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The Crossing

March 1, 2016
Michael Connelly

Reviewed by Dennis Bianchi

 

Each time Michael Connelly releases a new crime novel, I begin believing that he is going to retire his protagonist of many years, Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch.  I’m still waiting, although with this new novel Bosh has finally retired from the Los Angeles Police Department.  Readers of Mr. Connelly know that, a few years ago, a new character appeared, Bosch’s half-brother, the Lincoln Lawyer, Mickey Haller.  What could be more natural than for the two men to go into business with each other?  It turns out, there is one major problem.  Harry’s conscience won’t let him cross to the side of the defense in any criminal trial, and particularly, a homicide.  But Mickey has a very difficult case that he feels strongly about and appeals to Harry to help him out, to cross-over the aisle.  Harry can’t stop worrying about how helping a suspect under arrest will undo his previous thirty years of tracking down and arresting homicide suspects. 

It takes Mickey more than a couple of attempts to get Harry to read the “murder book” of the investigation, but after reading it Harry gives in and joins his brother in trying to demonstrate that the police have arrested and innocent man. 

The plot has a few twists that make the suspect very interesting.  In addition, Harry’s investigation points to a suspect within the Los Angeles Police Department, who also happens to be tracking Harry. On the other hand, I just had the feeling the author is running out of steam with Harry Bosch.  Or, perhaps, because Bosch no longer has the authority attached to active Los Angeles Police detectives, and must resort to new methods of detection, he has lost some spirit or glamor.

Buyer Beware: The e-reader version is deceptive.  The book is short, and 50% is absorbed by an older Connelly book, The Brass Verdict.  That book was published in 2008 and the author first presented the information that Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller are half-brothers.  That being said, Mr. Connelly can still write a good detective story.