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Saul Sailing Snapper (211 KP) rated Bosch - Season 5 in TV
May 20, 2019
Cast are superb (1 more)
Taut thriller with many plot lines.
A slow burn but worth it.
Bosch season 5 is another slow burning police procedural following several cases being investigated by the LAPD West Hollywood Division.
Harry Bosch was created by Michael Connolly in a series of books and has been adapted very well for the small screen. Titus Welliver (Lost, Deadwood) is perfect in the lead role as the gifted detective who has a troubled past.
This series opens with Bosch having fallen on hard times. With ruffled hair, leg in a brace and a cane, he is ushered off a bus in a make shift camp in the desert. Shuffling in a line of desperate addicts he waits for his reward for a day's work, a dose of opioids. After a run in with another addict he is caught snooping around the camp by one of the guards. He is taken to the head kingpin who thinking he is spying on them puts one bullet in the gun found in Bosch's backpack and points it at his head about to pull the trigger...
This series is possibly one of the best crime/detective shows around at the moment. It's pace is deliberate and slow with detectives taking their time finding vital clues (or missing them) but cleverly working multiple plot lines throughout the entire 10 episodes.
Harry Bosch was created by Michael Connolly in a series of books and has been adapted very well for the small screen. Titus Welliver (Lost, Deadwood) is perfect in the lead role as the gifted detective who has a troubled past.
This series opens with Bosch having fallen on hard times. With ruffled hair, leg in a brace and a cane, he is ushered off a bus in a make shift camp in the desert. Shuffling in a line of desperate addicts he waits for his reward for a day's work, a dose of opioids. After a run in with another addict he is caught snooping around the camp by one of the guards. He is taken to the head kingpin who thinking he is spying on them puts one bullet in the gun found in Bosch's backpack and points it at his head about to pull the trigger...
This series is possibly one of the best crime/detective shows around at the moment. It's pace is deliberate and slow with detectives taking their time finding vital clues (or missing them) but cleverly working multiple plot lines throughout the entire 10 episodes.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2662 KP) rated The Dark Hours in Books
Sep 8, 2026
Bringing Darkness into the Light
As 2020 wraps up, Renee Ballard is hoping to get a lead on the two men who are attacking women in their homes. But then she catches a murder case. Someone died of a gunshot just minutes after midnight, but it doesn’t look like it was a random gunshot. In fact, the bullet matches a cold case that Harry Bosch worked on but never solved. Can the two team up to figure out what happened?
Given the setting of this book, the pandemic is still in the background, and other events from that time period are mentioned but not dwelt upon. While Bosch plays a part, Ballard is the only character we follow here. While I do like both of them, I do wish they would accept the consequences of their actions when they don’t follow the rules. Instead, they come across as arrogant, which happens here. Both cases kept me hooked. I thought I had one figured out early on, but it turned out I was wrong, and the solutions were logical. As always, I’m looking forward to seeing what happens to the characters next.
Given the setting of this book, the pandemic is still in the background, and other events from that time period are mentioned but not dwelt upon. While Bosch plays a part, Ballard is the only character we follow here. While I do like both of them, I do wish they would accept the consequences of their actions when they don’t follow the rules. Instead, they come across as arrogant, which happens here. Both cases kept me hooked. I thought I had one figured out early on, but it turned out I was wrong, and the solutions were logical. As always, I’m looking forward to seeing what happens to the characters next.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2662 KP) rated Trunk Music (Harry Bosch #5) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Harry Bosch is back working homicide, and his first case involves a body left in a car trunk. It looks like the victim was the victim of a mob hit, and he has connections in Las Vegas. Is the case really going to be that simple?
Bosch’s cases are always fun, and this book is no exception. I was able to spot a couple of the twists coming a little early, but that was a minor complaint. The characters are strong, both returning and new. A face from Bosch’s past comes back into his life here, and I love his new lieutenant.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/02/book-review-trunk-music-by-michael.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Bosch’s cases are always fun, and this book is no exception. I was able to spot a couple of the twists coming a little early, but that was a minor complaint. The characters are strong, both returning and new. A face from Bosch’s past comes back into his life here, and I love his new lieutenant.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/02/book-review-trunk-music-by-michael.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2662 KP) rated The Reversal (Mickey Haller #3) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Michael Haller is surprised when he is asked by the LA District Attorney to retry an old case. A man convicted of kidnapping and murdering a 12-year-old 24 years ago needs to be retried because of new DNA evidence. He gets Harry Bosch as his investigator, and the two try to track down old witnesses and make their case stronger than before. Will it be enough?
