The Late Show    by Michael Connelly Order:  USA  Can Grand Central, 2018 (2017) Hardcover, Softcover, Paperback, CD, e-Book      Reviewed by Hilary Williamson Renee Ballard, a young officer with the LAPD, is being punished for filing a sexual harassment complaint against Lieutenant Olivas, a rising star. Though her partner at the time, Ken Chastain, knew what had happened, he did not support her story. Now she has been assigned the midnight shift in Hollywood, dismissively dubbed The Late Show. They start cases but don't get to keep any, turning them over to others every morning. Two cases catch Renee's interest, leading her to carry on investigating in her own time. First, a prostitute (who appears to be a woman but is biologically a man) is found brutally beaten in a parking lot. She ends up in hospital in a coma. Then comes a nightclub shooting, with multiple victims, including a drug dealer. Renee's nemesis, Olivas, is in charge, so keeps her well away from the action. However, Renee believes that one victim, a young waitress considered collateral damage, deserves more attention than her case has received. Then her old partner, Chastain is killed. With no official role, Renee takes actions that could get her fired, but she believes that a dirty cop was involved in the mass shooting, and that her ex-partner was onto something that led to his death. Despite his disloyalty to her, she's determined to uncover the truth. Of course, we know she will succeed with both cases, but her passion for the job is almost fatal, and reveals a darkness she didn't know she had. The Late Show is a wonderful start to this new series and the second episode, Dark Sacred Night, that teams Renee up with Harry Bosch, is even better. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews