The second Harry Bosch book is not as good as the first. Too much violence, too much of it caused directly by Harry, who gets to disapprove of other people being violent. I didn't guess the mystery, but, this time around, I didn't care enough about the characters to care. ( )

This is second in the Harry Bosch series. Not as good as the first, but not off by much.

I think Connelly is a truly gifted writer in that he can flesh out the main and secondary characters without drowning you in the details all the while not short changing the story line. ( )

Pretty good but not quite top drawer Harry Bosch. On this assignment Harry investigates the suspicious death of a fellow cop which takes him down to Baja California, in the Mexicali area. ( )

This story was an intense mystery with lots of suspense. I liked the way Harry followed his instincts even when it meant possibly losing his job. ( )

An Intriguing, Complex Plot with an Unexpected Twist!

Michael Connelly’s novel The Black Ice features veteran LAPD detective Harry Bosch. This time Harry is investigating the death of “one of their own”.

Cal Moore, a narcotic’s officer that Harry knew vaguely, is found in a motel bathroom with his head practically blown off by a shotgun and a suicide note in his pocket that read ‘I found out who I was’. When Harry is given the duty of notifying next of kin, he finds himself inexplicably drawn to Moore’s wife, Sylvia, and the attraction builds slowly, albeit perhaps a bit too predictably.

As Harry investigates an unidentified ‘Juan Doe’ who seems to have a connection to Moore, one of Moore’s partners gives him a file that Moore had been working on. It was a case involving ‘black ice’, a deadly rock narcotic that had hit the streets.

A series of murders in Hollywood and Mexico lead Harry to a Mexican drug lord Zorrillo, known to his compatriots as El Papa—the pope. Zorrillo is a man shrouded in mystery and death.

From beginning to end, The Black Ice is full of action and suspense. The only thing lacking is perhaps a bit more warmth and emotion from Harry, who has lived the single life far too long. I’d like to see him have a real and deep relationship, instead of always the carefree bachelor kind.

Regardless, it’s still a great book by a great author. Fast-paced, technical in crime scene investigation and believable. This book kept me reading and wanting more.

But it is the final three chapters that give you an unexpected twist and a final, explosive confrontation leads to death. The plot weaves through intricate subplots, with the familiar touch of a protagonist that is multi-dimensional in character. Harry Bosch has grown immensely in Connelly’s last few novels. Looking forward to his next case.

Cheryl Kaye Tardif,
suspense author ( )