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Catalina #2
Ironwood
Not yet published
Expected 19 May 26Sworn 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).
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).
336 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication May 19, 2026
35 people are currently reading
27176 people want to read
About the author
Michael Connelly
374 books35.8k followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads' database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Michael Connelly decided to become a writer after discovering the books of Raymond Chandler while attending the University of Florida. Once he decided on this direction he chose a major in journalism and a minor in creative writing — a curriculum in which one of his teachers was novelist Harry Crews.
After graduating in 1980, Connelly worked at newspapers in Daytona Beach and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, primarily specializing in the crime beat. In Fort Lauderdale he wrote about police and crime during the height of the murder and violence wave that rolled over South Florida during the so-called cocaine wars. In 1986, he and two other reporters spent several months interviewing survivors of a major airline crash. They wrote a magazine story on the crash and the survivors which was later short-listed for the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing. The magazine story also moved Connelly into the upper levels of journalism, landing him a job as a crime reporter for the Los Angeles Times, one of the largest papers in the country, and bringing him to the city of which his literary hero, Chandler, had written.
After three years on the crime beat in L.A., Connelly began writing his first novel to feature LAPD Detective Hieronymus Bosch. The novel, The Black Echo, based in part on a true crime that had occurred in Los Angeles, was published in 1992 and won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel by the Mystery Writers of America. Connelly has followed that up with over 30 more novels.
Over eighty million copies of Connelly’s books have sold worldwide and he has been translated into forty-five foreign languages. He has won the Edgar Award, Anthony Award, Macavity Award, Los Angeles Times Best Mystery/Thriller Award, Shamus Award, Dilys Award, Nero Award, Barry Award, Audie Award, Ridley Award, Maltese Falcon Award (Japan), .38 Caliber Award (France), Grand Prix Award (France), Premio Bancarella Award (Italy), and the Pepe Carvalho award (Spain) .
Michael was the President of the Mystery Writers of America organization in 2003 and 2004. In addition to his literary work, Michael is one of the producers and writers of the TV show, “Bosch,” which is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Michael lives with his family in Los Angeles and Tampa, Florida.
Michael Connelly decided to become a writer after discovering the books of Raymond Chandler while attending the University of Florida. Once he decided on this direction he chose a major in journalism and a minor in creative writing — a curriculum in which one of his teachers was novelist Harry Crews.
After graduating in 1980, Connelly worked at newspapers in Daytona Beach and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, primarily specializing in the crime beat. In Fort Lauderdale he wrote about police and crime during the height of the murder and violence wave that rolled over South Florida during the so-called cocaine wars. In 1986, he and two other reporters spent several months interviewing survivors of a major airline crash. They wrote a magazine story on the crash and the survivors which was later short-listed for the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing. The magazine story also moved Connelly into the upper levels of journalism, landing him a job as a crime reporter for the Los Angeles Times, one of the largest papers in the country, and bringing him to the city of which his literary hero, Chandler, had written.
After three years on the crime beat in L.A., Connelly began writing his first novel to feature LAPD Detective Hieronymus Bosch. The novel, The Black Echo, based in part on a true crime that had occurred in Los Angeles, was published in 1992 and won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel by the Mystery Writers of America. Connelly has followed that up with over 30 more novels.
Over eighty million copies of Connelly’s books have sold worldwide and he has been translated into forty-five foreign languages. He has won the Edgar Award, Anthony Award, Macavity Award, Los Angeles Times Best Mystery/Thriller Award, Shamus Award, Dilys Award, Nero Award, Barry Award, Audie Award, Ridley Award, Maltese Falcon Award (Japan), .38 Caliber Award (France), Grand Prix Award (France), Premio Bancarella Award (Italy), and the Pepe Carvalho award (Spain) .
Michael was the President of the Mystery Writers of America organization in 2003 and 2004. In addition to his literary work, Michael is one of the producers and writers of the TV show, “Bosch,” which is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Michael lives with his family in Los Angeles and Tampa, Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Michael Connelly is an absolute master of the police procedural drama. His books always bring me so much joy and once again in 2026 we are being spoilt with 2 new books. He is my absolute favourite author and I couldn’t wait to dive into Ironwood.
After loving Nightshade last year, I was keen to go back to Catalina Island and catch up with Stilwell. This man never seems to sleep and is 100% committed to his work. Even when spending time with his girlfriend Tash, he is thinking about his cases. He certainly has his hands full in Ironwood. Firstly there is the drugs operation that ended up with his officers being taken out and a missing persons case that comes out of an item in the lost and found shed.
I loved that this book had Stilwell working with Renee Ballard on the missing persons cold case. I hope this continues to happen, I loved their chemistry and team efforts in this case. They make a great team,. We even have a brief appearance from Harry and Maddie Bosch which always makes me smile.
As always, Michael Connelly books move at fast pace, I read this on my plane journey home from Japan in a few hours. There is always something dramatic happening and you just can’t put it down. Much like Harry Bosch, Stilwell does not like to be left out of things and will do whatever it takes to solve the case and I love that about him. His punishment of being sent to the island 22 miles off the Los Angeles coast has done him a lot of good and I hope that we will get many more books in this setting with this character.
I am so thankful to Little, Brown and Company for my early copy of this book to read. Such an honour to be able to do so for such a prolific author.
This one comes out on May 19th. Get reading Nightshade now to prepare for it.
After loving Nightshade last year, I was keen to go back to Catalina Island and catch up with Stilwell. This man never seems to sleep and is 100% committed to his work. Even when spending time with his girlfriend Tash, he is thinking about his cases. He certainly has his hands full in Ironwood. Firstly there is the drugs operation that ended up with his officers being taken out and a missing persons case that comes out of an item in the lost and found shed.
I loved that this book had Stilwell working with Renee Ballard on the missing persons cold case. I hope this continues to happen, I loved their chemistry and team efforts in this case. They make a great team,. We even have a brief appearance from Harry and Maddie Bosch which always makes me smile.
As always, Michael Connelly books move at fast pace, I read this on my plane journey home from Japan in a few hours. There is always something dramatic happening and you just can’t put it down. Much like Harry Bosch, Stilwell does not like to be left out of things and will do whatever it takes to solve the case and I love that about him. His punishment of being sent to the island 22 miles off the Los Angeles coast has done him a lot of good and I hope that we will get many more books in this setting with this character.
I am so thankful to Little, Brown and Company for my early copy of this book to read. Such an honour to be able to do so for such a prolific author.
This one comes out on May 19th. Get reading Nightshade now to prepare for it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Another great installment in the new Stillwell series. The character is really growing on me -- and great to see some cameos from other Connelly characters.
Will we see Stillwell in an upcoming season of Ballard?
Will we see Stillwell in an upcoming season of Ballard?
April 4, 2026
Michael Connelly is a superstar author: I’ve read all of the Bosch novels; a devoured every single Lincoln Lawyer books and now I have just completed the second Catalina story about to be published in May 2026. The first book in Connelly’s new series was solid if not quite spectacular. This follow up effort improves on the first effort although in my humble, amateur review I believe he still needs to have this series make that big step up from “good” to “great.”
Most of “Ironwood “ again takes place on the touristy island of Catalina just a short boat ride or helicopter ride from the sunshiny beaches of Los Angeles.. This installment begins literally with a bang. Stilwell, our protagonist, remains exiled to Catalina Island where in the dark of night a plane drops a duffle bag of drugs at the island airfield. Shocking events occur that I shan’t write about. An investigation begins that will even include a cameo from Renee Ballard from LA’s unsolved crimes unit. Oh yeah, your friendly critic has also read all of Connelly’s Ballard series also. So, in summary, we heartily recommend Ironwood but just enjoy the plot while Michael Connolly develops his core characters (including Catalina Island itself.)
4 Stars for Ironwood.
Most of “Ironwood “ again takes place on the touristy island of Catalina just a short boat ride or helicopter ride from the sunshiny beaches of Los Angeles.. This installment begins literally with a bang. Stilwell, our protagonist, remains exiled to Catalina Island where in the dark of night a plane drops a duffle bag of drugs at the island airfield. Shocking events occur that I shan’t write about. An investigation begins that will even include a cameo from Renee Ballard from LA’s unsolved crimes unit. Oh yeah, your friendly critic has also read all of Connelly’s Ballard series also. So, in summary, we heartily recommend Ironwood but just enjoy the plot while Michael Connolly develops his core characters (including Catalina Island itself.)
4 Stars for Ironwood.
March 8, 2026
I received an ARC through Netgalley for this review.
Ironwood is the second in Connelly’s Catalina series, a follow up to Nightshade. I really enjoyed this book, especially when compared to Nightshade. I felt the pacing was a little quicker with fewer parts that dragged or focused on Stillwell’s regions with Tash, which I don’t find very interesting. I also found the main case Stillwell is investigating in this story to be a little tighter and less convoluted.
I think my biggest problem is that I just don’t think I like Stillwell very much as a character. It seems like every other investigator he encounters is beneath him and every single one of his hunches pans out. He treats his deputies as idiots and after most interactions with them he has a thought about how they didn’t handle a situation exactly the way he would have. Stillwell is constantly withholding information from his captain or outright defying him. In this story he goes to visit a deputy who got injured in the line of duty but seeing how the deputy is doing is secondary to trying to get information from them.
Overall I felt positively about this book and Connelly’s ability to write engaging crime stories is present, but Stillwell doesn’t hold a candle to Haller or Bosch.
Ironwood is the second in Connelly’s Catalina series, a follow up to Nightshade. I really enjoyed this book, especially when compared to Nightshade. I felt the pacing was a little quicker with fewer parts that dragged or focused on Stillwell’s regions with Tash, which I don’t find very interesting. I also found the main case Stillwell is investigating in this story to be a little tighter and less convoluted.
I think my biggest problem is that I just don’t think I like Stillwell very much as a character. It seems like every other investigator he encounters is beneath him and every single one of his hunches pans out. He treats his deputies as idiots and after most interactions with them he has a thought about how they didn’t handle a situation exactly the way he would have. Stillwell is constantly withholding information from his captain or outright defying him. In this story he goes to visit a deputy who got injured in the line of duty but seeing how the deputy is doing is secondary to trying to get information from them.
Overall I felt positively about this book and Connelly’s ability to write engaging crime stories is present, but Stillwell doesn’t hold a candle to Haller or Bosch.
February 24, 2026
Ironwood-Stilwell (Catalina Island, Book Two in the series)
Michael Connelly, please consult with me first before making decisions about the ending of your novels..Thanks in advance.
Let me start off with I love Stil as a character and the life he’s made on Catalina Island.
Book 2, what I loved most was the different cases not being related. A serial killer and corruption.
The serial killer case is where Stil meets Renee Ballard which I loved and hoping they come together for future cases. If we’re lucky maybe Harry Bosch will make an appearance.
Stil has one officer dead and the other seriously injured. He’s on a mission to figure out who’s behind it until he’s moved off the case.
A room in the substation designated for the “lost and found” is where he stumbles across the backpack.
I give this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. I couldn’t believe how invested I became into the story and how fast I read this masterpiece.
Great job to one of my favorite authors and I expected nothing less.
