About
Reviews
Search
Submit
Home

Mystery Books for Sale

[ Home ]
[ About | Reviews | Search | Submit ]


  

LOST LIGHT
by Michael Connelly
Orion, April 2003
360 pages
17.99 GBP
ISBN: 0752856561


Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

LOST LIGHT is Connelly's thirteenth book. However, this book demonstrates that the fear of the number thirteen is merely superstition; LOST LIGHT is as powerful and well written as his previous works. Harry Bosch retired from the police in the CITY OF BONES but continues to practice his skills as a detective as he investigates the murder of Angella Benton. Benton was murdered four years ago and the case remains unsolved. Bosch investigated the murder for several days as a police officer until it was reassigned to Homicide Robbery. Bosch uses the records he took with him when he left the department and attempts to finally capture another murderer. This murder is also tied up with a large robbery of two million dollars from a movie set. The FBI is still investigating this case and a special "division" associated with Homeland Security and terrorists attacks is interested in Bosch's activities surrounding this case. Bosch faces more governmental constraints and politics then he has in any of his previous cases but as always manages to come out on top. This murder also sends him searching for a missing FBI agent and back into the arms of his ex-wife Eleanor. Bosch faces more governmental constraints and politics then he has in any of his previous cases but as always manages to come out on top. LOST LIGHT presents Bosch's struggle to find justice for the innocence, for the dead, in addition to his personal desires and fears.

Unlike Connelly's previous books, LOST LIGHT is written in first person. This was a somewhat risky undertaking because of the loss of omniscience and threat to some readers. When writing about a character as well known as Harry Bosch, Connelly risked alienating readers by giving a voice to Bosch's innermost thoughts, secrets, doubts and desires. Connelly successful creates an "inner" character that realistically matches the outside persona of this character. There are a couple of decisions Bosch makes that seem incongruent with his character; however, they are most likely examples of how Bosch is growing as a character. By focusing on Bosch, Connelly does lose a lot of his power as a writer. Rather than have the freedom to keep the reader informed about situations before Bosch is told, the reader is forced to follow Bosch even when important parts of the narrative occur elsewhere. Writing a mystery in the first person is common and generally not a threat; it is only a threat when this is a new stylistic element. Luckily Connelly is talented enough as an author to pull this transition off seamlessly. Rather than alienating readers, LOST LIGHT should create more fans of the Harry Bosch series.

LOST LIGHT is a solid addition to the Harry Bosch series. Some of the elements have changed but Bosch remains true to his earlier portrayals. LOST LIGHT is a must read for any fan of Michael Connelly or a fan of hardboiled mysteries.

Reviewed by Sarah Dudley, June 2003

This book has more than one review. Click here to show all.

[ Top ]


QUICK SEARCH:

 

Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)


[ About | Reviews | Search | Submit ]
[ Home ]