IRONWOOD

5 stars out of 5

I first met Detective Sergeant Stilwell – first name not revealed – in “Ironwood,” the first of what is now a series of two books. Despite my misgivings about that lack of name (hmmm, what is he hiding?), I took a liking to him; so when I got the chance to read the follow-up, courtesy of a pre-release review copy from NetGalley, I didn’t hesitate. That proved to be a sound decision, and now I’m looking forward to reading the next installment.

“Stil,” as he’s known, lives and works on Catalina Island; banished there by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department after irritating the powers-that-be to the point that they sent him to a place where all the department “misfits” go. Most of the time, that keeps Stil out of their hair, other times, like now, the two locations get a bit tangled up. As the story begins, Stil and his troops are watching a suspicious plane land on a remote island airstrip. As a duffel bag of drugs is dropped as expected and Stil’s team advances, but then everything falls apart. The drop-off guy runs and disappears into the mountains, shots are fired from somewhere and someone catches a deadly bullet.

Despite being told by his superiors he’s off the case, Stil keeps up the investigation without their knowledge. As he digs around in his own turf, he finds a backpack still in evidence that hasn’t been claimed. Curious, he learns it belongs to a woman who went missing on the island four years ago while hiking. Not surprising in and of itself, but the backpack was recovered just two months earlier. More curiosity leads him off the island to the LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit and (surprise!) a character familiar from another series by this author, Detective Rene Ballard. Turns out they’re something of a match made in heaven; it’s a team I hope we’ll see again soon.

The rest of the book focuses on that investigation, but Stil being Stil, he can’t back off that runway shooting case despite warnings from his superiors. Both cases get resolved, but it is the latter that brings serious ramifications for Stil and hints at the direction of the next book in the series. Can we see it soon, please? Meantime, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to immerse myself in another enjoyable mystery by way of a pre-release copy. Another one well done!

Ironwood by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown and Co., May 2026); 336 pp.

THE ANNIVERSARY

5 stars out of 5

At its heart, this book has a familiar theme: two young people from entirely different lifestyles – one from the “wrong side of the tracks” and the other the quintessential prom queen. Though their lives took very different paths, both are searching for answers. Quinn Riley is trying to find out who murdered his mother years earlier. Jules Delaney is trying to learn the identity of the community’s “May Day” serial killer (so dubbed because he does his dirty deeds on May 1) and why he captured her long ago but ultimately let her live. Their stories parallel each other, complete with flashbacks, until (as readers will suspect) they come together and the two learn they have much more in common than they ever thought.

On that date back in 1992 when both were in high school Quinn’s attempt to break up a fight went awry, resulting in his being arrested and sent to prison. That same night, Jules’ situation took an awful turn as well when she was attacked by the person she assumed was the May Day killer. She was physically assaulted and released, but her attacker warned her not to speak of the incident if she wanted to keep her family safe – even though she never saw the man’s face. The two knew each other, but their lives didn’t often intersect because they came from such different backgrounds.

Years later, Quinn is released from jail hoping to dig up evidence about his mother’s unexplained death years ago, but with few other options for survival, heads for the Army recruiting office. After that, he returns home to become a private investigator – still with an eye on finding who killed his mother. Jules, meanwhile, has been sashaying her way up the runway to become a top model – one still haunted by the awful memories of that May 1 encounter. Finally, an FBI agent finds Jules and convinces her to open up about what happened to her; to her surprise, other survivors have been found as well.

The story follows a decade in their lives as both try to grapple with the awful events of their younger years, with chapters revealing how the past impacts the present, the progress of their investigations and, ultimately, how each is resolved. Overall, it’s quite an adventure – one that certainly kept me turning pages as fast as I could all the way to the end. Definitely worth reading, as are all the books I’ve read by this talented author, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. Well done!

The Anniversary by Alex Finlay (Minotaur Books, May 2026); 336 pp.

JUDGE STONE

5 stars out of 5

Within minutes of starting to read this book, I wasn’t sure I wanted to keep going. Within a few minutes more, though, I knew I wouldn’t want to stop till I got to the end.

Let me explain. This story takes place in the Deep South – super small town Union Springs, Alabama, in fact. Mary Stone, a Black judge – elected by voters – presides over the local county court, and there’s a trial with more than a hint of To Kill a Mockingbird flavor. Bottom line, then, is that it’s almost a given that the defendant won’t be the only victim in this case. Add the fact that it relates to a woman’s right to control her own body (Alabama, the story notes, has the “toughest abortion law in the country”), and I know from the outset that my own emotions will run strong.

No time is wasted triggering them as 13-year-old Nova Jones is brought to the local doctor’s office during off hours by her school nurse. The girl is pregnant, in pain and showing other symptoms of severe distress that could threaten her life. She begs both women to not tell her mother, who would be, let’s say, less than sympathetic. The doctor, Bria Gaines, sees no other choice than to perform a medical abortion – but given the legal consequences, no one is supposed to know about it.

