First off I really enjoyed this book, not a surprise as I have very high regard for Mr Connelly’s work and have enjoyed every book of his I have read. What this book brought to the series is an evolution to Bosh that I was not expecting. Characters evolve and not always in the way we expect, I found that a bit uncomfortable at one point but really appreciated by the end of the story. Mr Connelly took Bosh to new places in this book and made what was already a great character even more distilled, I think this new direction is welcome and as in past books will lead to more great reads. Highly recommend.

The Late Show introduced Renée Ballard and in Dark Sacred Night Ballard meets Bosch. This is really the book that establishes the premise for the rest of the series. I think I am going to enjoy this partnership. Both Ballard and Bosch are lone characters, both are very experienced and very good detectives, very dedicated and willing to bend the rules. I have always been ambivalent about whether to start the Bosch series and I thought this new series would be a good way to dip my toe in the Bosch waters. I very much enjoyed this book but still don’t have the urge to ‘go back to the beginning’ as it were. It did however make me feel slightly paranoid that I might be missing references from previous books, which spoiled my enjoyment just a little. (I am one of those people who needs to start a series at the beginning and work through in strict order!) well, because I enjoyed both of the first two books in the series, I am planning to get to know Bosch at the same pace as Reneee Ballard.
Thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.

Brilliant. Bosch is brilliant as ever. I really enjoy reading Michael Connellys books about Bosch. I have read all of them and I eagerly await the next one. This is a series of books that I highly recommend. Bosch is a character that has developed over the years. Reading about all his cases is a pleasure. All the books are really well written and really well thought out.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for my copy.

I really enjoyed the first Ballard book, The Late Show, in which the young female cop showed some of the vim and vigor we’d seen from Harry Bosch back when he too was an LAPD detective. Banished to the night shift after calling out her boss for sexual harassment, Ballard consequently nursed a chip on her shoulder as she remorselessly chased down her quarry. I thought it was a great book and seemed to promise a even money chance that at some point in the future she’d share some page space with Bosch.

Harry Bosch was last spotted in Two Kinds of Truth where he teamed up with his half brother, lawyer Mickey Haller. He continued to tread a precarious line between playing it straight and bending the rules, working now as a detective for the San Fernando PD. It's well known that Connelly likes to link up his various players in his books and here he does it again in bringing Ballard and Bosch together. Surely this is a marriage that can't possibly fail, can it? It's a simple question and a there’s equally simple answer: no it can't!

I won't spoil the fun for future readers by giving too much away, suffice to say there are a number of cases covered here: some investigated individually by the two cops and one taken on as a joint venture. The various elements of the cases paint a broad picture of the darker side of modern day Los Angeles and some of the lessons learned prove to be of wider value along the way. Bosch is on top form, showing his determined one-track mind approach to solving his cases with his forthright (OK, let's just call it what it is – rude) approach to all, constantly shaking the tree loose of just enough debris to give himself a chance of closure. Ballard shows that she can also bend a rule or two as she adopts a similarly dogged plan of attack.

The chemistry between the two feels just right: some mutual respect but mixed in with a little nervousness, a smidgen of suspicion too. They're both feeling their way in this new professional relationship. We're in the hands of the master as Connelly seamlessly allows the action to flow whilst keeping a captain’s eye on the tiller. At no point does he allow the reader to lose track of the multiple plot lines or feel any tinge of disbelief that things should play out in such a way; it’s brilliantly done.

At the end there’s a nice teaser suggesting that there's more to come from this pair. Thank goodness for that! I'm already in withdrawal - having finished this latest offering I seriously hope I don't have to wait too for the next instalment.

I have read some Harry Bosch before and enjoyed them, but the addition of disgraced detective Ballard ups the game. This is a fast moving thriller with many cases to be solved along the way. I really like the characters in this book, especially Ballard who is smart and determined but not overly written as hard boiled. The seedy side of Hollywood is shown really well here too, it's not all glamour and glitz. The writing is so descriptive, I could almost smell the stench of the rubbish tip.

Another cracking read, Connelly remains the master of using economical prose to tell a deeply gripping story with nuanced characters. To be fair, I have been a long and committed fan of Bosch, so cannot objectively comprehend what this book would deliver to readers not already engaged with his history. Certainly its a good crime story, but perhaps you need to know the full back story to find it brilliant? However, I drank it down. This one, as Connelly has done more frequently in recent novels, follows the detectives (BOsch and Ballard) through several minor cases while the main case moves slowly - it means that you don't dig deep into the twists and turns of a complicated case, as Cpnnelly does in his best work. But nonetheless a rewarding and absorbing read (same review posted on Goodreads and Amazon)

Very exciting to be back in Harry Bosch's world via a smart woman detective Ballard, who pushes her easy into an old murder case because she has a hunch Bosch is onto something. Actually it refreshes the series wonderfully although Bosch's renegade past is matched by Ballard's who'd been unfairly related to night duty after her misogynist partner dumped her in the sxxt ... like Harry she has supporters and detractors.. a good team with clever skills. I look forward to more .. excellent heightening of the series, raise the stakes and the gruesome killing gets figured out ...