Can’t wait for Book 3.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Catalina Island is one of those places that sounds fake when rich people describe it to you. Oh you took a little ferry to your tiny idyllic island getaway where everyone drinks wine near the harbor and the biggest local crisis should theoretically be “a seal stole my sandwich.” Cute. Love that for you.
Michael Connelly, meanwhile, looked at this picturesque vacation spot and said, “What if absolutely everybody was having the worst week of their lives?” Ironwood opens with a drug sting at the extremely ominous sounding Airport in the Sky, which already feels like a location where somebody is either about to smuggle narcotics or get murdered in a Christopher Nolan movie. Detective Sergeant Stilwell and his deputies are waiting for a late night drug drop, and for approximately six seconds it seems like maybe this operation will go smoothly.
It does not. Shots get fired. One deputy ends up dead. Another is critically injured. The suspect disappears into the hills. The whole thing collapses so spectacularly it feels like the universe personally hates paperwork.
And poor Stilwell immediately gets hit with the classic cop thriller nightmare scenario where your bosses start saying things like “let the investigation proceed” and “don’t get involved,” which in detective language basically translates to: congratulations, this will now consume your entire personality.
Also, I did not read Nightshade first because apparently I enjoy entering series the same way raccoons enter unsecured garages, aggressively and without a plan. But honestly? Ironwood works incredibly well as a standalone because Connelly drops you into the chaos fast enough that you either catch up or get dragged behind the boat emotionally.
While Stilwell is technically sidelined, he starts digging through the station’s lost and found because this man physically cannot leave a mystery alone. That’s where he finds a backpack connected to a woman who disappeared while hiking on the island four years earlier. Already creepy. Already a no from me personally. If I find a backpack tied to an old disappearance, I’m not investigating it. I’m leaving the island immediately and pretending I never learned how to read.
But Stilwell, unfortunately for his blood pressure, is a detective in the Michael Connelly universe. So naturally he starts pulling on the thread until it leads him straight to Renée Ballard and the LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit. Suddenly we’ve got island crime, cold cases, departmental politics, possible serial murders, and little Bosch universe breadcrumbs getting sprinkled around like Connelly is rewarding longtime readers with emotional support cameos.
And honestly? The Ballard stuff really works here. She and Stilwell have a great investigative rhythm together because they’re both carrying that exhausted “I’m surrounded by incompetence and bureaucracy” energy that all great fictional detectives seem legally required to have. Every conversation feels one bad day away from becoming a rage podcast about office politics.
Also, I have a weirdly emotional attachment to Catalina Island which made this book hit differently for me. Five years ago I stayed there for a weekend while trying to see more of Southern California before moving back home to my beloved Southeast, and while I was on the island, my house sold. I remember standing there feeling this insane weight lift off my chest like somebody had finally stopped pressing on my ribs. Suddenly everything felt possible again. So now Catalina exists in my brain as this bizarre combination of personal miracle, ocean air, and apparently Michael Connelly crime scenes.
Which honestly tracks. The island in Ironwood has that exact energy. Beautiful, peaceful on the surface, but humming with tension underneath. Like everybody’s drinking cocktails near the harbor while at least three people are secretly having the worst day of their lives.
What I really liked about this one is that the pacing absolutely moves. The short chapters make the whole thing feel like you’re saying “okay one more chapter” fifty times in a row while your responsibilities slowly decay in the corner. There are multiple investigations happening at once, but Connelly keeps them balanced well enough that the story never feels bloated. Just increasingly stressful for Stilwell, who spends most of this book operating on determination, caffeine, and unresolved professional rage.
By the time the story starts snapping its threads together, Ironwood fully settles into that classic Connelly groove where every clue starts clicking into place and suddenly you’re sitting there realizing you accidentally inhaled two hundred pages. The procedural stuff is sharp, the tension keeps building, and the atmosphere of Catalina somehow manages to stay gorgeous and unsettling at the same time.
This ended up being a very solid 4.5 star read for me. Is Stilwell replacing Harry Bosch in the Michael Connelly Detective Hall of Fame? Probably not. But he’s definitely carved out his own corner of the crime solving universe, and honestly, I’m happy to go back to Catalina anytime this man decides to ruin another beautiful weekend by uncovering corruption and multiple felonies.
Whodunity Award: For Making Me Side-Eye Every Hiking Trail, Backpack, and Small Regional Airport
Thank you to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for the ARC. Always appreciated when someone hands me a crime novel and trusts me not to immediately start interrogating tourists at the marina.
Michael Connelly, meanwhile, looked at this picturesque vacation spot and said, “What if absolutely everybody was having the worst week of their lives?” Ironwood opens with a drug sting at the extremely ominous sounding Airport in the Sky, which already feels like a location where somebody is either about to smuggle narcotics or get murdered in a Christopher Nolan movie. Detective Sergeant Stilwell and his deputies are waiting for a late night drug drop, and for approximately six seconds it seems like maybe this operation will go smoothly.
It does not. Shots get fired. One deputy ends up dead. Another is critically injured. The suspect disappears into the hills. The whole thing collapses so spectacularly it feels like the universe personally hates paperwork.
And poor Stilwell immediately gets hit with the classic cop thriller nightmare scenario where your bosses start saying things like “let the investigation proceed” and “don’t get involved,” which in detective language basically translates to: congratulations, this will now consume your entire personality.
Also, I did not read Nightshade first because apparently I enjoy entering series the same way raccoons enter unsecured garages, aggressively and without a plan. But honestly? Ironwood works incredibly well as a standalone because Connelly drops you into the chaos fast enough that you either catch up or get dragged behind the boat emotionally.
While Stilwell is technically sidelined, he starts digging through the station’s lost and found because this man physically cannot leave a mystery alone. That’s where he finds a backpack connected to a woman who disappeared while hiking on the island four years earlier. Already creepy. Already a no from me personally. If I find a backpack tied to an old disappearance, I’m not investigating it. I’m leaving the island immediately and pretending I never learned how to read.
But Stilwell, unfortunately for his blood pressure, is a detective in the Michael Connelly universe. So naturally he starts pulling on the thread until it leads him straight to Renée Ballard and the LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit. Suddenly we’ve got island crime, cold cases, departmental politics, possible serial murders, and little Bosch universe breadcrumbs getting sprinkled around like Connelly is rewarding longtime readers with emotional support cameos.
And honestly? The Ballard stuff really works here. She and Stilwell have a great investigative rhythm together because they’re both carrying that exhausted “I’m surrounded by incompetence and bureaucracy” energy that all great fictional detectives seem legally required to have. Every conversation feels one bad day away from becoming a rage podcast about office politics.
Also, I have a weirdly emotional attachment to Catalina Island which made this book hit differently for me. Five years ago I stayed there for a weekend while trying to see more of Southern California before moving back home to my beloved Southeast, and while I was on the island, my house sold. I remember standing there feeling this insane weight lift off my chest like somebody had finally stopped pressing on my ribs. Suddenly everything felt possible again. So now Catalina exists in my brain as this bizarre combination of personal miracle, ocean air, and apparently Michael Connelly crime scenes.
Which honestly tracks. The island in Ironwood has that exact energy. Beautiful, peaceful on the surface, but humming with tension underneath. Like everybody’s drinking cocktails near the harbor while at least three people are secretly having the worst day of their lives.
What I really liked about this one is that the pacing absolutely moves. The short chapters make the whole thing feel like you’re saying “okay one more chapter” fifty times in a row while your responsibilities slowly decay in the corner. There are multiple investigations happening at once, but Connelly keeps them balanced well enough that the story never feels bloated. Just increasingly stressful for Stilwell, who spends most of this book operating on determination, caffeine, and unresolved professional rage.
By the time the story starts snapping its threads together, Ironwood fully settles into that classic Connelly groove where every clue starts clicking into place and suddenly you’re sitting there realizing you accidentally inhaled two hundred pages. The procedural stuff is sharp, the tension keeps building, and the atmosphere of Catalina somehow manages to stay gorgeous and unsettling at the same time.
This ended up being a very solid 4.5 star read for me. Is Stilwell replacing Harry Bosch in the Michael Connelly Detective Hall of Fame? Probably not. But he’s definitely carved out his own corner of the crime solving universe, and honestly, I’m happy to go back to Catalina anytime this man decides to ruin another beautiful weekend by uncovering corruption and multiple felonies.
Whodunity Award: For Making Me Side-Eye Every Hiking Trail, Backpack, and Small Regional Airport
Thank you to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for the ARC. Always appreciated when someone hands me a crime novel and trusts me not to immediately start interrogating tourists at the marina.
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Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Ironwood by Michael Connelly is an excellent, very highly recommended police procedural/thriller and the second book in the Catalina series following Nightshade. Detective Sergeant Stilwell was sent to be the police substation director on Catalina Island (the island of misfit toys) due to infighting and office politics, but he now enjoys this post and is still in a relationship with Tash, acting harbor master.
When a drug bust operation goes wrong, leaving Deputy Alton Quigley dead and Deputy Ilsa Ramirez hospitalized, the internal inquiry results in Stilwell being benched until he is cleared of responsibility for the operation which was undertaken based on a tip Quigley received. Stil quietly undertakes his own investigation into the drug deal gone wrong and identifies the drug courier as Gonzalo Kalas when he is trying to leave the island. Kalas is apprehended and subsequently detained but then, when Stil is out of the substation, ICE agents unexpectedly show up and take Kalas.
During the same time, while cleaning up the substation, Stil finds a key in a backpack that he discovers belonged to Angela Metier, a woman who went missing four years ago, but the backpack was turned in only two months earlier. He follows this lead to the mainland, or Overtown, and LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit and Detective Renée Ballard. It appears that there may be a serial killer at play. Stil continues his investigations, to pursue both cases. There are also several other minor cases and incidents that Stil has to handle along the way.
Connelly has given us another exceptional, intricate, well-written police procedural with a fast-paced plot which will hold your complete attention throughout the whole novel. It is clear that there is a whole lot going on behind the scenes and Stil is the man to uncover the nefarious connections and clues while logically investigating. As expected, his superiors at the LAPD are constantly keeping watch of him and exerting their authority, however, Stil is very perceptive and intuitive while he follows clues and makes serious connections.
Stilwell is a great, fully realized character. He continues to be tenacious, intelligent, and methodical, while exercising astute investigative instincts. It is a pleasure to follow his handling of all the investigations, large and small, in Ironwood. This second book in the series leaves room for future development and changes in the personal at the Catalina substation. Clearly the ending indicates a future addition to the series and I'm already eagerly awaiting it.
Ironwood is a perfect choice for those who enjoy intelligent police procedurals. It can be read as a standalone novel but will be especially welcomed by those who have read Nightshade. Thanks to Little, Brown and Company for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2026/0...
When a drug bust operation goes wrong, leaving Deputy Alton Quigley dead and Deputy Ilsa Ramirez hospitalized, the internal inquiry results in Stilwell being benched until he is cleared of responsibility for the operation which was undertaken based on a tip Quigley received. Stil quietly undertakes his own investigation into the drug deal gone wrong and identifies the drug courier as Gonzalo Kalas when he is trying to leave the island. Kalas is apprehended and subsequently detained but then, when Stil is out of the substation, ICE agents unexpectedly show up and take Kalas.
