*Note*
This post is Sponsored by Kaila Allen of Creative guidance, LLCBest Somatic Mindfulness coach around.
This, is mindfulness at its finest.
Yesterday evening I wrote the following book review.
This morning, I’m reposting with a poem I only had half-formed then, that I was too tired to write.
When I woke up a while ago, it came to me while I stood enjoying the fragrance of the morning’s first brew.
First the review and then, the poem.
Ironwood DB137790
Series: Detective Stilwell
Order in Series: 02
Author: Connelly, Michael
Reading Time: 7 hours, 50 minutes
Production: National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress
Read by: Will Damron
Subjects: Mystery and Detective Stories, Suspense Fiction
Downloaded: 08/29/2026
“Sworn to protect a scenic island meant to be far from the evils of the mainland, Detective Sergeant Stilwell can feel danger closing in. Detective Sergeant Stilwell knows that his posting on Catalina Island is no paradise, but to most residents, it seems blissfully separated: by twenty-two miles of ocean: from the troubles of Los Angeles County. But now a threat is coming to his safe haven. Acting on a tip from a confidential informant, Stilwell and his deputies watch a plane land in the middle of the night at the Airport in the Sky, a remote airstrip in the mountains. A duffel bag of drugs is dropped and the deputies move in, but things quickly go sideways. While Stilwell chases the fleeing pickup man into the mountainside brush, shots are fired on the runway and the plane flies off. An internal inquiry follows, putting Stilwell on the bench until he is cleared of responsibility for the disastrous operation. But he is determined to find out who brought deadly violence to his island, and begins his own secret investigation into the drug deal gone wrong. While under orders to remain in the sheriff’s substation, he finds in the lost and found a valuable backpack that was never claimed. He traces it to a woman who disappeared while hiking on the island four years ago. But then why was the pack only turned in two months back? Now thoroughly intrigued, he follows the mystery all the way to the LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit and Detective Renee Ballard. Stilwell and Ballard work the case from both sides of the channel, and soon realize they are on the trail of a criminal who revels in taunting the authorities. Meanwhile, frustrated at being shut out of an investigation on his own island, Stilwell risks his already shaky standing in the department to pursue a case whose reach is wider than he ever imagined.” — Jacket flap. Unrated. Commercial audiobook.
New York, NY : Hachette Book Group, 2026.
Follow me on Facebook and see the Original Book Review here.
After having a rough start to my Saturday morning, and finding nothing to keep me busy I sat down, downloaded this book, and proceeded to read it in one day.
It was a great book, and my only darn problem is that this seems to be the last book in the series as of yet.
The other problem is how the author decided to end the darn thing.
You do not know how much restraint I must show here to not say ugly words.
I mean he just ended the thing without ending it.
I mean we did not really get a rap up to the whole thing.
So now, I have to wait to see what’s next and what the heck?
Well, I must say that the book took me out of my bad mood and enabled me to enjoy the day.
If you’ve some time to kill while cleaning house or on a road-trip or something, you’ll want to read this one.
I’m almost sure I’ve read the first book in the series but not totally sure and by the time that it dawned on me that this was part of a series I was already invested.
But before I move onto another something to read, I’m going to go have a look at the first book and if I’ve not read it I shall backtrack.
I downloaded and read Ironwood via courtesy of BARD – The Library of Congress
The Library of Congress (.gov)
https://nlsbard.loc.gov
And now, the poem inspired by this experience.
settled and solid
book, Blue, and bed
settled and solid
got out of my head
sat in the sun
talked with a friend
put problems in the Pot
found myself again
settled and solid
the water bubbles along
yesterday’s scrambled eggs
have somehow gone
from scrambled eggs and salad
all over the place
to boiled eggs now
whole in their space
settled and solid
one more time
and now, I say—
it’s about flipping time!
Settled and Solid Patty L. Fletcher – Author and Content Promoter.
About Patty L. Fletcher
Updated November 2024
Patty L. Fletcher is a woman of passion and exploration.
She studies the art of manifestation and is a seeker of knowledge and the wisdom to know what to do with it when it’s learned.
To learn more visit: https://pattysworlds.com/about/
If you have made mistakes, even serious mistakes, you may have a fresh start from any moment you choose, for this thing we call ‘failure’ is not the falling down, but the staying down.
Mary Pickford