A review by laurenjodi
Trunk Music by Michael Connelly
3.0
Trunk Music
3 Stars
When the body of a B movie producer, Tony Aliso, is found in the trunk of a car, Detective Harry Bosch is called in to investigate and follows the clues to a Las Vegas nightclub with ties to organized crime. Soon Harry finds himself at the center of a complex web of lies, deceit and murder that may just signal the end of his career…
Not the best installment in the series. The first half is too slow and focuses excessively on the organized crime element, which is not a favorite trope of mine. That said, this would not be an issue were it not for the fact that it is so obviously misdirection. The second half is better once the investigation changes focus and there are one or two surprising twists that keep the pages turning.
In terms of character development, Harry is in a better place following the angst ridden events of the previous book. The return of an old flame has some sweet moments, but it must be said that this particular romantic entanglement has not future and only plays into Harry’s “damsel in distress” complex.
Several new characters are introduced - Kizman, Billets and Goshen. Each has an interesting role to play in the story and will hopefully develop in future installments. Goshen is particularly intriguing and I look forward to reading more about him.
3 Stars
When the body of a B movie producer, Tony Aliso, is found in the trunk of a car, Detective Harry Bosch is called in to investigate and follows the clues to a Las Vegas nightclub with ties to organized crime. Soon Harry finds himself at the center of a complex web of lies, deceit and murder that may just signal the end of his career…
Not the best installment in the series. The first half is too slow and focuses excessively on the organized crime element, which is not a favorite trope of mine. That said, this would not be an issue were it not for the fact that it is so obviously misdirection. The second half is better once the investigation changes focus and there are one or two surprising twists that keep the pages turning.
In terms of character development, Harry is in a better place following the angst ridden events of the previous book. The return of an old flame has some sweet moments, but it must be said that this particular romantic entanglement has not future and only plays into Harry’s “damsel in distress” complex.
Several new characters are introduced - Kizman, Billets and Goshen. Each has an interesting role to play in the story and will hopefully develop in future installments. Goshen is particularly intriguing and I look forward to reading more about him.