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Michael Connelly is a former police reporter for the LOS ANGELES TIMES and the international bestselling author of the Harry Bosch thriller series. He is the author of several standalones, including the highly acclaimed legal thriller, THE LINCOLN LAWYER, which was selected for the Richard & Judy Book Club. BOSCH, the TV series based on Michael's novels, is the most watched original series on Amazon Prime Instant Video and has just been commissioned for a second series. His novel Blood Work was adapted into a film in 2002 with a screenplay by Brian Helgeland and direction by Clint Eastwood, who also played the lead role. Connelly's novel The Lincoln Lawyer was made into a film in 2011, with Matthew McConaughey playing defense lawyer Michael "Mickey" Haller. He occasionally makes guest appearances as himself in the ABC comedy/drama TV series Castle.
His books have been translated into 31 languages and have won awards all over the world, including the EDGAR and ANTHONY AWARDS. Fifty-eight million copies of Connelly’s books have sold worldwide and he has been translated into thirty-nine foreign languages.
Author photo © Wendy Werri
SOME CRIMES LIGHT A FIRE THAT NEVER GOES OUT... A JUDGE MURDERED IN A CITY PARK Mickey Haller, the Lincoln Lawyer, defends the man accused. A HOMELESS PERSON BURNED ALIVE Detective Renee Ballard catches the case on the LAPD's notorious graveyard shift. AN UNSOLVED HOMICIDE FROM A LIFETIME AGO Harry Bosch is left a missing case file by his mentor who passed away. He was the man who taught Bosch that everybody counts, or nobody counts. Why did he keep the case all these years? To find the truth - or bury it? IN L.A. CRIME NEVER SLEEPS But in Ballard, Bosch and Haller: the fire always burns. Will it light the way - or leave their lives in ashes?
Daisy Clayton's killer was never caught. In over ten years, there has been no breakthrough in her murder case. Detective Renee Ballard has faced everything the LAPD's notorious dusk-till-dawn graveyard shift has thrown at her. But, until tonight, she'd never met Harry Bosch - an ex-homicide detective consumed by this case. Soon, she too will become obsessed by the murder of Daisy Clayton. Because Ballard and Bosch both know: every murder tells a story. And Daisy's case file reads like the first chapter in an untold tragedy that is still being written - one that could end with Ballard herself, if she cannot bring the truth to light...
Harry Bosch works cold cases, helping out the under-funded San Fernando police department. When a double murder at a local pharmacy is called in, Bosch is the most seasoned detective on the scene. But with experience, come the ghosts of long-forgotten crimes. A death row inmate claims Bosch framed him, and that new DNA evidence proves it. The LAPD investigators say the case is watertight, leaving Bosch out in the wilderness to clear his name and keep a sadistic killer behind bars. There's only one person he can trust to help prove his innocence: Micky Haller, The Lincoln Lawyer... As both cases tangle around him, Bosch learns there are two kinds of truth: the kind that won't die and the kind that kills.
Three year retired Harry Bosch is working on cold cases for a small San Fernando Police Department who respect and treasure him, unlike his old colleagues from the LAPD days where he left under a cloud. In his new life he is asked to help with the murder of father and son pharmacists. At the same time he is questioned by his old department about a murderer and rapist’s case, a man who has been on death row for thirty years. Harry is accused of planting evidence and failing to do a DNA test, very serious allegations. Meanwhile his present case requires him to go “underground” to bring down a drugs gang. Because of the formal enquiries over the rapist photographs of Harry are released to the press and his cover blown. Now all hell breaks loose in a tense read. The plot could almost have been three separate stories but Connolly has cleverly interlinked them into a coherent whole. Great stuff. Sarah Broadhurst
Only Harry Bosch can uncover LA's darkest secrets in this new gripping thriller from global bestseller Michael Connelly. 'What do you want me to do?' Bosch asked again. 'I want you to find someone for me,' Vance said. 'Someone who might not have ever existed.' Harry Bosch is working as a part-time detective in the town of San Fernando outside of Los Angeles, when he gets the invitation to meet with the ageing aviation billionaire Whitney Vance. When he was eighteen Vance had a relationship with a Mexican girl called Vibiana Duarte, but soon after becoming pregnant she disappeared. Now, as he reaches the end of his life, Vance wants to know what happened to Vibiana and whether there is an heir to his vast fortune. And Bosch is the only person he trusts to undertake the assignment. Harry's aware that with such sums of money involved, this could be a dangerous undertaking - not just for himself, but for the person he's looking for - but as he begins to uncover Vibiana's tragic story, and finds uncanny links to his own past, he knows he cannot rest until he finds the truth.
Harry Bosch is no longer working for the LA Police Dept but part-timing pro-bono for the San Fernando force and working as a private investigator. A reclusive billionaire asks him to find a possible heir in parallel with an ongoing search for a serial rapist. Connelly confirms yet again his mastery of the thriller with action and police procedure equally balanced and a double set of thorough investigations that click into place like a perfect jigsaw. Add wit, wisdom and his strong sense of empathy for those abandoned by polite society and Connelly, a true modern master of the genre, never puts a foot wrong, wrong-footing the reader at every turn with genuine surprises. Some prolific crime authors and their creations often inevitably get stale as they reach their third decade, but Harry Bosch (aided and a betted by a pleasing cameo by his half-brother, the Lincoln lawyer Mickey Haller) still grows in stature even after he has retired. Indispensable. ~ Maxim Jakubowski Maxim Jakubowski's November 2016 Book of the Month.
