Julie's Review: The Overlook

Summary: Bestseller Connelly's dazzling 13th Harry Bosch novel (after 2006's Echo Park) reunites Bosch with his former flame, FBI agent Rachel Walling. Bosch must break in a new partner, rookie Iggy Ferras, when they're called to look into the execution of physicist Stanley Kent on a Mulholland Drive overlook. When a special FBI unit, headed by Walling, arrives and tries to usurp his case, claiming it's a matter of national security, Bosch refuses to back down. Walling's focus on the potential theft of radioactive material from the hospital where Kent was lending his expertise to cancer treatment and her unwillingness to share information only make Bosch more determined to solve the case. This is a quick read, almost half the length of Connelly's previous novels, but he spares no punches when it comes to complexity and suspense. The scramble to investigate threats to national security, justified or otherwise, is a timely subject and one on which Connelly puts a brilliant new spin.

Review: This is my 3rd Michael Connelly book upon discovering him via my dad and I have to say I'm glad he turned me on to him since he weaves a good story together. In The Overlook (Harry Bosch), he takes current events and murder to create an interesting plot. It also makes you think "What if?" and also "When" which I think pretty darn scary.

Harry Bosch is a Detective for the LAPD and is quite the interesting character. He's a throw back to old school police work, doesn't know how to work a Blackberry and certainly doesn't trust or like the FBI which at times makes his job more difficult. He approaches this case as any other, it's a straight homocide, but then it becomes must bigger quickly and he must try to work with the FBI again. He's got a new partner who's not quite sure of Harry's methods (none that questionable IMHO) of solving the case. I like Harry's no nonsense way of trying to solve cases and his approach to life. The case has a good twist that I should have seen coming but didn't. You would think I would have figured it out because of all the crime/mystery books and tv shows I've absorbed over the years.

Now this is the 13th book with Harry Bosch as the main character and yet I don't feel that you need to read all of them to get who he is and his background. I read Echo Park (Harry Bosch) last year and didn't feel lost at all having not read the previous books.

Overall the book was solid and interesting but it wasn't fantastic. It did seem a little to easy to wrap up, but given the research that went into the book and the fresh topic, I'll give it a bit higher rating. If you want to read Michael Connelly though, I recommend starting with Echo Park (Harry Bosch), I feel it's a stronger story.

Final Take: 4/5