Lyn's Reviews > The Concrete Blonde

Very good.

Crime fiction fans took notice of writer Michael Connelly and his hero detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch after the strong first and second books featuring Bosch, The Black Echo and The Black Ice. The two “Black” books were solid, but also had some sophomoric problems that held them back from being truly exceptional.

Connelly’s 1994 Bosch book, and third in the series, shows him writing with confidence and flair – this is a writer hitting his stride and stepping up his game. Not only was this a riveting page turner and a model for the mystery / thriller genre; this went a long way to demonstrate some candid and accessible characterization and backstory for the charismatic but complicated protagonist. Whereas Black Echo devolved sometimes into kitsch cliché and Black Ice may have been overly ambitious, The Concrete Blonde has a quick pace and a relentless plot.

Connelly’s writing is like Dave Chappelle’s humor – edgy and uncomfortable, but also with credence and thought provoking. And entertaining as hell. Connelly goes further than to just spin a cool story, he explores themes of justice, civil rights, and the nature of law enforcement as well as the psychology of killers and the police and what motivates both to act.

Four years earlier, Bosch had shot a suspect when the man chose not to FREEZE! when Harry confronted him. Though the man was tied to several murders, Bosch’ handling of the arrest was criticized and now Harry and the LAPD are facing a civil rights trial with the killer’s widow sitting at the plaintiff’s table next to high priced shark lawyer Honey “Money” Chandler. Chandler, a seasoned and talented litigator, is looking to make a fortune and even casts shadows of doubt on whether her client’s late husband was even the right man. This looks to blow up out of control when a new body is found – murdered AFTER Harry killed the killer.

Tightly wound, this keeps a frenetic stride though the seedy sex industry of LA as the police try to solve the newly discovered murder while the civil trial is ongoing and then as we wait for a verdict. Most alarming is that it appears the killer may have been an insider. The police procedural aspects of the book and the group dynamic Connelly describes with the investigation team further heightens what is already a great book.

Not just for Connelly – Bosch fans, this is well written, first rate crime fiction. Highly recommended.