This book is engaging from the first chapter with some surprise twists along the way. Seeing these two characters interact even more is very entertaining. I never wanted to stop reading and couldn't wait to get back to the story.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/06/book-review-reversal-by-michael.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
This book is engaging from the first chapter with some surprise twists along the way. Seeing these two characters interact even more is very entertaining. I never wanted to stop reading and couldn't wait to get back to the story.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/06/book-review-reversal-by-michael.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
I was so excited to read Nine Dragons, because I love a good crime thriller and had read such good reviews for it. It didn’t disappoint. I was drawn into Harry Bosch’s world and mind right away. The plot keeps you guessing and sitting on the edge of your seat. The dialogue is lively and funny, the writing was good, and the reader was excellent in narration, voices of the characters, and speed at which he read. This is not a title to be missed.
Nine Dragons is book 14 in the Harry Bosch series, but it makes an excellent stand-alone. Only occasionally did I feel “left out of the loop” so to speak. Everything that was necessary to understand the book was explained.
Content: A reader should go into a crime thriller expecting some language. There was some language in the book but it wasn’t too overused. As far as gruesome details, it wasn’t hard to read. I wouldn’t let a kid read it, though.
Recommendation: Ages 16+
Nine Dragons is book 14 in the Harry Bosch series, but it makes an excellent stand-alone. Only occasionally did I feel “left out of the loop” so to speak. Everything that was necessary to understand the book was explained.
Content: A reader should go into a crime thriller expecting some language. There was some language in the book but it wasn’t too overused. As far as gruesome details, it wasn’t hard to read. I wouldn’t let a kid read it, though.
Recommendation: Ages 16+
Connelly’s First Great Team Up
Former FBI agent Terry McCaleb is enjoying his new life on Catalina when he is asked to come back to the mainland and consult on a bizarre case. He zeros in on a clue – a plastic owl. Where will that lead him? Meanwhile, Harry Bosch is working closely with the prosecution on a case that he investigated. The defendant is a Hollywood director. Is their case strong enough to win?
Fans of Michael Connelly will enjoy getting to see these two characters team up in one book. We even get appearances by some characters from other Connelly books, which is a treat for fans, although not knowing the backstory doesn’t hamper anything if you start with this book. The characters are sharp, both returning and new. The pacing was a bit off as times since we can guess one twist early and Bosch’s scenes in court tend to slow things down, but overall, this is another great book with a fantastic climax.
Fans of Michael Connelly will enjoy getting to see these two characters team up in one book. We even get appearances by some characters from other Connelly books, which is a treat for fans, although not knowing the backstory doesn’t hamper anything if you start with this book. The characters are sharp, both returning and new. The pacing was a bit off as times since we can guess one twist early and Bosch’s scenes in court tend to slow things down, but overall, this is another great book with a fantastic climax.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2662 KP) rated The Late Show (Renée Ballard, #1) in Books
Sep 7, 2024
Not Sure the Character is New, but Story is Great
LAPD officer Renee Ballard has been demoted to working the overnight shift in the Hollywood division. She’s frustrated that she never gets to work a case to resolution in her current role. Until one night when a series of cases land in her lap. A woman reports a stolen wallet. A transgender individual is left for dead. A shooting incident happens at a bar. As Ballard gets involved in all these cases, can she solve them?
I remember when this book came out how far behind I was on the author’s books and thinking I’d never get to it. And yet here I am. I found that Ballard shared quite a bit with the author’s Harry Bosch character. I’m not saying I didn’t like her, but I felt like she was a bit too familiar. Maybe that will change when I see them together. And again, I did like getting to meet her here and am looking forward to seeing what else happens to her. The mystery was very compelling. I saw a few things coming early, but there were some great twists that took me by surprise as well. I also enjoyed the nod to the Bosch TV show, which I guess means it is time for me to start watching it. Do keep in mind this is a police procedural, so the content is stronger than in the cozies I often read. If you haven’t met Ballard yet, you’ll be happy you picked up this book.
I remember when this book came out how far behind I was on the author’s books and thinking I’d never get to it. And yet here I am. I found that Ballard shared quite a bit with the author’s Harry Bosch character. I’m not saying I didn’t like her, but I felt like she was a bit too familiar. Maybe that will change when I see them together. And again, I did like getting to meet her here and am looking forward to seeing what else happens to her. The mystery was very compelling. I saw a few things coming early, but there were some great twists that took me by surprise as well. I also enjoyed the nod to the Bosch TV show, which I guess means it is time for me to start watching it. Do keep in mind this is a police procedural, so the content is stronger than in the cozies I often read. If you haven’t met Ballard yet, you’ll be happy you picked up this book.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2662 KP) rated Chasing the Dime in Books
Nov 18, 2018
"What Happened to You?" "I Got the Wrong Number."
