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raymond_murphy's review against another edition
4.0
A nice return to form for the Bosch series. Too bad it's framed as something close the end of the series.
brel102's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
ems616's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not a big fan of detective mystery books, but this one wasn't bad. Lots of suspense and was difficult to guess what was going to happen next or who the murderer was. I definitely recommend it!
lesserjoke's review against another edition
3.0
Another perfectly competent police procedural with detective Harry Bosch, looking into a pair of cold cases from decades back: a shooting recently upgraded to a homicide after the victim finally succumbed to his injuries and the bullet could be extracted from his spine, and an apartment building arson that the veteran cop's new partner survived as a child. Neither crime's details are particularly distinctive against the protagonist's lengthy career at this point, and they both peter out in somewhat downbeat fashion by the end, but they're solidly interesting enough to pass the time beforehand. My only slight complaint is how silly and superstitious he sounds to keep harping about the momentum of the investigation(s) and the need to push on immediately from one development to the next, given how many years have already passed in each matter.
For long-term readers of the series, it's the changes in the hero's personal life that will likely carry greater importance, despite being sidelined by the novel's episodic plot. Harry's daughter Maddie is now sixteen, dating, and showing an interest in following her parents into law enforcement, for instance, and her father is nearing his mandatory retirement age with the LAPD. These notes suggest possible future storylines more than they impact the present, but the serialization helps brighten up an otherwise run-of-the-mill volume.
[Content warning for gun violence, racism, death of children, and domestic abuse.]
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For long-term readers of the series, it's the changes in the hero's personal life that will likely carry greater importance, despite being sidelined by the novel's episodic plot. Harry's daughter Maddie is now sixteen, dating, and showing an interest in following her parents into law enforcement, for instance, and her father is nearing his mandatory retirement age with the LAPD. These notes suggest possible future storylines more than they impact the present, but the serialization helps brighten up an otherwise run-of-the-mill volume.
[Content warning for gun violence, racism, death of children, and domestic abuse.]
Like this review?
--Throw me a quick one-time donation here!
https://ko-fi.com/lesserjoke
--Subscribe here to support my writing and weigh in on what I read next!
https://patreon.com/lesserjoke
--Follow along on Goodreads here!
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6288479-joe-kessler
--Or click here to browse through all my previous reviews!
https://lesserjoke.home.blog
buffaloarms's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
ebbiebooks's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
3.25
It felt a little bit like the book was trying to do too much at the same time, and while we were doing those other things, it seems the investigation didn't have enough space to expend properly.
I'm also not always sure if the authors is trying to tip toe the line of "this is not ethical, and it's written to make you feel uneasy" or "this is not ethical, but it should be because the ends justify the means". Like I'm never completely sure if Connelly is more than copaganda. Bosch is flawed, but most of his gray stuff are rewarded or shown as him looking out for others, etc. It used to be less uncomfy, but I cannot say yet as I feel it could have a larger implication a few books forward.
It was better than other volume in the series, but not top 10. Just ok.
I'm also not always sure if the authors is trying to tip toe the line of "this is not ethical, and it's written to make you feel uneasy" or "this is not ethical, but it should be because the ends justify the means". Like I'm never completely sure if Connelly is more than copaganda. Bosch is flawed, but most of his gray stuff are rewarded or shown as him looking out for others, etc. It used to be less uncomfy, but I cannot say yet as I feel it could have a larger implication a few books forward.
It was better than other volume in the series, but not top 10. Just ok.
historyreader123's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
hdm73's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
kamzilla's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25