Love Michael Connelly with his LA based Cop "Harry Bosch"-series. Preordered new thriller "Dark Sacred Night" to be released on October 30th.
Have read most of his books, not been disappointed by any. Also based in LA, Robert Crais' Elvis Cole is equably as readable, bit more self-mocking than the Harry Bosch character, which I find appealing.
On a different note altogether, in past discussions of literary merit (or other-wise ) personal preferences are uppermost , inevitably so, really and misconceptions hard to shift. My personal enjoyment of sardonic and insightful prose, laced with wildly improbable characters and situations is epitomised in Terry Pratchett's Disc World novels. The cover art no doubt puts many off, which imo is a real shame, some of his analogies to today's world are bitingly accurate, his descriptive skills are in the Mervyn Peake class, on top of that he makes me laugh out loud. Such a shame there wont be any more.....