Book Review: The Dark Hours

What I enjoy about these types of stories and this writer, is the multiple cases in one story. Each one could be its own strong story. This one opens on New Years Eve; Detective Ballard is waiting for the yearly onslaught of bullets to finally stop falling from the people of the city of angels firing off rounds into the sky. Shortly after the New Year, she receives a call to a shooting victim that was shot at a crowded street party. As she investigates the case, she quickly figures out that the victim was not accidentally killed from falling bullets but shot intentionally. Meanwhile she is also investigating two serial rapists that the media and department are calling the Midnight Men. How are they targeting their victims and how are the gaining access to their homes.

With these two cases on her mind she is also dealing with the aftermath of covid lock downs and the social unrest with police in general. The departments morale is at an all time low, with calls to defund the police, and in her eyes, so many officers are just putting in the bare minimum work.

Ballard is still determined to do her job and solve both cases. As she works the shooting case, she finds the shooting victim is tied to a cold case of her friend and retired Detective Bosch. She again brings Harry Bosch into the case to assist since she feels she can’t rely on the rest of the department to help.

As I have said before, I’m a huge fan of Michael Connelly and this story is a great example why. The story ties in, the social unrest of the time and its subplot and other side stories that are just as compelling as the main cases. Each one a story on its own. This story is one heck of a page turner.  Now, on my scale of 1 to 5, 1 being don’t bother and 5 a real page turner, I must give The Dark Hours, a solid, 5. This is a great read.