Desert Star

Michael Connelly doesn’t waste any time getting into the plot of Desert Star, his fifth novel featuring LAPD detective Renee Ballard and the now-retired homicide investigator Harry Bosch. This turns out to be both a strength and a weakness; while the book is lacking in character development, Connelly's procedural details (which have always been where he shines) take over almost the entire book. And he gives Ballard & Bosch not one case to solve, but two — both of them cold cases that are reopened as new leads emerge. Meanwhile, Connelly plants some clues that indicate Bosch is slowing down and unfortunately may have a more limited role in future books.