The Narrows (Harry Bosch)

Looking for proof that Michael Connelly is the best mystery novelist today? The Narrows is evidence enough. On a very simple level, this is a mystery novel about a serial killer, "The Poet," and at least 14 murders attributed to him in this current wave of mayhem. It's also about a complex ex-LAPD homicide detective, Harry Bosch, and a frustrated FBI Behavioral Sciences Unit reject agent, Rachel Walling. The characters are complex, conflicted, believable, and stretched beyond what is expected but not beyond the potential of each soul. Even the two major locations, Los Angeles and Las Vegas, are drawn with such intensity and multi-faceted power that they almost become characters in themselves. The plot is intricate, surprising, and challenging -- but ultimately so finely composed and exquisitely executed that even the final shock in the last few pages, while completely unsuspected, still resonates with complete authenticity and credibility. And underneath everthing beats the heart of Michael Connelly's mission: to describe the deadly dance between good and evil, a dance that comes within a hair's breadth of consuming both, but ends with hope. The book opens with the powerful intensity of the threat of evil: "I knew that my life's mission would always take me to the places where evil waits, to the places where the truth that I might find would be an ugly and horrible thing. And still I went without pause. And still I went, not being ready for the moment when evil would come from its waiting place. When it would grab at me like an animal and take me down into the black water." And it ends with the dawn of hope: "I looked out at the city and thought it was beautiful. The rain had cleaned the sky out and I could see all the way to the San Gabriels and the snow-covered peaks beyond. The air seemed to be as clean and pure as the air breathed by the Gabrielenos and the padres so many years before. I saw what they had seen in the place. It was the kind of day you felt you could build a future on." And in between is the best fiction anywhere.

I absolutely loved the book and spent a couple of late nights not being able to put it down.

Kind of intrigued about the girl in the room next to him at the Double xx in Vegas, was thinking she may reappear? Did I miss something?

I did not read The Poet and I can see now that there's no point. Regardless, this was a terrific "pre-summer read." It was well written, fun and suspenseful. Read it in three sittings and enjoyed every minute of it.

Continuing the Harry Bosch saga Michael Connelly keeps it fresh and exciting. You really care what is happening to Harry as he encounters enemies everywhere. Already on the next novel in the series. Also enjoy the the store TV series, although not as good as the books.

I liked the book but not as much as the first of the Bosch stories. Now that he is supposedly going back to the LAPD, there will be more of the local geographies and basic police detective work. If I liked the early ones I should like the next ones because "there are no coincidences."

This story has twists & turns as usual, but becomes munch much more when Bosch does a favor for the Widow of Terry. This leads Bosch into an active FBI investigation where the FBI warns him to get out of their way. Bosch, of course does not, and...

Continuing the Harry Bosch saga Michael Connelly keeps it fresh and exciting. You really care what is happening to Harry as he encounters enemies everywhere. Already on the next novel in the series. Also enjoy the the store TV series, although not as good as the books.

I liked the book but not as much as the first of the Bosch stories. Now that he is supposedly going back to the LAPD, there will be more of the local geographies and basic police detective work. If I liked the early ones I should like the next ones because "there are no coincidences."

This story has twists & turns as usual, but becomes munch much more when Bosch does a favor for the Widow of Terry. This leads Bosch into an active FBI investigation where the FBI warns him to get out of their way. Bosch, of course does not, and...

I'm a big fan of Connelly in general and the Harry Bosch series in particular, but this one was horrendous. Terrible dialog, boring plot. This was a paycheck for Connelly, and nothing more. By the way, I grew up in the San Fernando Valley. No one calls the storm channels "the narrows."

The Narrows brings together several of Michael Connelly's characters, including L.A. detective Harry bosch, Connelly's main protagonist; F.B.I. agent Rachel Walling from The Poet; and Terry McCaleb, a former F.B.I. profiler, who first appeared in Blood Work.

Actually, as this book opens, McCaleb has just died. He was the survivor of a heart transplant and apparently died when his new heart failed him while he was out at sea on the charter fishing boat that he operated. It all seems pretty straightforward, but McCaleb's widow, Graciela, asks Bosch to look into it. Bosch, who has left the L.A.P.D. and is now a private investigator, agrees to do so because McCaleb once saved his life when the two were working together on an earlier case.

McCaleb had never been able to let go of his career as a profiler, and although he was no longer with the F.B.I., he occasionally consulted with other law enforcement agencies. He also followed cases that he personally found interesting and left several boxes of files when he died. Bosch begins reviewing the files and finds a relatively new case that had grabbed McCaleb's attention. The case had caused McCaleb to travel to a desolate part of Nevada, but his notes are fairly cryptic, and Bosch can't figure out what McCaleb might have been looking for there.

Virtually at the same time, an unidentified person sends a GPS unit to the F.B.I. addressed to Rachel Walling. Walling has been exiled to hardship duty in North and South Dakota because she fell out of favor with the Powers That Be at the end of the case where she was chasing the Poet. The Poet was presumed to be dead at the end of that book, but it was impossible to confirm the identification of the body that was found, and anyone who's ever read a novel about a serial killer knows what that means.

The Fibbies have no choice but to bring Rachel back into the fold, at least until they can figure out why the GPS was sent to her, and as it turns out, the coordinates on the GPS send them to the exact same desolate spot in the Nevada desert where Bosch is headed. Oops!

It quickly becomes apparent that a very bad hombre is on the loose and, naturally, the stuffed shirts at the F.B.I. will have their heads in a position where it will be very difficult for them to think clearly. This means that it will be up to Harry and Rachel to save civilization as we know it, if only it's not too late.

This is a very entertaining novel and it's great fun watching Bosch and Walling work together, especially with all the odds that are stacked against them. It's hard to imagine a fan of crime fiction who would not enjoy this book.

Michael Connelly is a wonderful very engaging writer. His books hold my interest from page one. I thought I had read every one that he wrote, but somehow, because of my many interests, I missed this one. When I saw it and realized that I did not read it, I immediately bought it and read it over this weekend. I enjoyed it very much. It is in a sense a continuation of "The Poet," but as much as one needs to know from the former book is repeated, so there is no loss if a person did not read the first book. Two things are going on: Bosch is asked by the widow of his friend to find out who killed the friend and why. Meanwhile, the FBI discovers that The Poet, a serial killer, is not dead, and they want to catch him; but as they bungled the first attempt, they are doing so again.

Harry Bosch has retired and it's not sitting well. Police work is what he knows and what he does best. When the wife of an old friend calls him he is ready to listen. Her husband has recently died and she wants Harry to look into it. Harry knew him from his years in the police force and the friend's work on The Poet serial killer case. At first Harry believes the death was natural but as he looks into it, he starts to realize that something is amiss.

Rachel Bolling, FBI agent, is also at loose ends. After her work on The Poet case and the scandal that attached to her that rose from that case, she has been marking time in North Dakota. When she gets a call to join a team in Nevada that has recently unearthed six male bodies, she knows The Poet has reemerged. He has left clues that point directly to Rachel and it is clear that he regards their relationship as unfinished.

As Harry works his case, he finds his friend made a mysterious trip to Las Vega before he died. That and other things takes Harry directly to the burial site where he finds a huge FBI contingent working the case and definitely not pleased to see him. He is assigned to Rachel to babysit and as the two compare notes, it becomes clear that the two cases have merged and that Harry's friend was perhaps the first victim in this current run of deaths attributable to The Poet.

This was Connelly's fourteenth novel and the tenth in the Harry Bosch series. Readers will be happy to observe Bosch working a case, this time as a retired detective who has recently discovered he has a daughter and questioning what the rest of his life should consist of. The tension between Walling and Bosch is interesting and the climax of the novel is stunning. This book is recommended for mystery readers.

Michael Connelly swore he would never write a sequel to THE POET. After all, crime is not neat and tidy with the killer being caught and good winning out all the time. Quite the contrary. In his Afterword to the reissued edition of THE POET, Connelly writes: "A couple years after writing THE POET I became a father and my life became wonderful and vulnerable in the same moment. As I watched my daughter grow it began to bother me that I had created a fictional world where a killer like Robert Backus could walk free. I started to long for order to be restored in that world. After all, the real world had become a place of increased fears and uncertain safety. I came to realize that the one place where I could control things was in the fictional universe that I had created. So six years after Robert Backus disappeared into the dark I made the decision to go back into that darkness to find him. And I decided to use Harry Bosch for the job. Harry is my best man. He is also a man who has become a father and knows my sense of wonder and joy and fear all at the same time."

WARNING: Spoilers for THE POET are contained in the following review for its sequel THE NARROWS. Do NOT read the following if you wish to read THE POET first.

In Connelly’s 14th novel, 10th in the Harry Bosch series, the serial killer known as The Poet is still on the loose. The Poet did not die when he had reporter Jack McEvoy in his sights, hypnotized and drugged, ready to kill him. He supposedly died when FBI Agent Rachel Walling stopped him with one shot that sent him crashing out a window and tumbling down a hill.

Yet Rachel always knew that someday The Poet would resurface. Quantico calls to tell her a package has been delivered to her at Behavioral Sciences, despite her current assignment in the Badlands. It is a GPS, a global positioning system reader, with one waypoint in its record: the Mojave, just inside the California border in Nevada. A single fingerprint proves the GPS is from The Poet. The name of the waypoint on the GPS is "Hello Rachel."

Harry Bosch is retired from the LAPD. He was friends with Terry McCaleb, the FBI agent who had received a heart transplant and then tracked down the donor’s killer. Six years after the transplant, Terry died, supposedly of natural causes. The trip when Terry collapsed had been an unusual three-day charter on his fishing boat. His wife Graciela is convinced that someone
tampered with his numerous medications, which caused Terry’s body to reject his donor heart. She wants Harry to find out more.

Harry searches the boat McCaleb ran. Harry finds a two-month-old burglary report for a GPS reader. As Harry searches, he realizes that Terry was only running the charter business as a hobby, leaving him time to explore his real passion: case files kept on board. On Terry’s computer Harry finds a series of photos of a customer named Jordan Shandy almost hiding behind the fish he caught rather than proudly displaying them, a series which leads to the sign for the Zzyzx Road, a road that anyone who makes the road trip to Las Vegas from Los Angeles would know in the Mojave.

When Rachel Walling arrives in Nevada, Agent Cherie Dei reminds her that The Poet may have called Rachel to the scene, but she’s not working the case. Cherie thinks Rachel should be glad she still has a job following the original investigation of The Poet when she and reporter Jack McEvoy worked side-by-side and slept together. To any FBI agent a reporter is scum, no matter if he is working a case with them.

The body count at Zzyzx rises to ten. It is federal land, which is probably why The Poet uses it to bury the bodies, assuring himself that the FBI, and Rachel, will work the case. The first body found had been dead for three years; the next for seven months, and the rest at closer and closer intervals. An agent back at Quantico reports on the status of the decrepit boat which marked the first body at the scene saying the fingerprints found on the boat belonged to Terry McCaleb.

Bosch continues methodically covering everything on Terry’s boat, most especially his computer where he finds murder case profiles. Terry must have had access to Behavioral Sciences at Quantico. Bosch reads the file on The Poet, an embarrassing case from years ago where the lead FBI agent was hunting a serial killer who turned out to be himself. Robert Backus killed eight homicide detectives, staging them as suicides and leaving verses from the works of Edgar Allan Poe at the scenes. It took the brother of one of the victims, reporter Jack McEvoy, to put together the connections. When the FBI began catching up with Backus, he was targeting an LA homicide
detective, which is why Bosch was so interested in the case. Backus escaped through the storm system beneath LA where a body was found six weeks later, which the FBI said was Backus.

One of the last files on McCaleb’s boat contains an LA Times article on six men who had disappeared from Las Vegas. McCaleb’s notes include the fact that he thought there were more than six dead and a reference to Zzyzx. He had made attempts to help the newspapers and authorities follow up on the case but had been turned down. McCaleb’s name was listed in a LA Times follow up article. Is that why Shandy showed up out of the blue for a charter? Terry was suspicious enough that he’d snapped a few photos without

Shandy’s knowledge. Had it been Shandy that took the digital photo of Zzyzx Road that landed on Terry’s computer? Bosch knew that Terry was onto something, and he was going to follow up on it too. So Harry goes to Zzyzx Road and runs smack into Rachel Walling.

Connelly’s writing had me almost hypnotized, so compelling was the narrative. Never did I want to put the book down, but I had to for rest periods and life’s necessities. Still Harry and McCaleb and Rachel Walling all pulled me back to see if justice was done. Is The Poet found? Is justice served? I had to know. So, well into the night, I read; listening to Connelly’s words almost like listening to the sound of tires on asphalt. Never once did I have to check if I was breathing, as Harry did with his young daughter while she slept the deep sleep of the innocent. I knew I was waiting for The Poet’s last moves, or what I hoped were his last moves, hoping that Harry and Rachel would survive. You’ll need to read this engrossing book to know whether they do.

The Narrows is a good book. If any other author had written it, I might be giving it 4 stars. But hey, this is Micheal Connelly. I hold this author on a pedestal. I think his writing can match any other genre writer when its firing on all cylinders. So I feel a little let down by Connelly with this installment.

I remember when the Narrows came out. I read it then and re-read it just now. One aspect that I think has sort of gotten lost with the passage of time is the Alex Cross effect. By this I mean for a short time in the 90's, serial killer novels were all the rage. The Silence of the Lambs had just made a big impact and James Patterson with his Alex Cross books were both pretty good and setting a trend. I remember thinking that every single author in the mystery field was writing along these lines. And Connelly jumped into the fray with the Poet and the Narrows.

The Narrows is in my mind the least deep of any of the Bosch books. Its more of a surface skimmer. It does not delve into the depths of humanity. Also the writing is simpler in construct than in other Bosch books. Connelly does try an alternating point of view skipping from the first person to third person, but he misses the intense nerdy constant shifting of story telling techniques that makes many of the others in this series sing. He also kind of skimps on the investigative procedural he often lovingly creates. Instead Bosch runs on 'intuition' and makes most of his moves based on an-others hard work.

While I was not thrilled by The Narrows. Its still a good book. I'd highly recommend this series. You can't beat it.

Connelly, thruout this thing and other books, has one extremely annoying habit. He gets to a critical event, like the capture a killer, and he goes totally off-subject. Bosch, the main character, has the guy all but caught, and Connelly starts talking about the cost of tea in China, or the weather in Vienna, or some other totally absurd, totally unrelated subject that has nothing to do with the suspenseful moment at hand.

And, to make matters worse, Connelly digresses repeatedly thruout the book. He just cannot get out of the way of himself. Apparently he's so enamored with his own writing that he doesn't know when to quit. If he would cut to the chase, stay focused, get to the point, he just might begin to approach the great John Gresham, but I'm not holding my breath. .

Years later and the Poet has returned. Agent Rachael Walling emerges from FBI exile and teams up with retired detective Harry Bosch. The plot of the novel is very straight forward. Although the plot does hold interest and moves at a steady pace,, it does not have the layered complexity of its predecessor, 'The Poet'. The characters are fewer in number with more simplistic story lines. Noticeable changes in the voice of the characters as the novel flows is somewhat distracting.
I originally read this book over ten years ago. I remembered the climatic scenes in the narrows but not the events leading up to the dramatic end. I realize the simplicity of the plot made it less memorable.
Connelly writes very well with a command for scene setting and attention to details that lead to depth in specific scenes. But as a sequel to 'The Poet', this novel does not have the same scope as the original.

In this installment of the Bosch series, Harry is joined by characters from previous Connelly novels-- namely (the late) Terry McCaleb, FBI agent Rachel Walling, and serial murderer Robert Backus, better known as the Poet. Connelly cleverly structures the story so that Bosch and Walling are only united in pursuit of the wily and elusive Backus after being involved in separate paths of investigation. The author's writing style is as usual concise and no-frills, making the pages flow by smoothly, but it's only in the last 30 pages or so that the action really heats up and is capped by a surprise twist. Does Backus gets his final, perhaps fatal, comeuppance? Read and find out, but only if you've finished The Poet, Blood Work, and A Darkness More Than Night first.

Michael Connolly’s novels were recommended to me, by I cannot remember by whom. It may have been Kathy Reichs who mentioned his work. Whoever it was, when I saw The Narrows in a library book sale, it would have been silly to pass it up. So I took it on holiday and read it in the sun. The Narrows is the 14th novel by this American crime author, and the tenth of his books featuring the Los Angeles detective Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch.

The former LAPD detective Harry Bosch gets a call from the widow of an old friend. Her husband’s death seems natural, but his ties to the hunt for the Poet make Bosch dig deep. Arriving at a derelict spot in the California desert where the feds are unearthing bodies, Bosch joins forces with Rachel. FBI agent Rachel Walling also gets the call she has dreaded for years, the one that tells her the Poet has surfaced. She has never forgotten the serial killer who wove lines of poetry in his hideous crimes and apparently he has not forgotten her. Bosch and Rachel are at odds with the FBI and squarely in the path of the Poet, who will lead them on a wicked ride out of the heat, through the narrows of evil, and into a darkness all his own.

Connelly is certainly a clever writer. He manages to add clever bits into his novel. Fiction and reality blur in a pleasing kind of way. We even have the killer trailing his victims to a mall where Ian Rankin is about to do a signing at the bookstore. The Narrows is a good book. Perhaps even a great book. Connelly does not disappoint. It makes some kind of sense that it would take more than one super cop to bring down the Poet, Backus. Rachel and Harry give him a run for his money. Bosch is also entangled in a tormented relationship with his ex-wife, Eleanor Wish. She is a professional gambler, and the mother of his daughter. The sub-plot adds to the layers and years of wear and tear that has made Bosch what he is today.

Whilst I do not think that Michael Connelly is in the same class as Ian Rankin, he is close. This book is well worth reading. I could not put it down and highly recommend it to fans of both crime and police procedural genres.

The Narrows is the tenth book in the Harry Bosch police procedural series. It was published in 2004 and is another excellent novel in the series. This one features two leading protagonists, Harry Bosch and Rachel Walling. The story splits back and forth between them until they join forces and go after the Poet together. Although Bosch and Walling met briefly before, this book features their getting to know each other and their burgeoning relationship. This book has a lot of detail rather than constant action and does contain a lot of theorizing and conjecture to get Bosch and Walling to the solution to the mystery.

The story begins with Bosch retired from the LAPD and now working on a private ticket. The wife of retired FBI agent who passed away from a heart attack a month or so previously has contacted Bosch. Terry McCaleb was living on Catalina Island, working part-time running a fishing charter and working part-time in one of the boat's cabins on cases that he just can't let go off. McCaleb's wife tells Bosch that McCaleb died of a heart attack and that the case is closed, but she is not sure that this is what happened. Some of his heart pills were duds and she thinks someone purposefully switched his medication. Bosch starts going through McCaleb's notes for some clue as to what is going on and finds that McCaleb was pursuing a series of missing men out in the Las Vegas area, that McCaleb called reporters at the Las Vegas Sun, and tried to get answers from Las Vegas Metro (the local police force there).

Meanwhile, Rachel Walling, having spectacularly failed to get the Poet, who was her former supervisor at the FBI Profiling Unit, has been exiled to Siberia, or in this case - South Dakota, where she now works on Indian crimes instead of serial killers. Something happened out in the Las Vegas desert, something involving the finding of a number of bodies, and Walling is called in as an observer because there is a concern that the Poet is involved.

As any astute reader can figure, Bosch and Walling eventually stumble into each other at the crime scene in the desert and, although Bosch is officially asked to step aside so the FBI can investigate, Bosch and Walling take off together through the desert to explore thin leads and hunches of Bosch. A lot of the story concerns their relationship and their working together to find the Poet because, even with the entire FBI on task, Bosch is the only one who can put the clues together to figure out his next move.

The Narrows in the title of the book refers to the concrete washes that run through the Los Angeles area containing what once were mighty rivers- at least during rainy season- and the idea that one should avoid at all costs the Narrows where the walls of the wash come in close and the mighty water rushes forth at breakneck speed.

All in all, a terrific book and one of my favorites in the Bosch series.

THE NARROWS is not the best book to read if this is the reader's first experience with Michael Connelly. This author, like many others, has an ongoing story about the main and some secondary characters. Please look at the booklist below.

I would recommend reading the books with the double asterisk in order: THE POET > BLOOD WORK > A DARKNESS MORE THAN NIGHT > THE NARROWS. There are so many references to the previous books; most new readers will be aggravated that they do not grasp their significance in the current book.

`The Poet' is back! He's the diabolical serial murderer that started his career in the FBI; thus, he knows all the tricks and knows how the FBI thinks. Now, Terry McCaleb, an ex-FBI profiler and serial killer expert, has died.

His wife wants Harry Bosch to investigate because the blood work from the autopsy shows that McCaleb did NOT have any of the critical medicines in his blood stream at the time of his death. These medicines helped his transplanted heart to function - without them, he died.

McCaleb's business partner and his wife assure Harry that Terry was religious about taking his meds. Terry kept his old files (unsolved cases) and regularly worked them in his spare time. As Harry works his way through those cases, he realizes that Terry was on the Poet's trail.

This is a taut drama with lots of dead-ends and twists. The pacing is excellent; I had to finish it because I couldn't put it down. 5 STARS

Terry McCaleb
**1. Blood Work (1998)
**2. A Darkness More Than Night (2000)

Harry Bosch
1. The Black Echo (1992)
2. The Black Ice (1993)
3. The Concrete Blonde (1994)
4. The Last Coyote (1995)
5. Trunk Music (1996)
6. Angels Flight (1998)
**7. A Darkness More Than Night (2000)
8. City Of Bones (2002)
9. Lost Light (2003)
**10. The Narrows (2004)

Jack McEvoy
**1. The Poet (1995)
2. The Scarecrow (2009)

It took me at least eleven months for me to finally read the next installment of the Bosch series. After Lost Light, I decided to delve into other novels from several different authors. Now, I felt the L.A. vibe once again. I found myself reading The Narrows. When I finished, the book reminded me of why I adored this series so much. As soon as I captured the feel of the straightforward but sometimes poetic narrative, I became hooked again. The realistic police procedures, the terrifying crime scenes, and the hard-hitting realism are what make this novel first-rate. I did have problems with the narrative, however. The book is mostly written in first-person, with Harry Bosch being the primary narrator. But then, it immediately switches to third-person sometimes when the focus shifts to Agent Walling or the antagonist. There are a couple of instances in which third-person is used when Bosch is present. The alternations between first-person and third-person feels out of place and slightly confusing. It would have been more appropriate if either the story was told entirely in first-person with Bosch as the central character, or the story was told entirely in third-person with more freedom of switching point of views.

Despite that, The Narrows is typical Bosch: full of intrigue and terror. The supporting cast is very good, and the relationship between Bosch and Eleanor Wish/Rachel Walling is interesting enough to keep reading from start to finish. Another hit for Connelly. Now on to The Closers.

Grade: 8.2 out of 10

Also from Michael Connelly
The Black Echo (7.1 out of 10) The Black Echo (A Harry Bosch Novel)
The Black Ice (7.7 out of 10) The Black Ice (Harry Bosch)
The Concrete Blonde (9.7 out of 10) The Concrete Blonde (Harry Bosch)
The Last Coyote (9.3 out of 10) The Last Coyote (A Harry Bosch Novel)
The Poet (8 out of 10) The Poet
Trunk Music (9.2 out of 10) Trunk Music (Harry Bosch, No. 5)
Blood Work (8.2 out of 10) Blood Work
Angels Flight (8.9 out of 10) Angels Flight (A Harry Bosch Novel)
Void Moon (7.6 out of 10) Void Moon
A Darkness More Than Night (8.8 out of 10) A Darkness More Than Night (A Harry Bosch Novel)
City of Bones (9.1 out of 10) City of Bones (Harry Bosch)
Chasing the Dime Chasing the Dime
Lost Light (7.9 out of 10) Lost Light (Harry Bosch)

Harry Bosch has retired from the police force and is now a private eye. He gets a call from the widow of a detective that he once worked with. The wife thinks her husband's death was not accidental but that he was murdered. As Harry investigates the death of the detective he uncovers the worst kind of killer. An FBI agent has morphed into a serial killer. This killer knows all the tricks to fool the investigating FBI agents.
This mystery is kind of like a Columbo mystery. You know who the killer is at the beginning. The mystery is how the case is solved to catch the killer. The storyline is a little-longwinded at the end, but it is still enjoyable and a good mystery .

When you enter the world of writing books, you'll have your critics. When you suddenly become a bestseller, you'll get even more critics. Because in the real world, while you're a bestseller, not all readers are going to think alike, and regardless of what the New York Times Bestsellers List might say, the readers aren't always going to agree with such an opinion. I didn't feel that way with "Angels Flight," and I felt that "The Last Coyote" was the latest and greatest of Michael Connelly. The big question was, when's he going to hit another one out of the park? According to the New York Times Bestsellers List, Connelly gets better with every latest release. That's their JOB, to build up a book, make sure they have a job telling everybody who the latest bestseller is. Well, when Connelly set out to write "The Narrows," he met my standards for certain!