There's no such thing as a poor Michael Connelly book, particularly a Harry Bosch story, and this book is no exception. By introducing the Late Show's Renee Ballard as Bosch's partner on this case we now have two detectives who share the burden of Bosch and his mission. Unsurprisingly brilliant story and writing yet again.

What's left to say about Harry Bosch? The fact that I keep coming back to the series after so many books is a testament to what a great character he is. Even with one foot in retirement, he's a shoe-in on my reading pile. Love the fact that it still feels fresh despite where he's at in his career,. Where so many series can stagnate, this one continues to evolve. Loved it!

This book with Bosch sees him sort of semi retired and helping out with old cold cases. He has one that he is into and wants to sort as it's personal and involves a young dead girl, Daisy. Bosch has Daisy's mother staying at his place...I think he might becoming and old softie. This means he is always reminded of the case and the need to find Daisy's killer.
Then we get a Detective, Renee Ballard, on the late night shift who gets drawn into this case and starts working with Bosch to try and resolve it. It is obvious that Bosch needs Ballard's help as she is a current detective and get her hands on current files, old files etc a lot easier than Bosch and so the friendship or mutual respect to work together begins .

Connelly as ever delivers a really good read and with all good authors he has numerous things happening in the book. What we get then is to see normal (if there is normal) life for a late shift cop as she attends crimes while trying to fit in helping Bosch and resolve an old cold case. The same happens with Bosch as still other things going on he needs to sort on other cases etc.
The book delivers all these various stories, crimes, happenings and their work together in such a manner that you read along happily watching it all unfold. We even get a spell with Bosch suspended.

The beauty of the book is the police procedures are spot on and the writing are such that you feel yourself inside the station with them or on the call as you read. It also delivers crime, mystery and thrills as you ride along to the book's conclusion.

It is well worth the read and not a book to be missed. I do hope the Ballard/Bosch combo is going to bring more books as their working relationship grows further. If it does I'll be there to read them as you know it will be good just as this one was.

This was the first book I read of the series and the Bosh/Ballad combo certainly don't disappoint. It would have been even better if I had read the book in order which I'm planning to do.
The settings and the characters were interesting, the police procedure detailed and I enjoy the mix of investigation. A great read for the lovers of the genre.

Thank you Orion for this ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley I was able to read an advance copy. I have read all the Michael Connelly books featuring Harry Bosch and I felt that in this book Harry was not at his best. There was a melancholy undercurrent and Bosch certaininly was not firing on all cylinders.....the story had a lack of pace, more of an amble through the case. Yes they got there in the end but not the page-turner you have come to expect from Michael Connelly.

Love Bosch, loved The Late Show where we first met Ballard and now Bosch & Ballard together - the dream team, a match made in haven or is it hell? Fabulous main plot, brilliant characterisation and nods to other Connolly favourites like Micky Haller too. I absolutely loved this book, read in less than 24 hours it was an absolute blast and I can’t wait for the next one

After reading the Late Show I couldn't wait for Ballard to meet Bosch. One book later my wish was granted. Taking the story forward from the last Harry Bosch novel this doesn't disappoint. Great characters and a great storyline. Old fashioned detective work meeting the modern face of criminal investigation. This book is a real treat

Michael Connelly is one of my favourite authors and his Harry Bosch books are always excellent.
Dark Sacred Night was great as it combined Bosch with Connelly’s new female protagonist Renee Ballard whom he’d initially introduced in his earlier novel The Late Show so the book was twice as enjoyable!
Sections alternated between Bosch and Ballard’s viewpoint and in my opinion this worked really well.
There were several investigations; Bosch is looking into the 9 year old murder of runaway teenager Daisy, for Elizabeth her mother who is a former drug addict rescued by Bosch in his last adventure in the book ‘Two Kinds Of Truth’. This brings him into Ballard’s world as he returns to LAPD to look at old records and after meeting for the first time they start working on the case together.
He is also investigating an old gang related murder in his position as San Fernando Police Department volunteer Detective which leads him into extreme danger as the book progresses.
Meanwhile Ballard solves a number of cases on her night shift whilst helping Bosch with the Daisy investigation.
I felt that the two characters worked well together and the plots intertwined cleverly so that the book was compelling as well as being fast moving.
It would be possible to read this as a stand alone but it would be better to have read the previous Bosch book as well as the earlier Ballard novel as there are a lot of character back stories in these two books. If you haven’t read any of the Bosch series you’ve got a real treat in store as they are all great novels.
These two characters really gelled together and I sincerely hope that Michael Connelly decides to do another book where they work as a team.
Harry’s career as he heads towards retirement has been just as exciting as in the earlier novels and I really hope he decides to keep on working!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.

