Tuesday, November 29, 2011

The Drop



Fans of Connelly's L.A. detective need know no more, and if you are a mystery reader and not a fan? Pick up one of these and see if you aren't sucked in.

Bosch–named after the painter, yes–is a grizzled old murder cop who has been retired and is back on the unsolved cases squad. There are usually two or three storylines going: The main murder, which is often snagged in politics; a second case that often turns out as interesting as the first; and Harry's personal life, which involves a daughter and assorted women friends.

Bosch's creed as a detective is simple: Everyone matters or no one matters. He doggedly follows the evidence where it goes and calls it like he sees it, personal and political consequences be damned. And there are always lots of those damned consequences he'll have to deal with next time. 

This round, in The Drop, Bosch is beset with a new case involving the death of his oldest enemy's son. Suicide? Or murder? 

There is also an old rape/murder file in which DNA evidence seems to indicate it was done by an eight-year-old boy. If the DNA evidence is tainted, that could cause a shitload of problems. 

There a new woman who has her own demons and a partner who doesn't like how Harry does things.

Connelly melds all this together with an offhand expertise and style that makes going for a drive with Harry like a visit with an old friend. I know this guy, what makes him tick, and watching him figure out whodunnit and how is always a great ride. 

There are seventeen novels featuring Bosch, and Connelly also has a second series featuring L.A. lawyer Mickey Haller, aka "The Lincoln Lawyer," so called because in the beginning, he runs his office out of his car, a Lincoln. Haller is, just to make it more fun, Bosch's half-brother. 

Been a couple of movies made from his books, including The Lincoln Lawyer and Bloodwork, directed by and starring Clint Eastwood.

Now and again, on the TV show Castle, you'll see Connelly as one of Castle's poker-playing buddies, along with Dennis Lehane, James Patterson, and the late Stephen J. Cannell.

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