The Waiting by Michael Connelly

 The Waiting, the title of the latest from author Michael Connelly, is an allusion to the Tom Petty song by the same name, referring to all the waiting law enforcement officers have to do from the time of taking evidence to the processing of same being “the hardest part.” Renée Ballard is featured in this offering coming out October 15, but Harry Bosch and Maddie Bosch are also characters in this novel.

Ballard, the leader of the LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit, works with a team of volunteers to get these incidents solved, reaching back in the cold cases to as far as 1975, reasoning that anything older than that is not likely to turn up a living suspect.

Using modern techniques like DNA matches allow the team to tie a recently arrested man to a serial rapist and murderer who dropped off the radar 20 years ago. Evidence shows that the Pillowcase Rapist is clearly the young man’s father but the pursuit of the father is complicated by a series of secrets and legal snags.

Complicating life for Ballard occurs when she is out surfing before work, and her badge, gun, and ID are stolen from her vehicle. She is not in a position to report the theft fearing it could end her career thanks to the enemies she has made over the years in the department. Instead, she decides to investigate the theft herself, turning to Harry, who is now retired and undergoing cancer treatments, to help her recover these items after discovering  possible evidence on the beach. Together they uncover a far greater danger than just some stolen goods, referring the situation to the FBI.

Maddie approaches Ballard about becoming a volunteer on the cold case unit, saying she wants to use the experience to help her become a detective rather than continue as a uniformed officer on street patrol. What Maddie does not tell Ballard is that she has a strong lead on a famous unsolved Los Angeles murder, and having access to the library of cold cases could further her personal investigation.

Michael Connelly does not disappoint with this unputdownable crime thriller. Clearly his experience in crime reporting in Los Angeles years ago has given him an inside track to policing and lawbreaking. His most recent fictional creation is Renée Ballard, and he is developing a TV series for her as he has done with both Bosch and The Lincoln Lawyer.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting July 11, 2024.

I would like to thank Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.