IRONWOOD by Michael Connelly

5 stars

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.

Stacy DeBroff

Stacy DeBroff, founder and CEO of Mom Central.com and social and digital consultancy, Influence Central, is a social media strategist, attorney, and best-selling parenting author. A sought-after expert for national media, she trend-spots regularly with national brands and speaks frequently to national and international audiences on a wide range of subjects, including influencer marketing, social media, entrepreneurship, and consumer trends. A passionate cook, gardener, reader, and tennis player, she adores this new chapter of post-college-age parenting.