Barb's Book Reviews: Review of "Desert Star: A Harry Bosch/Renée Ballard Mystery" by Michael Connelly

Tuesday, February 14, 2023

Review of "Desert Star: A Harry Bosch/Renée Ballard Mystery" by Michael Connelly

In this 24th book in the 'Harry Bosch' series, Detective Bosch and his sometimes partner Detective Renée Ballard look into cold cases. The book would be best enjoyed by readers familiar with the series.

*****

Retired Los Angeles police detective Harry Bosch, now seventy-years-old, likes to listen to jazz, schmooze with his police detective daughter, and mull over haunting cold cases, like the brutal murder of the Gallagher family.

Contractor Stephen Gallagher, his wife, and two children disappeared in 2013, and their bodies were discovered a year later, buried in the desert. By then Gallagher's business partner Finbar McShane had sold off all the company's assets and disappeared. Harry is certain McShane killed the Gallagher family and still hopes to bring him to justice.

Harry gets the chance to do just that when his former partner, Detective Renée Ballard, offers him a volunteer position in her new Open-Unsolved Unit (cold case squad).

The squad is being sponsored by Los Angeles Councilman Jake Pearlman, who hopes the cold case detectives will solve the rape and murder of his 16-year-old sister Sarah in 1994. Renée entices Bosch to join the cold case squad by promising he can investigate the Gallagher homicides, but she expects Harry to look into Sarah's rape and murder as well.

The cold case squad includes Renée, Harry, a former FBI agent, a retired deputy district attorney, an ex-Santa Monica cop, and a genetic genealogist (GG) who uses DNA to trace perpetrators. The GG also considers herself a psychic, which adds interest to the investigations. The unit has regular meetings to discuss ongoing cases, and everyone gets a chance to contribute.

Bosch studies the murder books associated with Sarah Pearlman and suggests that, with modern technology, the palm print of Sarah's killer may yield DNA.

This turns out to be the case, and even more notably, points to a serial killer. These revelations yield fresh clues, and Harry and Renée's continuing inquiries hone in on a surprising murderer.

Harry also delves back into the Gallagher family tragedy. One of Bosch's first moves is to re-interview Stephen Gallagher's assistant Sheila Walsh. Walsh's house was burgled after the Gallaghers disappeared, and Harry thinks this is relevant to the homicides.

The book is part police procedural/part thriller, and despite being a septuagenarian, Harry shows he can power through painful injuries and handle himself in a pinch - be it with fists or a weapon. Ballard also demonstrates she's not a woman to be trifled with, though manipulative politicians and the Police Chief may try to bend things their way.

It appears Harry may be coming to the end of his detective career, but I hope he doesn't hang up his credentials just yet.

I enjoyed the book and recommend it to Harry Bosch/Renée Ballard fans.

Rating: 3.5 stars

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Barb's Book Reviews

Tuesday, February 14, 2023

Review of "Desert Star: A Harry Bosch/Renée Ballard Mystery" by Michael Connelly

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