Bosch and Ballard together solving crimes in downtown LA, sounds a recipe for success, unfortunately my original enthusiasm was not realized. Ballard is the new kid on the block, first introduced last year in the excellent "The Late Show". She has a lot to prove, riding the night shift, surfing in the morning accompanied by her faithful dog Lola. It's tough working as a female detective always open to criticism and ridicule and constantly under the watchful eye of her male colleagues just waiting for disaster to strike.

Bosch of course is the grizzled vet, working out of the San Fernando police dept on "cold cases" that still remain unsolved after a number of years. Daisy Clayton was murdered nine years ago, her body found naked and bleached clean to hide all trace of DNA. Ballard discovers Bosch working on this unsolved murder and she decides to help him in her downtime. So up to a point this story is full of potential and hope. However this is not the only case the detectives are involved in and that's where the narrative comes undone. When I read a detective story I want the author to concentrate and build the storyline one theme or murder (or numerous murders as in the case of a serial killer) This gives the reader time to become acquainted with the various issues raised and characters introduced. By running a number of sub plots/storylines the main theme, which in this case is the killing of Daisy Clayton, becomes diluted and loses its impact and effectiveness. Harry at the same time is involved in a crime case with gangland connections that goes terribly wrong. Ballard has her own heavy work load including a potential rape case that becomes something different entirely.

Having said that a Michael Connelly novel always contains some great moments with Harry Bosch at the centre. He is a maverick investigator refusing to admit that he could ever be a target, but on this occasion he is wrong. In addition he is harbouring an unexpected house guest and the fallout from this has a tragic outcome. So "Dark Sacred Night" is not a bad novel it is simply that I expect such high standards from the author. The partnership of Ballard and Bosch works to an extent but the Daisy Clayton killing seems to lose its impact as it becomes lost amongst the ever increasing workload that forms the agenda of our two hard working detectives. The conclusion of the story indicates the possibility of future adventures/assignments and I hope that will not happen. Bosch is a loner, a detective who shirks instructions, and this is the very quality that makes him so attractive to his many adoring readers. Yes lets develop the career of Renee Ballard.....but not on Harry's watch!

I was so looking forward to this and was worried that it would be a letdown, but I should not have been concerned as Michael Connelly has hit the bullseye yet again.

Great writers - and he certainly is one of them generally have a set formula that works but they also know when to tweak, amend and innovate so that things remain fresh for his/her readers.

Connelly did this successfully with the introduction of Micky Haller, the Lincoln Lawyer and he soon linked up with Harry Bosch. "The Late Show" saw the feisty but troubled Renee Ballard brought to our attention and she was an obvious keeper - in shorthand terms a female version of Bosch as she shared his commitment and passion for the job, had her own set of issues, was brilliant at her job, fought against the unfairness of the system and was treated with suspicion by her colleagues.

They had to meet up but would they clash or would their similar but slightly different personalities gel?

Read the book to find out but it is a triumph of characterisation and plotting and is as contemporary as you can get. Hard hitting and lyrical and deeply satisfying.

This is one of his best and the franchise is in safe hands for many years ahead.

Reading a new Michael Connelly novel is like meeting up with an old friend, over the years I have read EVERY Harry Bosch novel, and in the latest in the series I was interested to see Harry double up with Renee Ballard who started in the author's previous stand-alone novel "The Late Show".

In alternating chapters Bosch and Ballard meet and end up working the same case. Even though Bosch is pretty much retired he sees something in Ballard he respects and together they look into a cold case.

As usual there are multiple storylines, which truly give a flavour of Los Angeles. I have never visited this city, but through these Bosch books I think I could negociate myself along the famous Mulholland Drive!

Hopefully Bosch will return, as he says "everyone counts or no one counts" Michael Connelly ranks as one of the greatest living thriller writing, having a knack with words that there are very few authors who can write as fluidly as him.

I enjoy recommending Harry Bosch to as many people as I can!

#DarkSacredNight #NetGalley I have long been a fan of Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch series so I was excited to have the opportunity to review this new book seeing Harry paired up with Detective Renee Ballard and this did not disappoint at all. I love the authors writing style which gets down to the action without lots of flowery descriptions and I love the way there are several side cases investigated as well as the main cold case which kept me glued to the pages. I would have liked to have seen a bit more from Harry's perspective but I guess this was understandable as we are introduced to Renee. I hope this is the start of a long and productive relationship with many more books in this series! Fabulous read!

Renee Ballard, meet Harry Bosch.....

When cold cases start hotting up, things get rather tricky for both detectives

Simply brilliant