The Crossing by Michael ConnellyMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Jacket Blurb: Six months ago, Harry Bosch left the LAPD before they could fire him, and then hired maverick Defense Attorney Mickey Haller to sue the department for forcing him out. Although it wasn't the way he wanted to go, Harry has to admit that being out of the game has its benefits. Until Mickey asks him to help on one of his cases, and suddenly Harry is back where he belongs, right in the centre of a particularly puzzling murder mystery. The difference is, this time Harry is working for the defense, aiming to prevent the accused, Leland Foster, from being convicted. And not only does the prosecution seem to have a cast-iron case, but having crossed over to 'the dark side' as his former colleagues would put it, Harry is in danger of betraying the very principles he's lived by his whole career.
Read as an audio book.
Overall, I enjoyed this latest installment for multiple reasons - it's a joint book between Micky Haller and Harry, though the story is predominantly Harry's. Harry is off the LAPD so he's no longer fighting "the system". He can't "go rouge" because there is nothing to "go rouge" against. He no longer has a partner to demean or to try and mentor. There is no one to hold to the same extremely high and unattainable standards he holds himself to. There is a mystery to solve and once Bosch wraps his head around the concept that an innocent man might be in jail, then the story starts to unfold.
However! As much as I enjoyed this one, it left me with a few qualms:
The impression that all cops are black and white - the bad guy is in jail, ergo murder is solved, end of story, door is closed, let's all move on. THIS the reason why we have defense attorneys. Thank heavens our system allows for someone to stand up and defend the accused. Thus the whole "innocent until proven guilty", not "guilty until proven innocent".
Bosch's daughter, Maddie, age 17/18, is also brooking no room for error in Bosch's reasoning why he's taking on Mickey's case ala Crossing the Aisle or whatever the term was. Her anger at Bosch, even after he explains the accused might be innocent, is unreasonable and unjustified. In all honesty, I just don't care for Maddie.
Ironically, this was the second book I read in a week that had crooked cops. First book left me extremely uncomfortable and I had to skim. This one wasn't as bad, but I was still very disturbed at the depth of the corruption. Yes, I know it happens, but what with current climate against cops on the news, it added a new level of discomfort to the story. I still have to believe in the overall inherent belief of "protect and serve".
And I was a bit disappointed in the second "climatic" ending - I saw what was coming chapters ahead and I would have preferred something unconventional, surprising, different. Still, everything was wrapped up with a bright shiny bow and that works too.
Recommended if you've read the previous nineteen books.
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