Harry Bosch no longer works for the LAPD having retired six months ago. He hired his half-brother, defence lawyer Mickey Haller, to sue the department for forcing him out. Not popular! But this does enable Connelly to mix his two main series together for, although this is Harry Bosch’s twentieth book, Haller is Connelly’s other series character. The mixing works well in another well-paced, intriguing and complex mystery. Mickey is happy to help Harry but he needs help himself. He has a client, a former gang member whom the police are prosecuting for murder but the man adamantly proclaims his innocence. Harry Bosch has never worked for the defence. His life has been spent putting bad people behind bars, not finding ways of getting them acquitted, but this particular case seems to be full of holes. It is starting to look rather like a set up. Certainly Bosch’s former colleagues will view him a traitor but if Mickey believes in his client then someone else is guilty and needs to be found. This is ace stuff; difficult to put down. One of our Books of the Year 2015.
Harry Bosch no longer works for the LAPD having retired six months ago. He hired his half-brother, defence lawyer Mickey Haller, to sue the department for forcing him out. Not popular! But this does enable Connelly to mix his two main series together for, although this is Harry Bosch’s twentieth book, Haller is Connelly’s other series character. The mixing works well in another well-paced, intriguing and complex mystery. Mickey is happy to help Harry but he needs help himself. He has a client, a former gang member whom the police are prosecuting for murder but the man adamantly proclaims his innocence. Harry Bosch has never worked for the defence. His life has been spent putting bad people behind bars, not finding ways of getting them acquitted, but this particular case seems to be full of holes. It is starting to look rather like a set up. Certainly Bosch’s former colleagues will view him a traitor but if Mickey believes in his client then someone else is guilty and needs to be found. This is ace stuff; difficult to put down. One of our Books of the Year 2015.
One of our Books of the Year 2015. November 2015 Book of the Month. Harry Bosch no longer works for the LAPD having retired six months ago. He hired his half-brother, defence lawyer Mickey Haller, to sue the department for forcing him out. Not popular! But this does enable Connelly to mix his two main series together for, although this is Harry Bosch’s twentieth book, Haller is Connelly’s other series character. The mixing works well in another well-paced, intriguing and complex mystery. Mickey is happy to help Harry but he needs help himself. He has a client, a former gang member whom the police are prosecuting for murder but the man adamantly proclaims his innocence. Harry Bosch has never worked for the defence. His life has been spent putting bad people behind bars, not finding ways of getting them acquitted, but this particular case seems to be full of holes. It is starting to look rather like a set up. Certainly Bosch’s former colleagues will view him a traitor but if Mickey believes in his client then someone else is guilty and needs to be found. This is ace stuff; difficult to put down. ~ Sarah Broadhurst
The second Harry Bosch book has just as much momentum as the first. Harry gets involved in a case when a narcotics cop, Bosch has had some brief contact with, is found dead. Is it suicide or murder and what did the dead cop know about an old case Bosch was working on? Bosch is told to back off both cases but like a dog with a bone he is not giving it up that easily. Plenty of plot twists and a great leading man make this an excellent read.
An excellent Harry Bosch novel from 'one of the great storytellers of crime fiction' Sunday Telegraph.
In the LAPD's Open Unsolved Unit, not many murder victims die almost a decade after the crime. So when a man succumbs to complications from being shot by a stray bullet ten years earlier, Bosch catches a case in which the body is still fresh, but any other evidence is virtually non-existent. Now Bosch and his new partner, rookie Detective Lucia Soto, are tasked with solving what turns out to be a highly charged, politically sensitive case. Starting with the bullet that's been lodged for years in the victim's spine, they must pull new leads from years-old information which soon reveals that this shooting may have been anything but random.
December 2012 eBook of the Month. Another compellingly excellent Harry Bosch novel where a 30 year old cold case serial killer and a political conspiracy keep an ageing Harry Bosch more than fully occupied. Any fan of crime fiction needs to have read at least one Michael Connelly book - we at Lovereading have been addicted since 1996 and his consummate novel The Poet. And in case you are wondering DROP stands for Deferred Retirement Option Plan.
A Harry Bosch one which is just brilliant. Not as complex as previous novels, but the same great pace and mounting tension, and an end I did not anticipate. Comparison: Robert Crais, Lee Child, James Patterson.
Shortlisted for the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger 2009. CWA Judges’ comments: 'A highly accomplished legal thriller. Very readable with good twists and an engaging lead character. Never less than compelling to the very last page.' Lawyer, Jerry Vincent is murdered leaving his client list to his down-on-his-luck colleague, Mickey Haller. Haller thinks his time in the spot light has come as one of his newly acquired clients is worth millions and could put Hallers career back on track. However when Harry Bosch is put on the case and is convinced one of Vincent’s clients murdered him Haller realises his golden list of new found clients may actually be a list of suspects and he might be the next target. Connelly delivers yet again with another brilliant suspense-filled page turner.
This is the one that introduces us to Hieronymous (Harry) Bosch, detective with the LAPD. Connelly lays the foundations of Harry’s character in this novel while telling a great crime story too. He sets up plenty of plot lines for future novels and brings us one of the best detective series in crime fiction, to date. As with all these series it helps a little if you start form the beginning but each book gives enough information to enjoy on its own. If you haven’t tried Connelly yet then do give him a go, as he is a great story teller.
