The WaitingThe Waiting
What it's about
Renée Ballard's Open-Unsolved Unit gets a DNA connection between a recently arrested young man and the Pillowcase Rapist, a serial rapist and murderer who went quiet twenty years ago. The link must be his father. Helping her is the unit's newest volunteer, patrol officer Maddie Bosch, Harry's daughter.
Why it's worth reading
It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list.
You'll love it if you liked
The Dark Hours
The Late Show
The Night FireGood to know
It's a Ballard novel and works on its own.
By the numbers
- Readers36 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller41 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #382 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #372 of the 481 new books we rank
- #2153 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping, Moving
More by Michael Connelly
The Lincoln Lawyer
The Brass Verdict
The Crossing
The Law of InnocenceIf you like this, read next
Remarkably Bright Creatures
The Frozen River
Broken Country
The God of the Woods
Firekeeper's Daughter
Lights OutExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Waiting worth reading?
Yes. It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It ranks #2,153 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 62.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Waiting about?
Renée Ballard's Open-Unsolved Unit gets a DNA connection between a recently arrested young man and the Pillowcase Rapist, a serial rapist and murderer who went quiet twenty years ago. The link must be his father. Helping her is the unit's newest volunteer, patrol officer Maddie Bosch, Harry's daughter.
How long does it take to read The Waiting?
About 9 hours (366 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Waiting?
If you liked it, try The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly, The Late Show by Michael Connelly or The Night Fire by Michael Connelly.