The Concrete Blonde is the perfect blend of suspense and police procedural with a touch of romance on the side. A compelling maze of twists and turns, the story is riveting — a true thriller from cover to cover. I finished this book feeling a more intimate connection with Harry — a feeling of knowing more about what makes him tick, why he acts and reacts as he does in both personal and professional situations. Intense, emotional, fascinating from beginning to end.
Nov 07, Larry Bassett rated it really liked it Shelves: I thought this was by far the best book in the first three books of the series. Maybe it's just because Harry had the same girlfriend through the whole book and she had been his girlfriend for the year before the book.
The mystery in this book was alluded to in one of the prior books in the series. Since the series seems to be on an annual publication bases that means the idea for this book was rumbling around in the authors mind for a year or more before the book was written. I think that is int I thought this was by far the best book in the first three books of the series.
I think that is interesting. This is about another serial killer. And of course Harry solves it. He does not follow all the rules. What he does always has a lot of tension and excitement. And he comes out on top.
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I am reading the initial books in the series back to back to back to back. So far there is no doubt in my mind about moving right on to the next book. Harry has an MO but knowing that doesn't make things boring. I gave the first two books in the series three stars but I'm giving this one four. Best yet of this series but a little longer than it needed to be so not quite 5 stars.
Great ending that kept the suspense going throughout and a lot of unexpected twists on the way. Like the way that the Bosch character is developing too. Connelly is an accomplished writer of crime novels who knows how to bring his characters to life. In this novel, Harry is on trial in a civil case for the fatal shooting of an alleged serial killer known as the Doll Maker. Just as the trial begins, a new murder victim is discovered and there appear to be links to the murders committed by the Doll Maker.
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Harry is both simultaneously involved in court and in solving this new murder mystery: The mystery is tight and compelling. Having read lots of mysteries, I often am able to guess at the outcome simply because the set-up reminds me of another book I've read. In fact, that happened with "The Black Ice. With about 50 pages to go, I thought my instinct had been confirmed. I was wrong, and about as shocked as Bosch! In addition to weaving a great mystery, Connelly paints a reasonably deep picture of his main character, Bosch, a Vietnam veteran he cleared out enemy tunnels who is simultaneously cultured but also emotionally damaged.
I enjoyed this novel, and look forward to continuing to read about Harry Bosch. Highly recommended for crime fiction fans and read Harry Bosch series in sequential order. Apr 23, Julie rated it it was amazing Shelves: I have read mystery thrillers most of my life, but my husband is lukewarm on a lot of detective type books. But, I talked him into reading this one with me as a "buddy" read.
The truth is I couldn't remember if I had read this one or not. I can't add more to the comments and reviews that have already been posted about his novel.
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It was just plain awesome. There is a serial killer, a courtroom drama, Harry's personal life and histo I have read mystery thrillers most of my life, but my husband is lukewarm on a lot of detective type books. There is a serial killer, a courtroom drama, Harry's personal life and history all pulled together to make on of the best mystery thrillers ever. If you haven't read this one or any other Connelly novels , I can't imagine anyone who hasn't , I highly recommend him.
I would though try to read them in order if you can. I didn't, and wish now that I had. In Harry Bosch's third outing, we finally get to learn more about the infamous case that resulted in Bosch's demotion to the Hollywood homicide unit. The Concrete Blonde is more of a legal thriller than a police procedural as the plot revolves around the widow of the serial killer shot by Bosch suing the LAPD. A wrench is thrown into Bosch's defense when more corpses matching the serial killer's MO pop up. I enjoyed this book more than the first two in the series, although it still hasn't inched In Harry Bosch's third outing, we finally get to learn more about the infamous case that resulted in Bosch's demotion to the Hollywood homicide unit.
I enjoyed this book more than the first two in the series, although it still hasn't inched up into 4-star territory for me.
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There just seems to be a wall between me and Bosch, preventing me from really getting absorbed. Connelly's dialogue is even more natural this time, and the melodrama is at an all-time low, which gives me hope that the series will continue to get better. Trial parts boring but overall it was good. Four years earlier, a victim escaped from serial killer Church and called the police. Bosch took the call. He feared the killer might have another victim so there was no time to get backup. Bosch went to the room, told Church to freeze, but Church did not comply.
He moved to get something under a pillow so Bosch shot and killed him. Bosch then discovered Church wa Trial parts boring but overall it was good. Bosch then discovered Church was going for his toupee, not a gun. Maybe a third of the book covers the trial. Details of the serial killer and his victims are told to the reader through trial testimony.
Belk is on the city payroll and Bosch had no choice in selecting Belk.
As the book begins, a blonde dead woman is found buried in concrete. So Bosch is now trying to catch the copycat killer. I was mad at things Chandler said about Bosch. He was a hero in my mind the way he killed Church , yet Chandler made him sound like a rogue bad guy cop. However I may be reacting too strongly here by faulting the author for making me angry at the bad guys.
Then my reaction changed. The last half was really good. I loved the things Bosch did when he finally caught the copycat killer. I care more about being surprised by thinking and actions which is what this author does well. There are more than 20 books in the Harry Bosch series. Too many authors just slowly unravel clues until all is shown at the end. One reason is that Bosch is so smart and his actions surprise me. The narrator Dick Hill was excellent. I had problems with the voice he used for women in earlier books, but his female voices in this book were fine.
