Nightshade - Michael Connelly

Michael Connelly’s Nightshade is the first entry in a new crime thriller series set on California’s remote Catalina Island. When a body is discovered in the island’s idyllic harbor, a seasoned sheriff’s detective begins to uncover secrets in the small coastal community. Tense, atmospheric, and razor-sharp, Nightshade blends Connelly’s trademark investigative suspense with a fresh setting and a compelling new lead.

Stilwell and the Catalina Series

Although I’m on Connelly’s mailing list, I clearly missed the email announcing this one. For a second in the supermarket’s tiny book section, I thought we’d somehow landed another Bosch (don’t think there’s much mileage left there, sadly) or maybe a new Ballard. But wait — Stillwell? Catalina?

LA County Sheriff’s Detective Stilwell — known mostly as “Stil” — has been reassigned to Catalina Island after accusing a former partner of botching a mainland murder case. (No first name yet. Thaddeus? Ignatius? Zebediah?) Catalina’s main mode of transport is a golf cart, and Stillwell’s new post is meant to be quiet. Low key. A career dead end.

But then a severed buffalo head shows up.

And then a body surfaces in the harbor.

Suddenly, the quiet post isn’t so quiet. With its parallel plot lines and steady pace, I was pulled into the story quickly. And that’s all the plot you’ll get from me.

Stilwell

Stilwell is cut from familiar Connelly cloth — principled, introspective, and quietly relentless. He might have been shoved aside by his department, but he’s not going to sit on his arse while something’s off. If there's a lead, he’ll follow it. Justice matters.

That might sound typical for a crime investigator, but this is Connelly — there's nuance. Stilwell isn’t flashy or tortured. He’s thoughtful, guided by intuition and experience, with just enough hints of backstory to keep you curious. Nothing dramatic yet — but it's only his first outing.

It often takes a couple of books for a character to settle in, and I’d rather not be overloaded with past trauma right off the bat. He’s no Harry Bosch — who is? — but I like the cut of his jib and I’m happy to stick with him.

Black Marlin and Nightshade

I did wonder if Connelly toyed with calling the book The Black Marlin, after the jade statue that features in the story. Maybe not — too many echoes of The Black Echo, The Black Ice, The Black Box.

Nightshade is a stronger choice anyway. The nightshade plant is actually native to Catalina Island, and with its links to beauty, toxicity, and enchantment, it’s a meaningful nod. Plus, it turns out nightshade is also a shade of purple hair dye — who knew?

Catalina

I really liked Catalina as a setting. Being an island, it has that closed-box mystery feel I love. It’s physically cut off from the mainland — reachable only by ferry or helicopter — so if you commit a crime late at night, you’re not getting far unless you’ve got a private yacht.

Everyone knows everyone. There are grudges, secrets, and social layers that make for simmering tension. There are only a few main locations — the sheriff’s office, the yacht club, the harbor — which adds to the sense of containment. If the proverbial hits the fan, there’s no cavalry charging in.

And while the island has its own ecosystem, I liked how the broader justice system still creeps in — with all the corruption and political intrigue you'd expect from Connelly. There’s always something rotten in the state of Denmark, and it usually spreads from the top down.

Summary

I really enjoyed this — solid rather than spectacular, but that’s to be expected when kicking off a new series. It takes time for a lead character and setting to find their feet. But a new Connelly mystery is always something to welcome.

I went with the audiobook, which runs just over nine hours. Connelly is one of my favourite authors to listen to — his writing is lean and clear, with a rhythm that flows beautifully. There’s no fluff, and the pacing keeps you locked in.

Tightly plotted, richly atmospheric, and driven by a quietly compelling lead, Nightshade weaves together small-island secrets with a wider criminal conspiracy. I’d love to see a crossover one day — maybe a cold case lands on Ballard’s desk, and a certain grizzled veteran has to track a witness to Catalina.

Here’s hoping.

Published 20 May 2025

Audiobook nine hours and three minutes. - narrated by Will Damron

345 Pages Hardback

Published by Hatchette UK

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