Harry Bosch is back, believing he missed a clue thirteen years ago and is therefore partly responsible for what is happening now. What a fabulous character this man is and, in a tale of red herrings, lies, the power of money and the deception of the suspect, he just gets better. Slow to start, this builds to a truly gripping read. First rate stuff.Comparison: Harlan Coben, G M Ford, Robert Crais.
Winner of the Best Novel at the Macavity Awards 2006 and the Shamus Awards 2006. He’s a well-known, bestselling American author of fast-paced crime but this one is a little out of the norm. It’s a fascinating insight into the workings of the American legal system, there are many such but this is very good. The devious, almost illegal, way the system can be manipulated is highly informative and enthralling. This title is also available as an Audiobook, in CD format.
In the LAPD's Open-Unsolved Unit, not many murder victims die almost a decade after the crime. So when a man succumbs to complications from being shot by a stray bullet nine years earlier, Bosch catches a case in which the body is still fresh, but any other evidence is virtually nonexistent. Now Bosch and his new partner, rookie Detective Lucia Soto, are tasked with solving what turns out to be a highly charged, politically sensitive case. Starting with the bullet that's been lodged for years in the victim's spine, they must pull new leads from years-old information, which soon reveals that this shooting may have been anything but random.
Mickey Haller’s fifth case has the murder of a prostitute Mickey believed he had ‘saved’ at its core. Fans will know that Mickey is Harry Bosch’s half-brother, newcomers will find Mickey an interesting character and the courtroom scenes particularly well done. Connelly builds tension, throws in twists and surprises and gives you one hell of a read. He is first class.
November 2013 Book of the Month. “Call me asap – 187” says the text, 187 being the California penal code for murder. Lawyer Mickey Haller sees money and knows he will have to work at his highest level. It turns out the victim was a prostitute he had defended on several occasions, and she had a number of contacts who could have killed her. Weaving through the tense tale is more back story of Haller and his estranged teenage daughter. Michael Connelly fans know what to expect and certainly won’t be disappointed here – with many a plausible twist, it’s great.
November 2013 Book of the Month. Riots in Los Angeles in 1992 made murder easy and solving the crimes much more difficult. Twenty years later Harry Bosch, now working for the Open Unsolved Unit, is faced with one of his own old cases, the Snow White case, so named because the victim was a young white woman. Bosch is a little slower here than previously, appropriately for an ageing man but still unconventional, not in favour with his superiors and getting the job done. He is a great character. The Lovereading view... The latest Harry Bosch adventure from Michael Connelly and 16th in the series (the 1st is The Black Echo). In a case that spans 20 years, Harry Bosch links the bullet from a recent crime to a file from 1992, the killing of a young female photojournalist during the L.A. riots. Like an investigator combing through the wreckage after a plane crash, Bosch searches for the “black box,” the one piece of evidence that will pull the case together. Riveting and relentlessly paced, The Black Box leads Harry Bosch into one of his most fraught and perilous cases.
December 2012 Book of the Month. The latest Harry Bosch adventure from Michael Connelly and 16th in the series (the 1st is The Black Echo). In a case that spans 20 years, Harry Bosch links the bullet from a recent crime to a file from 1992, the killing of a young female photojournalist during the L.A. riots. Like an investigator combing through the wreckage after a plane crash, Bosch searches for the “black box,” the one piece of evidence that will pull the case together. Riveting and relentlessly paced, The Black Box leads Harry Bosch into one of his most fraught and perilous cases.
July 2012 Book of the Month. Twentieth anniversary edition of the book that introduced us to Hieronymus (Harry) Bosch, detective with the LAPD. Connelly lays the foundations of Harry’s character in this novel while telling a great crime story too. He sets up plenty of plot lines for future novels and brings us one of the best detective series in crime fiction, to date. As with all these series it helps a little if you start form the beginning but each book gives enough information to enjoy on its own. If you haven’t tried Connelly yet then do give him a go, as he is a great story teller.
A Special Edition of The Black Ice by Michael Connelly to celebrate Orion's 20th anniversary. The second Harry Bosch book has just as much momentum as the first. Harry gets involved in a case when a narcotics cop, Bosch has had some brief contact with, is found dead. Is it suicide or murder and what did the dead cop know about an old case Bosch was working on? Bosch is told to back off both cases but like a dog with a bone he is not giving it up that easily. Plenty of plot twists and a great leading man make this an excellent read.
November 2011 Book of the Month. A blistering courtroom drama featuring The Lincoln Lawyer's Mickey Haller from the master of the genre. For Mickey, it's back to what he does best on the biggest stage of all, but if he thought defending Lisa Trammel was going to be a walk in the park, he'd be wrong. Not only is he about to learn some startling truths about his client, but also about himself, and by the time the verdict is in, Mickey's whole world will have been turned upside down.
A message to our readers from Michael Connelly... A cold case gets a DNA hit for a rape and murder which points the finger at a 29-year-old convicted rapist who was only eight at the time of the murder. Then a city councilman's son is found dead - fallen or pushed from a hotel window - and he insists on Bosch taking the case despite the two men's history of enmity. The cases are unrelated but they twist around each other like the double helix of a DNA strand. One leads to the discovery of a killer operating in the city for as many as three decades; the other to a deep political conspiracy that reached back into the dark history of the police department.
