A review by constantreader471
The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly

5.0

Although this book is 388 pages long, I devoured it in 2 days. Connelly's books are that good. I rate it 5 stars and it is the 37th book that I have read by Connelly. In this book, #4 in the Renee Ballard series, she is working the midnight shift when she gets called to the scene of a man killed by a gunshot. It is the New Year and people shoot off guns at midnight. While she works on this case, she is called to the scene of another crime. A rape has happened and it is the 3rd in a series of what the LAPD(Los Angeles Police Dept) calls the "Midnight Men." Two person rapes are unusual--usual M.O.(Modus Operandi) is either 1 person or a gang rape of several people raping 1 woman.
Ballard works outside dept boundaries and brings in retired detective Harry Bosch for assistance
While she incurs the wrath of superiors, she does solve both cases, with Bosch's help, at the risk of her own life.
One quote: Ballard on her sex crime partner: "Ballard had long realized that Moore had lost her empathy. Working sex crimes full time probably did that. Losing empathy for victims was a self protective measure, but Ballard hoped it never happened to her. Police work could easily hollow you out. But ash believed that losing one's empathy was losing one's soul."
I rate this library book 5 stars because Connely is a master at writing police procedurals. I now see Titus Welliver when I read Bosch's words.