Echo Park (Harry Bosch, #12)

by Michael Connelly

book data

3,518 ratings, 3.80 average rating, 303 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		19%
4		44%
3		33%
2		2%
1		0%

edit

published

2006 by Warner Books

details

Paperback

characters

Harry Bosch, Rachel Walling

literary awards

Los Angeles Times Book Prize (2006)

isbn

0446698806 (isbn13: 9780446698801)

description

Detective Harry Bosch reopens one of his own unsolved cases and comes face to face with a psychotic killer he has been seeking for 11 years. When Bosc…more

find at: Amazon • WorldCat • more options…

There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!

new topic
discuss this book

topics	posts	views	last activity
GR-101: Book Appr...: Title Chain	342	8	52 minutes ago
The Next Best Boo...: The Title Game	8318	8146	8 hours, 33 min ago

friend reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

lists with this book

This book is currently not featured on any Listopia lists. Add this book to your favorite list »

other reviews (showing 1-20 of 4,445)

sort: default (?) | date
filters: all | text-only

Aug 13, 2007

LJ rated it:

(review of isbn 0316734950)

bookshelves: contemporary_post_1945, mystery, police_procedural, so_cal_la

Read in November, 2006

ECHO PARK (Police Procedural-Los Angeles-Cont) – G+
Connolly, Michael – 17th book
Little Brown, 2006- Hardcover
***Back from retirement, Detective Harry Bosch is still haunted by the kidnap and disappearance of Marie Gesto from 1993. Now serial killer Raynard Waits is willing to lead police to Marie’s grave as part of a plea bargain ensuring he will not receive the death penalty. When Waits escapes during the outing and the tape filming the event is obviously doctored, Har...more

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

add a comment

Dec 26, 2007

Nena rated it:

(review of isbn 0316734950)

This is my second Michael Connelly / Harry Bosch audiobook. This one is not as fast paced as the Concrete Blonde, but the plot is still just as intriguing. The one thing that bothers me is that the narrator on this one (different from the Concrete Blonde) sounds like he had a cold which was very distracting to the story. I felt like blowing his nose every chapter or so. I also agree with the other person who is complaining about men doing women's voices. It is annoying. Why not just hire a w...more

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

add a comment

Nov 23, 2009

J rated it:

(review of isbn 0316734950)

Read in October, 2009

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Oct 26, 2009

Nancy (Hrdcovers) rated it:

(review of isbn 0316734950)

Read in October, 2009

REPERCUSSION IN ECHO PARK

In my quest to get all caught up with the Harry Bosch series, I just finished book #12, Echo Park. I'm trying to get caught up so I can read the latest, Nine Dragons, which just came out this month. There's only one book standing between me and the dragons and that's The Overlook, which I hope to read shortly. With Echo Park now under my belt, this puts the grand total of Michael Connelly books read by me at 18. This means that I've read more books by this au...more REPERCUSSION IN ECHO PARK

In my quest to get all caught up with the Harry Bosch series, I just finished book #12, Echo Park. I'm trying to get caught up so I can read the latest, Nine Dragons, which just came out this month. There's only one book standing between me and the dragons and that's The Overlook, which I hope to read shortly. With Echo Park now under my belt, this puts the grand total of Michael Connelly books read by me at 18. This means that I've read more books by this author than any other author. Guess it's safe to say he's one of my favorites.

This is the second book that finds Harry working in LA's Open Unsolved Unit trying to close those "cold cases"...some of which have haunted him for years. This is really the perfect job for Harry Bosch as he considers himself a true detective...."one who takes it all inside and cares." In his world, "everybody counts or nobody counts." Whether the victim is a prostitute or a millionaire, they are all the same to Harry. This philosophy most likely dates back to Harry's own mother who was murdered while he was a young boy and her means of support was none other than prostitution. Harry would probably be a dream patient on a psychiatrist's couch, especially since he was able to make something out of his life after a very poor beginning. Connelly describes LA as a "sunny place with shady characters" and this statement really sets the tone for this book.