During the same time, while cleaning up the substation, Stil finds a key in a backpack that he discovers belonged to Angela Metier, a woman who went missing four years ago, but the backpack was turned in only two months earlier. He follows this lead to the mainland, or Overtown, and LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit and Detective Renée Ballard. It appears that there may be a serial killer at play. Stil continues his investigations, to pursue both cases. There are also several other minor cases and incidents that Stil has to handle along the way.
Connelly has given us another exceptional, intricate, well-written police procedural with a fast-paced plot which will hold your complete attention throughout the whole novel. It is clear that there is a whole lot going on behind the scenes and Stil is the man to uncover the nefarious connections and clues while logically investigating. As expected, his superiors at the LAPD are constantly keeping watch of him and exerting their authority, however, Stil is very perceptive and intuitive while he follows clues and makes serious connections.
Stilwell is a great, fully realized character. He continues to be tenacious, intelligent, and methodical, while exercising astute investigative instincts. It is a pleasure to follow his handling of all the investigations, large and small, in Ironwood. This second book in the series leaves room for future development and changes in the personal at the Catalina substation. Clearly the ending indicates a future addition to the series and I'm already eagerly awaiting it.
Ironwood is a perfect choice for those who enjoy intelligent police procedurals. It can be read as a standalone novel but will be especially welcomed by those who have read Nightshade. Thanks to Little, Brown and Company for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2026/0...
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Title: Ironwood
Author: Michael Connelly
Series: Catalina #2
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Little Brown and Company
Pub Date: May 19, 2026
My Rating: 4.4 Stars!
Pages: 336
I live in Southern California aka ‘Overtown’ and am somewhat familiar with Catalina Island –have vacationed there as well as have made several day trips. It is indeed twenty-six miles across the sea as the song states. Although not a breath taking Tropical Island is truly is like paradise as it is sooo different from our hurried and hectic lives- almost a thrown back in time.
In “Nightshade” the first book in the Catalina series we learn that Detective Sergeant Stilwell with the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department had been “exiled” or punished to a low-key post on Catalina Island, after department politics drove him off a homicide desk,
He will be the lone detective in Avalon on Catalina Island so his typical job will be managing the drunk-and-disorderly tourist who visit on weekends and Holidays. But things did get more serious in that story as they are about to this in this one.
This story starts in the middle of the night when Stillwell acts on a tip that one of his deputy’s got that a plane from Mexicali was making a drop. Stillwell and his deputies are at the little “Airport in the Sky’ a remote airstrip in the mountains and are watching as the plane land. When it touched down a duffel bag of drugs is dropped. Deputies move in, shots are fired and the plane takes off. Stilwell chases the fleeing pickup man but he quickly gets away into the mountainside brush. The operation was a disaster additionally two Deputies were shot Alton Quigley and Lisa Ramirez was shot.
Later while going through the lost and found items to see what can be turned over to St. Catherine’s for their rummage sale. As they are getting ready to call Father Braxton for a pick up, Stillwell notices an expensive ‘Hyperlite Unbound Camping pack’ and is curious. Sure enough there is enough info inside to make some calls. Finds out Angela Metier disappeared while hiking on the island four years ago. However the pack was only turned in two months ago. Hmmm This leads Stillwell to do more investigation which leads him to the LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit and Detective Renée Ballard.
Yes THE Renée Ballard we know from other stories!
Although I liked that Ms. Ballard helped and fun that Bosch’s daughter now a police officer made an appearance- I was happy that Detective Sergeant Stilwell is the star in this thriller!
I am a Michael Connelly Mickey Haller, Harry Bosch and now a Stil fan!!!
Want to thank NetGalley and Little Brown & Company for this eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for May 19, 2026.
Author: Michael Connelly
Series: Catalina #2
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Little Brown and Company
Pub Date: May 19, 2026
My Rating: 4.4 Stars!
Pages: 336
I live in Southern California aka ‘Overtown’ and am somewhat familiar with Catalina Island –have vacationed there as well as have made several day trips. It is indeed twenty-six miles across the sea as the song states. Although not a breath taking Tropical Island is truly is like paradise as it is sooo different from our hurried and hectic lives- almost a thrown back in time.
In “Nightshade” the first book in the Catalina series we learn that Detective Sergeant Stilwell with the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department had been “exiled” or punished to a low-key post on Catalina Island, after department politics drove him off a homicide desk,
He will be the lone detective in Avalon on Catalina Island so his typical job will be managing the drunk-and-disorderly tourist who visit on weekends and Holidays. But things did get more serious in that story as they are about to this in this one.
This story starts in the middle of the night when Stillwell acts on a tip that one of his deputy’s got that a plane from Mexicali was making a drop. Stillwell and his deputies are at the little “Airport in the Sky’ a remote airstrip in the mountains and are watching as the plane land. When it touched down a duffel bag of drugs is dropped. Deputies move in, shots are fired and the plane takes off. Stilwell chases the fleeing pickup man but he quickly gets away into the mountainside brush. The operation was a disaster additionally two Deputies were shot Alton Quigley and Lisa Ramirez was shot.
Later while going through the lost and found items to see what can be turned over to St. Catherine’s for their rummage sale. As they are getting ready to call Father Braxton for a pick up, Stillwell notices an expensive ‘Hyperlite Unbound Camping pack’ and is curious. Sure enough there is enough info inside to make some calls. Finds out Angela Metier disappeared while hiking on the island four years ago. However the pack was only turned in two months ago. Hmmm This leads Stillwell to do more investigation which leads him to the LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit and Detective Renée Ballard.
Yes THE Renée Ballard we know from other stories!
Although I liked that Ms. Ballard helped and fun that Bosch’s daughter now a police officer made an appearance- I was happy that Detective Sergeant Stilwell is the star in this thriller!
I am a Michael Connelly Mickey Haller, Harry Bosch and now a Stil fan!!!
Want to thank NetGalley and Little Brown & Company for this eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for May 19, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Connelly wonderfully returns to his criminal thriller series set on Catalina Island off the coast of Southern California, and featuring Sergeant Harry Stilwell, substation director of Catalina substation. Stilwell had been transferred as punishment by his superiors to Santa Catalina Island off the coast from L.A.- an outpost to which the L.A. County Sheriff’s department exiles political troublemakers. In Harry’s case, in L.A. he continued to pursue and expose the true murderer in a murder involving police corruption after his superior deemed the case closed based on a conveniently blamed, but innocent suspect. And even with his department exile, Harry holds true to the high moral principles that drive his work.
But it turns out the Stilwell loves being on Catalina, thanks to him falling in love with Tash, who oversees the island’s harbor and its boat traffic, and thanks to big crime afoot on the island that Stilwell gets to investigate.
This second outing for Stilwell starts off with intensity: two of Stilwell’s deputies have staked out a late-night landing of a aircraft rumored to be part of drug deal. Deputy Alton Quigley got the tip from one of this former L.A.-based snitches, and Deputy Ilsa Ramirez has tagged along as back up. But as Quigley ends up shot and Ramiriz severely injured in a powerful action sequence once the plane lands, Stilwell vows investigate and get to the bottom of what actually happened.
Stilwell, with his shrewd eye for detail, relentless determination and bravery, starts to realize that not only may drug cartels be involved but that there also may be a connection to a woman who had gone missing several years back on a hiking trip. Stilwell partners up with Renée Ballard, the lead of the LAPD’s Cold Case Unit, who is also looking into other suspicious disappearances of female hikers.
And of course, this wouldn’t be a Stilwill case, without the powers that be in the L.A.P.D. trying to to exert political authority over him, while missing the bigger picture.
Simultaneously, Stilwell has an investigation on his hands involved the cutting down of vines in a local vineyard and the painting of “FSID” in large graffiti on several prominent island fixtures facing the harbor.
All this action reinforces Stilwell’s heroism and ends with a cliff-hanger, which means we’re barely hanging on waiting for next Stilwell sequel.
Hurry please!!
Thanks to Little Brown & Company and NetGalley for an advance reader’s copy.
But it turns out the Stilwell loves being on Catalina, thanks to him falling in love with Tash, who oversees the island’s harbor and its boat traffic, and thanks to big crime afoot on the island that Stilwell gets to investigate.
This second outing for Stilwell starts off with intensity: two of Stilwell’s deputies have staked out a late-night landing of a aircraft rumored to be part of drug deal. Deputy Alton Quigley got the tip from one of this former L.A.-based snitches, and Deputy Ilsa Ramirez has tagged along as back up. But as Quigley ends up shot and Ramiriz severely injured in a powerful action sequence once the plane lands, Stilwell vows investigate and get to the bottom of what actually happened.
Stilwell, with his shrewd eye for detail, relentless determination and bravery, starts to realize that not only may drug cartels be involved but that there also may be a connection to a woman who had gone missing several years back on a hiking trip. Stilwell partners up with Renée Ballard, the lead of the LAPD’s Cold Case Unit, who is also looking into other suspicious disappearances of female hikers.
And of course, this wouldn’t be a Stilwill case, without the powers that be in the L.A.P.D. trying to to exert political authority over him, while missing the bigger picture.
Simultaneously, Stilwell has an investigation on his hands involved the cutting down of vines in a local vineyard and the painting of “FSID” in large graffiti on several prominent island fixtures facing the harbor.
All this action reinforces Stilwell’s heroism and ends with a cliff-hanger, which means we’re barely hanging on waiting for next Stilwell sequel.
Hurry please!!
Thanks to Little Brown & Company and NetGalley for an advance reader’s copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Ironwood by Michael Connelly (May 2026) [reading in March]
Catalina #2 [ previously Detective Stilwell]
254-page Kindle Ebook story pages 11-252
Genre: Mystery > Crime; Suspense, Thriller > Mystery Thriller; Contemporary
Rating as a movie: R
Featuring: Bibliography for Michael Connelly, Parts, Catalina Island, California; Investigations, Detective, Avalon, Santa Catalina Island, California; Renée Ballard, Los Angeles County, California; Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, Hiking, Los Angeles Police Department, Easter Eggs, Long Beach, California; Violence, Harry Bosch, Missing Persons, Law Enforcement Politics, Small-Town Characters and Drama
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🏝⛴️👮♂️
My thoughts: 🔖Page 229 of 254 [Chapter] 46 - I have been reading this off and on all day, odd place to take a break but it's family time. It's good but not great. I'm looking forward to wrapping up this last case.
I liked this story more than Nightshade, as expected. This story has more action as it doesn't have the disadvantage of world-building, and it also focuses on multiple cases, so the story moves faster. I thought I knew exactly where this was going but the end was a bit unexpected. I'm looking forward to the next one, although this still falls a bit short of the thrill of Connelly's other series. The cameos were nice. Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown, and Company for this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Recommend to others?: Yes. Nobody does crime thrillers like Connelly.
Catalina [previously Detective Stilwell]
1. Nightshade (2025)
2. Ironwood (2026)
Songs for the soundtrack: "Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)" by Doris Day
Books and Authors mentioned: The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends by Jay Ward, Alex Anderson, and Bill Scott; High Noon by Carl Foreman [based on] "The Tin Star" by John W. Cunningham; Ride the High Country by N.B. Stone Jr., Seven by Andrew Kevin Walker, The Glass Bottom Boat by Everett Freeman, Captain Blood by
Casey Robinson [based on] Captain Blood by Jay Pilcher and C. Gardner Sullivan [based on] Captain Blood, His Odyssey by Rafael Sabatini; Baywatch by Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz, and Gregory J. Bonann; Jaws by Peter Benchley and Carl Gottlieb [based on] Jaws by Peter Benchley; Catalina Caper [aka Never Steal Anything Wet] by Clyde Ware, Chinatown by Robert Towne, All Ashore by Blake Edwards and Richard Quine
Catalina #2 [ previously Detective Stilwell]
254-page Kindle Ebook story pages 11-252
Genre: Mystery > Crime; Suspense, Thriller > Mystery Thriller; Contemporary
Rating as a movie: R
Featuring: Bibliography for Michael Connelly, Parts, Catalina Island, California; Investigations, Detective, Avalon, Santa Catalina Island, California; Renée Ballard, Los Angeles County, California; Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, Hiking, Los Angeles Police Department, Easter Eggs, Long Beach, California; Violence, Harry Bosch, Missing Persons, Law Enforcement Politics, Small-Town Characters and Drama
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🏝⛴️👮♂️
My thoughts: 🔖Page 229 of 254 [Chapter] 46 - I have been reading this off and on all day, odd place to take a break but it's family time. It's good but not great. I'm looking forward to wrapping up this last case.
I liked this story more than Nightshade, as expected. This story has more action as it doesn't have the disadvantage of world-building, and it also focuses on multiple cases, so the story moves faster. I thought I knew exactly where this was going but the end was a bit unexpected. I'm looking forward to the next one, although this still falls a bit short of the thrill of Connelly's other series. The cameos were nice. Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown, and Company for this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Recommend to others?: Yes. Nobody does crime thrillers like Connelly.
Catalina [previously Detective Stilwell]
1. Nightshade (2025)
2. Ironwood (2026)
Songs for the soundtrack: "Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)" by Doris Day
Books and Authors mentioned: The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends by Jay Ward, Alex Anderson, and Bill Scott; High Noon by Carl Foreman [based on] "The Tin Star" by John W. Cunningham; Ride the High Country by N.B. Stone Jr., Seven by Andrew Kevin Walker, The Glass Bottom Boat by Everett Freeman, Captain Blood by
Casey Robinson [based on] Captain Blood by Jay Pilcher and C. Gardner Sullivan [based on] Captain Blood, His Odyssey by Rafael Sabatini; Baywatch by Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz, and Gregory J. Bonann; Jaws by Peter Benchley and Carl Gottlieb [based on] Jaws by Peter Benchley; Catalina Caper [aka Never Steal Anything Wet] by Clyde Ware, Chinatown by Robert Towne, All Ashore by Blake Edwards and Richard Quine
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Michael Connelly has been entertaining readers and impressing reviewers and awards judges for more than thirty years now, and thankfully shows no signs of easing up. With new audiences also coming to his Los Angeles-set tales through the Ballard and Lincoln Lawyer screen series, alongside ten outstanding seasons of Bosch and Bosch: Legacy starring Titus Welliver as Connelly’s relentless investigator and first-ever series hero, Connelly last year introduced a new series detective.
We first met LA County Sheriff’s Detective Stilwell in Nightshade, where he was serving on scenic Catalina Island, among the other ‘broken toys’, and doggedly pursuing the truth behind the body of an identified young woman being pulled from the local harbour - despite being sidelined from the murder investigation being led by his nemesis. Now in Ironwood, Stilwell is confronted by a murder that hits very close to home, after he and his deputies Ramirez and Quigley are ambushed when a tip-off about late-night drug trafficking at a remote airstrip goes horribly wrong. Benched while an internal inquiry is underway, Stilwell can’t sit still. Determined to find out who set up his deputies, he starts his own off-the-books investigation, while also looking into an item of recently turned in lost property that he ties to a woman who reportedly went missing on Catalina Island four years ago.
Both new and longtime fans of Connelly’s storytelling will find plenty to savour in Ironwood, which expands and adds extra threads to the ‘Bosch universe’ he has built over the past 30+ years on page and screen. It’s a propulsive, one-sitting kind of read that doesn’t feel ‘thin’ or breeze by too quickly; there’s depth to the characters and sense of place, alongside intriguing storylines. Stilwell has many of the qualities we’ve come to admire in Connelly’s other key heroes – Harry Bosch, ‘Lincoln lawyer’ Mickey Haller, crime reporter Jack McEvoy, and Renee Ballard – in terms of his determination to uncover the truth and find justice, no matter the personal cost, while also having his own traits.
In Ironwood, Stilwell is fully welcomed into the Connelly universe, briefly encountering Bosch, then working on the case of the missing hiker with Detective Ballard and her LAPD Open-Unsolved Unit. Both cases get increasingly complicated, and dangerous. Meanwhile Stilwell must still deal with other policing and political matters on the island, including spraypainted monuments and vandalised grapevines. Less life-and-death, perhaps, but vital to his tenure nonetheless. Overall, Connelly spins another very fine yarn, blending cases and characters into a propulsive, satisfying tale and a climax that will have readers wanting another Stilwell book asap.
The 2023 recipient of the MWA’s Grand Master Award, Connelly in a way is like the LeBron James or Tom Brady of American crime writing – continuing to not only perform at a high level, but evolve and lead the way even as younger, exciting new voices are welcomed to the mystery and thriller genre, and ‘change the game’.
We first met LA County Sheriff’s Detective Stilwell in Nightshade, where he was serving on scenic Catalina Island, among the other ‘broken toys’, and doggedly pursuing the truth behind the body of an identified young woman being pulled from the local harbour - despite being sidelined from the murder investigation being led by his nemesis. Now in Ironwood, Stilwell is confronted by a murder that hits very close to home, after he and his deputies Ramirez and Quigley are ambushed when a tip-off about late-night drug trafficking at a remote airstrip goes horribly wrong. Benched while an internal inquiry is underway, Stilwell can’t sit still. Determined to find out who set up his deputies, he starts his own off-the-books investigation, while also looking into an item of recently turned in lost property that he ties to a woman who reportedly went missing on Catalina Island four years ago.
Both new and longtime fans of Connelly’s storytelling will find plenty to savour in Ironwood, which expands and adds extra threads to the ‘Bosch universe’ he has built over the past 30+ years on page and screen. It’s a propulsive, one-sitting kind of read that doesn’t feel ‘thin’ or breeze by too quickly; there’s depth to the characters and sense of place, alongside intriguing storylines. Stilwell has many of the qualities we’ve come to admire in Connelly’s other key heroes – Harry Bosch, ‘Lincoln lawyer’ Mickey Haller, crime reporter Jack McEvoy, and Renee Ballard – in terms of his determination to uncover the truth and find justice, no matter the personal cost, while also having his own traits.
In Ironwood, Stilwell is fully welcomed into the Connelly universe, briefly encountering Bosch, then working on the case of the missing hiker with Detective Ballard and her LAPD Open-Unsolved Unit. Both cases get increasingly complicated, and dangerous. Meanwhile Stilwell must still deal with other policing and political matters on the island, including spraypainted monuments and vandalised grapevines. Less life-and-death, perhaps, but vital to his tenure nonetheless. Overall, Connelly spins another very fine yarn, blending cases and characters into a propulsive, satisfying tale and a climax that will have readers wanting another Stilwell book asap.
The 2023 recipient of the MWA’s Grand Master Award, Connelly in a way is like the LeBron James or Tom Brady of American crime writing – continuing to not only perform at a high level, but evolve and lead the way even as younger, exciting new voices are welcomed to the mystery and thriller genre, and ‘change the game’.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I first met Detective Sergeant Stilwell – first name not revealed – in “Ironwood,” the first of what is now a series of two books. Despite my misgivings about that lack of name (hmmm, what is he hiding?), I took a liking to him; so when I got the chance to read the follow-up, courtesy of a pre-release review copy from NetGalley, I didn’t hesitate. That proved to be a sound decision, and now I’m looking forward to reading the next installment.
“Stil,” as he’s known, lives and works on Catalina Island; banished there by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department after irritating the powers-that-be to the point that they sent him to a place where all the department “misfits” go. Most of the time, that keeps Stil out of their hair, other times, like now, the two locations get a bit tangled up. As the story begins, Stil and his troops are watching a suspicious plane land on a remote island airstrip. As a duffel bag of drugs is dropped as expected and Stil’s team advances, but then everything falls apart. The drop-off guy runs and disappears into the mountains, shots are fired from somewhere and someone catches a deadly bullet.
Despite being told by his superiors he’s off the case, Stil keeps up the investigation without their knowledge. As he digs around in his own turf, he finds a backpack still in evidence that hasn’t been claimed. Curious, he learns it belongs to a woman who went missing on the island four years ago while hiking. Not surprising in and of itself, but the backpack was recovered just two months earlier. More curiosity leads him off the island to the LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit and (surprise!) a character familiar from another series by this author, Detective Rene Ballard. Turns out they’re something of a match made in heaven; it’s a team I hope we’ll see again soon.
The rest of the book focuses on that investigation, but Stil being Stil, he can’t back off that runway shooting case despite warnings from his superiors. Both cases get resolved, but it is the latter that brings serious ramifications for Stil and hints at the direction of the next book in the series. Can we see it soon, please? Meantime, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to immerse myself in another enjoyable mystery by way of a pre-release copy. Another one well done!
“Stil,” as he’s known, lives and works on Catalina Island; banished there by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department after irritating the powers-that-be to the point that they sent him to a place where all the department “misfits” go. Most of the time, that keeps Stil out of their hair, other times, like now, the two locations get a bit tangled up. As the story begins, Stil and his troops are watching a suspicious plane land on a remote island airstrip. As a duffel bag of drugs is dropped as expected and Stil’s team advances, but then everything falls apart. The drop-off guy runs and disappears into the mountains, shots are fired from somewhere and someone catches a deadly bullet.
Despite being told by his superiors he’s off the case, Stil keeps up the investigation without their knowledge. As he digs around in his own turf, he finds a backpack still in evidence that hasn’t been claimed. Curious, he learns it belongs to a woman who went missing on the island four years ago while hiking. Not surprising in and of itself, but the backpack was recovered just two months earlier. More curiosity leads him off the island to the LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit and (surprise!) a character familiar from another series by this author, Detective Rene Ballard. Turns out they’re something of a match made in heaven; it’s a team I hope we’ll see again soon.
The rest of the book focuses on that investigation, but Stil being Stil, he can’t back off that runway shooting case despite warnings from his superiors. Both cases get resolved, but it is the latter that brings serious ramifications for Stil and hints at the direction of the next book in the series. Can we see it soon, please? Meantime, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to immerse myself in another enjoyable mystery by way of a pre-release copy. Another one well done!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Michael Connelly has set the bar so high for mystery/action/thriller genres that his name is first on recommendations to my patrons. You can count on him providing a unique, well-developed plot, and great characters you really care about. He has the ability and writing style to move a story along while pulling the reader in and not letting up until the end. It is no wonder he has had so many books made into tv series and films.
With Ironwood (Catalina Series #2), he takes us back to Catalina Island where Detective Sergeant Stillwell (who was politically relegated to this island of LAPD outcasts in Nightshade to keep him under control and away from the juicy cases on the mainland) finds himself feeling responsible for a drug bust gone wrong where one of his team is killed and the other one seriously injured. How did this happen? Stillwell is tenacious with finding the answers to this even though his supervisor on the mainland tries to tie his hands, even resorting to watching him with cameras in his substation. Stillwell owes it to his team to solve this and punish those responsible.
