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Government's first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives.
— Ronald Reagan |
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Book Review: Last Coyote by Michael Connelly
Posted on Wednesday 30 October @ 07:25:30
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Every week (or thereabout) HGLEE.COM will review a book or film. Each work will have a brief review and a quick link to Amazon, should you decide to pick up a copy for yourself. This week's selection: Michael Connelly's The Last Coyote.
Hard-boiled detective fiction lives!Michael Connelly has dusted off an increasingly rare gemstone in the crown jewels of American literature: the hard-boiled detective. Present in Connelly's pithy and believable prose is all of the wit and grit of Hammett, MacDonald, Stout, and Spillane. What he's brought us in Harry Bosch is a cop's cop. Bosch, an LAPD homicide detective, is a real-life hero for whom the principled drive to see justice done allows him to deal with the treacherous world of Los Angeles politics and some even more treacherous politicians (some of whom masquerade as police officials).
While The Last Coyote is the fourth Bosch novel, the plot and characters are so artfully developed that this novel could stand alone as a complete work. At the same time, the writing is so compelling and captivating that it is a real pleasure to know that Bosch is a recurring character in Connelly's body of work. Although this is my first Connelly story, I am officially an addict, and I cannot wait to devour the rest of the titles in the Bosch series.
The Last Coyote opens with Bosch under suspension for assaulting his Commanding Officer, Harvey "98" Pounds. With his newfound freedom comes a mandatory psychiatric evaluation to determine his fitness as a police officer. The ensuing therapy sessions force Bosch to take a hard look at his options, should he later be kicked off the force for the assault on his CO.
Faced with his ever-present personal demons, his suspension, and time on his hands, Bosch begins to investigate perhaps his greatest mystery: the unsolved 1961 murder of his call-girl mother. Though cautioned by his therapist that solving this mystery may remove his motivation to be a detective, Bosch dives into a mystery (and his personal story) that exposes the seedy underside of Los Angeles political corruption. The ride is taut, human, and utterly engrossing, and we are at once deeply satisfied and virtually winded when the dust settles.
My introduction to Harry Bosch was one of those rare joys: a gifted writer spinning a fascinating tale with grace and skill. The only thing more enjoyable to me was the principled drive of the protagonist to get at the facts, despite the potential costs—to himself, his career, and his department. Bosch's belief that the truth shall set you free is more than a mere bromide. While this freedom may not always bring redemption, it certainly allows him (and us) to sleep at night.
See my review of: Chasing the Dime by Michael Connelly.
Purchase:
See all HGLEE.COM reviews.
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