Henry Pierce is just days away from a patent and a huge meeting with a potential investor at the company he founded. However, he's also just moved into an apartment since he has split with his fiancee. That, of course, means a new land line, and Pierce starts to get phone messages for someone named Lilly. Pierce quickly figures out that Lilly is a prostitute, but how did he get her number? Why would she give it up? Pierce isn't able to let the puzzle go, and he begins to spend his weekend obsessing over finding her instead of doing the last-minute things he should be doing for his company. Will he find her? Will he destroy everything he's worked for in the process?
This book is definitely a departure for Michael Connelly, featuring an everyman and bordering on a technothriller. It starts out well with plenty of intrigue, but it gets bogged down in the second half. The pace gets way too slow at one point before picking up again and racing to the climax. Pierce's reasons for getting as involved as he does are reasonable, but we don't find out until the end. He does make an interesting main character, however, and the rest of the cast are just as strong. Since this book originally came out in 2002, it has some dated elements. It's amazing how much our lives have changed in the last decade and a half. This is one of Connelly's rare stand-alones, and you can read it as much, but fans of the Harry Bosch books will recognize some cool Easter Eggs, including a reference to the ending of City of Bones, the Bosch book that came out just before this book did.
This book is definitely a departure for Michael Connelly, featuring an everyman and bordering on a technothriller. It starts out well with plenty of intrigue, but it gets bogged down in the second half. The pace gets way too slow at one point before picking up again and racing to the climax. Pierce's reasons for getting as involved as he does are reasonable, but we don't find out until the end. He does make an interesting main character, however, and the rest of the cast are just as strong. Since this book originally came out in 2002, it has some dated elements. It's amazing how much our lives have changed in the last decade and a half. This is one of Connelly's rare stand-alones, and you can read it as much, but fans of the Harry Bosch books will recognize some cool Easter Eggs, including a reference to the ending of City of Bones, the Bosch book that came out just before this book did.
Crime Beat: Stories of Cops and Killers
Book
'Death is my beat.' Those words, spoken by the narrator and hero of The Poet, Jack McEvoy, could...
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated All the Best Lies in Books
Mar 19, 2020
The third book in the Ellery Hathaway series finds FBI Agent Reed Markham taking on a particularly personal case--his birth mother's murder. His mother, Camilla, was stabbed to death over forty years ago while baby Reed was nearby in his crib. Her killer was never found. It's a cold case now for the Las Vegas Police Department. Reed asks for Ellery's help and the two travel together to Las Vegas to search for answers. But Reed soon learns something shocking about his past, leading him to add someone incredibly close to him to his list of suspects. In Vegas, that list soon grows, and they realize that the killer--even after all these years--isn't happy with Reed and Ellery stirring things up.
This was another stellar entry in this series. I absolutely love Ellery and Reed, and it was great seeing Reed work on a case that meant so much to him. It reminded me of an early Harry Bosch in Michael Connelly's books, when he tries to track down his own mother's killer. Both Reed and Ellery deal with family issues in the book. As always, there is sizzling chemistry between the two. Their relationship just gets better and better, as each struggles with their own problems, and they grow closer and closer.
There's a lot of focus on Reed here, of course, as we learn more about both his mother and his adopted family, the Markhams (Reed was adopted by Senator Angus Markham from Virginia). His mother's case is mesmerizing, and there is no shortage of suspects, including lowlife drug dealer Billy Thorndike; her cop boyfriend, David; and more. Schaffhausen does an excellent job portraying Camilla's life forty years ago, and she comes to life easily.
As always, there are some wonderful twists and turns, and the book is easy-to-read. The pages turn quickly, between Reed and Ellery's excellent magnetism and the well-paced, absorbing mystery. This may be my favorite one so far, and that's saying a lot! 4.5 stars.
This was another stellar entry in this series. I absolutely love Ellery and Reed, and it was great seeing Reed work on a case that meant so much to him. It reminded me of an early Harry Bosch in Michael Connelly's books, when he tries to track down his own mother's killer. Both Reed and Ellery deal with family issues in the book. As always, there is sizzling chemistry between the two. Their relationship just gets better and better, as each struggles with their own problems, and they grow closer and closer.
There's a lot of focus on Reed here, of course, as we learn more about both his mother and his adopted family, the Markhams (Reed was adopted by Senator Angus Markham from Virginia). His mother's case is mesmerizing, and there is no shortage of suspects, including lowlife drug dealer Billy Thorndike; her cop boyfriend, David; and more. Schaffhausen does an excellent job portraying Camilla's life forty years ago, and she comes to life easily.
As always, there are some wonderful twists and turns, and the book is easy-to-read. The pages turn quickly, between Reed and Ellery's excellent magnetism and the well-paced, absorbing mystery. This may be my favorite one so far, and that's saying a lot! 4.5 stars.