But you can't keep a good man down, and Stillwell manages to come upon another mystery in the form of a backpack in the substation's lost and found. His investigation on who the item belongs to brings up more questions which leads him to the LAPD's Open & Unsolved Unit headed by our good friend Detective Renee Ballard (who was assigned here as a punishment by the LAPD). Wow! There is a pattern here with the LAPD stifling or bringing down tenacious cops (including Harry Bosch) who are willing to do what it takes to find the truth in a case! How does this backpack relate to cold and unsolved cases that Ballard is trying to solve?
Can he handle both cases and find a resolution? He owes it to his team and to the owner of the missing backpack to resolve the cases and punish those responsible. The beauty is in how he does it without his supervisor knowing and firing him.
Ironwood raises the bar on Catalina Series and is not to be missed. I have already told family, friends, and patrons to place their requests for this title as it will be in great demand!
Thank you to Netgalley and Little, Brown & Co for allowing me to read the ARC!
With Ironwood (Catalina Series #2), he takes us back to Catalina Island where Detective Sergeant Stillwell (who was politically relegated to this island of LAPD outcasts in Nightshade to keep him under control and away from the juicy cases on the mainland) finds himself feeling responsible for a drug bust gone wrong where one of his team is killed and the other one seriously injured. How did this happen? Stillwell is tenacious with finding the answers to this even though his supervisor on the mainland tries to tie his hands, even resorting to watching him with cameras in his substation. Stillwell owes it to his team to solve this and punish those responsible.
But you can't keep a good man down, and Stillwell manages to come upon another mystery in the form of a backpack in the substation's lost and found. His investigation on who the item belongs to brings up more questions which leads him to the LAPD's Open & Unsolved Unit headed by our good friend Detective Renee Ballard (who was assigned here as a punishment by the LAPD). Wow! There is a pattern here with the LAPD stifling or bringing down tenacious cops (including Harry Bosch) who are willing to do what it takes to find the truth in a case! How does this backpack relate to cold and unsolved cases that Ballard is trying to solve?
Can he handle both cases and find a resolution? He owes it to his team and to the owner of the missing backpack to resolve the cases and punish those responsible. The beauty is in how he does it without his supervisor knowing and firing him.
Ironwood raises the bar on Catalina Series and is not to be missed. I have already told family, friends, and patrons to place their requests for this title as it will be in great demand!
Thank you to Netgalley and Little, Brown & Co for allowing me to read the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I had the chance to read an advance copy of Ironwood by Michael Connelly, releasing in May 2026, and it reminded me yet again why Connelly is truly the master of police procedurals and thrillers.
This novel, the second book in the Catalina series, brings readers back to Catalina Island where Sergeant Stillwell—known simply as “Stil”—is in charge of the island’s small but important police substation. While Catalina might seem like a quiet paradise, Connelly quickly reminds us that darkness can reach even the most beautiful places.
In Ironwood, Stil faces a tremendous personal loss that deeply affects him and shapes the emotional core of the story. At the same time, he becomes involved in investigating reopened unsolved murders—cases that refuse to stay buried. To tackle them, Stil gets help from none other than the fantastic Renée Ballard and her team, tying the investigation into the larger Connelly universe that fans know and love.
One of the things I enjoyed most about this book was how seamlessly Connelly weaves Catalina into the greater Harry Bosch–Renée Ballard world. The cameos and connections were a real treat for longtime readers. The story is packed with nonstop investigation, strong procedural detail, and plenty of tension that kept me turning pages for hours.
This was a gripping read from start to finish. I genuinely found it hard to put down once the investigation began unfolding. Connelly’s pacing and ability to layer multiple threads together are as sharp as ever.
If I had one small critique, it’s that the ending felt a bit abrupt. That said, knowing Connelly’s style, it very well may be intentional—setting up what’s coming next for Stil and the ongoing stories in this universe.
Overall, this was an easy 5-star read for me and another reminder of why Michael Connelly remains one of my favorite authors. He continues to prove why he is one of the best in the business at crafting compelling crime fiction.
Thank you to Little, Brown and Company, Michael Connelly, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
#Ironwood #NetGalley #MichaelConnelly #LittleBrownandCompany
This novel, the second book in the Catalina series, brings readers back to Catalina Island where Sergeant Stillwell—known simply as “Stil”—is in charge of the island’s small but important police substation. While Catalina might seem like a quiet paradise, Connelly quickly reminds us that darkness can reach even the most beautiful places.
In Ironwood, Stil faces a tremendous personal loss that deeply affects him and shapes the emotional core of the story. At the same time, he becomes involved in investigating reopened unsolved murders—cases that refuse to stay buried. To tackle them, Stil gets help from none other than the fantastic Renée Ballard and her team, tying the investigation into the larger Connelly universe that fans know and love.
One of the things I enjoyed most about this book was how seamlessly Connelly weaves Catalina into the greater Harry Bosch–Renée Ballard world. The cameos and connections were a real treat for longtime readers. The story is packed with nonstop investigation, strong procedural detail, and plenty of tension that kept me turning pages for hours.
This was a gripping read from start to finish. I genuinely found it hard to put down once the investigation began unfolding. Connelly’s pacing and ability to layer multiple threads together are as sharp as ever.
If I had one small critique, it’s that the ending felt a bit abrupt. That said, knowing Connelly’s style, it very well may be intentional—setting up what’s coming next for Stil and the ongoing stories in this universe.
Overall, this was an easy 5-star read for me and another reminder of why Michael Connelly remains one of my favorite authors. He continues to prove why he is one of the best in the business at crafting compelling crime fiction.
Thank you to Little, Brown and Company, Michael Connelly, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
#Ironwood #NetGalley #MichaelConnelly #LittleBrownandCompany
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Ironwood is the second novel in the Catalina Island series by Michael Connelly, featuring Detective Sergeant Stilwell (Stil to friends). I loved Nightshade, the first in the series, and if possible, Ironwood is even better. The location captivates me with descriptions of life on the island. I have added Catalina to my must-go list since reading Connelly’s series!
The plot is a straightforward police procedural, but Stil has many irons in the fire so the stories are interlaced with each other. One of his deputies is killed after a questionable tip of a drug plane drop-off, and of course, this case becomes Stil’s primary focus --though the Captain orders Stil to stand down for the homicide team from the mainland (overland to locals). But Stil is also working the other island mundane cases when another big case is dropped in his lap – a serial killer victim’s backpack is deliberately planted on a bench on Catalina and ends up in the police lost and found.
Adding to the fun of this book is that Renee Ballard from another Connelly series joins Stil in the search for the serial killer. Ballard is in charge of LA’s cold cases and she has the serial killer case. I hope this crossing of Connelly characters happens ongoing – especially with Ballard and Stil, as their partnership works perfectly. Maybe Harry Bosch can take a vacation to the island at some point!
As usual, Connelly writes a fast paced, exciting novel with characters you want to see succeed. His novels are known for having all three key components in a good mystery – plot, character and setting. Ironwood is an exceptional mystery for having all of those ingredients, times 10!
Stil has been banished to Catalina for past sins in the LA Sheriff’s Dept., but now he has grown to love it on the island and does not want to leave. I know exactly how he feels as I never wanted to finish Ironwood and be forced off the island at the novel’s conclusion.
My rating: 5 of 5
This ARC title was provided by Netgalley.com at no cost, and I am providing an unbiased review.
Ironwood will be published on May 19, 2026.
The plot is a straightforward police procedural, but Stil has many irons in the fire so the stories are interlaced with each other. One of his deputies is killed after a questionable tip of a drug plane drop-off, and of course, this case becomes Stil’s primary focus --though the Captain orders Stil to stand down for the homicide team from the mainland (overland to locals). But Stil is also working the other island mundane cases when another big case is dropped in his lap – a serial killer victim’s backpack is deliberately planted on a bench on Catalina and ends up in the police lost and found.
Adding to the fun of this book is that Renee Ballard from another Connelly series joins Stil in the search for the serial killer. Ballard is in charge of LA’s cold cases and she has the serial killer case. I hope this crossing of Connelly characters happens ongoing – especially with Ballard and Stil, as their partnership works perfectly. Maybe Harry Bosch can take a vacation to the island at some point!
As usual, Connelly writes a fast paced, exciting novel with characters you want to see succeed. His novels are known for having all three key components in a good mystery – plot, character and setting. Ironwood is an exceptional mystery for having all of those ingredients, times 10!
Stil has been banished to Catalina for past sins in the LA Sheriff’s Dept., but now he has grown to love it on the island and does not want to leave. I know exactly how he feels as I never wanted to finish Ironwood and be forced off the island at the novel’s conclusion.
My rating: 5 of 5
This ARC title was provided by Netgalley.com at no cost, and I am providing an unbiased review.
Ironwood will be published on May 19, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Catalina Island is known as a place of banishment for police officers in
trouble. After Detective Sergeant Stilwell (“Stil”) was sent there, he decided he liked the island, developed a romantic relationship with a local, and is content with being there.
When a confidential informant gives one of his officers a tip about a drug deal, their stakeout goes awry, resulting in the death of the officer and a serious injury to another while Stil is pursuing a fleeing suspect. Despite orders from his commanding officer on the mainland to remain in his substation and refrain from involvement in the case, Stil’s determination to seek justice drives him to take matters into his own hands.
Meanwhile, when an unclaimed backpack turns out to belong to a woman who vanished on the island four years ago, Stil works with LAPD’s cold case detective, Renee Ballard, to find a serial killer. All the while, he attends to the various misdeeds on the island, such as graffiti and vandalism at a local vineyard.
This is the second in the #Catalina series by best-selling author Michael Connelly, someone whose books I have enjoyed reading for years. While this would work as a standalone, since it is only the second installment, it’s not too late to go back and read the first one, NightShade, for more background.
This is another of Connelly’s consistently captivating stories. Well-plotted, with memorable characters who leave a lasting impression, this is an engrossing read. The book is a fast-paced page-turner that, as the suspense built, I could not put down. The seamless transition between the larger and smaller cases adds to the overall narrative’s flow and coherence.
Those familiar with Connelly’s works will enjoy the participation of Renee Ballard as well as the cameos by Maddie and Harry Bosch. The island itself emerges as a character in its own right, adding depth and intrigue to the story.
Although both cases are resolved, the conclusion leaves things a bit unsettled, and I look forward to the next installment for resolution.
Thanks to @NetGalley and @LittleBrown for the DRC.
trouble. After Detective Sergeant Stilwell (“Stil”) was sent there, he decided he liked the island, developed a romantic relationship with a local, and is content with being there.
When a confidential informant gives one of his officers a tip about a drug deal, their stakeout goes awry, resulting in the death of the officer and a serious injury to another while Stil is pursuing a fleeing suspect. Despite orders from his commanding officer on the mainland to remain in his substation and refrain from involvement in the case, Stil’s determination to seek justice drives him to take matters into his own hands.
Meanwhile, when an unclaimed backpack turns out to belong to a woman who vanished on the island four years ago, Stil works with LAPD’s cold case detective, Renee Ballard, to find a serial killer. All the while, he attends to the various misdeeds on the island, such as graffiti and vandalism at a local vineyard.
