Warner Books, February 2006

Reviewed by Barbara Fielding

 

Harry Bosch has come out of a three-year retirement to join the Open-Unsolved Case Unit of the Los Angeles Police Department. Since Harry is good at cracking murder cases, the new police chief assigns him to the revamped cold case squad, teaming him up with his old partner Kizmin Rider.

 

Their first assignment is to investigate the death of a sixteen year old victim, Rebecca Verloren, killed in 1988. Her body was found in the canyon behind her home and made to look like she committed suicide. The gun used to take her life has recently been rechecked for DNA evidence that was not available when the case was originally investigated. The weapon is known for clipping the skin on the user when held in a two handed position and forensics finds a tissue match to Roland Mackay. He's an ex-con who still lives and works in the area as a tow truck driver. As Bosch and Rider follow the trial of the old investigation they uncover some inconsistencies in the original investigation that are linked to Bosch's old nemesis in the department, Deputy Chief Irvin Irving. Their new discoveries are creating some uncomfortable ripples for certain people, something Bosch has a knack for. The case unexpectedly falls apart, leaving Bosch and Rider with twenty-four hours to pull it back together and discover who the killer really is.

 

THE CLOSERS is the eleventh installment in the popular Harry Bosch series. Even though it has been at the top of the bestseller list this is not my favorite novel by Mike Connelly. The crime Harry is assigned to solve is reminiscent of a few real life unsolved cases and the drama rings true. The tone of this tale is dark and depressing and the discovery of the killer rings hollow in the wake of the disaster that follows when the truth unfolds. The suspense is tight and well written but Harry doesn't seem to have anything going on in his life that lifts the story out of this dark place or counterbalances the tragic nature of his work. Still, no one writes crime dramas equal to Michael Connelly. He has earned his place at the top of the bestseller list.

 

March 2006