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annevoi's review against another edition
4.0
Book three of the 23 books in the Harry Bosch series, done! I had read this one before, but I didn't remember the resolution, or really much of the plot—again, yay for a mind-like-a-sieve—which meant I could enjoy it all over again.
The story starts with a prologue in which Bosch shoots a man whom he believes to be the "Dollmaker," a serial killer of eleven women—so called because he garishly decorated his victims' faces with their own makeup, much of which is found in the man's bathroom. Seemingly clinching the case.
Chapter one, and the action of the book, begins four year later, as Bosch faces a civil trial, charged with wrongful death by the Dollmaker's widow. Bosch allegedly "cowboyed," neglecting to follow established LAPD procedure.
On the first day of the trial, a new body comes to light featuring the same MO as the serial killer's. Along with a note addressed personally to Bosch, as occurred in two of the earlier murders. How could that be? Did Harry make a mistake?
The story has the trial going on by day—with a prosecuting attorney who's sharp as a whip, the defending attorney less so—while Bosch, who apparently needs little sleep, ferrets out clues in his off hours. Eventually, with the assistance of a vice squad detective and a psychologist, he determines that there's a copycat, focused specifically on women in "porno" (sex videos)—and has been since even before the Dollmaker was killed. (I don't think that's too much of a spoiler. Of course Harry got the right guy at the start.)
I won't say any more, except that there's an awful lot of running after hunches (and suspects) in this story, on very little (if any) real evidence. But eventually Harry runs after the right hunch, and actual evidence even comes to light. And justice is served.
Connelly is a good writer—solid in what he does, which is police procedural (with a rogue element: Bosch), but also adept at evoking a particular place: L.A. I flagged a couple of passages that play to the latter strength. Here's one, the reference to riots having to do with the Rodney King incident of 1991:
"Los Angeles had changed in the last few years, but then there was nothing new about that. It was always changing and that was why he loved it. But riot and recession had left a particularly harsh mark on the landscape, the landscape of memory. Bosch believed he would never forget the pall of smoke that hung over the city like some kind of supersmog that could not be lifted by the evening winds. The TV pictures of burning buildings and looters unchecked by the police. It had been the department's darkest hour and it still had not recovered.
"And neither had the city. Many of the ills that led to such volcanic rage were still left untended. The city offered so much beauty and yet it offered so much danger and hate. It was a city of shaken confidence, living solely on its stores of hope. In Bosch's mind he saw the polarization of the haves and have-nots as a scene in which a ferry was leaving the dock. An overloaded ferry leaving an overloaded dock, with some people with a foot on the boat and a foot on the dock. The boat was pulling further away and it would only be so long before those in the middle would fall in. Meanwhile, the ferry was still too crowded and it would capsize at the first wave. Those left on the dock would certainly cheer this. They prayed for the wave."
The title of this book refers both to the new body that sets Bosch on the hunt for the copycat killer (she is buried under a slab of concrete) and to Lady Justice, who stands, in statue form, in front of the courthouse where Bosch's trial is taking place, and which he goes to stand near on his frequent cigarette breaks. She's made of concrete, and one of the characters imagines her as a blonde. And yes, this book is about justice. In so many ways.
Next up: The Last Coyote.
The story starts with a prologue in which Bosch shoots a man whom he believes to be the "Dollmaker," a serial killer of eleven women—so called because he garishly decorated his victims' faces with their own makeup, much of which is found in the man's bathroom. Seemingly clinching the case.
Chapter one, and the action of the book, begins four year later, as Bosch faces a civil trial, charged with wrongful death by the Dollmaker's widow. Bosch allegedly "cowboyed," neglecting to follow established LAPD procedure.
On the first day of the trial, a new body comes to light featuring the same MO as the serial killer's. Along with a note addressed personally to Bosch, as occurred in two of the earlier murders. How could that be? Did Harry make a mistake?
The story has the trial going on by day—with a prosecuting attorney who's sharp as a whip, the defending attorney less so—while Bosch, who apparently needs little sleep, ferrets out clues in his off hours. Eventually, with the assistance of a vice squad detective and a psychologist, he determines that there's a copycat, focused specifically on women in "porno" (sex videos)—and has been since even before the Dollmaker was killed. (I don't think that's too much of a spoiler. Of course Harry got the right guy at the start.)
I won't say any more, except that there's an awful lot of running after hunches (and suspects) in this story, on very little (if any) real evidence. But eventually Harry runs after the right hunch, and actual evidence even comes to light. And justice is served.
Connelly is a good writer—solid in what he does, which is police procedural (with a rogue element: Bosch), but also adept at evoking a particular place: L.A. I flagged a couple of passages that play to the latter strength. Here's one, the reference to riots having to do with the Rodney King incident of 1991:
"Los Angeles had changed in the last few years, but then there was nothing new about that. It was always changing and that was why he loved it. But riot and recession had left a particularly harsh mark on the landscape, the landscape of memory. Bosch believed he would never forget the pall of smoke that hung over the city like some kind of supersmog that could not be lifted by the evening winds. The TV pictures of burning buildings and looters unchecked by the police. It had been the department's darkest hour and it still had not recovered.
