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Dark Sacred Night
Michael Connelly

Dark Sacred Night

Quick Answer

Read "Dark Sacred Night" as the 2nd book in the Renée Ballard Series sequence. This follows the recommended publication order to preserve character development.

Sequence Warning

⚠️ Do NOT read before "The Late Show" (Book 1)

❓ Can I skip this book?
❌ No — Required

This book is essential to the core narrative and character development.

Verdict Insight: As the 2nd installment, this volume is critical for following the central narrative progression and plot development.

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2018448 pp
Harry Bosch teams up with LAPD Detective Renée Ballard to face the unsolved murder of a runaway, and the fight to bring a killer to justice. Detective Renée Ballard is working the night beat -- known in LAPD slang as "the late show" -- and returns to Hollywood Station in the early hours to find a stranger rifling through old file cabinets. The intruder is retired detective Harry Bosch, working a cold case that has gotten under his skin. Ballard can't let him go through department records, but when he leaves, she looks into the case herself and feels a deep tug of empathy and anger. She has never been the kind of cop who leaves the job behind at the end of her shift -- and she wants in. The murder, unsolved, was of fifteen-year-old Daisy Clayton, a runaway on the streets of Hollywood who was brutally killed, her body left in a dumpster like so much trash. Now Ballard joins forces with Bosch to find out what happened to Daisy, and to finally bring her killer to justice. Along the way, the two detectives forge a fragile trust, but this new partnership is put to the test when the case takes an unexpected and dangerous turn. Dark Sacred Night for the first time brings together these two powerhouse detectives in a riveting story that unfolds with furious momentum. And it shows once more why "there's no doubt Connelly is a master of crime fiction" (Associated Press).
Next Recommended Book

The Night Fire

Book #3 of 5 in Series

Complete Series Reading Order

Publication Order

Preserves character reveals and plot twists exactly as the author intended.

Chronological Order

May spoil surprises but improves timeline clarity for deep lore fans.

Order Confidence

high Confidence

Why this order?

Our team of curators analyzes publication history, author interviews, and internal narrative continuity to establish the definitive reading sequence. This ensures zero spoilers and maximum narrative impact.

Why This Order Is Confusing

Many reading lists for Renée Ballard Series conflict because early publishers often labeled short story collections as standalone novels, or rearranged internal chronologies for marketing. This guide follows original author intent and narrative continuity to settle the debate for good.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I skip reading Dark Sacred Night?

This book is essential to the core narrative and character development.

Can I read Dark Sacred Night before The Late Show?

No. We recommend reading The Late Show first. Dark Sacred Night is the 2th book in the series and follows the core narrative established in earlier volumes.

Is Dark Sacred Night required reading for the Renée Ballard Series?

Yes, it is a core installment in the series reading order and contains critical character development and plot progression.

What comes after Dark Sacred Night in the reading order?

The next recommended book after Dark Sacred Night is The Night Fire (Book #3).