The Echo Park case is one Harry has been trying to close for many years. The victim, Marie Gesto, has never been found and Harry is presented with a deal whereby he will be led to her burial ground if only he will fall into play with the LA politico. Fans of Harry will know that he is not easily led down someone's else's path and, in this case, he will fight tooth and nail to stand his ground. Harry's partner, Kiz Rider, will be right by his side as he interrogates the so-called killer and the two of him will go on the field trip together, with the killer, to find Marie's body. This field trip is not your usual junior high trip to the zoo. It's a trip into the dark side from which some never return.

As with all of Connelly's books, I thought this one was well thought out. Connelly has a way of allowing the reader to enter Harry's mind and come up with some of the clues at the same time as he does. I did pick up one or two a little earlier than Harry did but I'm sure Connelly wanted it that way. I have to say that I have enjoyed reading these last few books in the Harry Bosch series back to back. When I finish these, I might just do this with one of the other series of which I find myself in the middle.

So now it's on to The Overlook. Just wait for me "Dragons".....I'm almost there. (less)

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Mar 16, 2009

Dlora rated it:

(review of isbn 0316734950)

bookshelves: suspense-thriller

Read in March, 2009

I was expecting this book to be more like his other book The Poet, which seemed more intense. Echo Park was more a hard-boiled detective type novel. In fact, the main character, Harry Bosch, kept talking about what it meant to be a "true detective" free of politics and bribery and personal concerns. It appears the Harry Bosch books are a series and I started in the middle. I missed a lot of character connections and relationship developments but the story still hangs together well. Har...more

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

add a comment

Jul 22, 2009

jo rated it:

(review of isbn 0316734950)

bookshelves: mystery-thriller

Read in July, 2009

i want to say this book is okay, just okay -- good-ish story, good-ish characters, good-ish plot turns, good pace. bosch is a nice protagonist because he's haunted by demons and it's nice when your detectives are haunted by demons. it makes them look like the criminals they are pursuing, which is after all the whole premise of the genre.

(i hope i fed the right dog.)

it is not a book that deserves four stars because it's too improbable. that's a flaw in a mystery and it bo...more

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

add a comment

Jan 11, 2010

Snicks rated it:

(review of isbn 0316734950)

Read in January, 2010

Although it's the 12th book of Connelly's Bosch series, I jumped right into it as my first book (unabridged) to accompany my trip from Denver to Indianapolis last week. I enjoy a good mystery, and as a Scarpetta fan, I recognise that protagonist series like this has it's up and down books. Without a comparison to other Bosch books, I would guess that this is a good one, but assuming there are better in the series since this one is not especially riveting.

The plot does send your emot...more

Like this review? yes

2 comments

Feb 05, 2009

Bookmarks Magazine added it (review of isbn 0316734950)

Harry Bosch has been around since the Edgar Award?winning The Black Echo (1992), and critics agree that neither he nor the police-procedural series has lost of any of their original luster. Instead, they're both getting better with age. As in previous installments, both character and plot drive Echo Park: Harry's passion for the case and his guilt at having not found the killer before more murders occurred create a flawed, convincing hero. Michael Connelly's sharp eye for Los Angeles, from Sunse

...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Nov 30, 2009

Heather rated it:

(review of isbn 0316734950)

Read in December, 2009

I don't normally read detective/crime novels, let alone the 'Harry Bosch series,' but a friend recommended this one to me, based on the fact that A. she liked it and B. it was set in my neighborhood.

To this I say the following:

1. It was decent. I cannot comment on how good or not good the mystery involved in it was as I am as easy to fool as a goldfish. Which is to say, easy. I take no pleasure in trying to be able to figure out a plot beforehand and am therefore constant...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Aug 05, 2009

Georg rated it:

(review of isbn 0316734950)

bookshelves: read-in-english

Read in August, 2009

If you read this one after The Poet it is a bit disappointing. But if you read it before The Poet it's a great book.

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

add a comment

Jun 04, 2009

Linda O rated it:

(review of isbn 0316734950)

Read in March, 2009

recommends it for: someone who likes crime/drama

2006. This is one of Connelly's series of books, featuring Homocide Detective, Harry Bosch, currently assigned to a 'new' dept called "Open/Unsolved" cases. Harry finds himself working on the 1993 murder of one Marie Gesto. Mixed in with his digging around into the old murder are the typical array of police department career climbers, and again his life is made miserable by Irvin Irving, former LAPD (Capt) and now a candidate for City Council. Jerry Edgar makes his appearance in this ...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Oct 22, 2009

Vannessagrace Vannessagrace rated it:

(review of isbn 1594835896)

Read in September, 2009

Michael Connelly is one of the best when it comes to writing police crime thrillers!

