The Concrete Blonde: Harry Bosch, Book 3 (Unabridged) [Audio Download]

The plot centres on a civil trial involving Bosch and the old Dollmaker case, and the revelation of new killings that could be attributed to the Dollmaker. It is up to Bosch to pretty much solve everything, and the pressure is really on him this time, as he trys to juggle his trial with a murder investigation in a race against time.

The first half of the book flies by without a great deal of action - but the second half starts piling on the red herrings and dead ends thick and fast. It all leads up to a satisfying and riveting conclusion. You may think you have worked it all out early on, but don't count on it!

Harry Bosch develops nicely here, he is not operating quite so much as a loose cannon, but still has his failings which make him a little more human than some detectives. This is gripping stuff, and I think it's the best Bosch novel so far, if you're reading them in sequence like me.

This thriller finds Harry not only on the streets solving crimes but also in the courtroom defending himself in a civil suit brought by the widow of a serial killer known as "The Dollmaker". She feels that her "serial killer" husband's civil rights were denied when Harry shot him to death without cause. At the time, Harry thought the alleged perpetrator was reaching for a weapon -- it was later revealed that he was just reaching for his toupee. This "dollmaker" nickname came about because the killer had a practice of putting makeup on his victims, making them look like painted up dolls. Now, years later, this widow is painting Bosch out to be a vigilante with a dubious past of his own hiding behind an LAPD badge and shooting people without reason. Bosch feels justified in killing the Dollmaker four years ago but, when a copy cat body shows up and associated letters resembling those that the Dollmaker used to send begin to appear, even Harry has his doubts. The courtroom scenes are compelling and the new copycat investigation is more than routine.

If you're into the mystery/thriller genre and want to sink your teeth into a series with a great protagonist and even greater writing and storylines, try Connelly's series featuring Harry "Hieronymus" Bosch. To find out what really makes Harry tick and to find out where he got the ridiculous name of Hieronymus, you should read the books in order starting with the first one, The Black Echo, continuing on to The Black Ice and then rewarding your efforts with this one, my personal favorite, The Concrete Blonde.