police procedurals

The Concrete Blond is the Bosch novel we've been waiting on. This one has something for everyone. It has the legal/courtroom suspence, it's a classic who-done-it, and it has all the plot twists a reader could want. Connelly takes all these components and expertly wraps them up into a very tight plot. This book would be excellent as a stand alone, but it is also key in the series. It answers a lot of questions raised in the first two books about Bosch's past.

This one is my favorite Connelly book so far, and I highly recommend it to any mystery/suspence fans. It can be read as a stand alone, but I think it was much better after having first read The Black Echo and the Black Ice.

Also recommended: anything by Michael Connelly (Blood Work); Greg Iles (Dead Sleep, 24 Hours); Nelson DeMille (Plum Island, The Lions Game); Jeffery Deaver (The Devil's Teardrop, The Bone Collector); or T. Jefferson Parker (The Blue Hour, Red Light).

This is my first Connelly book and it is a tremendous story! I found myself completely engrossed in Harry Bosch and the complex plot. Connelly deftly balances courtroom intrigue and police procedurals, not relying on a lot of crimes being committed during the course of this novel. He refers instead to a previous crime which he thought was over, but has now resurfaced as the victim's widow has filed suit against him. A really good writer, Connelly entangles us in several breathtaking courtroom confrontations and "dirty" cop scenarios.

Bosch is a great character, his relationship with Sylvia is very believable and you want it to work out. Add Money Chandler, the vicious defense attorney, who is one of the best "hero/villains" I've read in a long time.

All the characters are well-fleshed and even though I thought I had the mystery figured out, Connelly pulls a very credible surprise on us!

I can't wait to get the other Bosch books now. A great series!

Detective Harry Bosch as a character is totally believable. Mr. Connelly's knowledge from being a crime reporter show beautifully in his novels. Very realistic.

I wish he had better taste in women. He like them sexually desirable, but shallow and self-centered. They always end up dumping him for cold, selfish reasons. They claim to understand the seriousness of his work, and also understand his commitment; but they leave him at his neediest, because only threir (lesser important) needs take precedence. Disgusting.

Hope he figures out he needs to find a real women to build a life with, not just a doll to screw.

Overall, an excellent read!!