bosch

Brass Verdict

Book Notes kitt decided around 17:23 on 20 June 2015 to publish this:

Okay, this wasn't REALLY a Harry Bosch book. It was a Mickey Haller book, I think book three of that particular series, maybe book two. I don't know. While the book itself was entertaining, and there's enough background to understand some of the Mickey Haller series, I was reading this book because it was a Bosch book. It wasn't really a Bosch book. Bosch is a secondary character to Haller, only part of the plot.

For the book itself, even though it wasn't what I was expecting, it was entertaining enough. There were a number of plot twists and quite a few, "And I figured it out for myself" Haller moments to get the gist of the Haller character. The book is written in the first person, which was great for explaining the actions and interpretations of Haller, as the main character. First person books done right are great reads. This was a fun read about how a courtroom might actually work. Having not been in a courtroom for anything more than a parking ticket, I can't say that it is or isn't an accurate portrayal of reality.

There's one big twist at the end of the book that I didn't see coming. I liked it.

I'll read the next Bosch book, even knowing that Haller comes back in two books, and that I probably should just stop reading this series. Still trying to get to book 19.

While this wasn't a Bosch book, per-se, it's on the Bosch list, and listed as book 14. There was only one mention of a tunnel, and hey, maybe a bad cop didn't do it, so maybe, just maybe, this isn't a Bosch book for-realz.

If you're reading the series, keep going. If you're not, start with books 1-3 to see if you like them enough to keep going. They're all pretty much the same book.

The Overlook

Book Notes Written with a loving hand by kitt some time around 18:38 on 18 June 2015

Harry Bosch, Book 13

Lots of references to Echo Park and the screw up that it was, in this book. I didn't recall that in the last book, but, hey, let's go with it.

This is a short book. I read it in two evenings, with a monster headache happening during both evenings. It was classic Bosch: someone dies, he follows a trail, OH LOOK IT MIGHT BE ANOTHER BAD COP (you weren't going to read this far into the series, were you? Okay, maybe you are, but I can't possibly be spoiling the plot or the outcome because THAT'S HOW EVER SINGLE BOSCH BOOK ENDS: the bad cop did it). There was only a passing reference to a tunnel.

Surprisingly little jazz in this book.

And no woman / sex line. More than a little refreshing. Oh, and a new partner! Who doesn't go along with Bosch! Win!

My conversation about the book at work went something like:

luke
> Not recommended if you haven't read the previous 12 books in the series and liked them
I feel like this is the reading equivalent of "It gets good about 40 hours in"

kitt
Nope. Never really gets good. I just like the cranky main character.
Here's the plot of every book in the series: someone dies. a bad cop did it. tunnels.

luke
tunnels?!

kitt
tunnels.

Yeah, so, if you're reading the series, clearly you like them enough to keep going, so yes, read this one, too. If you haven't read any Bosch, read books 1-3 first and see if you can stand this many in this series. I'm going to 19, or two bad ones in a row, which ever comes first!

Echo Park

Book Notes Instead of being asleep at 20:23 on 18 March 2015, kitt created this:

Harry Bosch, Book 12

I rather took a break from the Bosch books, and nose-dived into non-fiction books, work reading, and, well, the Silo books, leaving this one dangling in my started-and-not-finished in progress list. I came back to it today and finished it.

I can summarize it as "Classic Bosch."

Which is to say, "Murder Solved!" and "Tunnels!" and "Bad cop!" The elements that Connelly puts into every Bosch book, it seems.

This one was a little different, however, in that it had a couple twists that were unexpected (which is a great delight), as well as HARRY BEING WRONG. That's one of the better aspects of this book. Too many times in previous books, he just creates a theory and boom, it's the right one, mystery solved. In this one, he was wrong, and it makes him more believable as a character. I'm not sure just how many of these "unsolved cases that Harry just couldn't let go" Harry is supposed to have, but he's bound to run out at some point, right?

Yeah, so, if you're a Bosch fan, keep reading. This one was classic Bosch style, which, if you enjoy it, makes this a good read.

