Trunk Music by Michael ConnellyMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Jacket Blurb: When B-grade L.A. movie producer Tony Aliso is found stuffed into the trunk of his Rolls Royce, all signs point to "trunk music" --a mob hit. Detective Harry Bosch, just back from an "involuntary stress leave," is not so sure. And when he finds the money trail, he follows it…all the way to Vegas.
Seems this Tony had his share of enemies, and in no time, so does Harry: Vegas thugs, LAPD's organized crime unit, a smarmy internal affairs investigator and, of course, Tony's killers. Everyone wants a piece of Harry. And somehow, they've found just the way to get it. . .
Turns out that just before his death, Tony was seen at a Vegas poker table with one Eleanor Wish?ex-FBI agent, ex-convict . . . and ex-love of Harry's life. Now it's time for Harry to keep his cards close to the table--and his enemies even closer before it's time to face the TRUNK MUSIC
Read as an audiobook; narrator is Dick Hill.
Detective Harry Bosch is back on the homicide table after his suspension and mandatory therapy sessions (for anger issues) from Last Coyote (#4). He has now been assigned two partners due to a departmental restructuring, and has rebuilt his house on the hill from the earthquake that condemned the original. Bosch is sans girlfriend, with Florida Artist-Chick having parted ways due to distance (or so we're eventually told) and Teacher-Gal off in Italy.
I'm going to be blunt. Harry is still an ass. Not as bad as my rant from Last Coyote, but he still seems determined to alienate everyone around him with boorish behavior, quick to anger temper, and refusal to work as a team. I get the whole "lone cop" thing, but the departmental homicide team setting seems at odds with facilitating this type of character. Harry just opens his mouth and he's growling, shouting, alienating or offending someone, which makes me wonder how in the hell anyone can think he's god's gift to the department or why they should support him.
I also find it incredibly tedious that yet once again, not hardly back on the job a week, Harry's being investigated for planting evidence. I can understand creating hardship for the main character, but this feels like a rehashing of past plots. And this is accompanied by more posturing, swearing, bullying and anger issues.
Despite the annoying character faults, the plot was interesting and tangled enough to keep me engaged. So mixed review - character needs an attitude adjustment, plots are intriguing. Recommended with reservations.
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