Book Review - The Wrong Side of Goodbye (A Harry Bosch Novel 19) by Michael Connelly

I had never heard of Harry Bosch or Michael Connelly when I picked up my first Harry Bosch novel. It was one of the last in the series, and I absolutely loved it. I picked up a couple more, also pretty late in the series, and loved those as well. So I decided to start at the beginning and read them all. It's a good thing I didn't begin with the early novels, because they were not nearly as good as the latter ones. Micheal Connelly has gotten better as a writer. Now I've finally caught up to the later books, and boy has the ride gotten good!

The Wrong Side of Goodbye (A Harry Bosch Novel 19) by Michael Connelly is a mystery police crime book in the Harry Bosch series. It is available as an eBook, Audiobook, and those paper things your grandparents used to read.

The Good

Mysteries. This book contains two main mysteries that are unrelated to each other but unfold at the same time. One is the search for a lost heir to a fortune, while the other involves searching for a serial rapist from years past. Both are different types of mysteries. Both have a lot of unexpected yet perfectly fitting twists, and both are completely engaging.

Story, Plot, and Pacing. Aside from the mystery, the stories are really entertaining and engaging and both move along at a great pace with twists spaced at just the right intervals.

The Bad

Main Character. Bosch is such an uninteresting character. I'm still not sure why I enjoy these stories so much when the main character is so unlikable, but somehow it works.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

...

Overall

The Wrong Side of Goodbye (A Harry Bosch Novel 19) by Michael Connell is one of the best books I've read in a while. This book contains two main mysteries that are unrelated to each other but unfold at the same time. One is the search for a lost heir to a fortune, while the other involves searching for a serial rapist from years past. Both are different types of mysteries. Both have a lot of unexpected yet perfectly fitting twists, and both are completely engaging even if the main character of Harry Bosch isn't very interesting. I highly recommend this book and give it 5 out of 5 eReaders.

    

 

Book Review: The Reversal (A Lincoln Lawyer Novel Book 3) by Michael Connelly

I watched the movie The Lincoln Lawyer and thought it was good but not great, so I had no interest in reading any of the books. I do love the Harry Bosch stories by the same author and accidentally bought one of his Michael Howler books on a sale from Audible. What a great mistake!

The Reversal (A Lincoln Lawyer Novel Book 3) by Michael Connelly is a fiction legal thriller. It is available as an eBook, Audiobook, and those paper things your grandparents used to read.

The Good

Story/Mystery. The story begins with an inmate who gets released from prison because the California Supreme Court reversed his conviction due to new DNA evidence. Michael Howler, a defense attorney, is convinced to be the independent prosecutor for the DA and has to cross to the other side. The story is intense from the beginning with each new reveal only pulling the reader further and further in. While there aren't any big twists or shocking reveals, each step is completely engaging and absorbing.

Characters. The author does a really good job exploring the personal lives of many of the main characters and advancing the story of Harry Bosch and Michael Howler growing a little closer after finding out they are half brothers and their daughters are cousins.

The Bad

Narration. The narration was good, but not great. It was the only weak part of the whole experience.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I would like to have seen what Harry Bosch does after the end of the book.

Overall

The Reversal (A Lincoln Lawyer Novel Book 3) by Michael Connelly is one of the best fiction books I've read in a long time. The story is intense from the beginning with each new reveal only pulling the reader further and further in. While there aren't any big twists or shocking reveals, each step is completely engaging and absorbing. Even when events or twists turn out like you guess, you're still interested because they are handled so well. I highly recommend this book and give it 5 out of 5 eReaders.

     

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.

     

Book Review - Echo Park (A Harry Bosch Novel Book 12) by Michael Connelly

I recently finished a Harry Bosch book by Michael Connelly and enjoyed it enough to pick up a second.

Echo Park by Michael Connelly is a murder mystery 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 very solid with a lot of good twists and reveals. The writing was well done and did not get in the way of the story.

Villain. This novel has a great villain who is clever, creepy, and dangerous. I felt worried when he was loose in the story and happy when he was finally brought down.

Ancillary Characters. While I didn't like the main character, everyone else was really interesting and I found myself caring about them.

The Bad

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

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish the main character had been more interesting and likable.

Overall

Echo Park by Michael Connelly is a very entertaining murder mystery with a great villain who is clever but also truly creepy and dangerous. The main character was the least interesting part of the book, but surprisingly the story was still really good and really gripping with some nice twists throughout. The other characters were all interesting. I give this book 4.5 out of 5 eReaders.