This is the 15th and most recent Harry Bosch novel, and it was written in 2011. Harry and his partner David Chu are working in the Open-Unsolved Unit which goes after convictions on cold cases based on new DNA hits. Their new case is about the death of Lily Price who was 19 years old when she was snatched off the street in Venice, California, raped, tortured, and murdered in 1989. But the blood from the scene, which had always been thought to be that of the killer is newly linked to a man who was only 8 years old at the time of the killing. Did the detectives at the time screw up the evidence? Did the lab contaminate something? No. The blood did belong to young Clayton Pell who was in the government’s data base because, as an adult man, he had become a convicted child molester, a predator himself. At the time of the murder 22 years before, Pell was being physically and sexually abused by a man known only as Chill. The same belt that Chill used to strangle Lily was the same one that he had used to whip Pell. Of course it took a while for Bosch and Chu to figure it out. Bosch does not trust or approve of Chu, so these partners are on the rocks with each other throughout the book. Chill turns out to be a serial-killing monster. The whole matter is complicated by the involvement of Irvin Irving and his son George. Irvin, on the city counsel, has long been an enemy of the LAPD and has been influential in forcing through budget cuts. His son, a former cop and lawyer, was an influence peddler, mostly selling his dad’s influence. Connelly expertly intertwines those story lines. “The Drop” is a double entendre. On the one hand, it refers to the LAPD’s Deferred Retirement Option Plan which might allow Harry to continue in his role as LAPD’s best detective for an extra five years. On the other hand, it refers to George Irvin’s “drop” from the 7th story of the Chateau Marmont. The senior Irving, despite his negative past with Bosch, insists that Bosch be the lead detective on the case in order to prove that his son had not committed suicide, but Harry learns a lot more than what the old man wanted him to find. There are some good minor subplots with excellent characters, including Harry’s smart 15-year-old daughter and Pell’s therapist, a possible but damaged love interest for Harry. This was a very good book, a very fast read. It gets my strong recommendation.
Totally agree with you assessment WCD and was particularly pleased to see Harry's philosophy of life revealed. "Everybody counts or nobody counts. It was his code as a man. But it was never spoken. It was only followed." Great stuff!
ReplyDeleteJust when you think Connelly is running out of story lines for the aging Harry Bosch character, he surprises you with a winner and gives us hope of more to come. Perhaps even with his daughter who begins to show her interest in police work.
This may be a first. All 3 of us have read the same book. I also thought this was first rate. While other authors might let readers down now and then, Connelly just seems to just keep on delivering. Hope Dr. Stone remains in the picture and Maddie continues on in her dad's footsteps.
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