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A review by carolpk
Trunk Music by Michael Connelly
3.0
What might not have caught the attention of someone not receptive to music, caught Bosch's ear. It's these details that keep me coming back to this series. Take this first sentence. I can see and I can hear and I'm hooked.
"AS HE DROVE along Mulholland Drive toward the Cahuenga Pass, Bosch began to hear the music. It came to him in fragments of strings and errant horn sequences, echoing off the brown summer-dried hills and blurred by the white noise of traffic carrying up from the Hollywood Freeway. Nothing he could identify. All he knew was that he was heading toward its source."
The source though pleasant to listen too is not the reason Bosch is on scene. The property is L.A.F.D. Fire Control. Bosch parks his Caprice and has to walk the fire road towards the crime and the music. What's he hearing? "Sheherazade" is being played by The L.A. Philharmonic at The Hollywood Bowl. Crime scene - White Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, one white male in the trunk, dead from gunshots. And so begins another case.
Eleanor Wish, the FBI agent sent to prison in "The Black Echo" shows up again in this book. I'm glad to see her as I like her character and she does seem a good match for Bosch.
Lots of the old gang are on hand but a few new characters are introduced. My favorite is Detective Kizmin 'Kiz' Rider. Smart, young, up and comer, she is certain to challenge the mostly male department. Bosch can see her potential. Bureau Commander Lieutenant Grace Billets is Bosch's direct supervisor this go round and she is an excellent edition to the cast.
I've got to read carefully and make notes or I soon forget small points of detail. I almost overlooked a quick statement by Bosch that he dislikes cats. Bosch remembers Lawyers, Guns and Money by Warren Zevon as "an anthem among the uniforms back when he had worked patrol.". He mentions some restaurant that I wanted to look up to see if it's a real place. Can't find it now. I'll pay better attention next time .
The more I learn about Bosch, the more I'm curious about the author. There's lots of interviews with Connelly and just like with Bosch, you've got to dig a bit to find out what you want to know. In one interview Connelly mentions that Bosch continues to be an interesting character to write and that he continues to learn things about him. He looks at a scenario and thinks "What would Harry do?" I imagine the series will continue to entertain as long as Connelly can keep this interest. Connelly also mentions that the truth of some real cases won't translate well to his fiction as his readers would never believe what really happened. Still, many are based on a real life case. He's hopeful for LA but feels it's beautiful place "but it can't get itself together". Both Bosch and Connelly are fascinating men.
It's difficult not to judge each of the series against each other consequently my 3 star rating. Don't let this put you off. I liked the story but it is not my favorite thus far. I'm definitely in for number six.
"AS HE DROVE along Mulholland Drive toward the Cahuenga Pass, Bosch began to hear the music. It came to him in fragments of strings and errant horn sequences, echoing off the brown summer-dried hills and blurred by the white noise of traffic carrying up from the Hollywood Freeway. Nothing he could identify. All he knew was that he was heading toward its source."
The source though pleasant to listen too is not the reason Bosch is on scene. The property is L.A.F.D. Fire Control. Bosch parks his Caprice and has to walk the fire road towards the crime and the music. What's he hearing? "Sheherazade" is being played by The L.A. Philharmonic at The Hollywood Bowl. Crime scene - White Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, one white male in the trunk, dead from gunshots. And so begins another case.
Eleanor Wish, the FBI agent sent to prison in "The Black Echo" shows up again in this book. I'm glad to see her as I like her character and she does seem a good match for Bosch.
Lots of the old gang are on hand but a few new characters are introduced. My favorite is Detective Kizmin 'Kiz' Rider. Smart, young, up and comer, she is certain to challenge the mostly male department. Bosch can see her potential. Bureau Commander Lieutenant Grace Billets is Bosch's direct supervisor this go round and she is an excellent edition to the cast.
I've got to read carefully and make notes or I soon forget small points of detail. I almost overlooked a quick statement by Bosch that he dislikes cats. Bosch remembers Lawyers, Guns and Money by Warren Zevon as "an anthem among the uniforms back when he had worked patrol.". He mentions some restaurant that I wanted to look up to see if it's a real place. Can't find it now. I'll pay better attention next time .
The more I learn about Bosch, the more I'm curious about the author. There's lots of interviews with Connelly and just like with Bosch, you've got to dig a bit to find out what you want to know. In one interview Connelly mentions that Bosch continues to be an interesting character to write and that he continues to learn things about him. He looks at a scenario and thinks "What would Harry do?" I imagine the series will continue to entertain as long as Connelly can keep this interest. Connelly also mentions that the truth of some real cases won't translate well to his fiction as his readers would never believe what really happened. Still, many are based on a real life case. He's hopeful for LA but feels it's beautiful place "but it can't get itself together". Both Bosch and Connelly are fascinating men.
It's difficult not to judge each of the series against each other consequently my 3 star rating. Don't let this put you off. I liked the story but it is not my favorite thus far. I'm definitely in for number six.