Hieronymus Bosch hunts down criminals in the darkness of Los Angeles. Named after one the most morbid and complex painters in history, he goes by Harry. Orphaned as a child when his mother, a prostitute in Hollywood, was murdered and her case left unsolved, Harry carries both a heart-wrenching amount of empathy for victims and an underlying anger. As a Vietnam veteran, he “holds fast” to the idea of justice and he will break rules to get it. Harry is a dark knight, perhaps the darkest. His vice- an addiction to solving murders and delivering justice. He relentlessly works cases, pushes the limits, squeezes suspects and bribes colleagues for fast results.
Harry Bosch is described as a “man on a mission” and an “avenging angel” (A Darkness more than Night). Â But he simply thinks of himself as more of a loner; the “last coyote”, one of a dying breed of policemen who work for justice, not a paycheck (The Last Coyote).
Each novel is a gripping investigation, bringing us along as Harry works in the shadows, keeping leads and suspicions to himself.
There’s a reason Michael Connelly is one of Stephen King’s favorite authors. He reaches out and grabs the reader with a book’s very first sentence and doesn’t let go. Connelly has the uncanny knack for leaving one stunned, staring at the last page while contemplating a swift, last minute, mind blowing twist.
Connelly has created my favorite book character. I will forever appreciate the decades of time and heart he has put into Harry Bosch. We get to see Harry through the ups and downs of his extensive career as a homicide detective. He is the quintessential good guy/bad guy. The hero who fights for justice- everybody counts or nobody counts.