From the Bookshelf of 2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #1…

The Black Box (Harry Bosch, #16; Harry Bosch Universe, #25)

Michael Connelly

Start date: October 1, 2017

Finish date: October 31, 2017

Discussion: The Black Box

Discussion leader: Jonetta

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The Black Box

* The Black Box by Michael Connelly
By Jonetta · 1 post · 5 views

last updated Oct 01, 2017 01:54AM

Question A
By Jonetta · 2 posts · 11 views

last updated Nov 30, 2017 05:43PM

What Members Thought

Aug 28, 2020 Phrynne rated it really liked it

Book 16 and Harry is still his same outrageous self. His character makes for good reading and good policing, but I always think he is not a person you would want for a partner or a friend. There is not much caring and sharing in his personality.

However he is certainly good at solving crimes and in this book he is tackling a twenty year old cold case. Along the way he finally discovers that he treats his partner at work very badly and makes a tiny effort to do something about it. He also challeng ...more

70 likes · Like · see review

Oct 23, 2017 Jonetta rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-suspense-thriller, 17000-in-2017, audiobook, nc-br-digital-library, author-of-the-week, 4000-books

According to Harry Bosch, the black box is the narrative that provides the parameters of an investigation...the why and how did the crime happen. Just like the black box in an airplane provides meaningful data to help figure out why the plane went down.

In this story, 20 years ago a Dutch woman photographer is found dead in the middle of the LA race riots following the Rodney King verdict. It made no sense for her to be there and when Harry and his partner were called to the scene, the LAPD, com ...more

19 likes · Like · see review

Oct 28, 2017 Robin rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2017, mystery

Detective Harry Bosch has a new cold case to explore. Twenty years ago, the body of Photo-journalist Anneke Jespersen was found in an alley during the L.A. riots. She had been shot at close range. No weapon was ever found. Now ballistics has matched a bullet from another murder with the bullet that killed Anneke. Both bullets were shot from the same gun. Harry has a tough investigation in front of him with not much to go on. To top it off, while Harry delves into this case, Internal Affairs is i ...more

9 likes · Like · see review

Jun 11, 2013 Alex is The Romance Fox rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: lendable, series, authors-a-h, adventure-mystery-crime-thriller

Since I first read Black Echo, the 1st book in Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch Series, I have become a huge fan and follower of, what for me, is one the best crime series ever written.

Throughout all the books, I have seen Bosch growing from the wild, hot-headed and hard-drinking detective to a mature veteran, who’s still fighting for justice in his job working cold cases for the Open-Unsolved Unit of the LAPD. And as usual, using highly unorthodox methods, not afraid to “break” the rules if it me Since I first read Black Echo, the 1st book in Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch Series, I have become a huge fan and follower of, what for me, is one the best crime series ever written.

Throughout all the books, I have seen Bosch growing from the wild, hot-headed and hard-drinking detective to a mature veteran, who’s still fighting for justice in his job working cold cases for the Open-Unsolved Unit of the LAPD. And as usual, using highly unorthodox methods, not afraid to “break” the rules if it means solving a case.

The Black Box is the 18th book in the series and there are two stories in it.
The story opens in 1992 during the chilling and traumatic events of the L.A. South Central riots to work on a homicide of a white woman that had been killed in an execution style in an alley. Because of the chaos during that time, the crime was never solved.

Twenty years later, Harry re-opens the case. He’s determined to solve the “White Snow” (as it had been named) murder. Watching him work with 20-year old police procedures and “battling” with the new technology was such fun. To see how he methodically gathers evidence on the case and how he follows the clues that no one else but him would see is a joyful journey. Fitting the pieces of a puzzle together!!! Amazing.
Though I thought the end was tied up too quickly with the solving of the case.

But the part I loved in this book was Harry’s relationship with his 16-year old daughter Maddie. His love for her, his guilt at leaving her alone so much and the way he tries to let her know how much she means to him was so endearing and poignant.

His daughter baked him and birthday cake and gave him a present of Art Pepper’s live 1981 recording (Harry loves jazz) and when listening to one of the songs, Patricia, he tells Maddie that Art Pepper had written that song, whilst in prison for heroin use, to tell his daughter, Patricia, how much he loved her…just blew me away!!!! Harry’s not a man of words….but I felt a knot in my throat at that very moment.

Maddie is quite an extraordinary girl, with something profound inside her……the scene where she’s crying after finishing reading a book was very poignant. She’s smart and has this insight that is truly amazing. She’s determined to be a cop like her father and though Harry has a few misgivings about her choice, he does things to help her if that is what she wants…like taking her to a firing range for practice.

I hope that the author will give us a Maddie Bosch Series one day……hopefully not having us waiting for too long!!!!!
...more

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Nov 09, 2017 Lauren rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: cold-case, police-procedural, cop-hero

The Black Box
4 Stars

In his latest cold case, detective Harry Bosch investigates the murder of a Danish photojournalist killed during the 1992 LA riots. But his mission is soon threatened when political agendas arise, and Harry finds himself in a situation that might just end his career.

While the Harry Bosch books are enjoyable reads (for the most part) and the investigations are interesting (especially the cold cases), they have become formulaic with several repeated tropes such as Harry's lone ...more

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Jul 27, 2018 Sandra Hoover rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: police-procedurals

My journey through the Harry Bosch Universe continues - as does my love affair with Harry! The Black Box finds Harry investigating another cold case . . . and once again, he's been reported to Internal Affairs for presumed misconduct. As always, I find the meticulous processing of clues and info by Harry fascinating. Being inside Harry's head is an experience in and of itself. But, in this one, the thing I enjoyed most was the increased page time between Harry & his daughter Maddie. Some really ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Mar 24, 2020 Meera rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, 5000-books

I’ll be honest. When I first started this, I thought the mystery wasn’t that interesting. And then the twists and turns started happening and I was glad that I had been paying attention even though I hadn’t been that into it. This turned out to be one of the better Bosch books and am looking forward to the next one.

4 likes · Like · see review