Review: Ironwood, Catalina Series, Book 2, by Michael Connelly, performed by Will Damron

Ironwood, the second book in Michael Connelly’s Catalina series, is another riveting and highly entertaining crime thriller from the number one New York Times bestselling author behind Harry Bosch, Mickey Haller, and Renée Ballard. I have listened  to every Connelly audiobook over the years, and I can say without a doubt that this new series continues to get better with each release. It also appears that Detective Stilwell’s story may soon reach television audiences, with HBO reportedly developing an adaptation of the first Catalina novel, Nightshade.

Set once again on Catalina Island, Ironwood follows Detective Stilwell as he investigates a failed drug operation tied to a suspicious plane landing at the isolated airport on the island. What begins as a routine case quickly turns into something far more dangerous involving corruption, missing people, and buried secrets hiding beneath the island’s peaceful surface.

As always, Michael Connelly keeps the pacing tight and the investigation engaging throughout, while Catalina itself continues to give the series a distinct identity separate from the Bosch or Lincoln Lawyer books where Los Angeles was the star. Even so, all these books still feel unmistakably connected to Connelly’s larger universe.

The audiobook version is expertly performed by Will Damron, an Audie Award nominee and multiple AudioFile Earphones Award winner. Mr. Damron delivers another excellent performance here, bringing Stilwell and the supporting cast to life with natural, flowing dialogue, a steady pacing, and a calm but engaging delivery that perfectly matches the tone of the story.

Ironwood proves to be another highly entertaining entry from one of my favorite authors of all time and further confirmation that the Catalina series keeps getting stronger. Fans of Harry Bosch, the Lincoln Lawyer, and Connelly’s larger universe should absolutely not miss this one!

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Victor Dima

Founder, owner and Editor in Chief at The Audiobook Blog

Victor Dima is an internationally recognized Audiobooks Industry specialist, consultant, insider and reviewer with almost 10,000 helpful votes on Audible. Listened to more than 1,400 audiobooks, have written reviews for almost 400 and rated close to 800 of them. If you want Victor to review your audiobook or if you need help with choosing the right narrator, you can get in touch at reviews@theaudiobookblog.com

Latest posts by Victor Dima (see all)

• Review: Caput Mundi: The Head of the World by B.R. Kang, performed by Laura Clifton - June 10, 2026
• Review: Ironwood, Catalina Series, Book 2, by Michael Connelly, performed by Will Damron - June 10, 2026
• Review: Nightshade, Catalina Series, Book 1, by Michael Connelly, performed by Will Damron - June 10, 2026