Ironwood
A Catalina Novel
Contributors
Buy from Other Retailers:
- On Sale
- May 19, 2026
- Page Count
- 400 pages
- Publisher
- Little, Brown and Company
- ISBN-13
- 9780316595391
Detective Sergeant Stilwell knows that his posting on Catalina Island is no paradise, but to most residents, it seems blissfully separated—by twenty-two miles of ocean—from the troubles of Los Angeles County. But now a threat is coming to his safe haven.
Acting on a tip from a confidential informant, Stilwell and his deputies watch a plane land in the middle of the night at the Airport in the Sky, a remote airstrip in the mountains. A duffel bag of drugs is dropped and the deputies move in, but things quickly go sideways. While Stilwell chases the fleeing pickup man into the mountainside brush, shots are fired on the runway and the plane flies off.
An internal inquiry follows, putting Stilwell on the bench until he is cleared of responsibility for the disastrous operation. But he is determined to find out who brought deadly violence to his island, and begins his own secret investigation into the drug deal gone wrong.
While under orders to remain in the sheriff’s substation, he finds in the lost and found a valuable backpack that was never claimed. He traces it to a woman who disappeared while hiking on the island four years ago. But then why was the pack only turned in two months back? Now thoroughly intrigued, he follows the mystery all the way to the LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit and Detective Renée Ballard.
Stilwell and Ballard work the case from both sides of the channel, and soon realize they are on the trail of a criminal who revels in taunting the authorities. Meanwhile, frustrated at being shut out of an investigation on his own island, Stilwell risks his already shaky standing in the department to pursue a case whose reach is wider than he ever imagined.
Page-turning, packed with intrigue, and bringing together an unstoppable investigative team, Ironwood continues the Catalina series with all of Michael Connelly’s signature “relentless narrative drive…evocative atmosphere, realistic dialogue, and well-developed characters” (Washington Review of Books).
Series:
-
“Ironwood shows what a satisfying series this already has become, as it continues Connelly’s tradition of emphasizing both character and action with aplomb. I’m already ready for a return trip to Catalina."Sun-Sentinel
-
"A special treat from a genre master whose work seems as fresh as ever."Wall Street Journal
-
“Michael Connelly’s tight plotting and free-flowing prose are gold standards for mystery fiction writers. No one does this better.”Deadly Pleasures
-
"Connelly is at his most polished and incisive here, with crackling dialogue, complex investigations, tricky relationships, escalating suspense, and dogged and inspired sleuthing by a principled, rule-breaking hero. The satisfying ending promises more enthralling episodes on the horizon."Booklist (starred review)
-
"Connelly has another great series on his hands with his Catalina novels...The mysteries are intriguing, the pace is relentless, and Stillwell is a captivating character. Adding Ballard makes a great book stellar."Library Journal (starred review)
-
"Both new and longtime fans of Connelly’s storytelling will find plenty to savor…Connelly in a way is like the LeBron James or Tom Brady of American crime writing – continuing to not only perform at a high level, but evolve and lead the way even as younger, exciting new voices are welcomed to the mystery and thriller genre, and ‘change the game’. A masterful story from a masterful storyteller."Crime Watch
-
"Fast-paced, suspenseful and intense, Ironwood packs a powerful punch that will have you on the edge of your seat. Michael Connelly demonstrates once again that he’s a master of his craft, delivering yet another fantastic crime thriller you can’t put down."Best Thriller Books