This is the second in the #Catalina series by best-selling author Michael Connelly, someone whose books I have enjoyed reading for years. While this would work as a standalone, since it is only the second installment, it’s not too late to go back and read the first one, NightShade, for more background.
This is another of Connelly’s consistently captivating stories. Well-plotted, with memorable characters who leave a lasting impression, this is an engrossing read. The book is a fast-paced page-turner that, as the suspense built, I could not put down. The seamless transition between the larger and smaller cases adds to the overall narrative’s flow and coherence.
Those familiar with Connelly’s works will enjoy the participation of Renee Ballard as well as the cameos by Maddie and Harry Bosch. The island itself emerges as a character in its own right, adding depth and intrigue to the story.
Although both cases are resolved, the conclusion leaves things a bit unsettled, and I look forward to the next installment for resolution.
Thanks to @NetGalley and @LittleBrown for the DRC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The kind of silence that screams.
Just sayin'. Detective Sargeant Stilwell has been banished to Catalina Island from the Los Angeles Police Department. "Stil" has a highly inquisitive mind and it cost him this time for questioning authority. The powers of the LAPD figure that Stil will be sifting sand and seashells for a while. (Be sure to check out the first book in this series, Nightshade, that sets the stage. This one can definitely be read as a standalone though.)
But some info has come in that there's to be a drug drop at Catalina's airport in the middle of the night. Stil readies his deputies. The small cub plane tosses out a bag to a waiting vehicle. Stil and his team react and Stil gives chase to a guy in a Jeep. The Jeep gets away and what Still will find on the runway when he returns will be a kick in the gut.
His Captain arrives and Stil's wings are clipped. He's to remain at the sub station shuffling paperwork. Stil begins to clean out the Lost and Found and comes across a high-end backpack. It belongs to a young woman who has been missing for some time. That designer backpack will be the match that sets this cold case on fire.
Stil contacts Renee Ballard of the LAPD Cold Case Unit. Ballard had been working on this case for some time without any light at the end of the tunnel. Together with Ballard's team, Stil will be involved in one of the most tangled cases of his career......even with his hands tied by the LAPD. (A head's up: Check out the Ballard series on Amazon Prime that features the kick-ass Renee Ballard. It's been picked up for a second season.)
Ironwood is a stand-out series by the highly talented Michael Connelly. Nobody does police procedures like Connelly. Nobody. We'll even have a moment with Harry Bosch and his daughter Maddie. Fast-paced with snarky dialogue and a multi-pronged storyline, Ironwood will take us out into the deep waters where the big fish swim. Yowzers!
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Little, Brown and Company and to the talented Michael Connelly for the opportunity.
Just sayin'. Detective Sargeant Stilwell has been banished to Catalina Island from the Los Angeles Police Department. "Stil" has a highly inquisitive mind and it cost him this time for questioning authority. The powers of the LAPD figure that Stil will be sifting sand and seashells for a while. (Be sure to check out the first book in this series, Nightshade, that sets the stage. This one can definitely be read as a standalone though.)
But some info has come in that there's to be a drug drop at Catalina's airport in the middle of the night. Stil readies his deputies. The small cub plane tosses out a bag to a waiting vehicle. Stil and his team react and Stil gives chase to a guy in a Jeep. The Jeep gets away and what Still will find on the runway when he returns will be a kick in the gut.
His Captain arrives and Stil's wings are clipped. He's to remain at the sub station shuffling paperwork. Stil begins to clean out the Lost and Found and comes across a high-end backpack. It belongs to a young woman who has been missing for some time. That designer backpack will be the match that sets this cold case on fire.
Stil contacts Renee Ballard of the LAPD Cold Case Unit. Ballard had been working on this case for some time without any light at the end of the tunnel. Together with Ballard's team, Stil will be involved in one of the most tangled cases of his career......even with his hands tied by the LAPD. (A head's up: Check out the Ballard series on Amazon Prime that features the kick-ass Renee Ballard. It's been picked up for a second season.)
Ironwood is a stand-out series by the highly talented Michael Connelly. Nobody does police procedures like Connelly. Nobody. We'll even have a moment with Harry Bosch and his daughter Maddie. Fast-paced with snarky dialogue and a multi-pronged storyline, Ironwood will take us out into the deep waters where the big fish swim. Yowzers!
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Little, Brown and Company and to the talented Michael Connelly for the opportunity.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The second of a new series by Michael Connelly, and Detective Sergeant Stilwell already feels like a solid part of the world that includes Harry Bosch, Mickey Haller and Renee Ballard. Renee herself makes an excellent appearance in this story, working a case onland that affects both her and Stilwell on Catalina Island (it’s a great way to prevent the island from becoming a restrictive setting with a ridiculously high level of crime).
The novel starts with a bang as Stilwell and his deputies are in the middle of an operation to intercept drugs dropped off during the night by plane, an operation which goes wrong. Stilwell is restricted in what he can do as the failure of the operation is investigated but stumbles into a cold case involving a backpack he uncovers in lost and found, which is what brings him into contact with Ballard. At the same time, he looks a little more deeply into what has happened on the island and uncovers much deeper roots than expected.
The world that Connelly has built is so cleverly done. Each of the series centres a character dealing with a difference aspect of the law and they are all excellent in their own rights but the way they appear occassionally in each other’s stories builds to a much greater whole. It means that characters can have ongoing normal lives in the background and seem like much more complete people than is often the case in the type of book. Connelly himself writes in a manner that is so easy to read that it looks simple but actually he is just a complete master of the craft, probably the best in the business today. Just the idea of keeping track of the supporting characters, storylines and overlapping incidents in each series makes the mind boggle (he must have either an excellent filing system or the kind of wall of photos, post it notes and bits of string from movie investigations).
This is another superb read – it's hard to imagine him ever writing something that isn’t - and highly, highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.
The novel starts with a bang as Stilwell and his deputies are in the middle of an operation to intercept drugs dropped off during the night by plane, an operation which goes wrong. Stilwell is restricted in what he can do as the failure of the operation is investigated but stumbles into a cold case involving a backpack he uncovers in lost and found, which is what brings him into contact with Ballard. At the same time, he looks a little more deeply into what has happened on the island and uncovers much deeper roots than expected.
The world that Connelly has built is so cleverly done. Each of the series centres a character dealing with a difference aspect of the law and they are all excellent in their own rights but the way they appear occassionally in each other’s stories builds to a much greater whole. It means that characters can have ongoing normal lives in the background and seem like much more complete people than is often the case in the type of book. Connelly himself writes in a manner that is so easy to read that it looks simple but actually he is just a complete master of the craft, probably the best in the business today. Just the idea of keeping track of the supporting characters, storylines and overlapping incidents in each series makes the mind boggle (he must have either an excellent filing system or the kind of wall of photos, post it notes and bits of string from movie investigations).
This is another superb read – it's hard to imagine him ever writing something that isn’t - and highly, highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Ironwood, book #2 in Michael Connelly's Catalina novels, finds Detective Sergeant Stilwell (Stil) and his team trying to catch some drug dealers as they make a drop at a remote airstrip on the island, just 22 miles from Los Angeles. But when two of his team members are viciously attacked and Stil is temporarily relieved of responsibility for the case during an investigation, he finds evidence in another case that involves four long-missing females who disappeared as each hiked alone, and some buried bones that suddenly revitalize the case. Working for the first time with LAPD detective Renee Ballard, the star of another Connelly series, and her cold case team, Stil uncovers a situation that some prominent Catalina residents seem to be trying to cover up.
We're told that Catalina is where where LAPD officers are sent when they are no longer wanted in Los Angeles, for a variety of reasons. That's what happened to Stil as well, but he has found that he thrives in the island culture and is enjoying living with his girlfriend, Tash, the interim harbormaster. He uses common sense in dealing with some lesser crimes and won't be deterred or intimidated by local politicians and law enforcement bosses who would like to keep him under control with respect to all of his cases. The plot in this book is well developed and fascinating, with action but not a lot of gruesome violence.
I would like to see more development in Stil's personal life, including his relationship with Tash. We did, however, get an offhanded clue about Stil's first name, which is a little progress. I would also love to see more interesting book titles--ironwood is the type of tree under which one of the female victims was found. The title didn't attract me to this book--I come for Connelly's excellent writing--and it didn't seem meant to attract readers. Connelly's Lincoln Lawyer books are my favorite of his series.
My review is based on a complimentary pre-release copy of this book.
We're told that Catalina is where where LAPD officers are sent when they are no longer wanted in Los Angeles, for a variety of reasons. That's what happened to Stil as well, but he has found that he thrives in the island culture and is enjoying living with his girlfriend, Tash, the interim harbormaster. He uses common sense in dealing with some lesser crimes and won't be deterred or intimidated by local politicians and law enforcement bosses who would like to keep him under control with respect to all of his cases. The plot in this book is well developed and fascinating, with action but not a lot of gruesome violence.
I would like to see more development in Stil's personal life, including his relationship with Tash. We did, however, get an offhanded clue about Stil's first name, which is a little progress. I would also love to see more interesting book titles--ironwood is the type of tree under which one of the female victims was found. The title didn't attract me to this book--I come for Connelly's excellent writing--and it didn't seem meant to attract readers. Connelly's Lincoln Lawyer books are my favorite of his series.
My review is based on a complimentary pre-release copy of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
IRONWOOD starts on a run and doesn't stop. From the opening scenes of a drug trafficking bust gone wrong—an undertaking that leaves one of his deputies dead and one seriously wounded—Detective Sergeant Stilwell keeps going, uncovering corruption and deceit on Catalina Island. IRONWOOD is the fast-moving second instalment of the Catalina series by Michael Connelly, and it more than makes up for the less-than-stellar first instalment of that series ("Nightshade").
There are several narrative threads in IRONWOOD. First and foremost is the investigation of how the drug trafficking bust got messed up. Another main thread involves Stilwell's interactions with the LAPD's Open-Unsolved Unit and its head, Detective Renée Ballard, during the Unit's investigation of a serial killer who may have moved to Catalina. Then there are minor subplots involving everyday crimes taking place on the Island, crimes specific to the unusual lifestyle of those who make it their home (as opposed to the thousands of tourists who come for a short visit).
Stilwell is now firmly entrenched into the Harry Bosch universe, and even catches a glimpse of "the old man" picking up a rifle shell at a funeral. But it is the rhythm and politics of Catalina that lie at the heart of this story.
The only criticism I have of this one is that I still don't know much about Stilwell's background. There are small hints, but nothing concrete; he is an enigma.
But overall a great addition to the Michael Connelly's library of outstanding crime fiction. It had me quickly flipping pages. Five strong stars.
Thanks to Little, Brown and Company for providing an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My review for the previous book in the series:
Nightshade (Catalina, #1)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There are several narrative threads in IRONWOOD. First and foremost is the investigation of how the drug trafficking bust got messed up. Another main thread involves Stilwell's interactions with the LAPD's Open-Unsolved Unit and its head, Detective Renée Ballard, during the Unit's investigation of a serial killer who may have moved to Catalina. Then there are minor subplots involving everyday crimes taking place on the Island, crimes specific to the unusual lifestyle of those who make it their home (as opposed to the thousands of tourists who come for a short visit).
