The Black Ice by Michael Connelly (Bosch #2)

The Black Ice by Michael Connelly

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Jacket Blurb: Narcotics office Cal Moore's orders were to look into the city's latest drug killing. Instead, he ends up in a motel room with a fatal bullet wound to the head and a suicide note stuffed in his back pocket.

Working the case, LAPD detective Harry Bosch is reminded of the primal police rule he learned long ago: don't look for the facts, but the glue that holds them together.

Soon Harry's making some very dangerous connections, starting with a dead cop and leading to a bloody string of murders that wind from Hollywood Boulevard to the back alleys south of the border. Now this battle-scarred veteran will find himself in the center of a complex and deadly game - one in which he may be the next and likeliest victim.

I read this as an audio book, the narrator is Dick Hill - who also does the Wallander books.  The similarities between Kurt Wallander and Harry Bosch are cliched.  Shall I name the cliches?  I think I shall.


Slightly depressed cop/detective

Busted in rank/and or disciplined

Sleeps with the grieving widow

Sleeps with the hot coroner

Disregards authority

Authority doesn't know their ass from their head so it's okay to disregard them

Does things his own way because authority doesn't know their ass from their head

Keeps secrets

And surprise! Pisses everyone off and yet...is always right.


I think I nailed them all. 


Now that I have that off my chest, this was a moderately interesting mystery that bounced between LA and Mexico.  This wasn't so much about the drug trade as the title implies, but crooked cops and drug lords.  There was one OMG! moment that I can't talk about, but relates to the rest of the series.  Now that was cool.  But I can't talk about it.   Unfortunately, one OMG moment cannot carry a plot, and the cliches were rolled out like the actors at a Hollywood red carpet event. 

Despite my complaints with book two, I will read (via audio book) the next in line.  I have an objective here that relates to the OMG! moment, but which I cannot speak of.  Oddly, the mystery that really isn't is what is keeping my attention in this series so far. 

So, recommended with reservations.





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