The Black Echo

Harry Bosch, Book #1

By Michael Connelly

ISBN# 9780316153614

Author’s Website:  https://www.michaelconnelly.com/

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

*Beware of possible spoilers*

Harry Bosch is on the case when he’s called out to a scene where a dead body is found in a drainpipe at the Mulholland Dam.  To everyone else it’s an obvious overdose by a former junkie, but to Harry it looks fishy.  And, Harry knew the victim in a former life.  Billy Meadows and Bosch were both tunnel rats in the Vietnam War.

As Harry starts looking deeper into Meadows’s life, he realizes that his murder is a cover-up.  Harry has internal affairs breathing down his neck and is forced to work with the FBI on this case.  And, when a witness is found dead shortly after Harry talks to him it becomes obvious that there is someone dirty on the inside.  Now he must try to solve this case without knowing who to trust.

I really have enjoyed Connelly’s Lincoln Lawyer series.  And, since I am currently caught up on it, I decided to check out Mickey’s half-brother, Harry.  Sadly, this book couldn’t be more different from the Lincoln Lawyer books.  It could just be that this was one of Connelly’s earlier books and is possibly less refined, but I found this book to be quite the clunker.  First off, there are no chapters, just parts, which were usually quite long.  Being a ‘just one more chapter’ type of reader it made things really drag.  And, I found the storyline itself to be rather drawn-out and dull.  It really didn’t keep my interest and became a chore to read.

I found the best character to be Sharkey, and I was so sad at what happened to him, and so early in the book too.

The romance in this book seemed sudden and forced.I was hoping to spend some time catching up with Harry while waiting for the next Lincoln Lawyer book, but sadly this book just wasn’t for me.  I find it unlikely for me to continue with this series.