"And neither had the city. Many of the ills that led to such volcanic rage were still left untended. The city offered so much beauty and yet it offered so much danger and hate. It was a city of shaken confidence, living solely on its stores of hope. In Bosch's mind he saw the polarization of the haves and have-nots as a scene in which a ferry was leaving the dock. An overloaded ferry leaving an overloaded dock, with some people with a foot on the boat and a foot on the dock. The boat was pulling further away and it would only be so long before those in the middle would fall in. Meanwhile, the ferry was still too crowded and it would capsize at the first wave. Those left on the dock would certainly cheer this. They prayed for the wave."
The title of this book refers both to the new body that sets Bosch on the hunt for the copycat killer (she is buried under a slab of concrete) and to Lady Justice, who stands, in statue form, in front of the courthouse where Bosch's trial is taking place, and which he goes to stand near on his frequent cigarette breaks. She's made of concrete, and one of the characters imagines her as a blonde. And yes, this book is about justice. In so many ways.
Next up: The Last Coyote.
annhenry's review against another edition
4.0
I've read all the Lincoln Lawyer books and loved them so thought I would try Harry Bosch. Started with one in the middle and loved it. Started the Concrete Blonde and realized that the characters carried over from previous books so put it down and started from the beginning. The first two were long in the tooth and made me want to just skip to the end to find out who did it. But then picked this one back up to finish it and realized that with each book Connelly writes he gets better. I couldn't put this one down. Glad I went back and read the first two because it helped me understand this one a bit better. Now on to the rest of the series!
amz93's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
calipidder's review
4.0
I love a good mystery thriller but I'm not big into the 'copaganda' genre other than my man Harry Bosch. This was a solid well paced story that was nice to pick up in between chapters of some heavier stuff I'm reading. Published in 1995, it was also very of its time. There were some now cringey terms (like the constant reference to victims as "porno chicks"), mood and scenes taking place in the aftermath of the LA riots, and the fact that the whole ramp up to the climax wouldn't work if our characters just carried cell phones.
carolpk's review against another edition
4.0
It feels so good when a series continues to deliver. This, the third in the Michael Connelly/Harry Bosch books did not disappoint.
I loved how much more was revealed about the character, Bosch, this time round. He's 43, over 6 ft. with brown/gray hair and a mustache. The mustache surprised me. He continues to date Sylvia Moore, a dead detective's ex-wife from his last case. Bosch claims to love Sylvia but is having trouble sharing his deeper feelings with Sylvia and you wonder if this relationship can last. Sylvia's been here, done this before and wants more possibly than Bosch can give. You also find out more about Harry's childhood and his deceased mother which help to explain a bit about this man.
It's been four years since The Dollmaker killings, the case that lost Harry his prestigious position with the Robbery Homicide Division and dumped him in the Hollywood Division homicide chair. Bosch is being sued by the widow of Norman Church, the alleged serial killer of eleven women. Though evidence clearly pointed to Church, he was unarmed when Bosch, without backup, shot Church. At the opening of The Concrete Blonde a new victim with the made up face and other similarities to The Dollmaker is discovered and Bosch feels there is a follower. The hunt is on. This and the trial make for an interesting satisfying read.
The background of LA once again plays much into my enjoyment of the story. The details of Bosch's division and his co-workers continue to delight me. Pounds, Edgar, Hands Off, The Presidents, Lewis & Clarke are all on board. I love the small references to music, art, and books. The prosecutor, Honey Chandler is a strong character and a thorn in Bosch's side. The names of the prostitutes, those present and those killed by The Dollmaker are creative to say the least.
Fingers crossed for number four!
I loved how much more was revealed about the character, Bosch, this time round. He's 43, over 6 ft. with brown/gray hair and a mustache. The mustache surprised me. He continues to date Sylvia Moore, a dead detective's ex-wife from his last case. Bosch claims to love Sylvia but is having trouble sharing his deeper feelings with Sylvia and you wonder if this relationship can last. Sylvia's been here, done this before and wants more possibly than Bosch can give. You also find out more about Harry's childhood and his deceased mother which help to explain a bit about this man.
It's been four years since The Dollmaker killings, the case that lost Harry his prestigious position with the Robbery Homicide Division and dumped him in the Hollywood Division homicide chair. Bosch is being sued by the widow of Norman Church, the alleged serial killer of eleven women. Though evidence clearly pointed to Church, he was unarmed when Bosch, without backup, shot Church. At the opening of The Concrete Blonde a new victim with the made up face and other similarities to The Dollmaker is discovered and Bosch feels there is a follower. The hunt is on. This and the trial make for an interesting satisfying read.
The background of LA once again plays much into my enjoyment of the story. The details of Bosch's division and his co-workers continue to delight me. Pounds, Edgar, Hands Off, The Presidents, Lewis & Clarke are all on board. I love the small references to music, art, and books. The prosecutor, Honey Chandler is a strong character and a thorn in Bosch's side. The names of the prostitutes, those present and those killed by The Dollmaker are creative to say the least.
Fingers crossed for number four!
careydnelson's review against another edition
5.0
Now we add a dab of that good good courtroom drama. . .
pjroeder's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
ebokhyllami's review against another edition
5.0
Nok en veldig veldig god bok fra Connelly. Kjører på med nr 4 på øret "as we speak". Er kommet i god Bosch-flyt.
k_cavacini's review against another edition
5.0
Very simply, I love Michael Connelly's "Harry Bosch" novels. I just finished a collection of the first three novels, The Black Echo, The Black Ice and The Concrete Blonde and I thought all three were great. I've read the recent Harry Bosch novels and wanted to go back to the beginning to see where it all began. I wasn't disappointed.