballard. How does she do it? Working nights, sleeping in a tent on a beach during the day (but only for a few hours), paddle boarding and….running a hobby cold case investigation? Bosch a cop with a conscience, taking on the troubles of a case at the expense of the relationship with his daughter. Towards the end of the novel he pulls back from his thoughts of natural justice with great reasoning. I believe this is the first in a series of Ballard and Bosch novels so lovers of this genre are in for a treat.

Detective Renée Ballard works the night shift, a stranger in the office leads her to partner with Harry Bosch. Together they investigate the murder of Daisy Clayton. For me I found there were too many other side stories and therefore it was difficult to read and focus on where the book was leading. Personally it didn't really work for me.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. Another great book by a great author. I really like Harry Bosch and Renee Ballard they seem to work so well together. Great read.

Dark Sacred Night is Michael Connelly’s 32nd novel and latest police procedural, which offers a fascinating window into the world of crime and law enforcement in LA. Billed as the first Bosch and Ballard thriller in a new series, we see these 2 loner, side-lined detectives join forces for mutually beneficial motives to work together on a cold case of the murder of a 15 year old girl. Apart from this unsolved case that had lain dormant for 8 years, they have their day to day workload, their bread and butter investigations of murder, rape and sleazy crime. Each of these subplots are eye openers in their own right, but are also a great supporting act to the main event.
Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch make a great, if unlikely team. Both are strongly independent and are a little reluctant initially to work together and Ballard is somewhat wary of Bosch’s tendency to bend the rules in the interests of justice, until she recognises a similar trait in herself. Hewn from the same rock in terms of their thirst for moral justice, they will risk life and limb if that’s what it takes.
Really well written, realistic entertainment is what you get; there’s not a moment that feels far fetched. There are plenty of action scenes and nerve jangling moments with an exciting, satisfying conclusion and a tantalising prospect of more to come from this brilliant duo.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Orion Publishing and Michael Connelly for the opportunity to read and review Dark Sacred Night.

I really enjoy the Harry Bosch series of books but this left me a bit disappointed.I love the development of Bosch's character but Ballard is lacking in any substance in this book. The book failed to grip me and overall, just an average read. Thanks to Net Galley for my copy. reviews on Amazon, Goodreads and Facebook.

Really enjoyed the teaming up of Bosch, who is semi-retired and Ballard, who is still on active duty, albeit on the night shift. Fast moving, flitting between the story seen from Bosch and Ballard's viewpoints, it seems Michael Connelly has successfully found a way to keep Bosch in the limelight - similar to how Ian Rankin has in the Rebus books.

Connelly never disappoints and this is another fine addition to the Harry Bosch novels.

This is the Author at his best .

Harry Bosch is working a 'cold case' , taking him into the vaults and old records of LA's Hollywood Station where he meets Renee Ballard for the first time. Renee works the late shift and finds Harry breaking into a filing cabinet . Realising that together they both have something to bring to the case he is looking into , they decide to work together …………. despite Ballard being LAPD whilst Bosch is SFPD.
The interaction between the main characters is believable and adds to the flow - even all the favours that Renee manages to call in to assist with the case .
Despite all the dangers and not following 'establishment' procedures they manage to solve the case .
We are left with the uncertainty of Bosch's job still being there for him ………….. and will the pair work together in the future ?

This was a fast paced thriller that held my attention from the 1st page to the last .

I will be looking for the previous books featuring Harry and Renee to bring me up to date with their characters .

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm a massive fan of Michael Connelly (and Harry Bosch). Can't get enough of them and, along with Ian Rankin (and Inspector Rebus), are my favourite books.
So when the chance came along to preview a copy I couldn't say no and it instantly went to the top of my to-read pile.
As usual this one didn't disappoint either. A slight twist on the norm as Connelly introduces a informal partner of sorts again for Bosch and this works well and leads on to a new dimension in the Bosch series.
Again as usual Connelly intertwines a couple of different plot lines together but keeps them all ticking over nicely.
Plenty of drama, never a dull moment and nothing to complain about at all from me. Well apart from getting to the end too soon as usual. Highly recommended.

I've been a big fan of the Harry Bosch tv show for some time now but never actually read any of the books. This was a great place to start. Bosch teams up with Renee Ballard to crack the case of a historical murder. I found this very entertaining and the writing style made it easy to get involved in the story. It's not too heavy on description, focussing much more on action and suspense, in order to keep the pace up. I managed to read this in three days which is very good for me. I'm now looking to buy some of the earlier Michael Connelly books.

I have been a huge fan of Michael Connelly/Harry Bosch for years so I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book.
Dark Sacred Night sees Renée Ballard and Harry Bosch pairing up together for the first time. Bosch is working reserve duties with San Fernando Police and investigating the death of Daisy Clayton, a case that has been cold for 9 years. Ballard works the case as a hobby case while doing her full time job as a detective in the Hollywood PD night shift.
I hope this is the first of many cases they will work together, the pairing really work well together and I look forward to reading many more books in this series!

Good story with good characters. An older cop and a younger female cop working together to solve and unsolved case. Perhaps it’s because I’m British but I found the Americanisms and cop jargon a bit hard to understand. Satisfying conclusion though.

It is a while since I read a Michael Connelly book. I remember the detective Harry Bosch but this is the first time I have read about Renee Ballard. The story was fast moving and the two detectives gelled together very well. .

I didn't read the first Renee Ballard, but any cross over into the second book, is always explained and makes perfect sense.

The book opens with Ballard being called out to a suspicious death, but is able to prove that it was an accident, when she arrives back in the department, she finds Harry Bosch going through a colleague's drawer of of old case notes. Ballard questions him, then asks him to leave, but her curiosity is aroused.

They begin to work together to solve the cold case of a young drug addict whose body was found dumped in an alley.

There are various other threads weaved into the story both personal and also to do with other cases.

I would have liked to have seen more of Harry, but that's just a personal opinion, always had a soft spot for him, especially after reading so many books where he is the lead.

Highly recommended

Michael Connolly is one of those authors that you can trust to create a compelling tale that is taut and paced to perfection, and Dark Sacred Night is another stunning success and is book number twenty one in the captivating and critically-acclaimed Harry Bosch series. The need for a new Detective has certainly been evident over the last few novels with Bosch becoming increasingly frustrated by his job as a part-timer at San Fernando PD. Renée Ballard seems to fit the bill. She actually reminds me a lot of the energy and vim Bosch used to have, but we all know that when two people are so much alike there can be issues with keeping that relationship ticking over. So, will Ballard and Bosch be able to overlook each other's flaws in order to focus on the cases at hand, or will their relationship end up fraught with disagreements and awkward moments?

Detective Renée Ballard from the LAPD, introduced to us in The Late Show, is a formidable character and the dynamic between Bosch & Ballard is unstoppable (for now). After all, with two fantastic brains working on the cases that come in from around Los Angeles, the criminals will need to be extra crafty. As always, the plot is a heart-in-your-mouth affair with action and excitement aplenty. All too regularly I come across thrillers that are so lacking in terms of realism that the whole book feels jaded because of that. Luckily, here, Connolly's descriptions of police procedure, forensics and settings, all come across as authentic and well-researched.

I tore through this in record time as putting it down was simply not an option. Whenever I tried, it was back in my hands within five minutes as I was intrigued to discover what happened in the end. With masterful characterisation, an exhilarating plot and writing that draws you into the story from the first few pages, this was one of my favourite reads of 2018. I hope there will be many more additions to this series, and I look forward to seeing both Bosch and Ballard developing and evolving personally but also as an investigative duo!

Many thanks to Orion for an ARC. I was not required to write a review, and all thought and opinions expressed are my own.

Dark Sacred Night is every crime readers dream - Two of Michael Connolly's best characters - and they're both in the 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.

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!

Harry Bosch is one of my guilty pleasures. I’ve been a big fan since I read an ARC of The Poet many years ago and he never disappoints. For the last few books things have been freshened up a bit with Harry working alongside the renegade lawyer Mickey Haller and this time he’s teamed up with bad-ass, dog-loving, rough-sleeping, paddle-boarding Detective Renee Ballard. It works well and uses the best of both characters. You know what you’re going to get with a Bosch novel and it is always thoroughly enjoyable.

I’m a huge fan of the Harry Bosch books so I was thrilled to be able to read Dark Sacred Night. In this one, Bosch and Ballard meet and end up working a cold case together. I loved this one as it was really absorbing and engaging. There was something happening at every turn of the page, and I was eager to find out how everything would tie in together at the end. Ballard is a great character, but my heart will always belong to Bosch.