Welcome to an all-star cast, with Harry Bosch leading the way. Or at least he wants to lead the way, because higher-ups know that he's retired, a retired private detective, so he can buzz off, and leave the big work to the big dogs. But Harry's better than all of the big dogs, so they can sit back, and let Harry show 'em all how this job is supposed to be done. In the midst of all this, he's a Daddy now, cares about her, trying to go about it and not make a scene with Eleanor. So Bosch still has his demons, and he fights them constantly.

Terry McCaleb is gone, and people out there think he may have been murdered. That's what Bosch thinks, and Rachel Walling gets the chance to meet Bosch for the first time. Rachel Walling, in case you didn't know, was introduced in "The Poet," and she's still around to break some heads, if need be. Her superiors would prefer she speaks when spoken to, and leave Bosch alone. That's not going to happen. Oh, and Idiot-Boy, Buddy, returns. Goofy, plain Buddy, trying to be a part of things, getting in the way.

What is going to happen is an incredible story! This is where Michael Connelly proves that he deserves that bestseller label that the New York Times constantly rattles out. Yeah, Connelly's always good, but he isn't always my favorite, and probably never will be. But so far, "The Narrows," IS my favorite Connelly offering! We'll see if being a bestseller back it up in future installments. I hope so!

I have heard it said: Once you read one Bosch book you've read them all. I've found this to be particularly not true as the series continues to ramp up the Bosch universe and ever expounds on what has made these novels continue to hold up to a great rating standard. It is true that some of the books are better than others depending on the subject matter, but the truth is that all of the books thus far have been very strong stories. It goes without saying that with the TV series and the quality novels Connelly writes that Harry Bosch will go down in history with the likes of Dirty Harry, Indiana Jones, and other widely known endearing characters.

The Narrows by Michael Connelly.

I've enjoyed several Harry Bosch books in this series and this one is no exception. Excellently narrated by Len Cariou who once again did a splendiferous job.
The Poet, a serial killer, is on the loose and Harry is determinedly after him. This time Harry is not alone. Rachel Walling an FBI agent who is also on the way out of the dept. pushes her way into Harry's investigation. At times I found her annoying. The relationship developed and became sexual. Poor choice and inappropriate for the story.
There was also a change in the author's consistent narration by the main character. In this book Harry is not the only one speaking to us. It was a bit of a surprise for me as I'm used to hearing the story from Harry's observation only.
This particular H.B. story kept me focused and listening for the duration.

After finishing The Narrows, I realized it was the 16th book I had ready by Michael Connelly which means I have read more books by this author than any other. Fans of Connelly will understand the reason for this is simply that he doesn't write a bad book (Chasing The Dime being the only exception). Of the 16 books, this was the tenth one in the Harry Bosch series, a character much beloved by Connelly's readers.

Harry starts off this book as a retired LAPD homicide detective....retired not because of age but because he was sick of the bureaucracy. Connelly loves to have characters from one book/series show up in another and this is the case with The Narrows as Harry is asked by Terry McCaleb's (Blood Work, A Darkness More The Night) widow to look into Terry's death. Terry was a retired FBI agent who had crossed paths with Harry during his career. At the time of his death, he was a heart transplant recipient operating a charter fishing boat with his partner Buddy.

Enter the "poet", Robert Backus of "The Poet" fame. He was probably the most despicable of all serial killers thought possibly dead at the end of that book but apparently very much alive at the beginning of this one. And what would Backus be without Rachel Walling, the FBI agent who shot Backus and hopefully killed him in "The Poet". They say all roads lead to one and this story will have many of our favorites involved in catching the poet once again. This time the road involved is called Zyzzyx Road; an exit off a desert highway and also the buriel place of many more of Backus' victims. As the FBI tries to unravel the clues, Harry is one step ahead of them as he realizes that McCaleb's death is tied to this infamous serial killer.

The Narrows also gives us a look at Harry's softer side as he tries to establish some kind of a relationship with his young daughter Maddie who is living in Las Vegas with Harry's ex Eleanor. He sets up an efficiency apartment in Las Vegas just to be closer to her and, little does he know that this next case will bring him to Vegas for reasons other than seeing his little girl.

One of the most exciting things to happen in this book is a phone conversation Harry has with someone from the LAPD who tries to convince Harry to come back to the police force. Apparently there's a three year amnesty going on where they are looking to get back some of those experienced detectives who have left the force on their own. If Harry would consider coming back within this three year period, he would not have to take any of the police academy tests in order to do so. You know that every Bosch fan out there is looking to see Harry back at his old stomping grounds.....Parker Center. Next up for me is The Closers and I'm hoping it finds Harry sporting his badge once again.

Connelly has developed this odd habit of killing off characters from his earlier books, even the major ones. In this case, it's Terry McCaleb, retired FBI profiler and heart transplant survivor, protagonist of _Blood Work_, who has died suddenly on his charter fishing boat, a victim of his new heart following the path of the old one. (Clint Eastwood went to the funeral.) Only his wife isn't at all sure that's what really happened, so she calls up retired LAPD homicide detective Harry Bosch, a friend of Terry's. (Like any successful detective, Bosch knows almost everyone in L.A. worth knowing.) Meanwhile, out in the Nevada desert, the FBI has begun excavating a body-dump site which they discover is the work of "The Poet" -- disappeared Special Agent Robert Backus, serial killer extraordinaire from the 1996 novel of the same name. (Connelly had always said he was never going to write a sequel to that one, but here it is.) And Backus has made sure the Bureau has had to bring in Agent Rachel Walling on the case from her bureaucratic exile in South Dakota (a recent promotion from North Dakota). Of course, Bosch being the sort of person he is, and Walling being the sort of person she is, it doesn't take long for their paths to cross and their independent investigations to merge -- or at least to politely hold hands. And as they follow the clues across the desert from L.A. to Vegas to a cut-rate Nevada brothel village, where's Backus? Look over your shoulders, people. It's a pretty good plot line with the characters and the style Connelly's fans have come to expect. And this time Harry also spending time in a flea-bitten Las Vegas residential motel (he doesn't want to allow himself to become too comfortable there) so he can be in his five-year-old daughter's life. (Eleanor Wish, the kid's mother and Harry's ex, is a successful professional gambler and she's not leaving Vegas.) And at the end of it all, Bosch decides he's going back to the LAPD to work on the cold case squad; he just can't deal with the lack of a badge any longer. By the way, Jack McEvoy, the reporter from The Poet, doesn't turn up this time, but Cassidy Black from Void Moon does, in an uncredited bit part on the neighboring balcony.

Det. Harry Bosch is retired from the LAPD. But, he hasn’t lost the bug to solve unsolved cases. His ex-wife, and the daughter he never knew he had until recently, are living in Las Vegas and he is anxious for any case that brings him to town. In fact, he’s established a residence at an extended-stay hotel. Sadly, his latest case will place him back in close proximity to an old nemesis, the FBI. Bosch is never out of his element, especially when he works with FBI agent Rachel Walling.

I read Michael Connelly's The Poet while my husband flew to England reading The Narrows. Many years pass between the two novels, and many intertwined characters enjoy lives of their own in other books. But Blood Work and The Poet make a good introduction to The Narrows and the novel lived up to all the high expectations my husband's comments inspired in me.

Michael Connelly again writes his book in two voices, the narrator watching over people's shoulders, and the first-person narration, this time of retired policeman Harry Bosch. Relationships and backgrounds are cleverly sketched with minimal information and ample mood and conviction, so the reader--this reader anyway--doesn't feel any loss at missing the intervening books; just an eagerness to go back and read them some day.

FBI agent Rachel Walling has been hidden in the middle of nowhere to keep her out of trouble. LAPD detective Harry Bosch has retired and is trying to find his way between unexpected family life and a desire to investigate mysteries without the aid of a badge. Suddenly Rachel's name is attached to a new investigation, and the wife of retired FBI agent Terry McCaleb is convinced her husband was murdered. The two mysteries begin to converge with nicely timed discoveries that keep readers one step ahead of the tale while still trailing one step behind the investigation. There are mysteries behind mysteries, secrets behind lies, and a stunning concluding chase where all narrowing options close down to one.

Like all of Connelly's novels, or at least all I've read, The Narrows is finely paced, convincingly plotted, and masterfully designed; not just a mystery; not just an investigation of human nature; not just good vs evil; but something convincingly more than the sum of its parts--a story that stays with the reader long after the telling.

Having dived into the Bosch and McCaleb series of books by Connelly I found this particular one the best so far. The reader has no idea what the title of the book is about until the final twenty pages. As for the storyline this is a sequel to "The Poet". The tale is a good one and twists at many points as the retired Harry Bosch is asked by a widow to look into the death of her husband a former FBI profiler who was also retired and a good friend of Harry Bosch.

The characters are well rounded and have some intrigue to their mannerisms such that the reader begins to suspect one then another as the possible killer. Just unraveling the mystery of the dead man's adventures as he follows leads to find the killer known as the Poet, a serial killer, are fun reading as well.

In the end Bosch gets the job done and he saves the day for the FBI, but in a thrilling manner. However Bosch is not done yet and the last five pages of the book really throw a new light on the tale that the reader likely had no inkling was coming. That's the part I liked the best about the book, the ending. And I suspect after reading the final paragraph that the ending has still not been fully told.

You'll enjoy this edition of the Harry Bosch series and I suggest you get a copy and read it.

I have not been disappointed with any of the Harry Bosch mysteries written by Michael Connelly, but The Narrows was not without some problems. Overall, I'd give it three and a half stars out of five. Part of the problem is that Connelly takes a non-Bosch mystery, The Poet, and continues the story as part of his Bosch series in The Narrows.

Terry McCaleb was a retired FBI agent running a fishing charter boat when he dropped dead of heart failure. Having had a heart transplant, this did not raise suspicions. But when his wife (a nurse) had his medications analyzed after his death, she found that they were tampered with. McCaleb's wife hires Harry Bosch to investigate his death. Bosch, formerly a LAPD homicide detective, is now retired and working as a PI. McCaleb worked in the FBI's Behavioral Sciences Department, creating personality profiles of suspects. Many unsolved cases haunted the agent, and he continued to investigate them after he retired.

When Bosch combs through McCaleb's computer and written files, he discovers evidence that a serial killer that was presumed dead is actually alive and back at work. Unfortunately, the killer is a former Behavioral Sciences agent, Robert Backus. Bosch ends up teaming with FBI agent Rachel Walling (of The Poet). Backus mentored Walling and he seems to be targeting her. The serial killer always seems to be one step ahead of the investigators, and Bosch is always one step ahead of the FBI. Bosch is pretty sharp when it comes to figuring out the criminal mind, but he also has help from his "silent partner," the notes of Terry McCaleb.

Unfortunately, I did not read The Poet first. Since The Poet is not listed as a Bosch mystery, I didn't realize The Narrows is actually a sequel. Also, Connelly seems to have gotten a little goofy with Bosch's personal life (I don't want to give away any details). He's certainly much different than in earlier novels.

Still, Connelly is an accomplished writer. Some of his visual imagery is superb. In describing the natural disasters (floods, fires, landslides) that plague Los Angeles, he writes "Living in LA sometimes felt like you were riding shotgun with the devil to the apocalypse." He also understands the psyche of the FBI. Bosch describes it as being an arrogant institution that "cares too much about its reputation and it carries too much weight in politics." Yet he also recognizes it as "the most thorough, well-equipped and relentless law enforcement agency in the world."

I am a big Connelly fan, but will take more care to read his books in order.

"The Narrows" is Michael Connelly's sequel to "The Poet" which left readers with a cliffhanger about the FBI agent, Backus, turned serial killer. When there is a severe rainfall in L.A., The Narrows is where the water overflow rushes down the channels out of the city.
As usual this Connelly book has very complex labyrinthine plotting by the author and a master criminal, but yet the novel has a straightforward, very compelling writing style. Connelly knows how to create suspense and keep his readers glued to the pages. He keeps you going, afraid to quit. Intensity builds, almost suffocatingly with an excruciatingly suspenseful tale.
In this one Harry Bosch is retired from the LAPD and is an unhappy private eye. The death of former FBI agent Terry McCaleb seems suspicious to his widow so she gets Harry to investigate. While he is investigating, a dual track story is developing with FBI agent Rachel Walling. The two plots merge, and the "fun" begins. He and Rachel join forces to catch The Poet.
Bosch is supposed to "stand down" to the FBI investigation, but because he's Harry Bosch, rebel and iconoclast par excellence, he never will. The FBI guys are, as usual, stereotypical bureaucratic obstructionist bad guys.
Harry as a homicide detective has a slogan, "Everybody counts or nobody counts." He has a mission in life. Without it, he would shrivel up and die. He has to find and destroy killers.
Did you ever notice that in a crime novel the detectives at crucial, life-threatening times, never call for back-up? What fun is it when you have an army facing the perp, when it is much more fun to watch one or two people facing the dangerous enemy? Isolate your detective protagonist and leave him to twist in the wind.
FBI case agents who have great empathy for the victims are called empaths. They are emotionally affected by the murders and carry the burden of the cases with them. Morphs are the unaffected agents. McCaleb was an empath as is Harry.
This is one of the more successful Connelly books with a great chase, great detection and an exciting, suspenseful ending.

