THE HOLLOW

5 stars out of 5

At 75, retired Los Angeles Police Department detective Harry Bosch is about three seasons away from a spring chicken (if nothing else, as evidenced by the fact that this is the 26^th book in which he’s got the lead role and he’s nursing an age-related knee replacement). But that doesn’t stop him from remaining on the prowl; as this story opens, he’s trying to nail Gregory Talbot, a man Harry is certain murdered his wife Jennifer 25 years ago but never was able to prove it. At the outset, he’s watching the guy at his late wife’s cemetery plot.

Nothing viable happens there, so Harry hobbles to his car and heads for home, where his half-brother (and star of a different series by this author), and attorney Mickey Haller is waiting. Harry, he explains, is due to receive a substantial payout as a result of a class-action lawsuit against a state-run home for underage orphans – a home to which Harry was sent (and escaped from more than once) after his mother was murdered when he was kid.

Money isn’t everything, though, especially for a man like Harry. In fact, Mickey’s news brings back awful memories of Charles Lamb, a.k.a., “Chops,” a much-bullied kid who Harry befriended back then but who later was found dead in an under-the-stairs hideaway. Most likely, whoever killed Chops is long dead, but Harry’s memories are very much alive. He becomes obsessed with finding the truth – someone, somewhere must have some clues as to what really happened, even after six decades. To that end, Harry begins what will be an exhaustive (both physically and mentally) investigation into a past he’d rather forget.

Progress on both investigations quickly escalates into a tangled web, with danger lurking at just about every turn of the page. All I’m willing to reveal, though, is that despite all the twists and turns, everything gets straightened out in the end – and the whole thing makes for a great read I heartily recommend to others (especially fans of Harry and Mickey, though the book stands on its own well). All I’ll say beyond that is a big thank you to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to catch all the action by way of a pre-release copy.

The Hollow by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown & Co., October 2026); 352 pp.

HER LAST KISS

5 stars out of 5

I’ve been a fan of Denton, Pennsylvania, police detective Josie Quinn from the beginning, and 24 books later, I’m still eagerly awaiting the next one. But until the author finishes it, I’ll have to “settle” for this, the 25^th – which, like the others, I enjoyed it very much. Part of the attraction for me, admittedly, is that the Keystone State is about a 15-minute drive from my across-the-border Ohio home, so some of the settings ring familiar bells.

This time out, the past returns with a murder reminiscent of a years-ago serial killer. The victim? Sylvia West - the only one who got away from the so-called Last Kiss Killer after he had her in his clutches. That was 13 years ago, but just recently, the long-silent and reclusive Sylvia agreed to tell her story. Now, her silence will be forever. But despite a near-identical crime scene – including the tell-tale lipstick smear on the victims’ mouths - was she a victim of the same person? And if so, how did he know she was about to spill the beans?

Josie’s personal life has changed considerably over the years, of course; she and husband Noan Fraley, a lieutenant on Josie’s investigative team, are guardians of 14-year-old Wrenn McMann. Josie’s twin sister Trinity Payne is still a hot-shot TV journalist in New York, and she and her husband-to-be, Drake Nally, visit Denton whenever they get the chance. In fact, Trinity is here now because she’s the one who convinced Sylvia to speak up in an exclusive up-close-and-personal interview.

Sylvia’s two sons are around as well, though not so happy that mom is about to talk to the press. They’re even less happy – as is Josie – to learn that the killer (or perhaps a copycat) is at it again; at least three more bodies have turned up. Still more questions hasten the need to bring the investigation to an end – and things pick up steam when an injured Josie mysteriously gets the lipstick treatment while in the hospital and Wrenn goes missing.

Clearly, time is of the essence – but sorry, I’m not going to save any of it for other readers by revealing anything more. Bottom line? Another action-packed adventure you won’t want to miss. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to get in on it by way of a pre-release copy. Good job!

Her Last Kiss by Lisa Regan (Bookouture, October 2026); 387 pp.