July 2011 eBook of the Month. A new Harry Bosch is always a treat and thoroughly addictive. Harry is brought in to help out defence lawyer Mickey Haller on a case Mickey has been asked to prosecute rather than defend. Maybe the alarm bells should have gone off at that point! Another great thriller from one of the best.
A blistering courtroom drama featuring THE LINCOLN LAWYER's Mickey Haller from one of the masters of the genre.
Barry Forshaw on Michael Connelly and George V.Higgins... Michael Connelly, one of America’s most celebrated contemporary writers (whose The Lincoln Lawyer was a phenomenal success even before its subsequent film adaptation), is an essential choice for crime fans. Connelly, it might be argued, is the heir apparent of the late (and legendary) George V. Higgins. For many years, Higgins was ‘caviar to the general’ – massively revered by those who knew about the best crime writing, but largely unknown to the general public. If you have yet to discover him, you’re in for a treat. Like Connelly, his insight into the world of medium-grade criminals has few equals. Fans of Connelly’s The Lincoln Lawyer should try George V. Higgins’ low-key but mesmeric The Friends of Eddie Coyle, one of the most influential of crime novels. Winner of the Best Novel at the Macavity Awards and the Shamus Awards The Lovereading view... From one of the best known American authors of fast-paced crime comes one of his early thrillers now with a film cover to tie-in with the release of the eagerly anticipated movie. It's a highly enjoyable and fascinating insight into the workings of the American legal system where devious dealings border on the illegal and where systems can be manipulated. It’s a great read, highly informative and enthralling and reminiscent of early John Grisham. Highly recommended. The film The Lincoln Lawyer, starring Matthew McConaughey, is due for release in the UK on 18 March 2010. Click here to view the trailer.
March 2011 Book of the Month. A new Harry Bosch, which is always a treat. Harry is brought in to help out defence lawyer Mickey Haller on a case Mickey has been asked to prosecute rather than defend. Maybe the alarm bells should have gone off at that point! Another great thriller from one of the best.
October 2010 Book of the Month. A new Harry Bosch, which is always a treat. Harry is brought in to help out defence lawyer Mickey Haller on a case Mickey has been asked to prosecute rather than defend. Maybe the alarm bells should have gone off at that point! Another great thriller from one of the best.
Another great story from Connelly. If you don’t know him you should, he is top of his class. It stars Jack McEvoy, hero of The Poet, and I really don’t want to say more about it except you must read him. Category: Harlan Coben, James Lee Burke, Dennis Lehane.
Winner of the Best Novel at the Anthony Awards 1999 and the Macavity Awards 1999. Another stand alone novel, this is one of Connelly’s best. Terry McCaleb is a retired FBI profiler who has had a recent heart transplant. When the donor’s sister turns up and informs him that her brother was the victim of a serial killer, McCaleb feels compelled to help her track down the killer. Lots of details and clues to get your teeth stuck in to and plenty of twists to keep you guessing to the very end.
A highly enjoyable read with a lot of twists and action concerning the murder of a scientist dealing with radioactive materials. Connelly’s established character, Harry Bosch, enters the scene in another beautifully structured crime novel. Interestingly, it was originally published as a serial in The New York Times so there are plenty of cliff-hangers, and Connelly has added a new final chapter. Comparison: Harlan Coben, G M Ford, James Lee Burke
This man is ace. The character Harry Bosch has appeared in several others including the one which precedes this, The Narrows. All are recommended. Connelly’s other novels are great but there is something special about the Harry Bosch tales. The LA police corruption, the rivalry between officers and the city itself all play an important part in the twists and turns of his exceptional storytelling. He is terrific. This title is also available as an Audiobook, in either CD or cassette format.Comparison: Robert Crais, Dennis Lehane, G M Ford.
A long-awaited sequel to Connelly’s superb thriller The Poet. This title is also available as an Audiobook, in either CD or cassette format.
Like Raymond Chandler; read Michael Connelly. Both these American master storytellers principally write about Los Angeles and its boulevards of broken dreams and toil in the so-called hardboiled streets. Their respective heroes, Philip Marlowe and Harry Bosch act as avenging knights decades apart but the sense of anger at corruption and the spread of evil is the same, alongside carefully-tuned plots and galleries of wonderful characters, full of colour and pathos. Chandler created the model for modern crime fiction, Connelly takes over the relay and brought it into the 21st century.Recommended:Raymond Chandler - THE LITTLE SISTER. Not his most known, but a fascinating and tender glimpse into the intricate webs of deception that bring people together and then destroy them.Michael Connelly - THE POET. A stand-alone novel that does not feature Harry Bosch, but follows a group of FBI agents on the trail of a terribly devious serial killer. A breathless masterpiece. The Lovereading view... Winner of the Best Novel at the Anthony Awards 1997. Not part of the Harry Bosch series, this is a one of Connellys ‘stand alone’ novels, although he subsequently wrote The Narrows, which is the sequel to this. Fast paced with great twists and turns this really is one of those books that keeps you on the edge of your seat and racing to get to the end to discover the identity of the elusive ‘Poet’.
