05 March 2009

Book Banter -- The Black Echo

Title: The Black Echo (Harry Bosch, bk. 1)
Author: Michael Connelly
Length: ~400 pages
Genre: Mystery
Plot Basics: LAPD Detective Harry Bosch gets a call on a weekend afternoon about a dead body in a drainage tunnel. The police believe that the man OD'ed, but Bosch recognizes the man from serving with him in Vietnam and thinks the case is really a murder. The case takes Bosch deep into his past as a 'tunnel rat' during the war and helps the city and FBI solve an bank heist.
Banter Points: Word Nerd picked up the first of the Harry Bosch novels because Connelly is going to be the guest at Bouchercon this fall, which she is really hoping to attend. She thought it was a good idea to read some of his stuff before then. This was a good idea too because it was a good book. Bosch is the classic loner detective character, but Connelly does this well and makes Bosch likeable (sort of) despite his attitude.
Bummer Points: Word Nerd is looking at a long back list to get through all of the Harry Bosch novels.
Word Nerd Recommendation: Mystery fans, this is a well-known series in the genre that's worth exploring at least a little bit. Non-mystery fans, this is a pretty good heist story.

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