The Late Show (Renée Ballard, #1; Harry Bosch Universe, #30) in 2-3-4 Challenge

Sep 28, 2017 Mary Beth rated it liked it · review of another edition

Renee Ballard lost her sexual harassment case against her supervisor and because of this she has to work the 11:00 pm-7:00 am shift called the late show shift. She starts the investigations and then sends them to the morning shift to finish them.

Ballard and Jenkins first call on their shift was a burglary of an old woman's house and a credit card gets stolen. Immediately after this, they are called on another case to the Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center to check out an assault and all they Renee Ballard lost her sexual harassment case against her supervisor and because of this she has to work the 11:00 pm-7:00 am shift called the late show shift. She starts the investigations and then sends them to the morning shift to finish them.

Ballard and Jenkins first call on their shift was a burglary of an old woman's house and a credit card gets stolen. Immediately after this, they are called on another case to the Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center to check out an assault and all they get out of it, is the victim saying something about an upside down house when she was in a coma. Then comes the next case of a shooting in a club called The Dancers. One of the waitresses got shot dead center in the chest and the gang also took out a bouncer and others. They prepare the waitress for surgery but fifteen minutes they call it and pronounce her dead.

The assault victim was named Ramona Ransone. She had to have brain surgery. She also had another name Ramon Guterriez. This victim is a trans gender biological male. She was found in a parking lot. Ramon had bruises all over her body and it was found that she was hit with brass knuckles with Good and Evil written on them.

Then there is another case where Ballard's ex partner is found dead. All of these cases were investigated. There were a total of four cases.

My Thoughts
I was so excited to get this eBook on Overdrive. I couldn't wait to get to it and I had to wait forever. I was actually so jealous when I saw reviews pop up of this book. I just wished I was reading it. I saw lots and lots of five star reviews and I thought for sure mine was going to be a five star but I was unfortunately so disappointed in this book. I can't believe I am actually giving only 3 stars to one of Michael Connelly's books. I love this author but I just really didn't care so much for these four cases. So much was going on that I felt the book was all over the place and it was so hard for me to follow but I finally was able to pick up on all the pieces. I just wish it was written better where it could of been easier to follow. I am probably the only one that feels this way. I think there will be many other five star reviews and others that will really enjoy it. We are all different and this is just my opionion. I wish I could of loved it more.

I did enjoy some parts of the book and that's why I gave it a three star. It was just O.K for me. The part that I liked best was when (view spoiler)
I was on the edge of my seat during this part but I wish this part lasted longer.

I did finish the book though and usually when a book that I feel is slow I DNF it but I had to finish it because this is a new series. I did enjoy it when it came close to the ending also but then it was too late for me. I really love this author a lot, so I will be reading the next book. One good thing out of this book is I really love Renee Ballard. I loved her character. This is really important to love the main character in a series and this is the first series that this author has written where the main character is female. I really do love his Bosch series. ...more

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Mar 25, 2018 Jonetta rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, nc-br-digital-library, mystery-suspense-thriller, group-read, 5000-books, 12800-in-2018

Connelly’s titles usually have a particular relevance to the story and this one’s no different. The late show refers to the night shift for LAPD detectives, which is where Detective Renée Ballard is assigned. She’s working a case where the victim ends up in the hospital when she’s asked to follow through on an incoming victim from another major crime scene lead by a detective who’s responsible for her landing on the late show. Ballard can’t help following her natural instincts to pursue both cas ...more

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Jul 24, 2017 Veronica rated it really liked it

Shelves: contemporary-mystery

I've read and really enjoyed some of Connelly's well known Harry Bosch books but I'm woefully behind on that series. When I saw he was starting a new series, I jumped at the chance to get hooked in right from the starting gate. The Late Show did not disappoint. It introduces readers to Renee Ballard, a single, mid-thirties female detective in Los Angeles who has been banished to the 11pm to 7am shift in the Hollywood Division, aka the Late Show. This is her "reward" for losing her sexual harassm I've read and really enjoyed some of Connelly's well known Harry Bosch books but I'm woefully behind on that series. When I saw he was starting a new series, I jumped at the chance to get hooked in right from the starting gate. The Late Show did not disappoint. It introduces readers to Renee Ballard, a single, mid-thirties female detective in Los Angeles who has been banished to the 11pm to 7am shift in the Hollywood Division, aka the Late Show. This is her "reward" for losing her sexual harassment case against her former Lieutenant.

