I don’t know anyone who doesn’t read Michael Connelly already. He seems to be a well read guy who consistently writes solid police procedurals. Anyway, I’m a huge fan of Connelly’s Det. Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch series. His motto is always: “everyone counts or no one counts.” The Black Echo is the first book in the series set in Los Angeles that introduces us to veteran homicide detective Harry Bosch and it is now on sale for 99 cents at Amazon and B&N and Kobo and Sony for those looking to start with the right price. Unfortunately, the rest of the books in the series are agency priced. Moving on, the story opens with a dead man found in a tunnel. No motive, no clues. Just a body.
Harry recognizes the man as a fellow Vietnam vet who was a “tunnel rat” just like he was in Vietnam. So this case immediately becomes personal for him. The story moves swiftly and I thought it was gripping from the first page. Connelly has a way of writing that makes you visualize the world he creates. He always has such a diverse cast of characters, too, which is another aspect of his novels that I like. Another thing I like are the social issues he brings forth in his novels as often he is mentioning or showing the negative and divisive impact of the OJ Simpson case or the Rodney King beating has had on the police department and other aspects of law enforcement that’s caused the community to distrust the police. One of my favorite scenes in The Black Echo involves a heist that goes down that was very well written and very suspenseful. Overall, this is a solidly written story with a moderate pace that picks up in the right places.
As for romance, there really isn’t much of one even though Harry is not without female company in the books I’ve read. Harry does fall hard though for another cop (former FBI agent) but that relationship runs in cycles throughout the series (at least up to where I stopped). I’ve yet to read all the books in the Harry Bosch series and plan to restart. I had started with Blood Work (non-Harry book) which was a page turner then moved on to The Black Echo and went on to read all the way up to Angel’s Flight and that’s where I had stopped, crashed and burned. If you haven’t started this series yet, well, as I write this there are now 15 books in the series. The reading order is below. If you are in the market for a solidly written series with a well-developed lead protagonist then you couldn’t go wrong with these books. My grade, B.
Harry Bosch #1 – The Black Echo
Harry Bosch #2 – The Black Ice
Harry Bosch #3 – The Concrete Blonde
Harry Bosch #4 – The Last Coyote
Harry Bosch #5 – Trunk Music
Harry Bosch #6 – Angels Flight
Harry Bosch #7 – A Darkness More Than Night
Harry Bosch #8 – City of Bones
Harry Bosch #9 – Lost Light
Harry Bosch #10 – The Narrows
Harry Bosch #11 – The Closers
Harry Bosch #12 – Echo Park
Harry Bosch #13 – The Overlook
Harry Bosch #14 – 9 Dragons
Harry Bosch #15 – The Drop [coming soon 2011]
I read this one a few months ago and liked it. It’s Connelly’s first book, I think, and his style isn’t as smooth as in his later work. However, the story is interesting, and it’s a good introduction to the character of Harry Bosch.
Not as smooth no but still it was a well written book and I think it won the Edgar award for best first novel. I read it after reading Blood Work and was hooked. I need to get back into this series. Just too many books to read!
Keishon – Thanks for this review and for reminding me of this one. I’m a Connelly/HarryBosch fan, and I’m so glad you highlighted one of his books. No, not his very best, but it doesn’t matter; it’s a solid introduction to an absolutely fascinating character.
Thanks and you’re welcome Margot.
I’m firmly in the “keen on Michael Connelly” camp, but if he can be said to have had a lull, it was during the Angel’s Flight-City of Bones period. 9/11 gave him a new lease of life, he was right out of the blocks on that one criticising the removal of freedoms, etc, by the newly formed dept of homeland security.
The first books are much more detailed than the later ones. They’re all good, though, in my view, certainly compared with 90 per cent or more of what is out there in the crime fic landscape.
I have read all the Michael Connelly books and am looking for something similar. do you have any suggestions please.
I have read all the Michael Connelly books and am looking for something similar. do you have any suggestions of who to read please.
Hmmm, someone similar….maybe C.J. Box? Have you tried him? I’ll have to think on this some more for you.
Okay Simon, from what I’ve gleaned so far, authors who are similar to Connelly, I asked some folks for help:
George Pelecanos
Robert Crais
James Lee Burke
Dennis Lehane <—-I've read him and enjoy his books a lot