The Waiting

Renée Ballard and Harry Bosch, Book 6

By: Michael Connelly

Narrated by: Christine Lakin, Titus Welliver, Madison Lintz

LAPD Detective Renée Ballard tracks a serial rapist whose trail has gone cold, and enlists a new volunteer to the Open-Unsolved Unit: Patrol Officer Maddie Bosch, Harry’s daughter.

Renée Ballard and the LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit get a hot shot DNA connection between a recently arrested man and a serial rapist and murderer who went quiet twenty years ago. The arrested man is only twenty-four, so the genetic link must be familial: His father was the Pillowcase Rapist, responsible for a five-year reign of terror in the city of angels. But when Ballard and her team move in on their suspect, they encounter a baffling web of secrets and legal hurdles.

Meanwhile, Ballard’s badge, gun, and ID are stolen—a theft she can’t report without giving her enemies in the department ammunition to end her career as a detective. She works the burglary alone, but her mission draws her into unexpected danger. With no choice but to go outside the department for help, she knocks on the door of Harry Bosch.

At the same time, Ballard takes on a new volunteer to the cold case unit: Bosch’s daughter Maddie, now a patrol officer. But Maddie has an ulterior motive for getting access to the city’s library of lost souls—a case that may be the most iconic in the city’s history. Complex, satisfying, and full of dexterous twists, The Waiting demonstrates once more that “you can’t do better than Michael Connelly” (Forbes).

©2024 Michael Connelly (P)2024 Little, Brown & Company

Critic reviews

“A Hawaiian coda provides the best news of all: This distinguished series has plenty of miles to go. Aloha, and hooray.”—Kirkus Reviews

Excellent read

Love Ballard and. both Bosch
Listened to audio version in 2 days
Can’t wait for next Connelly books in the future

Michael Connelly at His Best - WOW!

This was the best Michael Connelly book I’ve read in years involving current and two cold case mysteries. Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch have exciting roles. And Maddie Bosch makes her chops as a developing volunteer detective. One of the cold cases is the famous 1947 LA Black Dahlia murder mystery. WOW!

Connelly Does It Again

I already want the next installment. I loved the addition of Madison Lintz. MC is one of my favorite authors and he write another great novel. I don’t want to give anything away but why did you have to get me attached to someone to take them away?

Decent

I enjoyed it, but could have lived without getting beaten over the head with the author’s political opinions about our current president. Hearing the push against the “insurrection” and personal opinions about Trump over and over was really, really annoying. It made me seriously consider not purchasing any more of his books.

character voices taken from the Bosch TV show.

best part of this book is the use of the actor's voices in the Bosch series in the upcoming Ballard series for the narration of a characters in the book. granted the characters in the book especially Bosch is 20 years older than those shown on the show, but still a great read and I enjoy Michael Connelly's books immensely.

I only complain is that he still interjects his liberal politics and to the characters and it gets a little old with the diatribes between Ballard and Bosch about January 6th. Mr Conley just keep your politics to yourself and continue writing good books.

Enjoyed

The Waiting

By Michael Connelly

I enjoy Mr. Connelly’s books with Bosch and Ballard. This one was particularly interesting. I really liked the way he utilized a particular famous cold case.
My only disappointment was the inclusion of current national politics into the storyline. We have to deal with it enough without it seeping into our favorite escape avenues.
Aside from that, excellent read I would recommend.

Great story!

I'm a big fan of Michael Connelly and the Bosch series. Love Ballard and the back and forth between old-school Bosch and a new main character who is willing to learn from (and fracture the occasional rule with) Bosch. This story carried on that very cool relationship and also finds Maddie Bosch following admirably in her Dad's footsteps when she solves a historically famous crime. Great narration by all involved!

Never disappoints

Truly enjoyed this listen. Cannot wait for the next book in the series. There are so many different roads investigation.

Connelly is getting stronger…buy this one!

I find an author I love and read everything they’ve written then buy every book that comes out. However, over time some of my favorite characters have not weathered as well as hoped. Jack Reacher and Mitch Rapp come to mind. Connelly has done a masterful job of easing a GREAT central character Harry Bosch into retirement but keeps him involved enough to be interesting. With the Late Show he introduced a fabulous new character detective Renée Ballard who has taken over the series. And now Harry’s daughter Maddy is with LAPD as well. What a great way to keep a series fresh and interesting. Well done Micheal! He introduced an interesting new character (voice was amazing) and killed her off in the same book…cold man! When other authors grow stale after a decade or two, Connelly is on fire. Well done…read this one. The series is great but this book makes for a fabulous stand alone. I’ve even read some of his favorite author Raymond Chandler. No one can accuse Connelly of mailing it in. Thx!

Adding Maddie Bosch? This could be a game changer

Does nepotism exist in a fictional world of Harry Bosch series?

No worries.
The Bosch legacy continues with Renee Ballad as the new protagonist and the guardian to a new Bosch on the scene.
And, it is fantastic.

I dread the certain reality of parting with Harry Bosch who is retired and dealing with his health issues, and has now taken a supporting role. His daughter, Maddie is a newbie, but starting to make a go of her career in the law enforcement. A natural progression told in a fluid style of Michael Connelly.

Only one thing to say about the book; loved it.