Review: The Black Ice – Michael Connelly

Mass Market Paperback: 439 pages
Publisher: Vision (December 2, 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446613444
ISBN-13: 978-0446613446
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Characters:
Harry Bosch – Los Angeles Police Detective

Synopsis:

A new drug is on the streets nicknamed “Black Ice”. It’s already cost the lives of two men, one of them a police officer. A note from the slain officer simply said “I found out who I was.” Harry Bosch must find out why the two people were killed and if there is any possible connection to them and a foreign drug lord.

Review

This is only the second Harry Bosch novel I’ve read, but I’ve really began to like Mr. Connelly’s writing style and his characters. This novel has plenty of twists and turns to keep the classic mystery fan engaged, while enough action/suspense to appeal to those who prefer a more thrilling cop flick.

The scenes play out realistically, and by the time the story is finished, the conclusion makes sense. There is some strong language/situations that make this book inappropriate for young readers, but it would be good for older readers who enjoy action and mystery.

Pick it up if you get the chance, and be sure and drop back by and let us know what you thought.

About the Author

Best known for his dark police procedurals featuring the tough, complex and emotionally scarred LAPD detective, Hieronymous “Harry” Bosch, Michael Connelly has been called “infernally ingenious” (The New York Times), “one of those masters…who can keep driving the story forward in runaway locomotive style” (USA Today) and “the top rank of a new generation of crime writers” (The Los Angeles Times).

Consistently exquisite prose and engrossing storylines play an integral role in his swelling success. However, Connelly believes that solid character development is the most important key. As he explained to MagnaCumMurder.com, “I think books with weak or translucent plots can survive if the character being drawn along the path is rich, interesting and multi-faceted. The opposite is not true.”

A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Connelly attended the University of Florida; there he discovered the works of Raymond Chandler — author of many classic Los Angeles-based noir dramas such as The Big Sleep, The Long Goodbye, and Farewell, My Lovely. The cases of Philip Marlowe inspired Connelly to be a crime novelist — and by studying journalism, he put himself in the perfect position. “I went into journalism to learn the craft of writing and to get close to the world I wanted to write about — police and criminals, the criminal justice system,” he told MagnaCumMurder.com.

After graduation, Connelly worked the crime beat for two Florida newspapers. When a story he and a colleague wrote about the disastrous 1985 crash of Delta Flight 191 was short-listed for the Pulitzer, Connelly landed a gig in Marlowe’s backyard, covering crime for one of the nation’s largest newspapers — The Los Angeles Times. Three years later, Harry Bosch was introduced in The Black Echo, which earned Connelly the Edgar Award for Best First Novel. Connelly has since won every major mystery honor, including the Anthony (The Poet, Blood Work) and the Macavity Award (Blood Work).

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