Some mystery authors who have established a well-known franchise protagonist will branch out to start new a new series, with a different hero. Michael Connelly is today's example; in the past, he's introduced Mickey Haller and Renée Ballard into his Harry Bosch universe. And now this new book brings in Stillwell. (I don't think his first name is disclosed.)
Stillwell is the lead representative of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department on the offshore island of Catalina. Catalina is seen as the "Island of Misfit Toys" as far as the department's concerned; a place where cops who are considered to have blundered on the mainland, but not badly enough to be fired, are exiled. But, as it develops, Stillwell's only mistake was being too diligent and honest.
As the book opens, Stillwell is investigating a gory crime: someone has decapitated one of the island's beloved bison population. (Which, reader, is an actual thing.) And soon an even more heinous crime is uncovered: a bloated body has been discovered in the island's yacht harbor. It's a woman with a purple (specifically "nightshade") streak in her hair. She's linked to the island's exclusive "Black Marlin Club", which (coincidentally?) has just reported the theft of a jade sculpture of (what else?) a marlin jumping out of the sea.
It's the stuff dreams are made of.
As mentioned, Stillwell is a diligent detective, but he has a lot to deal with. The animosity that relegated him to Catalina is still festering on the mainland. He's got a girlfriend, but their relationship is fragile. Some of his staff are less than competent, and one is laid up with a concussion incurred in a bar brawl. And, unfortunately, the closer he gets to the culprits in these crimes, the more perilous his situation becomes.
Connelly does his usual excellent job of getting me to flip Kindle pages.
![[The Blogger and His Dog]](/ps/images/me_with_barney.jpg)
