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A review by joyfilledwander
The Last Coyote by Michael Connelly
4.0
This book was read as part of my Around the World in 80 Books reading challenge for 2016.
I love a good series with a strong recurring character. Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch has been that series for me for many years. For as long as I’ve been reading the Bosch series [which just released book #20 in 2015!], I’m embarrassed to admit that I failed the true fan test. I neglected the early books and jumped right into his story when it started picking up momentum. [[book:The Poet|32506] is where I began. So. Good.] Having realized my error, I immediately began devouring Harry’s early days as a detective, reading books 1 - 3 last year, and book 4, The Last Coyote, this year for my USA book.
While some may argue that a crime novel hardly counts as great international literature, you may want to stop following my blog right now, because I’m gonna read a lot of crime fiction this year, set in all kinds of places. I love how Connelly writes places as well as people. I can always visualize LA when he describe the traffic, the view from Harry’s home, the buildings and the life the city brings. This book had the bonus of some time spent in central Florida, my [Connelly’s] old stomping ground! 813 represent. Good books and good characters pull you in and paint pictures in your mind. Harry and his LA do just that for me.
This story is a cold case of sorts, as Harry finds himself on Involuntary Stress Leave [after many stressful incidents in the previous books], and quasi-homeless as a recent earthquake has threatened his cliffside dream home. Harry finds himself with free time, and not being one to ever take a vacation or simply relax, Harry decides to begin investigating his mother’s murder, which is almost 30 years old. This case reveals aspects of his mother’s, and by default, his own life that he wasn’t expecting to confront and demons he wasn’t expecting to battle. It’s a good story with a good resolution, but I think I really just enjoy more background on a character I’ve grown to know and love. This case, especially Harry’s mother, are such huge pieces of his life and motivation. His own life mantra “Everyone counts or nobody counts”, can be traced back even to her. I’m glad I read this book because I know Harry Bosch a little more and I think we’re going to be together for quite awhile.
I love a good series with a strong recurring character. Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch has been that series for me for many years. For as long as I’ve been reading the Bosch series [which just released book #20 in 2015!], I’m embarrassed to admit that I failed the true fan test. I neglected the early books and jumped right into his story when it started picking up momentum. [[book:The Poet|32506] is where I began. So. Good.] Having realized my error, I immediately began devouring Harry’s early days as a detective, reading books 1 - 3 last year, and book 4, The Last Coyote, this year for my USA book.
While some may argue that a crime novel hardly counts as great international literature, you may want to stop following my blog right now, because I’m gonna read a lot of crime fiction this year, set in all kinds of places. I love how Connelly writes places as well as people. I can always visualize LA when he describe the traffic, the view from Harry’s home, the buildings and the life the city brings. This book had the bonus of some time spent in central Florida, my [Connelly’s] old stomping ground! 813 represent. Good books and good characters pull you in and paint pictures in your mind. Harry and his LA do just that for me.
This story is a cold case of sorts, as Harry finds himself on Involuntary Stress Leave [after many stressful incidents in the previous books], and quasi-homeless as a recent earthquake has threatened his cliffside dream home. Harry finds himself with free time, and not being one to ever take a vacation or simply relax, Harry decides to begin investigating his mother’s murder, which is almost 30 years old. This case reveals aspects of his mother’s, and by default, his own life that he wasn’t expecting to confront and demons he wasn’t expecting to battle. It’s a good story with a good resolution, but I think I really just enjoy more background on a character I’ve grown to know and love. This case, especially Harry’s mother, are such huge pieces of his life and motivation. His own life mantra “Everyone counts or nobody counts”, can be traced back even to her. I’m glad I read this book because I know Harry Bosch a little more and I think we’re going to be together for quite awhile.