Stilwell is now firmly entrenched into the Harry Bosch universe, and even catches a glimpse of "the old man" picking up a rifle shell at a funeral. But it is the rhythm and politics of Catalina that lie at the heart of this story.
The only criticism I have of this one is that I still don't know much about Stilwell's background. There are small hints, but nothing concrete; he is an enigma.
But overall a great addition to the Michael Connelly's library of outstanding crime fiction. It had me quickly flipping pages. Five strong stars.
Thanks to Little, Brown and Company for providing an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My review for the previous book in the series:
Nightshade (Catalina, #1)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
In Ironwood, Michael Connelly once again proves why he remains one of the most compelling voices in crime fiction. Set against the striking and often overlooked backdrop of Santa Catalina Island, this novel delivers a gripping blend of atmosphere, character, and high-stakes suspense.
At the center of the story is Stilwell, the steady and capable head of the Catalina substation. Tasked with keeping both the island’s thriving tourist population and its tight-knit local community safe, Stilwell and his small team of deputies embody the quiet, everyday heroism of law enforcement in a place where paradise can quickly turn perilous.
Connelly masterfully weaves together multiple cases—a rash of graffiti incidents, the chilling presence of a serial killer, and, most prominently, a mysterious plane landing that erupts into a deadly gunfight. The consequences are immediate and personal: one deputy is killed, another seriously injured, and the sense of safety on the island is shattered. From that moment on, the novel accelerates into a tense and emotionally grounded investigation that keeps the pages turning.
One of the true pleasures of Ironwood is its connection to Connelly’s broader universe. Fans of Harry Bosch and Renée Ballard will appreciate their cameo appearances, which feel organic rather than forced, adding depth and continuity without overshadowing Stilwell’s story.
What sets Ironwood apart is its setting. Catalina is more than a backdrop—it’s a character in its own right. Connelly captures both its beauty and its isolation, using the island’s geography to heighten tension and complicate the investigation in ways that feel fresh and authentic.
With sharp prose, layered plotting, and a strong emotional core, Ironwood is a standout addition to Connelly’s body of work.
At the center of the story is Stilwell, the steady and capable head of the Catalina substation. Tasked with keeping both the island’s thriving tourist population and its tight-knit local community safe, Stilwell and his small team of deputies embody the quiet, everyday heroism of law enforcement in a place where paradise can quickly turn perilous.
Connelly masterfully weaves together multiple cases—a rash of graffiti incidents, the chilling presence of a serial killer, and, most prominently, a mysterious plane landing that erupts into a deadly gunfight. The consequences are immediate and personal: one deputy is killed, another seriously injured, and the sense of safety on the island is shattered. From that moment on, the novel accelerates into a tense and emotionally grounded investigation that keeps the pages turning.
One of the true pleasures of Ironwood is its connection to Connelly’s broader universe. Fans of Harry Bosch and Renée Ballard will appreciate their cameo appearances, which feel organic rather than forced, adding depth and continuity without overshadowing Stilwell’s story.
What sets Ironwood apart is its setting. Catalina is more than a backdrop—it’s a character in its own right. Connelly captures both its beauty and its isolation, using the island’s geography to heighten tension and complicate the investigation in ways that feel fresh and authentic.
With sharp prose, layered plotting, and a strong emotional core, Ironwood is a standout addition to Connelly’s body of work.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I've been a devoted fan of Michael Connelly for years, and with Ironwood, the second installment in his Catalina series, he has delivered another masterclass in American crime fiction. Detective Sergeant Stilwell returns as our guide through the sun-drenched yet surprisingly dangerous world of Catalina Island, and from the very first pages, I was completely hooked.
Connelly's signature ability to weave multiple subplots without ever losing momentum is on full display here. A drug drop surveillance operation goes catastrophically wrong, leaving one deputy dead and another fighting for his life in the ICU. Meanwhile, a mysterious backpack recovered from lost and found opens a cold-case rabbit hole involving a woman who vanished on a hiking trail four years ago. Smaller threads — vineyard vandalism, graffiti crimes — add texture and a genuine sense of island life under quiet siege. None of it feels padded; every storyline earns its place.
What truly elevates Ironwood is Connelly's gift for character. Stilwell is a nuanced, morally grounded protagonist, and the welcome appearance of Renée Ballard — working the case from the mainland — gives the story an electric charge. Cameos from Harry Bosch and his daughter Maddie will delight longtime fans of the extended Connelly universe, feeling organic rather than forced.
The novel builds toward a moral-choice ending that is deeply satisfying and it left me hoping this isn't the last we'll see of Sgt. Stilwell on Catalina.
I cannot recommend Ironwood highly enough. Connelly remains, in my view, the finest American crime writer working today, and this book is proof of exactly why. Five stars, without hesitation.
A big thank you to Little Brown and Company and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Connelly's signature ability to weave multiple subplots without ever losing momentum is on full display here. A drug drop surveillance operation goes catastrophically wrong, leaving one deputy dead and another fighting for his life in the ICU. Meanwhile, a mysterious backpack recovered from lost and found opens a cold-case rabbit hole involving a woman who vanished on a hiking trail four years ago. Smaller threads — vineyard vandalism, graffiti crimes — add texture and a genuine sense of island life under quiet siege. None of it feels padded; every storyline earns its place.
What truly elevates Ironwood is Connelly's gift for character. Stilwell is a nuanced, morally grounded protagonist, and the welcome appearance of Renée Ballard — working the case from the mainland — gives the story an electric charge. Cameos from Harry Bosch and his daughter Maddie will delight longtime fans of the extended Connelly universe, feeling organic rather than forced.
The novel builds toward a moral-choice ending that is deeply satisfying and it left me hoping this isn't the last we'll see of Sgt. Stilwell on Catalina.
I cannot recommend Ironwood highly enough. Connelly remains, in my view, the finest American crime writer working today, and this book is proof of exactly why. Five stars, without hesitation.
A big thank you to Little Brown and Company and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a great addition to the Catalina series. It begins with a plane coming into the air strip in the dark with no lights. Stillwell is in an ATV parked next to the equipment shed. The plane lands, The
plane lands and turns around. The Man in the cockpit drops an orange duffle bag. A man in a helmet grabs it. the man then jumps into his ATV and takes off down the mountain. Stillwell tries to follow, but when he gets to the van it's empty. Then he hears from Ramirez officers down. On his arrival back on the tarmac, he sees two bodies. The Coast Guard is there from LA in 22 minutes and they stabilize Ramirez and fly her out. It all began with Quigley getting a tip from mainland CI's that a plane was coming from Mexicali. The boss in LA, Corum, doesn't want Stillwell involved in the case.
Stillwell begins assessing boxes and property in the interview room. He finds backpacks, and a camping pack found on a bench near the pier. It has 5 keys in it, and Stillwell calls the locksmith with the key numbers. When Stillwell gives him the key reference number, the locksmith tells him they belong to Angela Metier who disappeared 3 or 4 years ago. Stillwell takes the pack to LAPD Cold Case unit near the airport. He meets Renee Ballard and Tom Laffont. The three agree to work together. The next morning they find the bones buried beneath an ironwood tree in the grove at the end of Black Jack road.
Stillwell is a very good detective and manages to keep folks in Catalina happy. He goes out of his way to quickly look into any problems. It was fun to find him working with Ballard, and she even tells him that Harry Bosch used to drop his murder book on the floor and look at the section that opens up. Stillwell actually tries it himself.
I thank Netgalley and Little, Brown and Company for the ARC so that I could read the book before publication. I highly reccomment this book, especially if you are a Michael Connelly fan.
plane lands and turns around. The Man in the cockpit drops an orange duffle bag. A man in a helmet grabs it. the man then jumps into his ATV and takes off down the mountain. Stillwell tries to follow, but when he gets to the van it's empty. Then he hears from Ramirez officers down. On his arrival back on the tarmac, he sees two bodies. The Coast Guard is there from LA in 22 minutes and they stabilize Ramirez and fly her out. It all began with Quigley getting a tip from mainland CI's that a plane was coming from Mexicali. The boss in LA, Corum, doesn't want Stillwell involved in the case.
Stillwell begins assessing boxes and property in the interview room. He finds backpacks, and a camping pack found on a bench near the pier. It has 5 keys in it, and Stillwell calls the locksmith with the key numbers. When Stillwell gives him the key reference number, the locksmith tells him they belong to Angela Metier who disappeared 3 or 4 years ago. Stillwell takes the pack to LAPD Cold Case unit near the airport. He meets Renee Ballard and Tom Laffont. The three agree to work together. The next morning they find the bones buried beneath an ironwood tree in the grove at the end of Black Jack road.
Stillwell is a very good detective and manages to keep folks in Catalina happy. He goes out of his way to quickly look into any problems. It was fun to find him working with Ballard, and she even tells him that Harry Bosch used to drop his murder book on the floor and look at the section that opens up. Stillwell actually tries it himself.
I thank Netgalley and Little, Brown and Company for the ARC so that I could read the book before publication. I highly reccomment this book, especially if you are a Michael Connelly fan.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
While you might expect the small island of Catalina, just 22 miles off the coast of Los Angeles, to be a quiet and uneventful place, that turns out not to be the case at all. The second installment in the Detective Stilwell series kicks off with a bang. Stilwell and two of his deputies are staking out the island’s airstrip after receiving a tip that drugs are about to be dropped off. When a plane lands, everything spirals out of control. One deputy is killed, another is left fighting for their life in the hospital, and Detective Stilwell is sidelined on desk duty.
Even though he has not been officially cleared, Stilwell cannot let the case go and continues working behind the scenes to uncover what really happened that night. As if that were not enough, life on the island grows even more complicated when a new lead emerges in the long cold case of a hiker who went missing four years earlier. Stilwell is soon connected with Renée Ballard and the LAPD’s Open Unsolved Unit, who will make the lead even more urgent.
Stilwell is a strong, compelling character, and Catalina Island makes for a fantastic and atmospheric setting. Bringing in familiar characters from Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch universe, particularly Renée Ballard, only adds to the enjoyment. Connelly is, as always, at the top of his game. I found myself turning the pages as fast as I could. The way he weaves the two storylines together is masterful, building tension while keeping each plot engaging.
The novel also ends with a bit of a cliffhanger, which is sure to make the wait for book three feel long. Do not miss picking this one up when it is released in May. Thank you to Michael Connelly, Little Brown and Company, and NetGalley for the free advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.
Even though he has not been officially cleared, Stilwell cannot let the case go and continues working behind the scenes to uncover what really happened that night. As if that were not enough, life on the island grows even more complicated when a new lead emerges in the long cold case of a hiker who went missing four years earlier. Stilwell is soon connected with Renée Ballard and the LAPD’s Open Unsolved Unit, who will make the lead even more urgent.
Stilwell is a strong, compelling character, and Catalina Island makes for a fantastic and atmospheric setting. Bringing in familiar characters from Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch universe, particularly Renée Ballard, only adds to the enjoyment. Connelly is, as always, at the top of his game. I found myself turning the pages as fast as I could. The way he weaves the two storylines together is masterful, building tension while keeping each plot engaging.