But luck isn’t in Nova or Bria’s corner; soon thereafter, the first-year teenager develops serious complications from the procedure – not uncommon in girls that young – sending her to the hospital, where doctors learn she’d had an abortion and are obligated to pass that information on to the proper authorities.

Well, surprise – the case lands in front of Judge Stone, who’s got a reputation for following the law, fairness and not putting up with BS from attorneys on either side. For reasons readers will learn, though, this trial will test those qualities to their limits (and then some) as well as turn the whole town on its head and put lives at stake. In short, it’s a don’t-miss story, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read a pre-release copy. Outstanding!

Judge Stone by Viola Davis and James Patterson (Little, Brown and Co., March 2026); 425 pp.

RED VERDICT

4 stars out of 5

Ever since I started my working life 60-plus years ago as a legal secretary (for a whopping $250 a month), I’ve had a keen interest in the law. Never wanted to be a lawyer, mind you – it was the research side that called out to me. That career never happened, but even after many years as a print journalist, legal matters (and of course, books that included courtroom strategies), have remained a priority. What I’m saying is that it’s really hard for me to get bogged down in trial goings-on, but I felt that way a couple of times in this story (apparently the judge in the depicted trial did as well, admonishing attorneys for both sides to get a move on more than once). Mind you, that didn’t much dampen my personal enthusiasm for the book – I’m simply pointing out that this series entry is a bit more technical than its predecessors.

This is the fourth book featuring Nora Carleton, assistant district attorney for the Southern District of New York; I’ve now read – and recommended – all three. Every one has been an interesting, intriguing story (and, of course, scratched my legal itch).

As it opens, a frequent diner at a New York restaurant is fatally stricken during his meal. An astute hospital doctor suspects he was done in by a hard-to-detect nerve agent popular with Russian assassins. Not long after, other diners succumb to the same thing; quick action saves their lives and confirms the suspicion that the original victim had, in fact, been targeted. Nora and her long-time FBI Special Agent Benny Dugan (the latter married to Nora’s mother) begin an investigation, only to learn somebody messed up big-time; the dead guy isn’t the one they were supposed to eliminate.

Still more investigation points to someone close to the victim as being the intended target, and meetings with other agencies that have enough acronyms to make your head swim determine that the real target – and perhaps the victim himself – are Russian spies and that something went wrong. That, in turn, prompts visits to a private residence in Las Vegas reminiscent of a Jeffrey Epstein getaway (complete with young victims and links to at least one highly placed Washington, D.C., government official – who, understandably, will do what he can to make sure the public doesn’t start demanding to see files).

Finally, there’s that detailed trial – interesting in and of itself. But that’s not all Nora has on her plate; In the midst of everything job-related, she must deal with her beloved daughter, Sophie, who lives with her father during the week and is going through some issues of her own. None of the details are mine to share, of course, but I can say there’s never a dull moment (well, except when the trial attorneys get a little carried away). Everything gets resolved at the end, though, making for an entertaining and fast-paced adventure. My thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to get my latest legal “fix” by way of a pre-release copy. Well done once again!

Red Verdict by James Comey (The Mysterious Press, May 2026); 352 pp.

ROBERT B. PARKER’S BOOKED

5 stars out of 5

Sunny Randall has been around the block more than a few times – this is the 13^th in the series (the third, I believe, by this author) – and I’ve read most of them. For sure this one is on my list of favorites.The plot involves books and murder, so for an avid reader of murder mysteries like me, what’s not to like?

Sunny, a private detective based in Boston, has a lot on her plate right now. For openers, she’s re-engaged to be re-married to her ex, Richie Burke, the son of long-time and mostly likable mobster Dominick Burke. Richie lives and works in New Jersey, though, not that far from Boston but far from Sunny’s favorite place to be. So, she’s dragging her feet a bit on planning wedding details. She’s also a long-time friend of wildly popular author Melanie Joan Hall, who has a new book coming out in a few months (her memoir, a bit off her usual genre).

Problem is, a top online book reviewer/influencer who’s identity remains secret just gave Melanie’s book one star (out of a high of 5), and Melanie is devastated. In a drunken state after she saw it, she fired off a truly nasty response – which, along with the lousy review, went viral. Distraught over her fans turning on her and worried that her publisher will dump her, Melanie wants to set things straight. So, she contacts her friend Sunny with a plea for help; find out who the reviewer, code name Book Babe, really is so she can deliver an in-person apology.

With help from her competent assistant Blake James and best friend Spike, Sunny manages to uncover Book Babe’s identity – and in the process learns there’s more to her relationship with Melanie than Melanie revealed. No surprise, then, when Book Babe turns up dead, Melanie turns into a prime suspect.

Now, Sunny has an even bigger task at hand: finding evidence that proves Melanie didn’t do more than just kindle a grudge against the reviewer. The situation becomes so tense that Sunny is forced to hire hot-shot attorney Rita Fiore, who coincidentally is currently dating former Sunny love interest Jesse Stone, the Paradise, Massachusetts, police chief who happens to have a book series all his own.

For the rest of the details, how the investigation works its way to the truth and how it all ends, you’ll have to read it for yourself – I don’t want to spoil it for anyone else. It’s well worth the effort, IMHO, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to get in on the action by way of a pre-release copy.

Robert B. Parker’s Booked by Alison Gaylin (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, May 2026); 320 pp.

A VIOLENT MASTERPIECE

4 stars out of 5

Gritty, brutal and not for the squeamish or those opposed to “street” language, this book was more than a little challenging just because of the writing style – which is close to magnificent, by the way, but certainly not something that speedy readers like me can fly though; the sentences need to be savored. At first, I was a bit put off by chapters shifting from one character’s perspective to another – usually indicative of a slogfest that can be confusing to wade through – but there aren’t that many to deal with here and it’s always clear which one is taking center stage.

The characters themselves aren’t all that likable, but that doesn’t make them uninteresting. Each has a backstory with some kind of “secret” – but it’s pretty clear from the start that eventually their lives will intersect. Put another way, it’s a familiar formula but with very different circumstances and outcomes that make for a unique story.

The stars of the show include Jake Deal, who earns somewhat of a living as a night owl and podcaster who follows police activities and other tips to get to – and publicize - the most horrific crime scenes he can find; Douglas Gibson, a defense attorney for the less-than-well-heeled who (perhaps mistakenly) takes on a wealthy Hollywood mogul accused of pedophilia (think: Harvey Weinstein meets Jeffrey Epstein) and Kara Delgado, whom I’d describe as an event planner for, shall I say, a Dark Web-style crowd (think: Ghislaine Maxwell). Fun people? I guess it depends on which side of the aisle you’re sitting on.

Anyway, Kara’s friend Phoebe has gone missing, possibly a victim of the so-called LA Ripper serial killer who’s been around long enough that there are public tours of homes at which his victims once lived. Because of his talent for finding “dirt” that others miss (but mostly because he can use the money), Jake accepts an anonymous offer to gather secrets of well-known people who, supposedly, will be blackmailed if anything substantial turns up.

The book follows these characters’ efforts to, in large part, learn what happened to Phoebe and figure out the LA Killer’s identity and who may be next on his list. As their individual worlds connect, what actually happened, and who made it happen, is revealed. I, of course, can offer no such revelations without giving away any of those aforementioned secrets and spoiling the surprises for other readers. What I can say is that I enjoyed it thoroughly, highly recommend it to other mystery fans and heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read a pre-release copy. Outstanding!

A Violent Masterpiece by Jordan Harper (Little, Brown and Co., April 2026); 384 pp.

PARADOX

4 stars out of 5

I’m enjoying this series, of which this is the second, because it’s a bit off center, if you will – the stories cross over the line of believability a titch but do not destroy it, because there’s research (as well as plenty of general public speculation) that lends credibility. The first book, “Extinction,” focused on reconstituting long-gone Neanderthal parts that became alive through genetic manipulation, understandably were wild and nearly destroyed main characters Colorado Bureau of Investigation Agent Frankie Cash and Colorado Sheriff James Colcord.

This one is more reminiscent of a Dan Brown novel, starting with the theft of a fragment of a part of the biblical John the Baptist’s head, which has been locked in a case at the Irish Pallottine Fathers of the Basilica for safekeeping. Needless to say, it’s priceless relic, and it’s caused consternation all the way up to the Pope, who resides not far away, and one of the Brothers is charged with finding and returning it to its rightful place.

Meantime, over in America, Cash gets a call from Colcord telling her there’s been a murder in Flat Tops Wilderness – near where those aforementioned Neanderthals escaped from a laboratory into the wilderness. For now, they seem to be on the lam, so for now, at least, Colcord doesn’t consider them to be the culprits. The victim is William Grooms, an illegal squatter. The murder itself, though, suggests some sort of ritual that may be related to Catholicism (I’d mention some of them, but they’re pretty gruesome and besides, that would spoil the impact for other readers).

Back in Rome, the person who ripped off John the Baptist’s body part is identified – an exobiologist from San Francisco. One of the Brothers is sent to find him and retrieve the relic on personal order of the Pope.

If all this sounds strange, it is; but most readers will conclude early on that the two cases are somehow related. And of course, the “somehow” is for Cash and Colcord to discover and pass on to readers – I’m out of that equation because I won’t spoil the story for others. Suffice it to say things get even stranger as the investigation – and search for poor St. John’s head fragment – starts to pick up steam.

Definitely worth reading, and don’t miss the section at the end where the author explains some of the research from which the story was born. As for me, I’m looking forward to the next one – and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to spend time with this one by way of a pre-release copy. Quite engaging!

Paradox by Douglas Preston and Aletheia Preston (Forge Books, April 2026); 352 pp.