Book Review - The Black Box (Harry Bosch Book 16) by Michael Connelly

I find it interesting how

The Black Box by Michael Connelly is a crime in the Harry Bosch series. It is available as an eBook, Audiobook, and those paper things your grandparents used to read.

The Good

Linking Past and Present. This mystery begins at the beginning of Harry Bosch's career as a cop with one of his first assignments but isn't resolved until twenty years later when he is back on the police force at the end of his second career. There is a certain poetry to it, but it also feels natural and not forces or contrived.

Incorporating Read History. This story begins with the LA Riots, and then forwards to their anniversary with concerns from the real world. This story feels like a documentary or a true story with all the details and real life happens that are considered and included.

Variety. This story feels 100% like a Harry Bosch novel, but at the same time it is so different than any of the previous stories that I didn't feel like I was rereading any them. I really appreciate how the author is able to come up with something new and different without changing the formula. So few can do it so well.

The Bad

Leadership/Politics. Many of the people in power are jerks without any motivation beyond they're just bad guys. I wish they had more motivation to make them a little more sympathetic.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

Hmmmm.

Overall

The Black Box by Michael Connelly is another thoroughly enjoyable crime/police mystery. I really enjoyed how the story presented a mystery at the beginning of Harry Bosch's career that he finally resolved twenty years later when he was back on the police force. I enjoyed how the author was able to tie his story so tightly into the LA riots. This read like a true story. This story feels 100% like a Harry Bosch novel, but at the same time it is so different than any of the previous stories that I didn't feel like I was rereading any them. I really appreciate how the author is able to come up with something new and different without changing the formula. So few can do it so well. I give this book 5 out of 5 eReaders.

     

Book Review - The Safe Man by Michael Connelly

I love ghost stories, and I love Michael Connelly stories, so would I love the combination of the two?

The Safe Man by Michael Connelly is a ghost story mystery NOT in the Harry Bosch series. It is available as an eBook, Audiobook, and those paper things your grandparents used to read.

The Good

Setting. This story concerns a man whose profession is opening safes (legally) and a job that goes unexpectedly. I've experienced very few stories about legal safe openers, so this was really interesting.

Concept. This story has ghosts, time travel, and uses them in a way that hasn't been overdone. It wasn't a huge surprise at the end, but it didn't feel old either.

The Bad

Hmmm.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

Hmmmm.

Overall

The Safe Man by Michael Connelly is a great story about an average man going about his job while expecting his first child. The supernatural elements were very subtle and not immediately obvious. The story is entertaining, the supernatural elements are fun, and the ending is very satisfying. I give this book 5 out of 5 eReaders.

     

Book Review - Suicide Run: Three Harry Bosch Stories by Michael Connelly

I love short stories, and I love Harry Bosch books, so how could I not pick this up!

Suicide Run: Three Harry Bosch Stories by Michael Connelly is an anthology of three crime mystery short stories in the Harry Bosch series. It is available as an eBook, Audiobook, and those paper things your grandparents used to read.

The Good

Suicide Run. The first story is about a potential suicide of a girl who came to Hollywood to make it big but hadn't yet. The story is very strong and interesting, but it's the twist at the end that moves this into the realm of excellent.

One Dollar Jackpot. What makes this story stand out is the way Harry is able to catch the killer, the husband of a woman who is famous for high-stakes poker and was murdered the night she won a large jackpot.

The Bad

Cielo Azul. This wasn't a bad story, it just wasn't a great story. It involves a serial killer of younger victims on death row. Harry Bosch tries to get him to reveal the identity of one of his victims. He refuses and the story ends. The concept is different and I get the point the author is trying to make. I just wish there had been more to the story. Maybe making the investigation of the cases more involved and more interesting to make up for the mild ending.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish the second story had contained more.

Overall

Suicide Run: Three Harry Bosch Stories by Michael Connelly contains two excellent short stories and one very good one. All involve murdered victims, but all differ in how the victim was murdered, why, who did it, how the story is told, and what the point of the story is. I give this book 4.5 out of 5 eReaders.

    

Book Review - The Drop: Harry Bosch, Book 15 by Michael Connelly

I've become a bit addicted to Michael Connelly's writing and the world of Harry Bosch. I just wish I could get into the TV series on Amazon Prime.

The Drop by Michael Connelly is a crime in the Harry Bosch series. It is available as an eBook, Audiobook, and those paper things your grandparents used to read.

The Good

Story and Writing. The story was incredible. I couldn't put it down. The book contains two different cases that don't directly interact. Normally this is a turn off for me, but somehow the author managed to move from one to the other without losing any steam or interest.

Twists. This novel actually surprised me with where it went. I thought the story was over a couple of times, but it kept going, and I wasn't sure where the author wanted to go and why. But after reading the twists I saw why and was glad.

Variety. One case is a cold murder while the second was a possible suicide. Even though both involved a dead body, they were very different, the investigations went in different directions, and the fallout from both were very different.

The Bad

Main Character. The main character still isn't that interesting. He's kind of a jerk, he's not that clever, and I still have a hard time rooting for him.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

Hmmmm.

Overall

The Drop by Michael Connelly was the best Harry Bosch book yet. The story really grabbed my attention and took turns I didn't see coming, but ones that made sense and didn't feel like a cheat. I give this book 5 out of 5 eReaders.