Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsConsistently High Standard and Gripping Story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 November 2019
Connelly deserves his reputation as a writer of superior crime novels with only a few misses in a long line of books. And this book is most certainly one of his best which, makes it very good indeed.
First off it's obvious that Connelly is looking for life after Bosch. He has allowed Bosch to get old and suffer the inevitable ailments that age brings and I'm quite sure that this character will stop being written in line with age and fictional reality. But, clearly a replacement needs to be found and cleverly Connelly has introduced Ballard who is working with Bosch on the QT. This is like handing over a project or job at work to a new colleague when retiring. It means that we get used to a new character whilst still buying the Bosch books. My gut feeling is that there will be another one or two Bosch-Ballard combo's then it will be all Ballard from then on.
Anyway, it works well and allows a tangled web to be developed in an engaging way that never becomes too confusing but allows enough intrigue to keep you page turning.
As ever, the writing is faultless with superb pacing, great character development and a solid whodunit story.
Bosch is getting old and can't be allowed to be the young vigorous policeman running around because that would stretch credulity, thus Ballard fills that role.
Bosch is of course the better known fictional character and I'm quite sure that many of us have read all of the stories and thus are very familiar with him. This book builds upon that history in a logical way.
Ballard is new(ish) and Connelly is fleshing her out and adding depth to the character in a way that will inevitably lead her to becoming his major on-going story lead character. The development in this story works well and he has made her engaging and interesting.
Overall this is another winning book that I finished all too quickly.