The novel also ends with a bit of a cliffhanger, which is sure to make the wait for book three feel long. Do not miss picking this one up when it is released in May. Thank you to Michael Connelly, Little Brown and Company, and NetGalley for the free advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4 bright stars for an excellent police procedural. This is book 2 in the series, and I have read book 1. This book would work as a stand alone. However, if you want to know more about why Sergeant Stilwell was transferred to Catalina Island by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept and how his relationship started with Tash started, then you should read book 1. My review of book 1 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This book opens with Stilwell and two deputies on a stakeout. Deputy Quigley has received a tip from a confidential informant that that there is going to be a drug drop off at the airport. But the take down of the suspects goes wrong. Quigley is shot dead and Deputy Ramirez is critically wounded.
Stilwell's supervisor, Captain Corum, tells Stilwell that he is off the case while two detectives from the mainland take over. But Stilwell keeps investigating.
Corum orders Stilwell to empty out the storage room so the detectives can use it as an incident room. Stilwell goes through lost and found items and finds a backpack turned by someone who saw it left on a bench. Stilwell finds something that connects it to a missing person case. He starts investigating and becomes convinced that this person may have been murdered on the island. He does solve both cases.
Connelly consistently writes excellent police procedurals. I have read 43 of his books and enjoyed every one. I highly recommend this book to police procedural fans and fans of the author.
Triggers:
Language: some profanity, in context
Sex: none
Violence: no graphic violence
Thank You Little, Brown and Company for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
Pub Date May 19 2026
This book opens with Stilwell and two deputies on a stakeout. Deputy Quigley has received a tip from a confidential informant that that there is going to be a drug drop off at the airport. But the take down of the suspects goes wrong. Quigley is shot dead and Deputy Ramirez is critically wounded.
Stilwell's supervisor, Captain Corum, tells Stilwell that he is off the case while two detectives from the mainland take over. But Stilwell keeps investigating.
Corum orders Stilwell to empty out the storage room so the detectives can use it as an incident room. Stilwell goes through lost and found items and finds a backpack turned by someone who saw it left on a bench. Stilwell finds something that connects it to a missing person case. He starts investigating and becomes convinced that this person may have been murdered on the island. He does solve both cases.
Connelly consistently writes excellent police procedurals. I have read 43 of his books and enjoyed every one. I highly recommend this book to police procedural fans and fans of the author.
Triggers:
Language: some profanity, in context
Sex: none
Violence: no graphic violence
Thank You Little, Brown and Company for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
Pub Date May 19 2026
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Ironwood is the second installment of the "Catalina" series by Michael Connelly., featuring Sargent Stillwell as the main protagonist. Catalina Island is a real island off the coast of Los Angeles; it is so small most locals and visitors get around using golf carts or ATVs. But there is a lot of action on the island as this latest book entails.
As typical in a Connelly book there are always different plots moving at the same time. Here there are two main plots: a potential sting plot involving a drug pickup by a small plane on a landing strip that goes horribly wrong, and the discovery of evidence leading to a body of a female hiker who has been missing for four years. The drug situation results in one of Stilwell's deputies killed, and another clinging to life.
The murder of the missing person puts Stillwell in touch with Renee Ballard and her cold case team in Los Angeles where the hiker was from. Ballard is well known to Connelly fans, a rising star of her own and a mentor of Harry Bosch. Harry and daughter Maddie Bosch have brief cameos in the book, but no speaking parts. These little touches will be appreciated by previous Connelly readers.
While the two cases don't necessarily collide they come to a fast conclusion that will keep the reader engaged. Ironwood is a short book, only 330+ pages, and very readable. It will be a good vacation or beach read this summer.
I enjoyed the book and give it 5/5 stars.
This review is based on an ARC provided by NetGalley and the Publisher, Little, Brown and Company, My thanks to both as well as the author for the opportunity to review.
As typical in a Connelly book there are always different plots moving at the same time. Here there are two main plots: a potential sting plot involving a drug pickup by a small plane on a landing strip that goes horribly wrong, and the discovery of evidence leading to a body of a female hiker who has been missing for four years. The drug situation results in one of Stilwell's deputies killed, and another clinging to life.
The murder of the missing person puts Stillwell in touch with Renee Ballard and her cold case team in Los Angeles where the hiker was from. Ballard is well known to Connelly fans, a rising star of her own and a mentor of Harry Bosch. Harry and daughter Maddie Bosch have brief cameos in the book, but no speaking parts. These little touches will be appreciated by previous Connelly readers.
While the two cases don't necessarily collide they come to a fast conclusion that will keep the reader engaged. Ironwood is a short book, only 330+ pages, and very readable. It will be a good vacation or beach read this summer.
I enjoyed the book and give it 5/5 stars.
This review is based on an ARC provided by NetGalley and the Publisher, Little, Brown and Company, My thanks to both as well as the author for the opportunity to review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Catalina Island is a beautiful island off the coast of Los Angeles and is home for Detective Sergeant Stilwell.
It’s a quiet place and crime isn’t high, so when Stilwell gets a call to say an unauthorised flight is going to land on a remote airstrip, he and his colleagues lay in wait.
Once the plane lands and a bag is dropped off, they move in, but disaster strikes and shots are fired and all hell breaks loose.
With officers shot, an inquiry into the incident takes place leaving the detective on the bench.
With only office work to do, Stilwell starts to clean up lost property and comes across a backpack that goes back to a woman who went missing four years ago, this leads him back to the mainland and the unsolved unit, run by Detective Renee Ballad.
The two of them team up to solve the mystery and comes across a ruthless killer who has been taunting the authorities for years.
At the same time Stilwell is still being excluded from the other investigation, but he decides to pursue the case on his own and he finds more than he bargained for, in fact it’s worse than he could ever have imagined.
This novel is a brilliant follow up to the first Stilwell book, and the addition of Ballard to the story takes it up a notch.
Michael Connelly really knows how to write a detective novel, and Ironwood is another example of his remarkable talent.
I personally think Connelly is the best crime in the business, and it’s always a pleasure to read his books. He is a fantastic storyteller and I highly recommend this book.
It’s a quiet place and crime isn’t high, so when Stilwell gets a call to say an unauthorised flight is going to land on a remote airstrip, he and his colleagues lay in wait.
Once the plane lands and a bag is dropped off, they move in, but disaster strikes and shots are fired and all hell breaks loose.
With officers shot, an inquiry into the incident takes place leaving the detective on the bench.
With only office work to do, Stilwell starts to clean up lost property and comes across a backpack that goes back to a woman who went missing four years ago, this leads him back to the mainland and the unsolved unit, run by Detective Renee Ballad.
The two of them team up to solve the mystery and comes across a ruthless killer who has been taunting the authorities for years.
At the same time Stilwell is still being excluded from the other investigation, but he decides to pursue the case on his own and he finds more than he bargained for, in fact it’s worse than he could ever have imagined.
This novel is a brilliant follow up to the first Stilwell book, and the addition of Ballard to the story takes it up a notch.
Michael Connelly really knows how to write a detective novel, and Ironwood is another example of his remarkable talent.
I personally think Connelly is the best crime in the business, and it’s always a pleasure to read his books. He is a fantastic storyteller and I highly recommend this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I really enjoy Michael Connelly novels and always look forward to his latest offering. With ‘Ironwood’ we are taken to the beautiful Catalina Island.
The story introduces us to Detective Sergeant Stilwell, a man who knows better than anyone that the twenty-two miles of ocean separating Catalina from Los Angeles isn’t enough to keep the darkness out. When a drug drop at the remote “Airport in the Sky” goes catastrophically wrong, Stilwell finds himself in the middle of a departmental nightmare.
As always Michael Connelly delivers a gripping plot with outstanding characters. While stuck in the sheriff’s substation, Stilwell discovers a backpack in the lost and found belonging to a woman who vanished four years ago. Why was the pack only turned in two months back? This discovery leads to one of Michael Connelly’s other stand out characters, Detective Renée Ballard of the LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit, and a collaboration begins. Stilwell works the island’s rugged terrain while Ballard navigates the red tape of the mainland.
Suddenly the case has expanded and what was a local island crime now stretches to LA.
Stilwell is a very good addition to the already strong cast of characters in the Connelly novels. With Bosch, Ballard, Stilwell and ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ there is already so much on offer.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The story introduces us to Detective Sergeant Stilwell, a man who knows better than anyone that the twenty-two miles of ocean separating Catalina from Los Angeles isn’t enough to keep the darkness out. When a drug drop at the remote “Airport in the Sky” goes catastrophically wrong, Stilwell finds himself in the middle of a departmental nightmare.
As always Michael Connelly delivers a gripping plot with outstanding characters. While stuck in the sheriff’s substation, Stilwell discovers a backpack in the lost and found belonging to a woman who vanished four years ago. Why was the pack only turned in two months back? This discovery leads to one of Michael Connelly’s other stand out characters, Detective Renée Ballard of the LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit, and a collaboration begins. Stilwell works the island’s rugged terrain while Ballard navigates the red tape of the mainland.
Suddenly the case has expanded and what was a local island crime now stretches to LA.
Stilwell is a very good addition to the already strong cast of characters in the Connelly novels. With Bosch, Ballard, Stilwell and ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ there is already so much on offer.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Stilwell remains on Catalina Island, serving out a kind of exile from the LAPD. When we last left him, in the first book in the series, he had begun to warm to the place and the people in spite of his post being a form of punishment.
In Ironwood, we catch up with Stilwell as he's trying to follow up on a tip delivered to a new deputy also sent to Catalina under less than ideal circumstances. But when all hell breaks loose, Stilwell is forced to confront a new threat to the island and those he cares about.
_______
I'm really enjoying this new main character in the extended Bosch universe. Stilwell is a stoic man, but he's also not a true loner and has a woman he cares deeply for—even if he isn't the best at outward displays or saying the right thing.
Most important, Stilwell lives that same ethos of Everybody Counts or Nobody Counts. It's his ethic that lands in him trouble but also makes him a main character so simple to root for.
This book pairs him up for a brief time with Renee Ballard and the cold case team on the mainland, and it's nice to see her character from a different POV.
Ironwood has two concurrent mysteries running, and that keeps the action flowing and the pacing work.
The ending is a strong teaser for the next book, in that we assume by choosing what's ethically right, Stilwell is going to be in big trouble. Looking forward to the next book and more of Stilwell and Catalina Island.
In Ironwood, we catch up with Stilwell as he's trying to follow up on a tip delivered to a new deputy also sent to Catalina under less than ideal circumstances. But when all hell breaks loose, Stilwell is forced to confront a new threat to the island and those he cares about.
_______
I'm really enjoying this new main character in the extended Bosch universe. Stilwell is a stoic man, but he's also not a true loner and has a woman he cares deeply for—even if he isn't the best at outward displays or saying the right thing.
Most important, Stilwell lives that same ethos of Everybody Counts or Nobody Counts. It's his ethic that lands in him trouble but also makes him a main character so simple to root for.
This book pairs him up for a brief time with Renee Ballard and the cold case team on the mainland, and it's nice to see her character from a different POV.
Ironwood has two concurrent mysteries running, and that keeps the action flowing and the pacing work.
The ending is a strong teaser for the next book, in that we assume by choosing what's ethically right, Stilwell is going to be in big trouble. Looking forward to the next book and more of Stilwell and Catalina Island.
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