Audiobook Sample
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- Title: Late Show
- Author: Michael Connelly
- Narrator: Katherine Moennig
- Length: 09:30:00
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 18/07/2017
- Publisher: Hachette Book Group USA
- Genre: Mystery, Thriller & Horror, Suspense
- ISBN13: 9.78E+12
The first time I pressed play on Michael Connelly’s ‘Late Show’ audiobook, I was sitting in a diner near Albuquerque, the kind of place that could’ve been lifted straight from Ballard’s Hollywood beat. The neon lights flickered outside as Katherine Moennig’s voice crackled through my headphones, and suddenly I wasn’t in New Mexico anymore – I was riding shotgun with Renee Ballard through the graveyard shift of LAPD’s most punishing assignment.
Connelly’s newest protagonist arrives with the subtlety of a desert thunderstorm. Ballard is everything I love in a character – flawed but fierce, carrying scars both visible and hidden. Her nightly pilgrimage through Hollywood’s underbelly reminded me of my own nocturnal explorations of Mexico City’s centro histórico, where the darkness reveals truths the daylight obscures. The way Connelly paints these midnight landscapes – equal parts dangerous and beautiful – resonated deeply with my own experiences chasing stories in the thin hours between night and morning.
Moennig’s narration is revelation. She captures Ballard’s grit without sacrificing her vulnerability, her voice like well-worn leather – soft enough to comfort but tough enough to protect. There’s a particular scene where Ballard stands alone on the beach at dawn that Moennig delivers with such aching loneliness, it transported me back to watching the sun rise over the Atacama, that same overwhelming sense of being both insignificant and essential to the universe’s grand narrative.
The dual investigations – the brutalized prostitute and the nightclub shooting – unfold with the relentless momentum of a desert flash flood. Connelly masterfully weaves these threads while giving us intimate access to Ballard’s interior world. I found myself thinking about the Oaxacan grandmother’s storytelling – how the best tales balance action with quiet moments of human connection. Moennig handles these transitions beautifully, her pacing as precise as a detective’s notebook.
What surprised me most was how the audiobook format enhanced the procedural elements. Listening to Ballard piece together clues while driving across the city made me feel like a partner in her investigation. The audio production deserves special praise – from the subtle echo effect during station house scenes to the perfect pauses that let tension build like storm clouds.
If I have one critique, it’s that some supporting characters could use more vocal distinction. There were moments when I needed to rewind to track who was speaking – a small price to pay for an otherwise stellar performance.
For fans of gritty police procedurals, this is essential listening. It shares DNA with Connelly’s Harry Bosch series but pulses with fresh energy. The nighttime setting makes it particularly perfect for late drives or insomnia-fueled listening sessions – though fair warning, you may find yourself too gripped to stop.
As someone who’s spent years documenting how place shapes people, I was struck by how vividly Connelly and Moennig together create Hollywood as both setting and character. You can taste the stale coffee, feel the vinyl seats of Ballard’s car, hear the distant sirens – it’s immersive storytelling at its finest.
As I sign off from this review, I’m reminded of something that grandmother in Oaxaca used to say: ‘The best stories stay with you like good traveling companions.’ The Late Show audiobook is one such companion – one I’ll gladly revisit on future journeys. Until next time, may your roads be winding and your stories unforgettable. – Marcus
Marcus Rivera