Number of sex scenes: The good guys win. Oct 13, Alex Cantone rated it really liked it Shelves: If this had been simply another courtroom drama I would not have read it; however, on the opening day of the trial when a jury is sworn in, Bosch receives a handwritten note gloating he had got the wrong man, and gives directions on where to find another body: The book is principally about women: Bosch is powerless as his conduct, past and even his childhood come under scrutiny. Bosch profiles everyone involved in the original case: This, and the love of Sylvia, help keep him grounded as he tracks down and finally confronts a sadistic killer known as "the Follower".
Jul 04, Marleen rated it it was amazing Shelves: The pace is outstanding, the dialogues are superb. The courtroom drama is top notch. Here it's just enough to give the book depth but not as to bore the reader. What I also observed is that the author's rendition of dialogues has notably improved with this book. No doubt, Harry is guy marching to his own drum, regularly butting heads with the bureaucrats, still he rolls with the police system, mostly respecting the police regulations, when they make sense.
Harry's flaws make him even more likeable. With each book, we seem to learn more about Harry. Here he questions himself and his actions, wondering if he, Harry Bosch, has a 'black heart'? A darker side to him? Will this last, I wonder? During the first few novels Harry Bosch had to grow on me, but now, he feels like an old friend. Now the astute and ambitious civil lawyer, Honey Chandler wants to proof in court that Harry shot the wrong man.
Did Harry shoot the wrong man? I'm not sure why either, but it certainly won't be the last. This book is packed full of psychological craziness! The killer is a nutsy- cuckoo, but who isn't if your a killer right? I loved the whole plot of this book and the turn it took. I did want to smack a few people but that is nothing new in a book for me!
I was like, yes, I finally figured one out! I am so glad I won this book and I will be reading more of this particular series.
Jan 24, Emil Petersen rated it really liked it. The best book in the series so far. A large portion of the book considers a court case revolving around Bosch and the Dollmaker serial-killer, and I found this part at least as good as the parallel investigation. An old case coming back to life, mysterious notes sent to the police, and dead bodies turning up all over again.
It's all very mysterious, and it's not clear whether they got the right guy those years back. So far the only thing that annoys me is the titles of the books. I do not like th The best book in the series so far. I do not like them, but I have no tangible reasons. In series sequence, this was the first one I liked and soon re-read. The two "Black" books that started the series took a couple tries to get through.
This isn't my favorite of the Bosch books so far. I absolutely love Harry and the way he seeks justice absolutely, but it took me a while to connect with this book because of so many courtroom scenes. They're interesting, but in the beginning it felt like these scenes would never end. But to be fair, I really do not love courtroom drama. There is a point in this story where Harry spends more page time working on The Dollmaker Case than in the courtroom, and it is at this point that the book reall This isn't my favorite of the Bosch books so far.
There is a point in this story where Harry spends more page time working on The Dollmaker Case than in the courtroom, and it is at this point that the book really begins to pick up. The background on the book: Harry shot a suspect several years ago and is now being sued by the suspect's wife for wrongful death. Harry is certain that he shot the right person - The Dollmaker serial killer - but the attorney for the other side has a compelling case.
I wanted him to win. More interesting and pivotal to the story, I think, is the fact that another body has turned up. This one was killed in the exact same style as The Dollmaker, but due to the nature of the body when it was found, the detectives have to try and figure out if the victim was killed before Harry shot the suspect or after. If it was before, there's a good chance that the suspect probably did it says Harry. If the victim was killed after Harry killed the suspect -- well then, Harry and Co.
And that would be bad. I really feel like finally finding the killer was such a big deal for Harry. It feels like this has been going on for a long time. There seem to be a lot of suspects in this installment and even though I picked out the person that I thought was responsible, I was totally shocked at the big reveal.
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Church is naked and shaved. Bosch tells him to not move, but Church starts to pull something from under his pillow, and Bosch shoots him. Church had been reaching not for a gun, but his toupee. Bosch is investigated by internal affairs and cleared in the shooting; but, since he did not follow police procedure, he is transferred from the elite Robbery-Homicide Division RHD back to the Hollywood table. The makeup is found to match those of nine of the Dollmaker's victims. Four years later, Bosch is sued by Church's widow. Her attorney portrays Bosch as a cowboy and a vigilante , seeking revenge for the unsolved murder of his mother when he was a child.
During the trial, the police receive a note, purportedly from the Dollmaker, which leads to the discovery of a new victim with the same modus operandi. This victim was encased in concrete , unlike the original eleven victims, but all other aspects of the killing are the same, including the signature cross painted on a toenail. The concrete blonde victim, along with two other of the original victims, fit a different pattern: Mora has ties to the adult video industry, had insider knowledge of the Dollmaker case, and was not at work during the killings not attributed to Norman Church.
The task force put Mora under surveillance and Bosch breaks into Mora's house looking for evidence that he is the Follower. Instead he finds that Mora has been making pornographic movies with underage children. Mora returns to his house, finds Bosch and threatens to kill him.
The Concrete Blonde
The rest of the task force arrive; they search Mora's house and determine that he is not the Follower. Mora does have information on who he believes is the Follower, and makes a deal: Mora got information that Locke had been seen on the set of adult movies where the slain women were cast members. When Bosch returns to his office he finds another note from the Follower, saying that he will be taking 'his blonde'. Bosch assumes that he means his girlfriend Sylvia; when she does not answer her phone, he sends the police to her house. He arrives to an empty house, when a real estate agent shows up to show the house.
Bosch finds Sylvia at his house and takes her to a hotel to protect her. Brenda Kezar Goodreads Author. Reiss Goodreads Author ,. Sylvia Spruck Wrigley Goodreads Author. Kelly Sandoval Goodreads Author.
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