The Black Echo: A Novel

Michael Connelly

Jan 2002 · Sold by Little, Brown

About this ebook

An LAPD homicide detective must choose between justice and vengeance as he teams up with the FBI in this "thrilling" novel filled with mystery and adventure (New York Times Book Review).
For maverick LAPD homicide detective Harry Bosch, the body in the drainpipe at Mulholland Dam is more than another anonymous statistic. This one is personal . . . because the murdered man was a fellow Vietnam "tunnel rat" who had fought side by side with him in a hellish underground war. Now Bosch is about to relive the horror of Nam. From a dangerous maze of blind alleys to a daring criminal heist beneath the city, his survival instincts will once again be tested to their limit. Pitted against enemies inside his own department and forced to make the agonizing choice between justice and vengeance, Bosch goes on the hunt for a killer whose true face will shock him.

Ratings and reviews

Very engaging and fast-paced mystery, thriller, whodunit. Had a tough time picturing Harry Bosch as a homicide beat cop; wonder if later books in the series have him in private practice. The plot is unfolded with the protagonist along with the reader; I prefer this type of delivery rather than knowing before the characters. Too bad the leading lady was bogus because I liked her interaction with Harry. Hopefully he gets a keeper later.

So this was my dive into the first Harry Bosch book in the series. It was a ride worth taking. I can also see where Michael Connelly was getting his footing on writing with this first entry. I'm not saying it was bad, but the speed at which things take place is sluggish at times. I absolutely love (so far - finishing book 3) the Lincoln Lawyer books. Those books are so entertaining and engaging. With the intro of HB in TLL #2, I had to start off my journey into the HB series. I wasn't disappointed and I'll continue reading the series. The twists and turns/who-done-its were high in this book. The relationship between Harry and Eleanor was all over the place. From bitchy, to flirty, to romantic...And beyond, it was a cool story to read through. Bosch is introduced with a bad reputation already looming over him, I feel frustrated for him and what he has to endure. I got upset at some of the writing...and that's when I knew the book was good. Any engagement with the reader is a great sign.

I got this book as part of Audible summer collection and got to listen to it recently. The story was fast faced and even though was quite predictable, it was entertaining and maintained the readers attention. I am definitely look forward to the next book in this series

About the author

Michael Connelly is the author of twenty-eight previous novels, including #1 New York Times bestsellers The Crossing and The Burning Room.  His books, which include the Harry Bosch series and Lincoln Lawyer series, have sold more than sixty million copies worldwide.  Connelly is a former newspaper reporter who has won numerous awards for his journalism and his novels and is the executive producer of Bosch, starring Titus Welliver.  He spends his time in California and Florida.