Lawyer, Jerry Vincent is murdered leaving his client list to his down-on-his-luck colleague, Mickey Haller. Haller thinks his time in the spot light has come as one of his newly acquired clients is worth millions and could put Hallers career back on track. However when Harry Bosch is put on the case and is convinced one of Vincent’s clients murdered him Haller realises his golden list of new found clients may actually be a list of suspects and he might be the next target. Connelly delivers yet again with another brilliant suspense-filled book. Abridged audiobook edition. Read by Michael Brandon. 5 CDs Running Time: 6 hour
Lawyer, Jerry Vincent is murdered leaving his client list to his down-on-his-luck colleague, Mickey Haller. Haller thinks his time in the spot light has come as one of his newly acquired clients is worth millions and could put Hallers career back on track. However when Harry Bosch is put on the case and is convinced one of Vincent’s clients murdered him Haller realises his golden list of new found clients may actually be a list of suspects and he might be the next target. Connelly delivers yet again with another brilliant suspense-filled page turner.
A great insight in to where Connolly gets his ideas from. Having worked as a police reporter for the LA Times Connolly covered many cases and here he brings together a fascinating collection of true crime stories. This is a must for all Michael Connolly fans.
Reviewed on Richard and Judy on 22 March 2006. He’s a well-known, bestselling American author of fast-paced crime but this one is a little out of the norm. It’s a fascinating insight into the workings of the American legal system, there are many such but this is very good. The devious, almost illegal, way the system can be manipulated is highly informative and enthralling. This title is also available as an Audiobook, in either CD or cassette format.Comparison: John Grisham, Robert Crais, David Baldacci.
Highly enjoyable and fascinating insight into the workings of the American legal system where devious dealings border on the illegal. It’s a great read, reminiscent of early John Grisham. Highly recommended. This title is also available as an Audiobook, in either CD or cassette format.Comparison: John Grisham, Lisa Scottoline, G M Ford.
PRE-ORDER THE NEW LINCOLN LAWYER THRILLER NOW * * * * * The brand new blockbuster crime thriller from Michael Connelly - the #1 Sunday Times, New York Times and international bestseller. The new Lincoln Lawyer novel. One of the most eagerly awaited thrillers of the year. * * * * * CRIME DOESN'T COME BETTER THAN CONNELLY: 'One of the world's greatest crime writers' Daily Mail 'The pre-eminent detective novelist of his generation' Ian Rankin 'A master of the genre' Stephen King 'Crime thriller writing of the highest order' Guardian 'A superb natural storyteller' Lee Child 'Harry Bosch: one of the finest minds in crime fiction' Evening Standard 'America's greatest living crime writer' Daily Express 'A crime writing genius' Independent on Sunday
HOW DO YOU FIND A KILLER WHO KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU?THE INSTANT NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER 'AS EXCITING AS ANYTHING CONNELLY HAS WRITTEN' THE TIMES 'UTTERLY COMPELLING ... THIS IS CONNELLY AT THE PEAK OF HIS POWERS' MAIL ON SUNDAY * * * * Jack McEvoy is a reporter with a track record in finding killers. But he's never been accused of being one himself. Jack went on one date with Tina Portrero. The next thing he knows, the police are at his house telling Jack he's a suspect in her murder. Maybe it's because he doesn't like being accused of a crime he didn't commit. Or maybe it's because the method of her murder is so chilling that he can't get it out of his head. But as he uses his journalistic skills to open doors closed to the police, Jack walks a thin line between suspect and detective - between investigation and obsession - on the trail of a killer who knows his victims better than they know themselves... Riveting, original and terrifying - this masterpiece from Michael Connelly is the best thriller you will read this summer. * * * * * CRIME DOESN'T COME BETTER THAN CONNELLY. 'One of the very best writers working today in any genre' Sunday Telegraph 'The pre-eminent detective novelist of his generation' Ian Rankin 'Crime thriller writing of the highest order' Guardian 'A superb natural storyteller' Lee Child 'A master' Stephen King 'A genius' Independent on Sunday 'America's greatest living crime writer' Daily Express 'No one writes a better modern thriller than Connelly' Evening Standard
HOW DO YOU FIND A KILLER WHO KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU? 'AS EXCITING AS ANYTHING CONNELLY HAS WRITTEN' THE TIMES * * * * Jack McEvoy is a reporter with a track record in finding killers. But he's never been accused of being one himself. Jack went on one date with Tina Portrero. The next thing he knows, the police are at his house telling Jack he's a suspect in her murder. Maybe it's because he doesn't like being accused of a crime he didn't commit. Or maybe it's because the method of her murder is so chilling that he can't get it out of his head. But as he uses his journalistic skills to open doors closed to the police, Jack walks a thin line between suspect and detective - between investigation and obsession - on the trail of a killer who knows his victims better than they know themselves... Riveting, original and terrifying - this masterpiece from Michael Connelly is the best thriller you will read this summer. * * * * * CRIME DOESN'T COME BETTER THAN CONNELLY. 'One of the very best writers working today in any genre' Sunday Telegraph 'The pre-eminent detective novelist of his generation' Ian Rankin 'Crime thriller writing of the highest order' Guardian 'A superb natural storyteller' Lee Child 'A master' Stephen King 'A genius' Independent on Sunday 'America's greatest living crime writer' Daily Express 'No one writes a better modern thriller than Connelly' Evening Standard