The Poet returns in The Narrows, as does FBI Agent Rachel Walling. Ten dead bodies have been found buried in the desert on federal land, assuring the involvement of the FBI. This looks like the work of The Poet, who has signaled his desire to have Walling, an outcast with the FBI who has been banished to South Dakota, involved in the case. The two are linked together from the past.

At the same time, former LAPD detective Harry Bosch is investigating the death of retired detective Terry McCaleb, who tangled with The Poet in the past. McCaleb, a heart transparent recipient, died after someone tampered with his medications. McCaleb had been obsessed by some old cases and was investigating some new ones.

Bosch finds some of McCaleb's notes and tries to decipher them for meaning. Did The Poet kill McCaleb and what is the meaning of McCaleb's "triangle theory?" Bosch believes The Poet is responsible for McCaleb's death.

Bosch's case and Walling's case intersect in the desert. Soon, the two are working together, without the knowledge of the FBI. Bosch is moving faster than the FBI and conflict is inevitable.

Early in his investigation, Bosch says, "What is cryptic and unconnected now becomes the magnifying glass through which things will become clear later." This is certainly one of Connelly's trademarks.

As a relatively new reader to the Harry Bosch novels (This was the 2nd out of 3 I've read so far and I'm eager to check out more,) it's hard to say where The Narrows stands when compared with the rest of the series. I will say it was a bit of a disappointing follow-up to the nearly perfect Lost Light, but not a bad book in its own right.

I hadn't read The Poet, but didn't need to, as The Narrows does a fine job of setting him up as a standalone villain. Rachel from that story joins Harry Bosch here as their cases intersect, leading to a serial killer. The chapters also alternate between being from the perspective of Rachel (3rd person) and Harry (1st person), sometimes within the same chapter, but I thought it worked and added a fresh feeling to the story.

As with many of the Harry Bosch novels, it never stops amazing me how Connelly manages to think of such complex and layered mystery stories and yet manages to tie them together so perfectly at the end but he's done it again here.

There are a couple factors that prevent this book from reaching its full potential, however. The pacing's all over the place; sometimes the book's a real page-turner, at others it seems unbearably slow, like when Harry's uneventfully exploring a boat early on that seems to drag on forever. What's also a little disappointing is the reduced time spent in LA; it's a city that Connelly has proven to know extremely well and to feature in the plot with such passion and atmosphere and spirit that its general absence here is felt. Connelly just doesn't manage to do for Las Vegas what he managed to do with LA; same goes for the desert settings. Eleanor Wish, Harry's x-wife, seemed a little too bitter and distant in this story; I'm not sure what happened there. But these flaws aside, it's a good read and recommended. It's a good story with very memorable characters and action scenes.

I find mysteries about clever serial killers to be especially satisfying. The sub-genre often features a killer who is stalking the police, and that's exactly what happens in The Narrows as an ex-FBI agent, Robert Backus (aka The Poet), tracks his ex-protégée, Rachel Walling, in a sequel to the non-Bosch book, The Poet.

Harry Bosch had worked homicide with LAPD for what seemed like a lifetime until he resigned after much frustration with police politics in City of Bones. Now, Harry is a private detective with a lot of time on his hands.

Harry's life has a new direction after learning at the end of Lost Light that he is the father of four-year-old Maddie by his ex-wife, Eleanor Wish. Eleanor enjoys earning a living as a high-stakes poker player in Las Vegas, and doesn't enjoy Harry's company all that much. Harry is trying to split his time between LA and Lost Wages, but is feeling drawn to the southwest more and more.

Harry stumbles into the serial murder investigation after looking into the suspicious death of an ex-partner whose heart medicine was tampered with. Naturally, the FBI wants him out of their hair . . . but Harry is always at least one step ahead of them. With a clever killer tweaking their curiosity, can Harry hope to survive between the twin anvils of a deadly murderer and the heavy-handed bureaucracy?

Because of the serial killing aspect, the book has a pace and beat that aren't always present in the Harry Bosch novels. This story built up nicely into an exciting ending that made this book qualify more as a thriller than as a detective story.

I haven't read The Poet, and I followed this story just fine. I have no idea how you will feel about this book if you did or didn't like The Poet.

Very nice!

A (retired) Harry Bosch and (dead) Terry McCaleb serial killer mystery. Private investigator Bosch and his female FBI sidekick are tracking down a former FBI agent/ turned serial killer labeled The Poet.

This is probably a 4 star Bosch novel and fun to read for 75 percent of the story. However, the ending was terrible. It was like some other writer finished the story, dragging it out and forcing a narrative that justifies the title. I came away very disappointed.

And so begins Connelly's installment of The Harry Bosch series. In fact, Connelly makes this a sequel for "The Poet" as well as "Blood Work" and "A Darkness More Than Night" (which is also a Harry Bosch book). At first glance, this would seem like it COULD be a disaster - putting so many characters from all your books sounds like Connelly wanted to make some easy money. But here's the catch. This book exceeds all expectations.

Make no mistake, though. This is Harry Bosch's book. And Bosch is still, well, he's Bosch. You're not going to get a lot of emotion from him. But you're going to get great detective skills with interesting backstories. One thing about this book is there are parts that are funny. For example, Connelly mentions the movie "Blood Work" with Clint Eastwood several times in the book as the case led to a movie. He refers to Eastwood as being much to old to play the real Terry McCaleb (of course, the real McCaleb is a fictionalized Connelly character!). Also, Connelly brings Buddy back in this book, who is upset that the movie decided to make him the killer when he wasn't the killer in the book "Blood Work." And Rachel, who takes a backseat to Bosch in this book, begins to play a larger role as the book progresses. Connelly leaves you enough clues to make you think you know what is going on, but in the end, you'll probably be wrong.

One thing I wished was that we would have more insight into The Poet. Although we learn some things about Backus' father, I wish we had some good first person dealings with Backus (as the first person point of view switches from Bosch to Rachel). But oh well. I also wish that Jack from "The Poet" had made a small appearance, investigating the new dealings with the Poet, but I think that would have been too much.

All in all, this is a great book, and I found Zzyzx Road to be very interesting. I would recommend familiarizing yourself with some Bosch books (if you haven't already done so) and then reading The Poet, Blood Work, and A Darkness More Than Night before you read this book. That way you won't be confused and write a review complaining about details that Connelly has already told us in previous books!

First the good news: this is another fine Harry Bosch detective thriller, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. In fact I found myself sitting up late to read the last third, because I just had to know the outcome. Connelly pulls together a large cast of characters: Bosch himself, one or two of his old police colleagues, the FBI - including Rachel Walling, the agent who shot the Poet - and the family of retired FBI agent Terry McCaleb. In a way, this is what causes the book's main problem: although good, it could have been even better. The first two thirds of "The Narrows" consists of a sustained build-up of tension, which arouses very high expectations. The relatively straightforward denouement feels like a letdown, but only relative to the terrific excitement that Connelly generates.

There are a few interesting technical touches. Authors usually write in either the first person or the third person throughout. Here, Connelly makes Bosch the narrator, but cuts in and out with third-person views on the rest of the cast. To my surprise, he succeeds in making it work pretty well. He also gets away with mentioning the film of "Blood Work", and having a character read "The Poet". At one stage, Harry even feels "the wire in the blood".

I suspect that Connelly is more interested in, and perhaps knows more about, police work than the psychology of serial killers. The Poet is scary, yes: but in a matter-of-fact way, whereas some of Thomas Harris', Mo Hayder's or Val McDermid's murderers inspire feelings of genuine terror. But this doesn't mean you can put "The Narrows" down easily, once you have got into it - it is just as absorbing as the previous Bosch books.

Bottom line: I got this book as a Father's Day gift, but if I hadn't I would have been happy to buy it in hardback. That's not something I could say of many authors.

The Narrows is a thriller that counts as part of the "Harry Bosch" detective series. Secondarily, it serves as the sequel to 1996's "The Poet" which found the detective after serial killer known by the books namesake. The book does not require having read the first installment, as I had not, although it likely would have helped.

I have read Harry Bosch novels before and as such am familiar with Michael Connelly. I also read a number of other mystery/thriller novels for which to compare my analysis of this book to. I found the Narrows to be a serviceable, if not predictable work. Connelly's writing style is very straightforward and the characters are not often developed beyond what is necessary to evoke some emotional response when the story calls for suspense. Therefore, I find it difficult to connect fully with the characters in this book, mainly Harry Bosch a (now retired) detective from the LA Homicide division) and Rachel Walling, an FBI agent who has heretofore found herself an outcast from the agency due to her actions from the last time she tangled with the Poet. Together, these two pursue the devious and intelligent serial killer who himself once was a profiler with the FBI.

Most of the story has the two detectives following the trail of potential clues left from the unearthed remains of 10 bodies in the desert. A mysterious link is established between the death of Terry McAleb, a friend of Harry Bosch's, and these bodies. Towards the end of the story, the suspense picks up and the storyline arc carries us toward the inevitable confrontation with the poet itself.

If you are a fan of Michael Connelly, or of the Harry Bosch series, you will most likely enjoy this book. You will also most likely enjoy it if you have read the first. I found this book very fast reading, due in equal parts to the pace of the story and the well spaced typewritten pages. Any fan of mystery thrillers will find this book satisfying although I wouldn't rate it among the best of the genre.

The Narrows, by Michael Conolly, features Harry Bosch and FBI agent on the trail of Robert Baccus. Baccus was featured in The Poet, by Connelly. I didn't read The Poet, but enjoyed the sequel very much. You do not need to have read The Poet to be able to enjoy The Narrows. Connelly gives sufficient back story and information to allow the reader to be absorbed into the investigation of the latest murders by the Poet and how Bosch and Walling will catch him.

Walling has a history with Baccus, and was demoted to the remote FBI outpost in Minot, North (South) Dakota. Baccus send a GPS device to Walling via Quantico. The coordinates on the device give the location of a mass grave, full of bodies killed by the Poet. Bosch finds his own connection with the Poet when he begins investigating the apparent heart attack death of his friend Terry McCaleb. Bosch finds McCaleb had been constantly researching old cases, and come up with his own theories on the Poet.

That's it for plot synopsis. This is my third Connelly book and my favorite so far. These books are at times slow moving, with too many details and not enough action. But Connelly is such a good writer and the plot becomes intricate and deep at times without the reader even knowing. This novel comes from Bosch's point of view, Walling, and then Baccus, a method I hadn't seen in the other two Bosch novels I've read. This book contained a lot of Bosch's personal life, as he spent time visiting his daughter.

Connelly also refers to the movie "Bloodwork" regarding McCaleb, which is kind of humorous. Looking back, the novel's strength's are the strong characters and the passions that drive them.

I'll plan to read a lot more of Connelly. His books are easy to read, suspensful, and provide plenty of twists and turns.

In The Narrows, Michael Connelly brings back his most vicious and original killer to date, an ex-FBI agent named Backus aka The Poet. And in the process, Connelly invites his favourite character, Harry Bosch, to investigate the killer. Some old faces, like Terry McCaleb and Rachel from The Poet are also brought back to put an end to the Poet's vicious crimes.
Although The Narrows is far from achieving the levels of suspense found in The Poet, the book is still a very tense and very entertaining read. And I think Connelly is getting softer with time (a quality that might do his novels a lot of good); while The Poet was drowning in gruesome murders, the deaths in The Narrows happen off the page. Actually, there are very few deaths that happen during the course of The Narrows and yet, Connelly creates great suspense and a lot of mystery for the reader. The finaly 50 pages are a breathless thrill ride that will make you bite your nails down to the flesh.
I loved the fact that Connelly chose to tell the story both in the first person (for Bosch, a technique he began using with last year's Lost Light) and in the third person (for Rachel and Backus). The novel begins as Bosch is asked by the wife of the recently-deceased McCaleb to investigate his death. Little does he know that his investigation will bring him to The Poet. He eventually teams up with Rachel even though the FBI doesn't want Bosch on the investigation.
His search brings him to Las Vegas where The Poet has left his latest string of victims buried in the middle of the desert. But eventually, Bosch returns to his home turf of LA to try and put an end to the Poet's reing.
Filled with great suspense, compelling and interesting characters and a very orignal premise, The Narrows is everything a Michael Connelly novel should be. This isn't and doesn't feel like a tired sequel. Instead, its a completely new adventure that has enough twists and turns to keep you reading well past the wee hours of the morning. Even after all these books, Bosch is still a fresh and very distinct characters. Connelly really is this generation's great suspense writer.

It's hard to be critical of a book that grabs you and makes you loose sleep finishing it in 2 days, but having been a fan of Connelly since The Black Echo I came out a little bit disappointed with the shallowness of this effort.

The short prelude of a couple pages sets a great tone, you know you're reading classic noir Harry Bosch. But after that first bit of blackness, Harry seems kind of pale in this episode. He's now a daddy and solved the mystery of his mother's death and that seems to have sucked a lot of the internal struggle and complexity out of him. His decision to rejoin the police force or not seems to be rather perfunctory and his musings on evil and darkness just don't seem to have the edge anymore. Maybe he's just mellowing as he ages or maybe it's the shift to first person. Another disapointment for me was the lack of the Poet in this book. Unlike the book of the same name, we seldom get into Backus' head in this novel, he's just kind of off running in the background most of the time. Again, just a lack of depth that could have been fleshed out a bit more.

It's enjoyable to encounter Rachel Walling, Buddy, and the McCaleb family again and the interactions there are interesting but I was also expecting to see something of Jack McEvoy. The inside references to the film of Blood Work are humorous at first but go on for too long, we've already encountered them in Angel's Flight, that's enough. The atmospheres that Connelly creates in Las Vegas and LA are great. The storm at the end and the flooding of the LA "River" (wash) take me back to when I was a kid and was always warned to stay away from there (never did, but that's another story).

Anyway, minus 1 star for depth but still highly entertaining and engrossing. I just hope that Harry might have a little more on his mind next time.

Connelly has such a talent for realism, it's sad to see him fall under the influence of Patterson. When a character in a novel dies, leave him dead. Don't go to ridiculous lengths to resurrect him.

Connelly is able to make his characters live and breathe. They seem like real people, usually. Because they seem so much like the people around us, the readers' interest is captured, to see why these people so much like us are so much unlike us.

Backus is not somebody you can believe in, so you don't really care much about him. Connelly went to so much trouble to explain how Backus didn't die when he was dead; for the same amount of ink, he could have portrayed a believable new villain without jeopardizing his credibility. I personally thought naming the murderer The Poet sounded like something out of Batman and Robin. Maybe Bosch should have found some kryptonite to after Backus with.

Exaggeration is easy. Placing murderers in ordinary citizens, and making the readers understand and believe, is infinitely harder. Connelly can usually do it, but this book is a great disappointment.

While I'm at it, I'd like to ask, what was going on with the lady in the next room watching the planes? If she didn't have anything to do with the story, why make her so mysterious and then just drop her? I think Connelly simply forgot about her. He didn't try very hard with this book. I just hope Backus is really dead this time. Maybe they should drive a stake through his heart.

I think this is my favorite Harry Bosch book so far. Michael Connelly has built up over the last 10+ books a repertoire of characters with rich history, and some with a small mention only to become major characters in another novel. We know about the serial killer the Poet, the reporter that wrote the book about it, the newspaper reporter that has worked the cob beat for 10 years, the FBI profiler who accused Bosch of murdering a man, his former partner, and the list goes on. They all come together in this book to create a masterpiece of fiction. I was referring back to previous books to see when the characters first appeared, and why they came up. (I have a poor memory.) I think next time I start Harry Bosch books I will take notes to see if I can keep up better. However, a normal person will have the pleasant experience of reading and thinking, "Oh I remember her/him!" Michael Connelley just gets better and better!

**Not an the store verified purchase, because my Kindle is on another account.

Harry Bosch has given up his career as a detective, but when he agrees to investigate the suspicious death of a good friend he is thrust back into the world he was desperate to escape.
Harry gets the call from Graciela McCaleb asking him to find out the truth surrounding her husband's death...it was ruled as a natural death, but Graciela knows differently. The official story was that Terry forgot to take his heart medicine, but Graciella knows he would NEVER forget to take his pills. Harry starts questioning everyone that was in contact with Terry over the last few days of his life and they all seem to say that he was always taking his pills, so how is it the medical report found no trace of his medicine? It becomes obvious to Harry that someone tampered with Terry's medicine.
While Harry investigates what happened with Terry, FBI agent Rachel Walling, famous for working on the case of the serial killer known as "The Poet", gets the phone call she has dreaded for years, he's back and he's looking for her.
Before long, Harry crosses paths with Rachel and the two must work together to stop a serial killer and find out the truth behind McCaleb's death.
`The Narrows' is another crime masterpiece by Michael Connelly, blending heart-racing suspense with stunning drama the book can't be put down once started. From page one readers will be entranced by a mystery that is both shocking and compelling. Very few authors are consistent with putting out quality titles in a series, and even fewer are good at juggling various series, but Connelly has done that and more...he has taken characters from several novels and combined them into this one and the result is not short of amazing.
Expect to see `The Narrows' on the top spot of all the bestseller lists.
A MUST read!
Nick Gonnella

2.5 stars. What is Connelly doing to Bosch? This story leaves a lot to be desired. Bosch is now dealing with the realities of being a father to a four-year old, however, the readers of this series are never told why Bosch's ex-wife hid a child from her then husband-but whatever. In this installment, Connelly decided to mesh Bosch with two other popular characters from independent books Agent Walling from the Poet and former FBI agent Terry McCaleb from Blood Work. A good idea-but Connelly doesn't quite pull it off. The profiling of the Poet continues to NOT make sense to this reader. And the surprise twist regarding McCaleb just left a bitter taste in my mouth. As for Agent Wallings, I seriously don't this lady should have a badge. Where Bosch's rogue behavior is at least explaned because he's a private detective-though he pretty much acted the same when had a badge, Wallings seems to let her emotions cloud her actions. One of Bosch's last lines about him not liking being lied to had me nearly doing a double take. This man rarely tells his friends, collegues, and partners everything his either thinking, suspecting or investigating during a case and yet he pulls this line? What about his ex-wife who lied for years--he's still trying to get with her. Did he tell Ed Thomas the truth? Walling threw a fit about her boss using her as bait and literally the next scene she using Thomas as bait. Whatever. I expected more--maybe next time.

I'm a big Connelly and Bosch fan, and I've read most of the HB books. Since other reviewers have summerized the story, I'll get to my opinions. This is a good story but, I felt Harry lost a lot of his "edge" in this book. Unlike the books,Harry tells his story in the 1st person which I feel diluted his razor sharp persona. In the other books, I've really enjoyed the descriptions of the true to life details of police work, the "politics" of the L.A. Police Dept.,and it's interactions with other agencies, media, city government etc.. I thought much of the investigative detail in this story was repititious and uninteresting. The "shock" value of the murders, condition of the corpses and "smell of death" descriptions were reptitious after while. I also became impatient with the segments he is with his ex wife and daughter. His interludes with them are tedious, and add little to the story. However, once the we get to the last quarter of the book, the story becomes a typical Connelly/Bosch page turner. Since we know who the bad guy is throughout the book, we don't get the usual Connelly shocks and surprises. However, the action that brings the conclusion is typical Connelly, "what's going to happen next" writing that left me feeling that I had read a good story. The feeling I didn't get, that I've felt with every other Bosch book, is "What a terrific movie this would make!"

"The Narrows" is Connelly #4 for me and it's right there with the others, which make a decent sampling, as each one has some differences as well as themes and details you quickly come to expect. The core attributes of Harry aren't going to change. Having read the four out of order was a minor disruption, although awareness of some backstory helps. For example, reading "A Darkness More Than Night" before "The Narrows" would be better than the other way around, yet isn't fatal.

Again, Harry works the LA area and psychology dominates the story, with emphasis on motive and analysis more than conventional plot twists. "What" is never enough. Even some of the side topics, such as visits to his ex and their daughter, are mostly about emotions and reasons.

The novel's connection to LAPD and the ins and outs of the business is slight this time, partly because Harry is not on the force and the interstate angle pulls in the FBI. Connelly gives us enough insight into the inside of the FBI to be interesting, without too much detail. His characters are almost always flawed and occasionally annoying, which could become tedious if overdone.

I have not been disappointed with Michael Connelly yet and expect to keep chipping away at his catalog. He's clearly one of the top detective novel writers in America.

I have been listening to a lot of the Harry Bosch novels on audio lately, and this was another excellent entry in the series. The reader did a great job, and I enjoyed how Connelly experimented a little bit by writing sections of the book from the perspective of different characters. The first person narrator of Bosch himself led to some interesting insights as to his psyche. I also had fun seeing how the relationship between Harry and Rachel began. As far as the plot goes, Connelly set it up great, as he usually does, and it resulted in a fast paced mystery with one heck of an antagonist. Of all the Bosch novels, I think this one has the best climax. It is truly an epic showdown. These novels aren't meant to reshape your life philosophies or anything, but they're perfect entertainment for those who enjoy mystery and fast paced reads.

In the match-up we have all been waiting for, Harry Bosch takes on the Poet. The Poet is the best of Connolly's breaks from the Bosch series and was screaming for a sequel. Called on to investigate the death of a former FBI profiler, Harry quickly picks up the Poet's trail and hits the road from Southern California across the Mojave Desert to Las Vegas and then the action really gets heavy. FBI agent Rachel Wallings from The Poet joins the case resulting in some interesting, exciting, and of course bittersweet, interaction between her and Bosch. Despite her high skills, Wallings is in partial disgrace after the Poet fiasco eight years before and is summoned from her Siberian posting in Sioux City because of her prior connection with The Poet. The Poet is fixated on her and what the FBI really wants is to use her as bait. The FBI tries to push Bosch out of the case, but he and Wallings buck the bureaucracy and go off on their own thread. The result is another great story from Connolly that has the usual twists, turns, and surprises. The Narrows could have easily ended at chapter 38 and the result would be been a solid, entertaining thriller. Connolly, however does not look for easy, quick endings, and his books are brought up to a much higher level as a result. Sometimes I have to remind myself that Harry Bosch is make-believe. If I sound like a one man Michael Connolly cheering section, it's because I am!

I have not read any other novels in the Harry Bosch series so I am not sure if my reading experience would have been heightened or diminished if I would have read "The Poet."

Harry Bosch is a retired LAPD Homicide detective. He is asked by the wife of a deceased friend to look into his death although it appears to be of a natural cause. Harry's detective work, albeit somewhat lengthy and dry for this reader, reveals a suspicious character whom should be investigated.

Harry's analysis of his friend's, an ex FBI profiler, notes leads him to the barren desert outside Las Vegas. This happens to be the site of a mass grave, consising of six men believed to have been killed by the Poet, an ex FBI agent himself who also happens to be a serial killer. It is there he reunites with Rachel Walling and together they go about solving the case.

I think what I enjoyed most about this book is the fact that Harry is a regular guy who struggles with lifes problems. He does not appear to be a particularly happy guy and recently learned he has a young daughter who lives in Las Vegas. In fact his entire life centers around her.

I found the first half of the book to be rather slow. The latter part of this novel is fast paced and a good read. The finale, although a little far fetched, will keep you glued to your seat.

What can I say? Michael Connelly does it again.

There are good authors, great authors, gifted authors and talented authors. Then, there’s Michael Connelly. The man is in a class by himself.

There are many authors I love reading and truly enjoy: Baldacci, Thor, Flynn, Mayor, Scottoline just to name a few. And while I greatly enjoy their work, not every novel is a home run. That being said, even a mediocre Baldacci novel, for example, is still better than 95% of other novels I read.

However, Michael Connelly is different. Every book I’ve read of his—about 11 in total—IS a home run. ‘The Narrows’ is no exception.

Michael Connelly continues to amaze. The tenth book in the series that goes way back should not bowl you over as hard, maybe even more so, than the first. Yet "The Narrows" does just that.
Connelly tries other characters, he introduces different attitudes and issues, his characters don't always treat others well, but if I'm stuck in Newark Airport trying to get home . . .I'm heading to the 'C' section of fiction in the bookstore.
I'm not certain I like Harry. I mean, I like him, I just don't want him to be my next door neighbor. Too brooding. Too tough on himself and others. I have the feeling if I borrowed his lawnmower and didn't return it on the day I said I would, he'd mention it to my wife in an off handed way three years later.
I don't like the way he treats Buddy Lockridge for example. Buddy's an innocent scoundrel, true, but Harry uses him, abuses him and dumps him. And Rachel Walling, who might well be a female mirror image of Harry . . . he continually holds her to higher standards than he holds himself and blames her for doing things he himself does. But . . . .
But what an interesting character. Is there anyone like him in the genre today? Maybe Dave Robicheaux. Maybe early Spenser. Here Graciela, Terry McCaleb's widow, suspects Terry did not die of natural causes. Harry agrees to "look into it" but Connelly conveys a 'less than confident' Harry helping out the widow of a friend. Of course he's hooked like the Black Marlin Terry was trying to find on his last charter, trying to interpret the meaning of notes Terry wrote in the margin of a map, receipts on the floor of his jeep, puzzling over what certain photographs Terry kept on his computer meant.
I am fascinated by the successful intertwining of the two stories emanating from "The Poet," that is the story of Harry and Rachel Walling, the defrocked FBI agent used as bait when the FBI suspects that possibly Bob Backus, the mentor of Rachel Walling and the serial killer who was the poet, is back. Rachel is like Bernard Samson in the Samson Trilogy by Deighton, guilty, tainted and exiled by association.
Connelly weaves back and forth with first person-third person narrative and never once in 400 pages stumbles. He feeds us clues and answers as we go along, not too many nor too much. The ending is pretty tight and the second ending a real surprise.
I liked especially the dialogue between Cherrie Dei and Walling over morphs and empats. Agents who track serial killers who deflect the horror into 'just a job' metality and'how can I spin this the best way for me?' are the morphs. And the empats, who are the better agents because suck it all in, can't stop the record from turning when the song is over. That's Rachel . . .and of course that's also Harry.
5 stars +. Highly recommended. Larry Scantlebury

Having read The Poet (as well as all of Michael Connelly's other books), I was anticipating a really special book when I started The Narrows. After all, it involves Harry Bosch, Rachel Walling and The Poet ... how could it be anything less than special? Unfortunately, while The Narrows is well written and holds your interest, it is just an average mystery, and not a book that I'd recommend highly to you. The basic problem I had is that the book is more of an investigation with few major surprises and not much that is really mysterious. Accept for the last few pages, the plot was pretty predictable and provided very little excitement. Atypical of most of Connelly's other books, The Narrows was one I could easily put down to do something else without feeling the urge to rush right back to the book. Also unlike many of Connelly's other books, the story dragged on for long passages without much of interest occurring; and so I at times found myself skimming through the pages. The Narrows is not a bad book; it's just one that is not much more than an average read. If The Narrows is going to be your first book by Connelly, you might be a bit disappointed. I think you'll enjoy it more if you first read The Poet.

Michael Connelly has devoted most of his writing career to solid crime procedurals starring LAPD homicide detective Harry Bosch. Almost a decade ago, he took a detour to write "The Poet", a novel depicting FBI agent Rachel Walling's nationwide pursuit of a serial killer who exacts revenge on cops and then disguises the crimes as suicides. It was a work every bit as intriguing as Thomas Harris at his best, and its ending left the door wide open for a sequel. In "The Narrows", Connelly brings both protagonists together to solve the untimely death of yet another name from the past, retired FBI agent Terry McCaleb of "Blood Work".

Crossover stories by any author put me on alert as I'm afraid that I'm about to be served a comic book gimmick (what if Superman and Batman worked together?). Connelly had already somewhat faltered when introducing Bosch and McCaleb in "A Darkness More than Night". However, "The Narrows" corrects that earlier book's mistakes and provides a thrilling conclusion to the Poet's tale.

The action is immediately underway and well-paced as always. Connelly does his usual great job of starting with events that initially seem unconnected and then credibly meshing them through the detective work of his characters. The suspense builds from The Poet's very creepy efforts to place himself back in the FBI's sights through his engame of revenge on his pursuers. The resulting game of cat-and-mouse and its climax(es) are true page-turners.

I'm still not convinced that I like Bosch's side being told in first-person (a convention that began with his last Bosch novel, "Lost Light") because it detracts from Connelly's gifts with wording. As you'd expect, Bosch's thoughts and feelings are very economical, which leads to sparse prose. Scenes from other characters' perspectives flow very nicely in third-person voice.

The pairing of Bosch and Walling is more natural than that of Bosch and McCaleb was in "A Darkness More than Night". This success is partly due to their natural similarities. For example, Walling now finds herself a pariah within the FBI despite her excellent skills, very similar to Bosch's situation throughout most of his tenure at LAPD. During the course of the investigation, they achieve some trust and intimacy, but not so much that the characterization of either is compromised. This delicate balance that Connelly maintains here is what puts this crossover way ahead of his earlier attempt.

But the real trick that Connelly pulls off in this one is the mystery itself. You can't call the book a whodunit because you immediately know that the Poet is back - he advertises it himself. So why read the book? Read it for the true question that's skillfully saved for the ending surprise: not so much whodunit but what-did-he-really-do?

Without revealing any spoilers, the ending provides not only a powerful surprise but also further development in Bosch's life that career fans have surely been itching for. The result is very satisfying for "The Narrows" on its own and also opens up great possibilities for Bosch's future tales.

If you discovered "The Poet" as a one-shot and are looking forward to this sequel, I recommend reading at least some of the Harry Bosch series and "Blood Work" first. The absolute minimum chronology would be "The Black Echo", "The Last Coyote", "Trunk Music" and "City of Bones". You can still make sense of this book without a complete background on Bosch; you'll just be cheating yourself out of a lot of great mystery fiction.

As absorbing and satisfying as ever, Connelly's 10th Harry Bosch thriller finds the former LA homicide cop investigating the death of another Connelly series character, Terry McCaleb. Terry ("Blood Work"), a former FBI agent and heart-transplant patient, died of a heart attack while on his boat, an apparently natural death.
But his wife calls Harry when she discovers that powdered shark cartilage was substituted for Terry's essential heart medication. Terry had never stopped working murder cases and Harry, looking for his killer, soon homes in on one file in particular - six missing men - which has the hallmarks of a serial killing.
Meanwhile FBI agent Rachel Walling ("The Poet"), assigned to the boonies since the debacle of that serial killer case, gets a long-dreaded call. Robert Backus, the Poet killer and former FBI bigwig - he was her and Terry McCaleb's old mentor at the FBI - has resurfaced, in the form of a GPS unit sent to Rachel at her old office. Following the GPS coordinates, the FBI is turning up bodies in the desert.
Harry and the FBI collide when Harry, piecing together the clues in Terry's file, happens on the FBI's desert dig. Naturally the FBI has no intention of sharing, but Harry connects with Rachel, and warily, egos and agendas clashing, they pool resources. The action picks up as they track Backus to a desert brothel enclave, a grisly murder scene, and his next victim.
Harry's narration drives most of the story, but point of view shifts to Rachel and Backus, keeping us informed from all angles. Subplots include Harry's growing relationship with his 5-year-old daughter, a tentative romance with Rachel, and a possible return to the LAPD.
The investigation is smart and forensically intriguing, and the characters are prickly and complex, while Backus is truly scary, in an underplayed fashion. Connelly, a master, remains at the top of his game.

Any character named after the great surrealist painter Hieronoymous Bosch will automatically get my attention. The fact that Harry Bosch has exquisite taste in music, leaning toward 1950s bebop jazz, almost gets me liking the guy. What wins me over is that Harry Bosch is an anti-cop, anti-hero in the best tradition of the hard-boiled noir mysteries. He is a post-modern version of Raymond Chandler's Phillip Marlowe or Dash Hamiett's Sam Spade, the tough guy exsisitential detective in a corrupt world where there is little difference between ethics of the cops and the killers. Los Angeles with it's phony glitz and glamour amid sqaulor and depravity is the setting of choice for many of the classic noir novels of the late 1940s and early 1950s. Los Angeles with kitschy pizazz, movie moguls, noveau riche, and fatal beauties is all things American.
Michael Connelly has done a fantastic job of developing Harry Bosch's character in the 12 years of the police procedurals he's written for this series. From the first Bosch novel, "Black Echo" where we met Bosch, Vietnam vet tunnel rat turned LAPD dectective who's bumped from the L.A. homicide to the lowly Beverly Hill precinct. Bosch was created in the LAPD world of police chief Darryl Gates...a world where corruption, brutality and incompetence puts a cop on the fast track to career stardom. Harry is the "loser" who retains his ethics and is branded the malcontent by his commanders, internal affairs and public relations. Each of Connelly's Bosch novels in addition to a well plotted mystery with red herrings and endless crime scene intrepetations, inevitably presents Bosch's endless career dilemmas which have become a subplot unto themselves. It's hard being an ethical detective in the mold of Phillip Marlowe, when you're working with a bunch of Mark Fuhrmans, the infamous O.J. Simpson detective with "racial issues." In 2003's "City of Bones" Harry Bosch walked away from LAPD after a 20 year career of fighting off the jackals of the LAPD bureaucracy.
"The Narrows: A Novel" not only finds Bosch retired but also is the return of Rachel Walling, FBI agent and her arch-enemy the Poet, a serial killer obessed with the works of Edgar Allan Poe. What brings Bosch out of retirement and back in the homicide game is the death of his associate and friend retired F.B.I. special agent extrodinare Terry McCaleb, who following "Blood Work" was living in bliss on his sailboat. In Michael Connelly's world all of characters interact in supporting roles, so a connection with any of Connelly's primary character means you will enventually run into serial characters in overlapping or interlocking roles. Rachel Walling is the primary character in "The Narrows" and Bosch is relegated a critical but supporting role. Walling the hunter of killers has now become prey for the Poet. A recommended prerequsite to reading "The Narrows" is reading "The Poet" which is Connelly's most expansive mystery, in which the Poet, former F.B.I. agent Bob Backus is introduced. Much of Connelly's lore involving the worlds of Harry Bosch, Rachel Walling and Terry McCaleb is set forth in this pivotal novel. "The Narrows" does just fine as a stand alone novel but reading "The Poet" makes it more enjoyable. "The Narrows", despite a supporting role by Bosch, will delight Connelly fans and newcomers alike.
I'm hoping, that Connelly doesn't make the mistake of ending the Harry Bosch series, because Bosch is such an intriguing and complex character. I've read a lot of mysteries with recurring characters, but Harry Bosch with all of his internal conflicts and contradictions has a special place in my heart. Perhaps he could write some "prequel" novels which cover Bosch's early cases, prior to 1992's "Black Echo." I'm certain fans of Connelly wouldn't object.

There has been a great deal of prepublication hype concerning THE NARROWS, Michael Connelly's new Harry Bosch novel. Most of it centers on the fact that it is a sequel to THE POET, Connelly's tale from some years ago about Robert Backus, an FBI profiler who himself turns into a serial killer. While sequels usually disappoint in direct proportion to the degree of their public anticipation, THE NARROWS is a welcome exception. It may well be Connelly's best work to date.
What has not been noted about THE NARROWS is that it is also a sequel of sorts to BLOOD WORK. BLOOD WORK is perhaps Connelly's best-known novel due in large part to its film adaptation by Clint Eastwood. The movie, interestingly enough, is mentioned in THE NARROWS. Connelly in fact breaks on through to the other side at several points during THE NARROWS, bringing an immediacy and reality to the tale that is quite refreshing. Always a masterful storyteller, Connelly continues to improve as a writer. He switches quite effortlessly in perspective back and forth between Bosch and FBI Agent Rachel Walling, whose career took a disastrous reverse due to the events chronicled in THE POET. A lesser craftsman would have ultimately made a mess of things, but Connelly keeps things moving smartly and coherently with nary a misstep.
THE NARROWS begins with Harry Bosch investigating the death of his old friend, Terry McCaleb, at the request of McCaleb's widow. McCaleb, who was the subject of BLOOD WORK, has succumbed to an apparent heart attack. His widow, however, has found that someone had in fact tampered with McCaleb's heart medication, leading to his death. During the course of the investigation Bosch learns that McCaleb, while freelancing as a consulting investigator, may have stumbled across The Poet, who appears to be responsible for McCaleb's death. McCaleb's file notes also indicate that he has a theory regarding the fates of six men who mysteriously disappeared while visiting Las Vegas.
Bosch begins to follow the trail created by McCaleb's theory, a trail that leads to an FBI investigation of a series of burials in the Nevada desert --- an investigation that commenced with a mysterious message from The Poet, directed to Rachel Walling. Walling is begrudgingly brought into the FBI investigation as an observer, and when Bosch interjects himself into the proceedings the two of them become an unlikely and unofficial, but highly effective, team. While they are tracking Backus, he is also tracking them, along a trail of his own devise and choosing. Backus has unfinished business from the past that he fully intends to complete, and he wants to do it right under the noses of his pursuers. All business and trails end at THE NARROWS.
While THE NARROWS is a dark and grim book in many ways, Connelly occasionally gives a wink and a nod to savvy readers as an indication that he is not taking himself too seriously. In addition to the references to the Blood Work film, Connelly name checks several mystery writers --- there is a George Pelecanos reference that is subtly hilarious --- and uses Bosch's new knowledge of his fatherhood to pay tribute to a popular television cartoon character whose demeanor is totally at odds with the grim goings-on in THE NARROWS. Alert readers will also catch fleeting allusions to some of Connelly's past books besides BLOOD WORK and THE POET.
Ultimately, THE NARROWS is a novel that on many different levels lives up to its hype and surpasses it.
--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

In Michael Connelly's latest thriller, "The Narrows," Bob Backus once again appears on the scene to taunt his old friends at the FBI. For those who don't remember him, Backus, known as "The Poet," was an FBI agent as well as a vicious serial killer, who has left a trail of corpses behind him in both the United States and Europe.
Harry Bosch, retired Los Angles cop, is also back. Graciela McCaleb, the widow of Terry McCaleb, asks Harry to look into her husband's sudden death. McCaleb, the central character in Connelly's novel, "Blood Work," was an FBI profiler whose life was saved by a heart transplant. After leaving his job, McCaleb continued to work cold cases unofficially; he was pursuing promising leads in the Poet case, among others, when his heart gave out for the last time. Although Harry no longer carries a badge, he has been working as a private investigator, and he agrees to help Graciela. Harry soon begins to suspect that Terry's interest in the Poet may have led to his death. Along with Rachel Walling, an FBI agent who had worked with Backus in the past, Harry sets out to find the Poet before he kills yet again.
"The Narrows" is a terrific police procedural, every bit as dark and menacing as "Lost Light," Connelly's last Bosch novel. It has all the elements we have come to love in the Bosch series: feuding and manipulative FBI agents, tantalizing clues, sharp and witty dialogue, and a touch of romance. There are also amusing references to the Clint Eastwood movie, "Blood Work," that hint at Connelly's displeasure with the "Hollywood treatment" given to his book.
I have always liked Harry Bosch. He is smart, cynical, compassionate, and tough, and if he's on a case, you know that he'll see it through until the bitter end. Connelly's complex plot had me impatiently turning pages into the night, and the surprises kept on coming until the book's dramatic conclusion. If you are a fan of novels with great characters, lots of action, and twists and turns galore, you will enjoy "The Narrows" as much as I did.

Detective Hieronymous (Harry) Bosch and FBI agent Rachel Walling are brought together to investigate the death of former FBI agent Terry McCaleb as well as the possible reemergence of serial killer Bob Backus, aka The Poet. We also get a dose of Bosch's daughter, his ex-wife, Kiz Rider, Buddy Lockridge, and McCaleb's widow. In the world of Michael Connelly characters, this is a family affair.

Given the integration of previously disparate storylines, you might expect this novel to fail, or to succeed only as a gimmick, in the same way that an Abbott and Costello meet the Three Stooges special is destined for mediocrity.

However, I'm happy to say, this book works as a novel, and is one of the most enjoyable in the series to date. To me, Connelly's biggest shortcomings are that he tends to include a plot twist too many and that his walk-through of investigatory procedurals can become so convoluted that the forward motion of the plot becomes mired in details. Neither of those shortcomings is evident here.

One of the remarkable things about the Bosch character is that, in every novel, we see another layer of his humanity. There are so many dimensions to what makes him tick that he really seems like a living, breathing person. And yet, he's a person unlike any that we've ever known; driven, relentlessly drawn to the act of chasing criminals like a shark pursuing prey. And like a shark, Bosch never stops moving; if he did, he might die.

In this novel, Bosch's pursuit of justice is intermixed with visits to his daughter Maddie, and with his temptation to rejoin the LAPD. His investigations lead him to a mass grave and to a Nevada brothel, among other places. He finds himself in conflict with the FBI, which is more concerned with the FBI's image than with a speedy, relentless pursuit of the victim.

About half of the novel is told in Bosch's words, and half in a third-person narrative focused on Rachel Walling. There are also occasional bits of story that center around the villain. Despite these bits, and some pondering by Bosch, we never really get a feel for the villain as a character; he's just the daily special on Bosch's plate. I didn't feel strongly about the divergent narrative one way or the other; I will say that Bosch's character voice isn't much different from Connelly's writing style.

The writing is very well done, and the novel is well-paced. We get to see the agents engage in some interesting field work, and Bosch's attention to detail is fun to see. Yet, the story is more sparse than most of Connelly's work, with a more direct path from point A to point B. I think it works very well. Moreso than in any other Bosch book, I liked the ending. Endings are hard; Connelly got it right this time.

I highly recommend this book, although I wouldn't choose it as my first Connelly novel. You should read a couple other books so that you can appreciate the secondary characters based on their histories in past novels.

Oh hum, another terrific Michael Connelly novel. But this should come as no surprise to those who have been following his work and his Harry Bosch series. This time Bosch teams up with FBI agent Rachel Walling to pursue a serial killer first introduced in a prior novel "The Poet." If you enjoyed "The Poet" then you should be pleased to know that none of that book's momentum has been lost in this sequel. Though not an absolute prerequisite, it's probably best to read "The Poet" first since it more fully develops the killer's character and thus the background alluded to in "The Narrows" becomes more understandable. For a synopsis read through the previous reviewers who have done a terrific job on the overview.

One of the things I like about Connelly is the way in which he continually recycles his characters. A minor character with just a passing mention in one book becomes a major character in another and vice versa. That gives a feeling of great familiarity as one reads through his series of novels.

Great plot, great suspense, great writing. And, oh yes, another great Connelly read.

Compared to "The Poet," which introduced the title character of that book, "The Narrows" feels mechanical. The significance of the title does not even become clear until near to the end of the novel, and then the relationship to the rest of the book is tenuous to say the least.

Connelly's signature hero Harry Bosch meets FBI agent Rachel Wallings, and a new complicated set of events takes off, which includes the substitution of medication for a heart transplant patient, the possible reintegration of Bosch into the LAPD, his struggling and sinking relationship with Eleanor Wish (the mother of his daughter), a heap of bones in the desert, also an oasis there that suffices as a legalized site for brothels, a wannabe gumshoe assistant, etc. etc. Too much, too little, too late. In addition, I found annoying Connelly's habit of referring to the movies, etc., that had been made from his own books.

Still, he is a master mystery writer, and I didn't regret the day I spent hunched over this page-turner. I just didn't find it either as mesmerising or as well constructed as some of his other books.

This book is a sequel to "The Poet" and reading this first will lessen enjoyment of the better "The Poet".

This is a taut, well-written page-turner. Harry is now retired (but by mid-book considering returning to the force under the "three-year plan" i.e. you have three years to return without loss of benefits)and is asked to investigate the death of Terry McCalab, by McCalab's wife. Everyone else thinks McCalab's heart simply gave out but the wife thinks otherwise (and is subsequenlty proven correct). This investigation leads to the trail of a serial killer known as "The Poet".

A couple of complaints. The book is written in both third person and in first person, at first in separate chapters but then toward the end, uses both in the same chapter which was a bit disconcerting. Also toward the end a very convenient clue survives destruction (the one thing needed to put Harry on the correct trail) while all else (just about) is burned to a crisp. A little too convenient. Still a very good page-turner and superior writing for this genre. Hard to put down once the Poet is in the mix.

After watching Bosh I decided to read (listen) to some of the books avoiding ones the show used..the problem is when they switch narrators. I don't like this guy He just is not Bosh too smooth too young sounding...
I absolute HATE the first person way the books are read

Seizing on the metaphor of The Narrows, a waterway that drains mountain streams into the great river of Los Angeles and on into the ocean, Michael Connelly adds closure to the story begun in the Poet. Normally, The Narrows are a shallow flow of water, until the rains come, and then, in the downpour, The Narrows become deadly and quick a killer just like the poet himself, once an FBI aganet who was highly respected, whose deep waters his tle coldest and most calculating of murderers, both brilliant and brutal.

The story starts when Rachel Walling, who was The Poet's protégé in the FBI, recalled from FBI exile by a piece of evidence that made it clear that The Poet was still actively killing and that he wanted a confrontation with Walling, who was the only agent to come even close to putting him down. The second key figure of the case is Harry Bosch, one of Connelly's regular characters. Bosch has retired from the LAPD, and for the past year has been trying to come to grips with the discovery that a broken relationship has made him a father.

Bosch is the wildcard in the story. Bosch was a friend Terry McCaleb, a retired FBI profiler who died from the apparent failure of his transplanted heart. But an autopsy revealed that someone had messed with McCaleb's medications and that death from natural cause was not an option. Bosch discovers a connection to The Poet, and, near a boat in the middle of a desert, the detective butts heats with the FBI and makes an unexpected friend of Rachel Walling. And thus begins a story which is half thriller and half a testament to the glories of detection.

Connelly is one of those prose writers who can write a tight, action oriented narrative balanced with solid detail and, just when you think you know what to expect, he will dash off a bit of wordsmithing that will embed a scene in your mind forever. There are writers like Crais and Chandler who can reach more dizzying heights, but Connelly has a style and consistency that puts him in the same league. The story is both a mystery and the tale of people who have come close to being twisted by the force that threatens to prey on them. For we all are only moments from The Narrows ourselves.

THE NARROWS finds Harry Bosch at a crossroads. The ex-cop turned private detective is commuting between LA and Vegas to see his daughter and elusive wife Eleanor. By books end he has made a life-changing decision and seems to have found a new sense of purpose.
This novel is Michael Connelly's lolapalooza, combining characters and plot lines from several previous books. The main thrust involves Bosch stumbling into an FBI investigation of the "Poet", the killer in Connelly's book of that name. Bosch teams up with FBI agent Rachel Walling to pursue the Poet through the Nevada desert. There are twists and false endings, all delivered with Connelly's impeccable narrative logic.
More than any other crime writer I can think of, Connelly deals with way law enforcement professionals are driven to right the wrongs they encounter and speak for the victims. Also, how work defines the lives of these men and women, sometimes curtailing their personal lives. This book marks a turning point in Connelly's work, and fans can only wonder in what direction this series will now head. Essential.

I haven't read a lot of Michael Connelly's stuff, so I wasn't sure what to expect from his latest Harry Bosch novel, The Narrows. After reading the book, I think I may be going back to catch up on his earlier work. This was a good novel.

Bosch is asked to investigate the death of his ex-partner by the widow. The partner had a heart transplant, and he ended up dying of heart failure while running a fishing charter in open waters. The widow finds that his medication had been switched, and that's why his heart gave out. Bosch's investigation dovetails into an FBI investigation into a serial killer known as the Poet. The Poet was an FBI guru who was actually killing the people on the case he was leading. Agent Rachael Walling, his protégée, thought that she killed him in an earlier showdown. But he apparently survived, is killing again, and has called her specifically into the final stages of the investigation. Walling and Bosch, both "outcasts" from the FBI's viewpoint, end up teaming to find the Poet, figure out his next move, and confront him.

This is a nice mystery with a touch of darkness to it. There are a number of subthreads going on that would have probably made more sense had I read earlier novels in the series. While that might have made the novel a bit better for me, it didn't get in the way of enjoying the book on its own merits. As I mentioned above, I will probably end up putting Connelly on my "catch-up" list.

It's always good to have writers you can depend on. With Michael Connelly, you can be assured of a great mystery and The Narrows once again proves the rule. In a way, The Narrows is a convergence of several Connelly characters: Harry Bosch, his reliable series hero; Terry McCaleb (from a couple books) who, although dead at the very beginning of the book, has a significant presence; and from The Poet, FBI agent Rachel Walling and the serial killer/ex-FBI agent known as The Poet. (Although helpful, you do not need to have read previous books to enjoy this one.)

Bosch, currently in retirement from the LAPD, is hired by McCaleb's widow to investigate her husband's death. Although apparently a heart attack, she has reason to suspect foul play. Bosch's research gets him looking at McCaleb's crime files, especially a series of killings that seem linked to Zzyzx Road, an offramp in the middle of the desert between Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Meanwhile, FBI agent Walling is summoned by her superiors from her exile in the Dakotas; her last big case, involving her ex-boss who was the Poet, has re-opened. Some bodies have been found at Zzyzx.

