I’ve finally finished The Concrete Blonde by Michael Connelly, who now holds the top spot on my list of favorite crime fiction writers. This being Connelly’s third published book, it already showed great maturity and better flow compared to his first novel, The Black Echo. The Concrete Blonde took me by surprise. I thought I had the plot all figured out, I thought I was ahead of the game until I was caught. I had been led just to where Connelly wanted his readers to go before he hit them with a bombshell.
This third novel by Michael Connelly moved at a much steadier pace than did his first book. The plot moved on an even keel and kept me intrigued. I didn’t become bogged down in detail or overwhelmed with background information. The development of Bosch, the plot, and all the characters involved seemed to move on a natural arc and nothing seemed to be an unrealistic leap for a character. Each development seemed to match with how the story was going and how the characters came together.
This story started out with action. Much of the plotline revolved around a court case where Bosch is the defendant and while most of it took place inside a courtroom, Connelly managed to make even those parts incredibly interesting and fast-paced to where I didn’t want to put the book down. Michael Connelly manages to pack a legal thriller, crime drama, and police procedural all in the same novel when he writes about Harry Bosch. You get to see some of the insider information of the LAPD that Connelly did a great job in researching and describing. You see how some cops think, act, and react. You also get to see how all aspects can come together with the police, the brass, the media, and even in the courtroom.
The Concrete Blonde was a fantastic read all around. From start to finish, there was awesome action without bogging you down in detail and unnecessary information. The twists and turns that take place throughout the novel are unforeseen and will keep you on the edge of your seat. Great read by a great writer.
Drew Schroeder 