Boston writer Michael Connolly captures the magic of American's return to normalcy after World War II in this intimate portrait of a city and the baseball team it loves. Fenway 1946 celebrates the city and the team and the spirit of that wonderful 1946 season in Boston-a season, as usual the broke fans' hearts-as America returned to return to peacetime pastimes. And none was more American than baseball. Along the way he brings out the stories and personalities that made that year so special in the Hub. From returning veterans like Ted Williams and young Congressman John F. Kennedy and thousands of others and their families who worried while they were in Europe or the Pacific, the 1946 Red Sox season was a celebration. It was catharsis. It was what made American great. Husbands and sons were coming home to the open arms of a grateful nation. This included five hundred major leaguers who fought in World War II. The homecoming of America's best sparked a spirit of collective pride from coast to coast-and New England was not exempt. For the previous five years, America sat around its radio listening to war reports. Now they would gather in the parlors to enjoy baseball once again. Baseball had always been a thread that connected the country--a sport that linked generations. Opening Day 1946 was a tangible reminder that the country was at peace - back to the way things were. Nowhere was this more relevant than in Boston. From Scollay Square to South Boston to the North End, veterans in their uniforms, kids with bats over their shoulder and housewives were talking about the return of Ted Williams and a roster that was considered the best in the league. Expectations were high - as always, at Fenway Park. Fans somehow knew this would be their year. The 1946 Boston Red Sox finished first in the American League with a record of 104 wins and 50 losses. And they wouldn't disappoint (until October). ***** * In January of 1946, Ted Williams, Dom DiMaggio, John Pesky and Bobby Doerr are released from the military and vow to come back as good as ever. * American and especially Boston are desperate for real baseball. In 1945, the Red Sox averaged only 7,814 fans a game at Fenway. In 1946, with Williams and the team back home, they played in front of over 33,000 in their last scrimmage game at Fenway Park before the season started. * Opening Day for the league was in Washington D.C. between the Senators and the Red Sox. President Harry Truman threw out the first pitch. Ted Williams went 6-12 in the series and was mobbed by Senator fans who rip his shirt off while he leaves the field. As he approached the dugout, Williams tossed his hat to a GI sitting in the lower box * The home Opening Day for the Red Sox at Fenway Park was an event for the ages. Before the game Marines re-enacted the flag-raising at Iowa Jima in center field. The first pitch was thrown out by Governor Tobin. Standing by his side was a local war hero, John Murdoch, who got a bigger ovation than Ted Williams. Murdoch was part of the team that saved boxing world champion Barney Ross, whose bravery at Guadalcanal was unparalleled. * Red Sox won an amazing 41 of their first 50 games. Ted Williams hits eleven home runs in just June. A spirit of euphoria overtakes Boston as the always hopeful fans pray for the Red Sox to break their 28-year curse. * All Star game is played at Fenway where Ted Williams and voted MVP after going 4 for 4 with 2 home runs including a grand slam. * In September, the Red Sox win a matinee game 1-0 in Cleveland on a Ted Williams inside the park home run. Later that day the Tigers lose giving Boston the pennant. Red Sox owner, Tom Yawkey throws a party in his hotel room. No one can find Ted Williams. Not telling anyone, Williams went to the local veterans' hospital in Cleveland and spent the night with a dying veteran. * Red Sox clinch the pennant. In one year their win total improved by 33 games (71-83 in 1945 to 104-50 in 1946). America is returning to the ballpark. At Fenway alone attendance went from 603,794 in 1945 to 1,416,944 in 1946. * In the National League, the Brooklyn Dodgers and the St. Louis Cardinals tie for the pennant. While Boston awaits the National League playoff to conclude, Tom Yawkey invites American League All Stars to come to Fenway Park and scrimmage his Red Sox to keep them sharp. Hall of Famers, DiMaggio, Greenberg and Appling all sacrifice the first week of their offseason in loyalty to the American League. DiMaggio forgets his uniform and has to wear a Red Sox uniform for the game. A game in which Williams is hit on the elbow with a pitch and never fully recovers in the World Series. * In anticipation of Game Seven of the World Series in St. Louis, newspapers across the country split the front page with previews of the big game and the expected execution that day of Herman Goering (he would avoid that by killing himself) and ten other high-ranking Nazi's in Nuremberg, providing Americans further validation that the war was behind them. * President Harry Truman's team beats the Red Sox in the penultimate game when Johnny Pesky holds the relay throw from the outfield allowing Enos Slaughter to score from first on a single.
26 MILES TO BOSTON slips squarely into the running shoes and minds of the athletes as they traverse the 26-mile, 385-yard course of America's most venerated long-distance race. From suburban Hopkinton, Massachusetts, to the center of metropolitan Boston, here are the mile-by-mile sights and sounds experienced by the runners. Interwoven throughout is the colorful history of the men and women of manifold skills who have competed in this preeminent event over the span of more than a century. Profusely illustrated with photographs and maps, 26 MILES TO BOSTON is a book for anyone who's ever wondered what it might be like to run the Boston Marathon.