In Echo Park, will the real serial killer make himself known, PLEASE?

From the beginning we know who the killer is.

What I like about Michael Connelly’s books is he places us in detective Harry Bosch’s mind. We follow his thought patterns and we agree with the direction he takes to solve the crime. We are so convinced he is on the right tract we miss clues that stare us in ...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Mar 22, 2009

Julia rated it:

(review of isbn 0316734950)

Read in March, 2009

Detective Harry Bosch, who has recently returned to the force after a try-out at retirement, is still haunted by some of his open cold cases, particularly the death of Marie Gesto, over a decade ago. He checks the case file out periodically and while he has it out this time, the Echo Park bagman (named because he was caught with garbage bags of body parts)is caught and eventually brokers a deal naming the Gesto murder as his. They call on Bosch to help verify the details of Raynard Waits confe...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Dec 13, 2009

Liz Bonnet rated it:

(review of isbn 0316734950)

Read in November, 2009

I am on a mission to read all of Michael Connelly's books. His writing skills are excellent and I find his books a "can't put it down type of suspense".

There seems to be an unspoken rule among mystery writers that once the author has created a successful character, the obligation to fans demands regular installments in the hero's life history, whatever the author's literary aspirations. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was famously unsuccessful at killing off Sherlock Holmes and ...more

Like this review? yes

2 comments

May 03, 2009

Jrobertus rated it:

(review of isbn 0316734950)

I had gone off Connelly for a while, because he was getting too formulaic. This book still has the usual elements, petty police bickering, bad politicians, a fast romance for Harry Bosch, some mean, mean criminals and as usual Harry gets it straightened away, while listening to smooth jazz. It may fall from a mold, but I enjoyed this as a fun read. I had been working like a crazy man and looked forward to some stupid down time. The writing is good, crisp dialog, and the pace of the adventure...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Jan 04, 2009

Margaret rated it:

(review of isbn 0316734950)

bookshelves: mysteries

Read in January, 2009

I really enjoyed this book. It started off kind of slow, but as it continued, I became more engrossed in the story. Without giving anything away, I would recommend it to others in that it had great information about police procedures as well as a very good story line.

Detective Harry Bosch is the main character who has obsessed over a case he wasn't able to solve. His gut told him one thing while evidence said another. The author takes us on a ever winding roller coaster of a cat an...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Nov 15, 2009

Lindsay rated it:

(review of isbn 0316734950)

Read in November, 2009

i listened to this as an audio book on a recent roadtrip and was captivated the entire time! i typically am opposed to audio books since i get bored of the story lines quickly, my mind wanders, and the narrator's voices for 8+ different characters gets annoying. not only was i able to stay with this book the entire time, but i didn't want to take a break.

being a native los angelean, i also loved being able to visualize the locations of every scene. whether in audio or text form, the...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Mar 02, 2010

Marti rated it:

(review of isbn 0316734950)

Read in March, 2010

Harry Bosch is another of my favorite characters. The listing here says that this one, published in 2006, is the twelfth of this series. Harry is a police detective who retired, and then came back. He is a hard person to partner with--he works himself so hard, that others have trouble keeping up. There is a love interest in this story, an FBI agent. This time a man has offered to tell about other people he murdered, in order to get leniency. I could picture the various neighborhoods in LA....more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Aug 15, 2009

Kelly Smith rated it:

(review of isbn 0316734950)

bookshelves: michael-connelly

This is my first of Connelly's series of books, featuring Homocide Detective, Harry Bosch. Back from retirement, Harry is assigned to a 'new' dept called "Open/Unsolved" cases. Harry finds himself haunted by a particular case of Marie Gesto. Harry's passion for the case and his guilt at having not found the killer before more murders occurred create a great beginning.

I think the characters and description of the location were very well written. I could easily visualize t...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment