Cover of THE CROSSING; photo courtesy of Little Brown
THE CROSSING by Michael Connelly
Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller are two characters created by writer Michael Connelly, and they each have their own series of books. But in Connelly’s latest effort, THE CROSSING, readers get a twofer. It is a primarily a Bosch book but Haller plays a prominent secondary role. For Connelly’s fans there is no such thing as too much of a good thing and this overabundance of characters makes the book just that much more enjoyable to read.
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As the story starts Harry is trying to adjust to his retirement from the LA Police Department. He is not going gently into that good night and has actually filed suit against his old bosses. In the meantime he is taking care of his daughter Maddie who is in her senior year of high school, and working on restoring his 1950 Harley Davidson to prime condition. But then he gets a call form his half brother Mickey Haller who is working on a case and needs Harry’s help.
The question is does Harry want to cross the line and go from working to prosecute those accused of crimes, or does he want to work to clear them of the accusations. Making that decision is the crux of THE CROSSING and it is not an easy choice for Harry to make. If he works for Mickey and tries to free a man accused by the police of murder, he will become a pariah among his former co-workers.
Nobody writes crime procedurals like Michael Connelly. He takes a crime and then step by step chases down what actually happened. It is not a quick process; it is not an easy process. Connelly has Harry do all the necessary footwork to move closer and closer to the solution. It makes for fascinating reading as it has in all the other nineteen Harry Bosch books.
This book does have one distinction in tone from all the others. In past stories there has been a despair surrounding Harry, an aura of melancholia he can’t shake. In this story the mood is lighter. There is only one note of darkness and that is when Harry reveals a feeling about the future with his daughter. Other than that, this Harry is almost jovial – comparably.
From beginning to end this novel is written with the same master touch Connelly has brought to all his other books. He is one of a kind and is most deserving of the critical acclaim he has received as well as the admiration by all of his millions of readers. A new Michael Connelly book is always highly anticipated. This one does not disappoint.
THE CROSSING is published by Little, Brown. It contains 400 pages and sells for $28.00.
