Michael Connelly
Little, Brown and Company, 2009
My Rating: A
Whew! I have just come from the most exciting Adventure. My mind is still racing from the excitement of it all. Hanging out with police detectives is not my normal daily activity so, let me catch my breath, and I’ll tell you about it.
I spent a long weekend with Harry Bosch who is a star detective for the LAPD. I was right there with Harry as he investigated the murder of a Chinese American store owner.
Harry is a very smart cop who will absolutely never quit. The hours he puts in are staggering. But then, on this case, there are very few clues. Harry pushes and pushes until he finds a few things. He also finds himself (and me) in the dangerous world of the Triads, a Chinese underground crime system that exists both in China and the United States.
As is normal, Harry has a few problems. For one, I could tell that his partner wasn’t carrying his share of the load. The guy wants to stay in the office all the time. He’s a cop, for goodness sake. He needs to get out. Also, there is a leak in the department that Harry can’t quite pin down. I have my suspicions.
The worst problem however, occurs when Harry receives a cell phone video. It’s a video of his daughter who’s been kidnapped in Hong Kong, presumably by someone in the Triad. It’s a parent’s worst nightmare. Harry feels guilty because all of this is tied to his job.
I could go on for the rest of the day telling you about this Adventure but I don’t want to spoil it for you. I think you should take the Adventure yourself. Here are a couple of reasons: You have to spend time with Harry. He is really smart, has tons of intuition and is a genuinely nice guy. I learned so much about police procedure and found it riveting. And then, you have to take this fast paced tour through LA and Hong Kong. You will see places not available to tourists, nor actually desired by tourists. It wasn’t a violent trip but it was action packed and sometimes gritty.
By the end of this Adventure I was somewhat surprised. I had a hunch about part of the mystery, but I wasn’t sure. That’s why I had to stay with it until the very end. Great people, real places to see, a thought provoking mystery, and a chance to learn how real detectives work, made this one of the best Adventures of the year.
And now a video of the guy who took me on this great Adventure. (For information about Michael Connelly, visit his website HERE.
Nine Dragons is available at Amazon.
Wow, what a rousing endorsement! Sounds like I have to get a copy of this book! I just finished a mystery story that could have put anybody to sleep, so this sounds like just the anecdote!
I was sure this was going to be one of those dual posts with you and Jay where he loved it and you hated it. I am even more interested in the fact that you liked a book about killing and violence.
I love this review! Nicely done, Margot. I have this series on my list, but in order, of course. It might be awhile before I get to this one
This was my first Michael Connelly book and after I read it I wondered why I’d waited so long! I loved it.
Dave is a long-time fan of Harry Bosch, but I’ve only read one of the series, so far. Sounds like I really need to add this one to the TBR list. We both enjoy books that teach you something while you’re enjoying the adventure. This will definitely be a joint-reading pick for us.
My husband and I love Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch books! This one sounds great – I’ll have to add it to my husband’s Christmas list! Thanks for the review-
Sue
I absolutely will be reading this one for sure!! I just recently discovered Connelly and loved The Scarecrow. Awesome review!!!!!