Soon enough, Bosch and the FBI meet as there cases intersect, but the relationship is predictably stormy: Although Bosch is able to provide all sorts of assistance, federal arrogance leads to his dismissal. Walling, however, bonds with Bosch and the two of them do their own investigating, tracing the killer to a remote Nevada town, where he is still a few steps ahead of them.

Although not a whodunit - there is no doubt that the killer is the Poet - Connelly is able to make this a suspenseful novel and he does have a couple twists to throw at us. As is typically the case, the biggest strength is Bosch, who is driven to solve the case for personal reasons, while at the same time, dealing with a daughter he recently found out about and a possible return to the police. If there is a flaw with the book, it's only that it's over too soon. This is another solid outing for Connelly.

Harry Bosch is asked by a friend's widow to investigate her husband's death. She suspects that it was murder, not a heart attack.
Concurrently, tarnished FBI agent Rachel Walling (on a "hardship posting" in South Dakota) receives a late night phone call from Quantico indicating that a demonic serial killer, assumed dead, is back in business.
The simultaneous plots converge at the Zzyzx Road exit on Highway 15 between Las Vegas and LA.
Harry's quest and Rachel's investigation eventually lead to a partnership that adds tension to the story.
The characters are well drawn and believable; their strengths and weaknesses probed.
Mr. Connelly is a master at quietly producing continuous action that explodes exponentially into a white-knuckle ride.
His ability to hide clues in plain sight is extraordinary
Taut suspense, intricate plotting and the captivating premise propel Harry and Rachel in their pursuit of the diabolical villain.
It is "cat and mouse" at the highest level.
The overriding struggles and characters are potent and persuasive, the plot labyrinthine, the twists logical yet unforeseen.
Michael Connelly is the magical virtuoso of present day crime fiction. He defines and refines the genre---never playing it safe.
"The Narrows" is the most peerless example of contemporary noir writing imaginable.
I am certain one can enjoy "The Narrows" without having read "The Poet"---but if one does, it will spoil one's reading of "The Poet."

THE NARROWS revisits Connelly's earlier books, THE POET and BLOOD WORK incorporating the characters of both into this story, but the main focus of the story is The Poet who ten years earlier committed a gruesome series of killings. Thought to be dead, we now find out that Robert Backus AKA The Poet is alive. Rachel Walling is the one credited with not only shooting The Poet, but also with major screw-ups in the case was her banished to the North Dakota office. She sees her chance to get back into the FBI's good graces when she called back into the new manhunt for Backus.
Former LAPD detective, Harry Bosch, is asked by the widow of Terry McCaleb (protagonist in BLOODWORK) to look into her husband's death. Backus emerges as the prime suspect in Bosch's case. Bosch and Walling reluctantly decide the work together when their cases intersect.
Connelly successfully intertwines the plots of the two earlier works into a suspenseful and gripping new thriller. I would recommend reading THE POET first since many of the characters are from that book. Characters from BLOODWORK are less integrated into this story so it is not really essential to know that story before the current one. We are also shown another side to Bosch's personality while he copes with being a father to a child he barely knows. Michael Connelly's characters continue to evolve with each installment of the series.

"The Narrows," my first time reading a Michael Connelly, a Harry Bosch mystery thriller, is named after a large sewer of sorts that fills with enough water to sweep away children after a storm. I suppose the title, and connection to the ravine, could be some sort of connection to the typical representation of dark: evil, mean, wicked, etc.

Harry Bosch, whose real name is Hieronymus, is working as a meagerly successful PI when he gets the widow of an old friend from his police days. Evidently, his friend died, and the widow suspects foul play.

Being a lifelong crime-fighter like Harry, his old pal, Terry, has boxes and files on numerous older cases, as well as some unsolved. He finds several pieces of information on a specific case that has to do with men who have gone missing in Las Vegas, and a reference to "Zzyzx" (which I still don't know if it is supposed to be pronounceable).

The plot twists and turns as Bob Backus, the former head of the FBI's Behavioral Sciences Section, ends up being involved. This would not be a big issue except for the fact that Backus is now a serial killer who loves to torment the FBI, and particularly an agent named Rachael Walling, who just so happens to be the last understudy to Backus.

Eventually it plays out as anticipated. Although, it appears as if the final climactic situation was brought on by the bad guy, the one final twist that is not expected, who was attempting to outwit the FBI and Backus once again.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in a quick, somewhat complex mystery novel that requires no prerequisite reading. While there are references to the past, it was not required to follow along. Overall, I enjoyed the read, and might buy other Bosch mysteries.

After reading all of the Harry Bosch series, Michael Connelly still keeps me wanting more, enjoying every minute of his books.
The Narrows is the 10th book in the Bosch series. Here, he's paired together with Rachel who worked on the original Poet case, trying to catch The Poet once and for all. The story is certainly interesting reading, with each of the main characters technically not supposed to be working the case. Plus, just the suspense and dynamic of the famous killer who got away adds to this story.
As all of the previous books, I enjoyed this one. Connelly books always fly by for me, they're hard to put down. And the character of Bosch is probably my most favorite character in all of fiction. I always have a hard time waiting for the next novel to see what is new with Harry! This is definitely a book I recommend. I would also recommend though if you have not read Connelly before, to start with the first book in the Bosch series, it takes a while to complete, but I think it's worth it- to watch Harry's life and cases unfold in chronological order.

Former FBI profiler Terry McCaleb is dead. His transplanted heart was rejected by his body. Clint Eastwood attended the funeral for the fictional hero of Bloodwork.

Terry's widow Graciela is worried because tests have shown someone has been tampering with her husband's medication. She goes to Harry Bosch, now retired from the LAPD, to clear her from any suspicion. Harry quickly finds himself investigating another serial killer.

Yet this killer is none other than the Poet, the great FBI profiler Robert Backus. Bosch teams with Rachel Walling, Backus' protégé to track down this good guy gone bad.

It is a chilling tale of serial crime, betrayal and the politics of murder. Only a writer with Connelly's imagination and power could kill off the hero of a short series and unite other protagonists in the chase for his killer. More amusingly, Buddy Lockridge and Graciela McCaleb bitterly object to their portrayal in Eastwood's film. Whether this is an example of life imitating art or art imitating art is for the reader to decide.

In a previous novel, a decomposed body was found but not positively identified. Clues pointed to the Poet, a serial killer who was targeting police officers. Now he has reappeared. Harry Bosch, who has retired from LAPD to become a PI, becomes involved. FBI agent Rachel Walling is back. Other characters from previous novels appear.

There are the usual conflicts, shootouts, etc. Some parts can get a bit gruesome dealing with decayed bodies. You will get a little insight into Nevada's legal brothels (there is a Web page directory - you can Google almost anything) - it is a county option, and it does seem to provide most of the income in some small towns.

There are references to the motion picture starring Clint Eastwood (a little reality blended in). Along the way, Harry Bosch is faced with a choice - should he restart his career in LA, or spend time in Las Vegas where his young daughter is located?

Harry Bosch is a likeable guy. Tough without being perfect. Able to table his own emotions while getting a job done. He's seen it all and still retains his humanity and integrity, although happiness has always eluded him. And most of the time, he has the courage to be genuine. Even with books in series, I like to approach each one individually and judge it on its own merits. And The Narrows is strong enough to stand on its own. One of the factors that makes it an intriguing cop story is that Harry can sometimes - not always - figure out how killers think. Logic, intuition, and experience combine in his mind to allow him to think outside the box. Author Connelly is adept at leading his readers step by step through the fascinating ins and outs of attacking a crime, narrowing down the possibilities, and discovering the whos, whats, and whys of Harry's cases. The balance between action and intellect is always satisfying, and makes The Narrows a gritty, enthralling winner.

I first read Michael Connelly when I read "The Poet" with Terry McCaleb. I became an immediate fan and read all of his Harry Bosch novels and have kept up with that series and the Terry McCaleb series since then as well as Connelly's other books. I have never been disappointed. I thought "A Darkness More Than Night" with both Harry and Terry in it was one of his best.
"The Narrows" allows Harry and characaters from "The Poet" and the other McCaleb books to meet and work together to finally eliminate the Poet. Harry's efforts to find out who murdered colleague Terry McCaleb is a thrill ride filled with well-drawn characters and detailed policework.
Connelly is one of the best mystery writers out there and whether or not you've read any of his previous works, you won't be disappointed with this one. In fact, after reading it, I am now going back to reread "The Poet" and then reread all of Connelly's books. It doesn't matter to me (like it appears to matter to other reviewers) that we now know what happened to the Poet. It does bother me that one reviewer couldn't even get McCaleb's name right (they called him Gerry more than once!).
If you want a good, fast-moving, well-written mystery, then spend a few hours with "The Narrows". You'll become a Connelly fan--if you aren't already!

Loved this book!! This was one of my favorites thus far in the Harry Bosch series! I have read the newer books and now going back to read the earlier ones. FBI agent Rachel Walling is involved again as the Poet (serial killer)resurfaces. He is out to track her down once again. At the same time Former LAPD detective Harry Bosch gets a call, too--from the widow of an old friend. Her husband's death seems natural, but his ties to the hunt for the Poet make Bosch dig deep. Arriving at a derelict spot in the California desert where the feds are unearthing bodies, Bosch joins forces with Rachel. Now the two are at odds with the FBI...and squarely in the path of the Poet, who will lead them on a wicked ride out of the heat, through the narrows of evil, and into a darkness all his own.

Some years ago, I read a pair of novels by Michael Connelly, back when pretty much no one knew who he was. The Black Ice and Black Echo were pretty good detective novels, but they were also pretty formulaic. The character was the typical slob loner, obsessed with catching bad guys and unable to form a meaningful relationship with a woman unless she was in the department and the relationship itself was work-related. I've followed Connelly's career from there, and worked my way through his books as they've come out (with the exception of Lost Light, which I have but haven't read yet). He's grown tremendously as a writer, adding layers to his characters, his prose style, and his plots. Several of those plots (notably Blood Work, the Poet, Angel's Flight, and the Concrete Blonde) are standouts in detective fiction, so cleverly written that the mystery's just wonderful, and adds layers to the story.
Here, the plot is more straightforward. Terry McCaleb, the protagonist of Blood Work, has been killed. Though he and Harry Bosch (Connelly's main character in most of his books) didn't really get along well in life, McCaleb's widow, Graciela, is concerned that his killing wasn't the heart attack it seems, and asks Harry to look into it. Meanwhile, Rachel Walling, the heroine of The Poet, is called out of exile from South Dakota. The FBI HQ in Quantico has recieved a strange package, addressed to her, which leads them to a stretch of desert on the road between LA and Las Vegas, where they discover ten bodies buried in the ground, and strange indications that it might be the same Poet. Their stories merge partway through the book.
This is one of the most satisfying books I've read in recent years. I will admit that Connelly's choice to jump between first person narration (with Bosch doing the talking) and third person (mostly following Rachel) was a bit jarring at first, but I got used to it. There are most of the Connelly touches: an enigmatic character who just fades in and out in one scene, but will be recognizable to Connelly fans as Cassie Black, the thief heroine of Void Moon, and of course Connelly's almost encyclopedic knowledge of Southern California. He even gets things like the place to hold a large retirement party right.
I like Michael Connelly, and I especially liked this book. I would highly recommend it, though people who haven't read other of his books might want to look into a few others, first.

The Poet returns in this fast-paced intriguing sequel to 1996's The Poet. After reading the Poet I went and bought this one. Some of the reviews said it was even better than The Poet. I thought that was impossible because The Poet was absolutely stunning and no sequel could top it. Was I wrong?

No, I wasn't. The Narrows was nothing compared to The Poet. For reasons like you don't get inside the Poets head, it was too fast, it was too short, and mainly Jack McEvoy didn't even have a cameo let alone know the Poet was still alive, I found the book to be disappointing compared to The Poet.

But has a suspense thriller it was great. There were well developed characters and no-stop page turning twists to keep you going. Now I love Harry Boesch and want to read more of his and have. Since I had never read a Harry novel before this was a great introduction to him. Plus Michael Connolly writing is great again. The way he writes makes you feel like you are right there and can feel the mist. A quality some mystery writers don't have.

So as a sequel to The Narrows is horrible, but as a suspense book it is a great read to sit down and read on a cold rainy day, plus I will be checking out some Harry Boesch mysteries because Michael Connolly really does write like a poet.

This is one of the best Harry Bosch stories I have listened to and exciting. The author did an excellent job at bring FBI Agent Waller and Bosch together to solve the mystery of the death of Terry and catch the Poet. Each main character was highly developed and added to the storyline. I listened to this on audio and narrator was excellent. