When I first realized Nightshade was introducing a brand-new main character instead of returning to familiar territory, I’ll admit I felt a little disappointed. Connelly’s long-running detectives feel like old companions, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to start over.
That hesitation didn’t last long.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Detective Stilwell may be “exiled” to the quiet rhythms of Catalina Island, but the calm doesn’t hold. What begins as routine island policing quickly turns dark with the discovery of a woman’s body weighted at the bottom of the harbor—known only by a streak of purple hair—and a separate investigation into poaching that uncovers violence and long-buried secrets among the island’s elite.
What surprised me most was how fresh the setting felt. Catalina Island isn’t just a backdrop—it becomes part of the story’s tension. The contrast between the island’s idyllic beauty and the darkness beneath it gives the novel an atmosphere that feels new for Connelly while still carrying his trademark precision and momentum.
Stilwell himself grows on you quickly. He’s relentless, flawed, and willing to cross lines when he believes justice demands it, very much in the spirit of Connelly’s best characters, even if he’s walking his own path.
By the time the two cases begin to intertwine, the book had fully pulled me in. Connelly once again proves how effortlessly he can build suspense, layer detail, and guide readers through a world that feels real and immersive.
In the end, what I thought might be a letdown became a reminder of why I love his writing in the first place. His novels take me into another world, and Nightshade was no exception. Reading Connelly is a kind of relief: a chance to step away from everything else and trust a master storyteller to carry you somewhere compelling.
Verdict: A strong, atmospheric start to a new character arc that feels fresh without losing the depth and drive longtime readers expect.