Ballard is a very good detective who feels stymied by the fact that, because of the way the shift work is handled, she is never able to see a case through to the end. When she and her partner are called to the scene of a vicious assault, she finagles things so that she is allowed to keep and work the case. The same night, a mysterious shooter kills five people in a night club and, though she doesn't realize it at the time, this case will also become important to Ballard.

This is a solid and well written police procedural and Connelly clearly knows his genre. We are given some hints to Ballard's past, which includes a childhood tragedy that clearly affects her in adulthood. She is likable and absolutely competent in her work but she doesn't seem to maintain any true or deep connections with anyone other than her grandmother, Tutu, who is only briefly present in this book. Oh, and her dog...though she spends so little time with her dog in this book that I'm not sure why Connelly bothered to write her as owning one. In any event, Ballard doggedly follows every clue and never fails to go the extra mile or put in the extra time if that is what it takes to find the guilty party. Even if success means having to cross paths with the man who sexually harassed her.

I look forward to more books with Renee Ballard and hope that we'll get to delve a bit more into her off-duty life as the series progresses. I'm giving this one four stars to give the series somewhere to go and because I think getting to explore Ballard's personal life a bit more will round things out nicely in the future. I'd like to know Renee Ballard, the person, not just the detective. All in all a very strong start. ...more

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Mar 17, 2018 Robin rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2018, mystery

As punishment for lodging a complaint against her supervisor, Detective Renee Ballard now works the late shift at the Hollywood Division of the LAPD. Most of the time Renee and her partner do the initial investigation of a crime, then turn it over to the dayshift for follow up. But on a busy night, Renee starts two investigations that she wants to see through herself. The first crime is the beating of a prostitute who was dumped in a parking lot and left for dead. When she is at the hospital fol ...more

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Dec 12, 2018 Sandra Hoover rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: suspense, police-procedurals

Good start to another promising series by Connelly! I saw many similarities between the character of Renee Ballard & Harry Bosch (who's only mentioned in passing in this book) - their backgrounds, they're loners, their lack of supportive partners & commanders, their issues with following orders, their tenacious pursuit of a case . . . Ballard feels very much like the female version of Bosch. It's not a bad thing, just an observation. I was quickly drawn into this suspenseful story and look forwa ...more

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Apr 14, 2017 Kris (My Novelesque Life) rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction, police, female-detective, suspense, audiobook, mystery

RATING: 4 STARS
(I received an ARC from the NETGALLEY)
(Review Not on Blog)

Last two years I have been binging on Michael Connelly, especially his Harry Bosch series. As I finished the latest book last year, I saw that Connelly was writing a new series and it starred a woman. I was excited and it did not disappoint. Renee Ballard works the midnight shift at the LAPD, Hollywood division, and hates how each morning her cases are turned over to the dayshift. This shift is her punishment for filing a s ...more

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Feb 05, 2021 Meera rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: bookmarks-magazine, mystery

3.5
I’ve been on a roll with the Bosch series and I read this mainly because this took place before the next Bosch book and I am glad I did. I didn’t feel like Renee was a realistic character in how she lives when she’s not working but I liked her tough flawed character nevertheless. She has that in common with Bosch. This author is not great with creating minor female characters but he did fine with one as the protagonist. I also thought the dialogue wasn’t as stilted in the Bosch series. The no ...more

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Aug 20, 2017 Eadie Burke rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-2017

Book Description
Renee Ballard works the night shift in Hollywood--also known as the Late Show--beginning many investigations but finishing none, as each morning she turns everything over to the day shift. A once up-and-coming detective, she's been given this beat as punishment after filing a sexual harassment complaint against a supervisor.
But one night she catches two assignments she doesn't want to part with: the brutal beating of a prostitute left for dead in a parking lot and the killing of ...more

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Aug 28, 2017 Charlene rated it it was amazing

Shelves: academia, mystery, series-by-author, investigative-journalism, public-library, rated-not-reviewed, forensic, group-read, friends-tbr-lists, crime

A brilliant first in a new Michael Connelly series, starring Renee Ballard. I look forward to the next one.

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