SOME CRIMES LIGHT A FIRE THAT NEVER GOES OUT... 'One of the most eagerly awaited books of the year.' The i newspaper, Best Crime Books for 2019 'There's something for everyone in this jam-packed plot' New York Times * * * * * A JUDGE MURDERED IN A CITY PARK Mickey Haller, the Lincoln Lawyer, defends the man accused. A HOMELESS PERSON BURNED ALIVE Detective Renee Ballard catches the case on the LAPD's notorious graveyard shift. AN UNSOLVED HOMICIDE FROM A LIFETIME AGO Harry Bosch is left a missing case file by his mentor who passed away. He was the man who taught Bosch that everybody counts, or nobody counts. Why did he keep the case all these years? To find the truth - or bury it? IN L.A. CRIME NEVER SLEEPS But in Ballard, Bosch and Haller: the fire always burns. Will it light the way - or leave their lives in ashes? * * * * * CRIME DOESN'T COME BETTER THAN CONNELLY. 'One of the world's greatest crime writers' Daily Mail 'The pre-eminent detective novelist of his generation' Ian Rankin 'Crime thriller writing of the highest order' Guardian 'A superb natural storyteller' Lee Child 'A master' Stephen King 'A genius' Independent on Sunday 'A terrific writer with pace, style and humanity to spare' The Times 'America's greatest living crime writer' Daily Express 'One of the great storytellers of crime fiction' Sunday Telegraph 'Justly regarded as one of the world's finest crime writers' Mail On Sunday 'No one writes a better modern thriller than Connelly' Evening Standard
It's no secret that authors have a love-hate relationship with Hollywood. The oft-repeated cliche that the book was better than the movie holds true for more reasons than the average reader will ever know. When asked about selling their book rights to Hollywood authors like to joke that they drive their manuscripts to the border of Arizona and California and toss them over the fence, driving back the way they came at breakneck speed. This is probably because Hollywood just doesn't get it. Its vision for the film or TV series rarely seems to match the vision of the author. And for those rare individuals who've had the fortune of sitting across the desk from one of the myriad, interchangeable development execs praising the brilliance of their work while ticking off a never-ending list of notes for the rewrite, the pros of pitching their work to Hollywood rarely outweigh the cons. Stephen Jay Schwartz has sat on both sides of that desk-first as the Director of Development for film director Wolfgang Petersen, then as a screenwriter and author pitching his work to the film and television industry. He's seen all sides of what is known in this small community as Development Hell. The process is both amusing and heartbreaking. Most authors whose work contains a modicum of commercial potential eventually find themselves in the room taking a shot at seeing their creations re-visualized by agents, producers or development executives. What they often discover is that their audience is younger and less worldly as themselves. What passes for story notes is often a mishmash of vaguely connected ideas intended to put the producer's personal stamp on the project. Hollywood Versus The Author is a collection of non-fiction anecdotes by authors who've had the pleasure of experiencing the development room firsthand-some who have successfully managed to straddle the two worlds, seeing their works morph into the kinds of feature films and TV shows that make them proud, and others who stepped blindsided into that room after selling their first or second novels. All the stories in this collection illustrate the great divide between the world of literature and the big or small screen. They underscore the insanity of every crazy thing you've ever heard about Hollywood. For insiders and outsiders alike, Hollywood Versus The Author delivers the goods. With contributions by Michael Connelly, Lawrence Block, Max Allan Collins, Alan Jacobson, Andrew Kaplan, Tess Gerritsen, James Brown, Peter James, Rob Roberge, Lee Goldberg, Naomi Hirahara, T. Jefferson Parker, Diana Gould, Joshua Corin, and Alexandra Sokoloff
*THE FIRST EVER BOSCH & BALLARD THRILLER: THE NEW BLOCKBUSTER FROM THE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER* At the end of a long, dark night Detectives Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch cross paths for the very first time. * * * * * Detective Renee Ballard works the graveyard shift and returns to Hollywood Station in the early hours to find a stranger rifling through old files.The intruder is none other than legendary LAPD detective Harry Bosch, hunting for leads in an unsolved case that has got under his skin. Ballard escorts him out but - curious to know what he was searching for - soon becomes obsessed by the murder of Daisy Clayton. Was she the first victim of a serial killer who still stalks the streets? For Bosch, the case is more than personal: it may be all he has left. But in a city where crime never sleeps, even detectives have a dark side... * * * * * CRIME DOESN'T COME BETTER THAN CONNELLY. 'One of the world's greatest crime writers' Daily Mail 'A master of the genre' Stephen King 'A superb natural storyteller' Lee Child 'Novels of exceptional quality' The Times 'Genuine modern classics' Independent on Sunday 'Crime thriller writing of the highest order' Guardian 'One of the great storytellers of crime fiction' Sunday Telegraph 'America's greatest living crime writer' Express 'No one writes a better modern thriller than Connelly' Evening Standard
Don't mess with Harry - Ermittlerlegende Harry Boschs 21 Fall: eine millionenschwere ErbschaftHarry Bosch, mittlerweile als Privatermittler ttig, soll den Erben des Milliardrs Whitney Vance finden: Der alte Mann hatte als Student ein Verhltnis mit einer Mexikanerin, die er auf Druck seines Vaters verlie als die junge Frau schwanger wurde. Ein Leben lang hat Vance sich dafr geschmt, nun will er Wiedergutmachung leisten. Es versteht sich, dass kaum einer in seinem Umfeld von dieser Entwicklung begeistert ist. Bosch ist klar, dass er mit uerster Vorsicht vorgehen muss. Doch kaum hat er erste Erfolge erzielt, erfhrt er vom pltzlichen Tod seines Auftraggebers. Fr Harry Bosch bedeutet das nur eines: Jetzt erst recht!"e;Bosch at his best."e; New York Times
Eine Ikone der modernen Kriminalliteratur: Der 20. Fall fur Detective Harry Bosch - von Amerikas Top-Thriller-Autor Michael ConnellyDetective Harry Bosch ist in Rente gegangen und nicht mehr beim Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), aber sein Halbbruder, der Anwalt Mickey Haller, braucht die Hilfe des erfahrenen Ermittlers. Eine Frau ist im Schlafzimmer ihres Hauses brutal ermordet worden, und alle Indizien deuten auf einen von Hallers Klienten, einen frheren Gangster, mittlerweile brgerlicher Familienvater. Obwohl die Mordanklage wasserdicht scheint, hlt Mickey sie fr vorgeschoben. Offenbar soll seinem unschuldigen Klienten etwas angehngt werden. Zuerst will Bosch damit nichts zu tun haben, aber dann nimmt er sich der Sache an und betreibt mit der ihm eigenen Hartnckigkeit Nachforschungen, um den Fall aufzuklren. Doch je nher er der Wahrheit kommt, umso mehr gert er in das Visier des Tters Der amtierende Herrscher des Polizei-Thrillers."e; Kirkus Reviews ber Michael Connelly
Go back to where it all began for LAPD detective Harry Bosch, star of Amazon Prime's Bosch, in his first case The Black Echo - a gripping, action-packed thriller. LAPD detective Harry Bosch is a loner and a nighthawk. One Sunday he gets a call-out on his pager. A body has been found in a drainage tunnel off Mulholland Drive, Hollywood. At first sight, it looks like a routine drugs overdose case, but the one new puncture wound amid the scars of old tracks leaves Bosch unconvinced. To make matters worse, Harry Bosch recognises the victim. Billy Meadows was a fellow 'tunnel rat' in Vietnam, running against the VC and the fear they all used to call the Black Echo. Bosch believes he let down Billy Meadows once before, so now he is determined to bring the killer to justice.
In this first installment of the Renee Ballard series, #1 bestselling author Michael Connelly introduces a complicated and driven young detective fighting to prove herself on the LAPD's toughest beat (The New York Times). Renee Ballard works the midnight shift in Hollywood, beginning many investigations but finishing few, as each morning she turns everything over to the daytime units. It's a frustrating job for a once up-and-coming detective, but it's no accident. She's been given this beat as punishment after filing a sexual harassment complaint against a supervisor. But one night Ballard catches two assignments she doesn't want to part with. First, a prostitute is brutally beaten and left for dead in a parking lot. All signs point to a crime of premeditation, not passion, by someone with big evil on his mind. Then she sees a young waitress breathe her last after being caught up in a nightclub shooting. Though dubbed a peripheral victim, the waitress buys Ballard a way in, and this time she is determined not to give up at dawn. Against orders and her partner's wishes, she works both cases by day while maintaining her shift by night. As the investigations intertwine, Ballard is forced to face her own demons and confront a danger she could never have imagined. To find justice for these victims who can't speak for themselves, she must put not only her career but her life on the line. Propulsive as a jolt of adrenaline and featuring a bold and defiant new heroine, The Late Show is yet more proof that Michael Connelly is a master of the genre (Washington Post).
CRIME NEVER SLEEPS. 'CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR' Daily Mail ONE OF AMAZON'S BEST MYSTERY/THRILLERS OF THE YEAR* * * * * Detective Renee Ballard works 'The Late Show', the notorious graveyard shift at the LAPD. It's thankless work for a once-promising detective, keeping strange hours in a twilight world of crime. Some nights are worse than others. And tonight is the worst yet. Two shocking cases, hours apart: a brutal assault, and a multiple murder with no suspects. Ballard knows it is always darkest before dawn. But what she doesn't know - yet - is how deep her investigation will take her into the dark heart of her city, the police department and her own past... The Late Show will keep you up all night: it's time to meet Detective Renee Ballard. * * * * * 'The new novel from America's greatest living crime writer is a gripping thrill ride that will entrance you and keep you reading until the small hours' Daily Express 'It has been more than ten years since Connelly, one of the world's greatest crime writers, last launched a major new character. Superb storytelling - this cements Connelly's place at the very top of the crime-writing tree' Daily Mail 'Classy and clever, with a tenacious heroine' Sunday Mirror 'Connelly achieves an enormous amount in these pages: he creates a new character who immediately leaps into life; and controls a complex, fast-paced plot full of surprises' Evening Standard 'The Late Show introduces a terrific female character: Detective Renee Ballard. The pacing is breathless ... Ballard has astonishing resourcefulness and bravery - she is complicated and driven' New York Times 'Although the usual Connelly fingerprints are in evidence here - the real achievement is the creation of his tenacious heroine, Ballard' Guardian 'Ballard is significantly more than a Bosch replacement or clone - an absorbing character on her own terms. Connelly has created yet another potentially iconic tarnished knight of those perennially mean streets' Irish Times 'A characteristically complex tale of murder and police corruption' Mail on Sunday (Thriller of the Week) 'First there was Detective Harry Bosch, then Lincoln lawyer Mickey Haller, and now comes Renee Ballard, ace thriller writer Michael Connelly's first new protagonist in 10 years. A nail-bitingly exciting investigation featuring a finely realised new character from one of America's finest contemporary novelists' Irish Independent
