Harry Bosch, you dumb self-destructive SOB! This is the fourth in a very long series. I sure hope you wise up or I don't see how you're going to make it. Did end with a hopeful little smile though, so that's good. ( )

While on involuntary stress leave (ISL), Harry Bosch starts looking into his mother’s murder, which has remained unsolved for thirty years. As he unravels clues, he finds evidence of a cover-up to protect powerful people. His mother was a prostitute and Harry thinks she didn’t count – in his mind “everybody counts, or nobody counts.” While on ISL, he is expected to see a psychiatrist, who is expected to determine if and when he can return to work.

On the plus side, it kept my interest. The female reporter and psychologist are believable. I was pleased to see women of color in supporting roles. The therapy sessions provide insight into Harry’s mental state and his many issues. Harry is not a particularly likeable guy (the terms “loose cannon” and “jerk” come to mind), so we need this insight to feel sympathy for him.

On the minus side, it has many of the same drawbacks I usually find in detective novels. It contains too many twists and red herrings to keep the reader from figuring it out too early, but these must eventually be explained, and the explanations are often unsatisfying. Cliches abound. The romance is clunky and superfluous.

The audio book is nicely read by Dick Hill. His gravelly baritone fits this type of novel, and his characters’ voices are very well done. I liked it overall, but not sure whether to read any more of these. ( )

I think this may be my favorite Harry Bosch novel so far. It really digs deep into his psyche, and shows a lot about how and why he is the way he is. Towards the end, I had trouble putting it down. I often read while peddling on my stationary bike, and near the end I was surprised to see I had been doing it for close to 90 minutes. Even though I was just taking it easy, I managed to burn 400 calories, which made me feel pretty good about spending so much time reading. ( )

Hmm...I didn't like this one as much. It feels labored and with too many twists and close calls and subplots. I think I'll go with The Poet next and take a little Bosch break (but not a Connelly break). ( )