Book Review: Ironwood

Title: Ironwood

Author: Michael Connelly

Publisher: Little Brown and Company

Publication Date: May 19, 2026

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I've been a devoted fan of Michael Connelly for years, and with Ironwood, the second installment in his Catalina series, he has delivered another masterclass in American crime fiction. Detective Sergeant Stilwell returns as our guide through the sun-drenched yet surprisingly dangerous world of Catalina Island, and from the very first pages, I was completely hooked.

Connelly's signature ability to weave multiple subplots without ever losing momentum is on full display here. A drug drop surveillance operation goes catastrophically wrong, leaving one deputy dead and another fighting for his life in the ICU. Meanwhile, a mysterious backpack recovered from lost and found opens a cold-case rabbit hole involving a woman who vanished on a hiking trail four years ago. Smaller threads — vineyard vandalism, graffiti crimes — add texture and a genuine sense of island life under quiet siege. None of it feels padded; every storyline earns its place.

What truly elevates Ironwood is Connelly's gift for character. Stilwell is a nuanced, morally grounded protagonist, and the welcome appearance of Renée Ballard — working the case from the mainland — gives the story an electric charge. Cameos from Harry Bosch and his daughter Maddie will delight longtime fans of the extended Connelly universe, feeling organic rather than forced.

The novel builds toward a moral-choice ending that is deeply satisfying and it left me hoping this isn't the last we'll see of Sgt. Stilwell on Catalina.

I cannot recommend Ironwood highly enough. Connelly remains, in my view, the finest American crime writer working today, and this book is proof of exactly why. Five stars, without hesitation.

A big thank you to Little Brown and Company and NetGalley.  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Book Review: Three Hitmen and a Baby

Title: Three Hitmen and a Baby

Author: Rob Hart

Publisher: Putnam

Publication Date: June 16, 2026

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I've been following the Assassins Anonymous series since the beginning, and with Three Hitmen and a Baby, Rob Hart returns to his group of reformed killers for what feels like the third and fina installment. The premise is irresistible on paper: three of the world's most dangerous people are left babysitting a toddler while Valencia rushes to LA to find her missing brother. What could go wrong? Quite a lot, as it turns out.

The idea of highly trained assassins being undone by a feverish child is fun, though it does require some suspension of disbelief. These are people who can neutralize a threat in seconds, yet apparently can't think to search online when a toddler spikes a fever? 

Hart juggles multiple storylines competently, and the commitment to non-lethal takedowns adds a fun constraint to the action sequences. That said, the tension stretches credulity at times — watching three elite killers repeatedly navigate overwhelming opposition while refusing to use lethal force starts to feel more like a running gag than a genuine thriller element. The series also leans heavily on its established world: newcomers will likely feel lost without the context of the first two books.

Ultimately, Three Hitmen and a Baby feels more like a crowd-pleasing victory lap than a bold new chapter. It's entertaining, fast-paced, and has genuine heart — but it doesn't push the premise anywhere particularly new. If you've loved the series so far, I'd say pick it up. It's an easy, thrilling read that delivers exactly what fans are expecting — no more, no less.

A big thank you to Putnam and NetGalley.  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#ThreeHitmenandaBaby #NetGalley

Book Review: Dissection of a Murder

Title: Dissection of a Murder

Author: Jo Murray

Publisher: Dutton

Publication Date: May 5, 2026

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Set in the northeast English county of Durham, this British legal thriller was a fascinating departure from the American legal thrillers I'm more accustomed to—think Lincoln Lawyer —and the differences in the legal system are both illuminating and integral to the plot. Here, barristers cannot simply refuse a client, even one who won't speak to them. That single detail sets up everything that follows.

The central premise is deliciously tense: Leila Reynolds is handed her first murder case—the killing of a well-respected judge—by a defendant who refuses to tell her anything. Challenging enough. But the masterstroke is that her opponent across the courtroom is her own husband, a far more experienced barrister who was once her mentor. Husband versus wife, mentor versus protégée, prosecution versus defence. It's an extraordinarily compelling dynamic, and Murray mines every ounce of tension from it.

The characters are complex and morally ambiguous in all the right ways. Nobody here is entirely clean, and that keeps you guessing throughout. The novel builds like a freight train gathering speed—what starts at a controlled pace becomes an unstoppable rush toward the finish line. 

What truly elevates this novel, though, is the ending. The twist blindsided me completely. I hadn't seen it coming at all, and when it landed it recast everything I'd read in an entirely new light. And then the resolution itself—sublime is the only word for it. I genuinely wasn't sure how Murray could wrap everything up satisfyingly, but she manages it with precision and elegance.

A big thank you to Dutton and NetGalley.  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#DissectionofaMurder #NetGalley

Book Review: The Anniversary

Title: The Anniversary

Author: Alex Finlay

Publisher: Ballantine

Publication Date: May 12, 2026

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Anniversary delivers a bold narrative structure of twin storylines that unfolds exclusively on May 1st across multiple years, creating a unique rhythm that both propels and constrains the narrative in fascinating ways.

The dual storylines work in tandem effectively. Jules Delaney's arc traces her evolution from high school rape survivor to fashion model, all while carrying the psychological weight of her encounter with the May Day Killer. Quinn Riley's journey is equally compelling—returning from juvenile detention, he embarks on a years-long quest to find his mother's killer. The decision to check in with these characters only once per year creates natural narrative gaps that Finlay uses to show transformation rather than tell it.

The annual intersections between Jules and Quinn feel almost fated, their paths crossing with a frequency that tests the boundaries of believability. This is where the novel's structural ambition becomes its greatest vulnerability. The coincidences pile up, and while they serve the story's thematic interests in fate and connection, they occasionally strain credibility. The climax arrives with both the intensity and the predictability that comes from a carefully engineered plot—you can see the pieces moving into place even as the tension ratchets up.

What saves the book from feeling too calculated is Finlay's ability to ground the thriller mechanics in genuine emotional stakes. The trauma Jules carries, the grief that drives Quinn—these aren't just plot devices but real psychological weights that give the mystery hunt its urgency. And just when the ending seems to have arrived exactly where expected, Finlay delivers a final twist that makes you want to reread the book with fresh eyes.

The May Day Killer premise is chilling in its simplicity, and Finlay maintains menace throughout by keeping the threat active even as years pass. The ticking clock element works precisely because we know another anniversary is always approaching.

A big thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley.  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.