Book Review - The Black Echo

Book Review

The Black Echo

(Harry Bosch Series - Book #1)

Michael Connelly

Michael Connelly is one of those authors whose name keeps creeping up on me.  He’s a prolific writer and has published more than two-dozen novels in the last twenty years.  Until last week, I’d never read anything by Connelly, mostly because he came highly recommended by the two men in my life whose reading preferences couldn’t be more different than my own.  But, after more than a little prodding, I gave in and decided to give Connelly a try.  After all, what could it really hurt?  If I didn’t like him, then I could simply quit reading and move onto something else.  If, however, I found something compelling in his writing, then maybe I’d have a new favorite author.  The answer would be in the reading.

Black Echo is the first in the Harry Bosch series of novels based upon a homicide detective who has been demoted to the most undesirable homicide beat in his department because he’s not part of the “family” and doesn’t play by the rules.  He’s narrowly escaped one Internal Affairs investigation, and that department is still chomping at the bit to find anything at all that will allow them to bring him down, and they are relentless in their harassment and pursuit.

The premise of this book surrounds the suspicious drug overdose death of a Vietnam Veteran and the seemingly (at first) unrelated bank vault robbery a year prior.  Harry Bosch is teamed up with FBI agent Eleanor Wish as the two work together to solve both crimes while attempting to understand how they were related.

This book has more twists and turns than the average mystery/action/suspense/thriller novel and I found myself not only holding my breath while turning the pages, but repeatedly thinking what an excellent movie this book would make.  Just when I thought I had everything figured out, I was thrown yet another curve ball and then another that left me with my jaw dropping and shaking my head at myself for never suspecting the final outcome.

The verdict, then?  I loved it and wish I hadn’t been so hard-headed and resistant to giving Michael Connelly a try.  I will definitely read more in this series to see where this character goes, and it might even make my Christmas Gift List for those few hard-to-please readers on my list.

For more information on the Harry Bosch series of books by Michael Connelly, or more information about this author specifically, visit the author’s website at www.michaelconnelly.com.

~ Catherine H. Armstrong