The Closers

Book Notes kitt decided around 18:43 on 28 February 2015 to publish this:

Harry Bosch, Book 11

Okay, so this book should likely be the end of the Bosch series. He is back from retirement, because, as Connelly comments, no private detective ever solves a murder case, and Connelly wanted to keep writing this character. Of course he did, he already killed off MaCaleb, who sucked anyway (as a written character, I'm sure he was a lovely person in real life). Bosch makes Connelly money, of course Connelly wanted to keep the story line going.

Right, so, back from retirement, and working a cold case from 17 years prior. I'll give the ending away: IT WASN'T A BAD COP. I know, shock, right?

What this book did have, as a complete turn around from the usual Bosch books, was a leadership that supported him and closure. I suspect this book is a turning point in the Bosch series.

I enjoyed this book, even if I had identified the bad guy when he was first introduced to the plot. Recommended if you are a Bosch fan (yes, keep reading if you're already on the way).

Two books left until I have read all the Bosch books up to the one I bought in error.

The Narrows

Book Notes Yeah, kitt finished writing this at 21:34 on 21 February 2015

Harry Bosch, Book 10

I listened to this book instead of reading it. Surprises no one. What surprised me about this audio book was the production of it. In particular, the MF annoying sound "enhancements" in it. The producers of this book should not be allowed to produce another book if their style includes adding annoying music to a book.

In reading this book, though it was book 10 of the Harry Bosch series, I feel like I've missed some book between 9 and 10. There were references to previous events that I know I hadn't read, and I've been reading the Bosch series straight through.

As mentioned in my In Progress notes, Connelly, the author, thought mixing the first person (Bosch's) view point with the third person omniscient (everyone else's) was a good thing. I think it was a cop out. Was a half-hearted literary attempt at cleverness that failed.

If you're a Bosch fan, keep reading. If you're not, start with the first book to see if you like them.

In Progress notes
Okay, book 10 in the Harry Bosch series. This one has some FBI agent in it, according to the first chapter. It's also written in 3rd person omniscient, where we hear the thoughts of all of the characters. Which is weird, because the Harry parts are in the first person. The dichotomy is annoying. As annoying as the literary cheating is, nothing compares to the tear-my-hair-out run-around-screaming annoying musical "enhancements" the audiobook producers have added to the beginning and ending of each chapter. HF, annoying.

Lost Light

Book Notes Written with a loving hand by kitt some time around 22:23 on 19 February 2015

Harry Bosch, Book 9

Okay, I liked this Bosch book. While there was ANOTHER BAD COP (because, really, what's a Bosch book without bad cops?), the plot mystery wasn't obvious. There were a couple plot twists, which were good. I think at some point I should be annoyed that Harry ALWAYS GETS THE KILLER, but suspension of disbelief is part of reading these books. That, and, well, maybe we're supposed to be following only Bosch's successes and not the likely hundreds of failures in the previous 28 years of being a cop.

The story is the first of Bosch not as a cop, but as a private investigator. He's still able to get information through his connections, and there's a 9/11 twist to the story. I also might find it annoying at some point that all of Bosch's theories are correct. Maybe we're supposed to believe he's that good? Is anyone really that good?

For this book, if you're already a Bosch fan, this one is worth reading. If you're not a Bosch fan, eh, yeah, you could read this one if you like the Los Angeles Detective Crime Drama Law & Order type of story.

In Progress summary:

Okay, Bosch, book nine. He's left the LAPD, Hollywood Homicide Division, that's fine. The book has shifted to first person, though. Not _really_ sure how I feel about that.

Reading, though. Maybe we'll see ANOTHER BAD COP. Or not.

City of Bones (Bosch)

Book Notes Posted by kitt at 12:32 on 8 February 2015

Harry Bosch, book 8

This would be the second "City of Bones" book I've read. No, I did not reread the Clarisse something or other YA book again.

I'd been eagerly reading through the various Bosch books to get to this one, so that I could watch the pilot of the Amazon/Netflix/I-don't-remember-where tv show, Bosch, which is a combination of this book and Concrete Blonde. Unsurprisingly, I will continue reading the Bosch series, as I enjoyed this one. The last book would have been book 1 of the "two sucky books and I'm done" requirement to stop reading a series, but this book redeemed the series.

This book did not have a bad cop as the bad guy. Well, sorta. There's still a couple bad-cop incidents but HEY, LET'S HAND WAVE OVER THAT PART, because really, any group in an us-vs-them and in power is going to have bad seeds in the ranks. The book included the classic Bosch elements of the dame, Los Angeles (though post my era), the distrust from other cops, mystery and tragedy. There was a twist, and FINALLY Bosch doesn't get it right the first time. I didn't get it right the first time I guessed the twist, either, which was great.

The ending is a bit of a cliff-hanger, so I'll be starting up the next one, just after I finish a couple more of my already started books.

A Darkness More than Night

Book Notes Posted by kitt at 18:01 on 25 January 2015

"Harry Bosch," book 7

I finished A Darkness More than Night, book seven in the Harry Bosch series, tonight. To call this book a Harry Bosch book is a bit disengenous, since it really was book two of Connelly's Terry McCaleb series. I didn't bother reading the first McCaleb book, Blood Work, choosing to watch the move which starred Clint Eastwood, and to read the summary on Wikipedia instead. A big *shrug* on that one.

The book, in and of itself, is classic Connelly, with the surprising twist that THE BAD GUY IS NOT A COP. Can you believe it? No, I can't either. The plot alluded to a number of other incidents and cases in Bosch's past, with Bosch being set up for a murder he didn't commit, but didn't prevent either. Given the murder was of a man who was also a murderer and had walked on a technicality, we are presented with a moral dilemma that no one would ever want to face.

Okay, so, the bad guy isn't a cop, but you know what? BOSCH IS STILL A SUSPECT, STILL HAS THE FBI AND IA ON HIM and, good lord, after nearly 30 f------ years of living with that, only a fictional character could survive. 30 years of a hostile work environment where EVERYONE you work with thinks you're dirty, even though the beloved reader would NEVER THINK SO? It has to be extremely wearing.

Yeah, so, book seven of the Bosch series. Good enough I'll read another one. Might have been okay to skip, given that it's a essentially a McCaleb story.

Angel's Flight

Book Notes kitt decided around 21:57 on 12 January 2015 to publish this:

Harry Bosch, book 6

Oh, look! Another bad cop! In this case, however, we don't know which cop is the bad one. It's this one, no it's this one, no, no, no, it's that one. In reality, this is one of Connelly's better books, in that the bad guy isn't obvious. Well, that, and we didn't have to sit through a boring trial. While the end had a slightly meh part to it, Angel's Flight had enough twists, mystery and action to make it enjoyable. I'd recommend this Bosch book for readers of Connelly's work or crime mystery fiction.

Unrelated to the book, ooooooof, eight books in 12 days. That's a lot, even for me. I'd guess something is going on with me and my life, since that much reading usually indicates I'm avoiding something or I'm doing a lot of physical labor that allows time for my mind to wander or, as is this case, listen to an audiobook.

Trunk Music

Book Notes Instead of being asleep at 20:13 on 11 January 2015, kitt created this:

Harry Bosch, Book 5

Oh, look! Another bad cop! I swear this is going to be how I start every Bosch book, because that seems to be how every Harry Bosch book ends. This one has the very, very obvious bad cop, even if he doesn't end up being THE bad cop. Well, that's not actually correct, because there are a couple bad cops, that don't ever end up being THE bad cop. It's just weird.

The bad cop was just one of the now-classic Bosch elements: bad cop, IAD on Bosch's ass, the dame, Los Angeles. We have a newly introduced Kima Greggs, who was the black woman detective in The Wire, though her name is Kiz Rider in the Bosch series.

Did I mention the mob in this book? Yeah, because the mob would totally let all of this go, right? Yeah.

I'm enjoying the books. I'll keep reading. Not sure I'll keep up this pace, though: 7 books in 11 days.