SPLIT SCREEN

5 stars out of 5

Los Angeles County Detective Eve Ronin is less than thrilled to have her professional life story revealed to the world via a successful TV series, but since both her father and mother are involved in the production, she’s reluctant to rock the boat. She’s even more reluctant to have Erin Casey, the actress who plays her on the show, tag along on her investigations for a week, supposedly so she can better identify with her character. As usual, Eve’s instincts were spot-on; at one stop, a shooter takes Erin down for the count (though not out; she’ll be hospitalized for a while but is expected to return to her small screen role).

Meanwhile, back at the office, Eve’s partner Duncan Pavone is on career hold while his previous actions are being investigated. There’s even a new sheriff in town – Waylon Gifford – who’s angling for a big-time political career and wants to use Eve’s media popularity as a catapult. Eve, though, manages to take most of it in stride as she tries to find out who shot Erin. That is, until the truth hits: Erin wasn’t the real target – she was. Whoops – back to square one.

Needless to say, nothing is that simple; this isn’t the only storyline in the book. Along the way, Eve discovers she has a half sister she never knew about – and worse, the girl is mixed up with some very nasty people but refuses to believe it. Eve decides, albeit reluctantly, that she has a responsibility to get her out of harm’s way. In the midst of all that comes tension between Eve and her boyfriend, forensic anthropologist Daniel Brooks, and she must deal with at least a couple of other murders. The subsequent investigations bring in two of my other favorite characters from another favorite series – arson investigators Walter Sharpe and Andy Walker, plus a couple of other familiar faces from other books.

Does it all get a little bit confusing? It’s all a little bit over the top, yes, but also great fun to read (especially for loyal readers who have followed this author’s books religiously, though I’ll emphasize that this one stands on its own just fine). And I assure you all those loose ends get tied up at the end, albeit with a few unexpected twists. The bottom line? Another don’t-miss installment for which I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the pre-release copy to read and review. Now go get your own!

Split Screen by Lee Goldberg (Thomas & Mercer, October 2026); 297 pp.

CHAIN REACTION

5 stars out of 5

Reading as many for-review books as I do each year – hovering around 100 – it’s always a special treat to dive into one I know I’m going to enjoy. Sometimes, it’s by a tried-and-true author; other times, it’s a character (or characters) I’ve come to know and love. The best times happen when those two come together – as in the Jack Reacher series (I’ve lost count of how many of the 30 others I’ve read over the years, but I know I’ve missed fewer than a handful, if that).

So it was that I started this one with high expectations – and while I won’t say this one has the most interesting or unique storyline (I “get” that data centers are the topic du jour these days and for rightly so, but personally I’ve grown a little weary of reading so many books this year with that as the focus). I did love, though, that usual lone wolf Reacher got back in touch with a special person from previous books – now a General, Susan Turner – who somehow managed to track him down when he stopped at a bank in Arlington, Virginia, to pick up his renewed ATM card.

The good general, it seems, lost one of her best men – killed in a rather remote spot in Colorado when he was sent there on a mission related to possible cybercrime. The murder happened in a rather dingy bar – not the kind of place her guy was known to frequent – so she’s afraid he’d been targeted. And if that’s true, it likely means she’s got a mole on her top-secret team. She needs someone who can separate truth from fiction – hopefully without getting killed in the process – and that means her old pal Reacher. His initial investigation – which early on doesn’t end well for a couple of bad guys – suggests ties to a large law firm based in San Francisco and some mysterious massive data centers he found in that remote location.

Tracking down specifics, though, quickly turns dangerous for everyone involved, but as usual, Reacher puts his considerable physical and analytical skills to get the job done. Details, of course, other readers will have to learn for themselves; but suffice it to say this is another adventure that kept me turning pages as fast as I could. Definitely recommended, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to get in on the considerable action by way of a pre-release copy.

Chain Reaction by Lee Child and Andrew Child (Bantam, October 2026); 416 pp.