The Black Echo (Harry Bosch Series #1)

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Overview

Lone LAPD detective Harry Bosch must walk the line between criminals and crooked cops following the death of an old war buddy. Billy had been a fellow "tunnel rat"--fighting with Bosch in the nightmare underground war in Vietnam. But soon Billy's murder is linked to a bank robbery via complex tunnels beneath the bank. HC: Little, Brown.

Lone LAPD detective Harry Bosch must walk the line between criminals and crooked cops following the death of an old war buddy. Billy...

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The Black Echo (Harry Bosch Series #1)

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Overview

Lone LAPD detective Harry Bosch must walk the line between criminals and crooked cops following the death of an old war buddy. Billy had been a fellow "tunnel rat"--fighting with Bosch in the nightmare underground war in Vietnam. But soon Billy's murder is linked to a bank robbery via complex tunnels beneath the bank. HC: Little, Brown.

Lone LAPD detective Harry Bosch must walk the line between criminals and crooked cops following the death of an old war buddy. Billy had been a fellow "tunnel rat"--fighting with Bosch in the nightmare underground war in Vietnam. But soon Billy's murder is linked to a bank robbery via complex tunnels beneath the bank.

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Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly
Connelly, a crime reporter for the Los Angeles Times , transcends the standard L.A. police procedural with this original and eminently authentic first novel. Hieronymus (Harry) Bosch--former hero cop bumped from the L.A. homicide desk to the lowly Beverly Hills squad--gets the call on a drug death at Mulholland Dam. Harry recognizes the corpse as that of a fellow soldier in Vietnam; both were ``tunnel rats'' who searched for Viet Cong in the network of burrows beneath Vietnamese villages. Investigation connects his old pal to an unsolved bank job--the vault was tunneled into from the storm drains below--and Harry takes his information to the FBI. The Bureau alerts the LAPD, which reactivates internal affairs surveillance (the previous IAD episode is explained throughout the narrative), only to have the FBI backtrack and request Harry as liaison on the case. Paired with beautiful FBI agent Eleanor Wish, Harry makes sense of the Vietnam connection to the bank job--a discovery that puts them both in danger from deadly ex-Marines and a powerful insider from either the LAPD or the FBI itself. Police higher-ups are somewhat cliched, but Connelly avoids L.A. stereotypes and delivers this front-page story with military precision. (Jan.)
Library Journal
Los Angeles police detective Hieronymus (a.k.a. Harry) Bosch discovers something odd in what appears to be a routine drug overdose case. The victim has a face from Harry's past, a fellow ``tunnel rat'' from Vietnam named Billy Meadows. Convinced that Meadows's death is really murder, Harry searches for the killers and soon clashes with the FBI, investigating Meadows for another reason. Trying to walk through a minefield of deception and corruption in high places, Harry works with FBI agent Eleanor Wish to solve the case before they both get killed. Whose tracks have to be covered at the cost of their lives? Fans of Joseph Wambaugh and William Caunitz will enjoy this realistically detailed police procedural. Connelly, a Pulitzer Prize-winning crime reporter for the Los Angeles Times , knows his turf well and demonstrates it in this complex and satisfying thriller. This one could very well hit the best-seller lists; highly recommended for any popular fiction col lection.-- Dean James, Houston Acad. of Medicine/Texas Medical Ctr. Lib.
School Library Journal
YA-- Harry Bosch likes order, contends that there are no coincidences, and keeps meticulous records in his ``murder book.'' When the body of a former ``tunnel rat'' from Vietnam is found in a drainpipe, Harry is the detective on duty and is called to the scene. His identification of the body begins an investigation that leads to more murder, bank robbery, heroin, diamonds, and betrayal. Connelly's descriptions of autopsies, murder scenes, and police procedure are vivid and realistic. The use of acronyms and police jargon puts readers in the middle of the action. A real page turner with gutty realism and an unusual twist.-- Debbie Hyman, R. E. Lee High School, Springfield, VA
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780446612739
  • Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
  • Publication date: 12/2/2002
  • Series: Harry Bosch Series , #1
  • Format: Mass Market Paperback
  • Edition description: Reprint
  • Pages: 496
  • Sales rank: 34893
  • Product dimensions: 4.25 (w) x 6.75 (h) x 1.00 (d)

Meet the Author

Michael  Connelly
Michael Connelly is the author of the recent #1 New York Times bestsellers The Fifth Witness, The Reversal, The Scarecrow, The Brass Verdict, and The Lincoln Lawyer, as well as the bestselling Harry Bosch series of novels. He is a former newspaper reporter who has won numerous awards for his journalism and his novels. He spends his time in California and Florida.

Biography

Best known for his dark police procedurals featuring the tough, complex and emotionally scarred LAPD detective, Hieronymous "Harry" Bosch, Michael Connelly has been called "infernally ingenious" (The New York Times), "one of those masters...who can keep driving the story forward in runaway locomotive style" (USA Today) and "the top rank of a new generation of crime writers" (The Los Angeles Times).

Consistently exquisite prose and engrossing storylines play an integral role in his swelling success. However, Connelly believes that solid character development is the most important key. As he explained to MagnaCumMurder.com, "I think books with weak or translucent plots can survive if the character being drawn along the path is rich, interesting and multi-faceted. The opposite is not true."

A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Connelly attended the University of Florida; there he discovered the works of Raymond Chandler -- author of many classic Los Angeles-based noir dramas such as The Big Sleep, The Long Goodbye, and Farewell, My Lovely. The cases of Philip Marlowe inspired Connelly to be a crime novelist -- and by studying journalism, he put himself in the perfect position. "I went into journalism to learn the craft of writing and to get close to the world I wanted to write about -- police and criminals, the criminal justice system," he told MagnaCumMurder.com.

After graduation, Connelly worked the crime beat for two Florida newspapers. When a story he and a colleague wrote about the disastrous 1985 crash of Delta Flight 191 was short-listed for the Pulitzer, Connelly landed a gig in Marlowe's backyard, covering crime for one of the nation's largest newspapers -- The Los Angeles Times. Three years later, Harry Bosch was introduced in The Black Echo, which earned Connelly the Edgar Award for Best First Novel. Connelly has since won every major mystery honor, including the Anthony (The Poet, Blood Work) and the Macavity Award (Blood Work).

While Connelly has written stand-alone novels that don't feature his tragic protagonist Harry Bosch, he is best identified by his rigid, contentious and fiery -- but also immensely skilled and compassionate -- detective. According to The Boston Globe, the Bosch series "raises the hard-boiled detective novel to a new level...adding substance and depth to modern crime fiction."

Called "one of the most compelling, complex protagonists in recent crime fiction" (Newsweek) and "a terrific...wonderful, old-fashioned hero who isn't afraid to walk through the flames -- and suffer the pain for the rest of us" (The New York Times Book Review), Bosch faces unforgettable horrors every day -- either on the street or in his own mind. "Bosch is making up for wrongs done to him when he rights wrongs as a homicide detective," Connelly explained in an interview with his publisher. "In a way, he is an avenging angel."

Bosch is clearly a product of his deadly, unforgiving environment. "The philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once wrote that when you look into the darkness of the abyss the abyss looks into you. Probably no other line or thought more inspires or informs my work," said Connelly in the same interview. With each passing novel, Bosch looks deeper and deeper into the abyss; and readers continue to return to see just how far he will gaze.

Good To Know

  • Michael Connelly received a huge career boost in 1994 when then President Bill Clinton was photographed walking out of a Washington bookstore with a copy of The Concrete Blonde under his arm. Connelly remarked to USA Today, "In the six years I've been writing books, that is the biggest thrill I've had."

  • Real events have always inspired Connelly's plots. His novel Blood Work was inspired by a friend who underwent transplant surgery and was coping with survivor's guilt, knowing someone had died in order for him to live. The book was later developed into a feature film starring Clint Eastwood, Angelica Huston, and Jeff Daniels.

  • One of Connelly's writing professors at the University of Florida was cult novelist Harry Crews.

  • Connelly named his most famous character after the 15th Century Dutch painter, Hieronymous Bosch. As he told Bookends UK in an interview, Bosch "created richly detailed landscapes of debauchery and violence and human defilement. There is a ‘world gone mad' feel to many of his works, including one called ‘Hell' -- of which a print hangs on the wall over the computer where I write." Some interesting outtakes from our interview with Connelly:

    "I wrote a mystery story as a class paper in high school. It was called The Perfect Murder. The protagonist's named was McEvoy, a name I later used for the protagonist in The Poet. Being a witness to a crime when I was 16 was what made me interested in crime novels and mystery stories."

    "I wrote my first real murder story as a journalist for the Daytona Beach News Journal in 1980. It was about a body found in the woods. Later, the murder was linked to a serial killer who was later caught and executed for his crimes."

    "Everything I want people to know about me is in my books."

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      1. Hometown:
        Sarasota, Florida
      1. Date of Birth:
        Sat Jul 21 00:00:00 EDT 1956
      2. Place of Birth:
        Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
      1. Education:
        B.A. in Journalism, University of Florida, 1980
      2. Website:

    Table of Contents

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    Customer Reviews

    Average Rating 4
    ( 1151 )
    Rating Distribution

    5 Star

    (383)

    4 Star

    (406)

    3 Star

    (229)

    2 Star

    (63)

    1 Star

    (70)
    See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 1157 Customer Reviews
    • Posted Tue Mar 16 00:00:00 EDT 2010

      more from this reviewer

      I Also Recommend:

      A MUST READ SERIES!!!

      This is the first book of the thrilling Harry Bosch Series. Although this book isn't my favorite of the series, it really sets you up and helps you get to know Harry and how he operates. Michael Connely is a fantastic writer who gets better and better with each book he writes! This series gets your heart pounding as Harry Bosch gets closer and closer to the killer. When the book is over, only then will you realize you were holding your breath the whole time, and you won't be able to wait to pick up the next in the series.

      If you are planning to read this series I suggest that you go to Michael Connelly's web site and get a list of all his books. He also has the Terry McCaleb, Jack McEvoy, Rachel Walling and Mickey Haller series that all intertwine with the Harry Bosch series. I recommend that you read the books in the order they were written because it lets you get to know and understand these characters as they will all come into contact and have relations with Harry Bocsh in the following books. Enjoy!

      75 out of 78 people found this review helpful.

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    • Posted Mon Apr 11 00:00:00 EDT 2011

      First Bosch Novel

      This is my third Connelly book,but first of the Harry Bosch series I have read.It turns out this is the first of the Bosch series Connelly wrote.I've really enjoyed all three books so far and look forward to many more.

      While it is true this book contains many of the common cliches of crime novels,as other reviewers have stated,they don't take away from the readers enjoyment of this book.The story and characters still come off as believable.The occasional element of humor throughout the book makes it all the more enjoyable.The scene when Harry handcuffs the two internal affairs officers to the tree had me laughing out loud.All in all a good page turner.

      21 out of 22 people found this review helpful.

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    • Posted Fri Jul 08 00:00:00 EDT 2011

      I'll buy more of this series.

      I loved the Lincoln Lawyer and when this book was offered for 99 cents, I eagerly bought it. I enjoyed the read, especially after reading a dreary cheap Nook book. I have already bought the second Harry Bosch book, Black Ice, and look forward to getting into that!

      9 out of 10 people found this review helpful.

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    • Anonymous

      Posted Mon Jul 04 00:00:00 EDT 2011

      Outstanding read

      Just enough twists to keep the balance. Great flow. Outstanding job here Michael.

      9 out of 11 people found this review helpful.

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    • Posted Tue Apr 12 00:00:00 EDT 2011

      Love that Harry Bosch! sandy

      Where is this guy when you need him! This is the guy you want your side! A overlay of lively characters and side stories! Whoooha!!!

      8 out of 10 people found this review helpful.

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    • Posted Thu Jul 21 00:00:00 EDT 2011

      Needs to research!!

      It is VERY clear that the author knows nothing of firearms, explosives or thier use. Harry didn't smell Cordite after C4 jad been used and the pd could tell that guns were full auto based on the impressions the butt plates made in the dirt!! Wow Mr Connelly can send me his next draft and I will edit the firearms,explosives and medical passages for free!

      6 out of 12 people found this review helpful.

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    • Anonymous

      Posted Fri Jul 15 00:00:00 EDT 2011

      Easy Read

      I found The Black Echo to be a very enjoyable and easy read. The story flowed from beginning to end with a level of detail that brought the story to life.

      4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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    • Posted Tue Jul 12 00:00:00 EDT 2011

      Loved it

      I could not put this book down from start to finish it was great...

      4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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    • Posted Sun Jul 10 00:00:00 EDT 2011

      Wonderful

      Picked this up for. 99 would have been glad to pay the full price. Connelly is awesome.

      4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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    • Anonymous

      Posted Sat Jul 09 00:00:00 EDT 2011

      Good Read

      I bought this book because it was only 99 cents. I was pleasantly surprised at the way it kept my interest. I am going to continue to read the rest of the series.

      4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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    • Posted Thu Jul 21 00:00:00 EDT 2011

      Loved it

      A terrific story highly recommend

      3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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    • Anonymous

      Posted Wed Nov 30 00:00:00 EST 2011

      Disappointing

      I found reading the book to be "tedious" ...one boring description after another of the routes Harry Bosch took driving thru LA. Also, there were many confusing/poorly constructed sentences... mistakes in punctuation and grammar. I was surprised because I have read and enjoyed several of Connelly's other books including The Lincoln Lawyer (my favorite) The Scarecrow and The Poet.

      2 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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    • Posted Fri Jul 22 00:00:00 EDT 2011

      Great cops and robbers book

      Great book good writing and storyline. Now I want to read the whole series . Ive never read Connelly before but certainly will continue to.

      2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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    • Posted Tue Jul 19 00:00:00 EDT 2011

      An enchanting reaf

      This was my first novel by Miachel connelly. First i must say that the plot of the novel was quite good, how the seemingly disparate ends were tied up an progressed along. However, the end was not as enchanting as the beginning and middle sections of the plot. Yet, i would say that the author has done a very good job in presenting the different situations be it either at LAPD or at Vietnam tunnels. All in all both timeanc money well spent.

      2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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    • Posted Mon Jul 18 00:00:00 EDT 2011

      Very good read

      This was my first Harry Bosch adventure. I enjoyed the writting of the story and the character. It has led me to purchase the next one in the series.

      2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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    • Anonymous

      Posted Sun Jul 17 00:00:00 EDT 2011

      AVO

      Good twists, kept me guessing

      2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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    • Posted Sat Jul 16 00:00:00 EDT 2011

      I'd recommend this book...

      I'm new to Michael Connelly. I thought this book was a worthwhile read...it flowed nicely, the characters were developed sufficiently, and the plot was interesting...even though you do figure out "whodunnit" before it is exposed in the story line. But that's not always a bad thing because it adds to the suspense of when the hero will learn all the facts that you've learned through the development of the story. It was also educational in that I never really knew anything that detailed about our involvement in Vietnam.

      2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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    • Posted Mon Jul 11 00:00:00 EDT 2011

      Readable and realalistic

      Michael has become one of my favorite authors

      2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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    • Posted Mon Jul 11 00:00:00 EDT 2011

      Slow read

      I bought this book as a 99 cent featured nook book. The reviews were great, but I cannot finish this book. It bores me to tears. I am abandoning a book for the first time ever. It's a typical who done it detective story. Very slow, unoriginal story. Not worth .99 to me.

      2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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    • Posted Sun Jul 10 00:00:00 EDT 2011

      Great

      I don't know who I love the most Harry or Micheal. I have decided to read them in order......great story.

      2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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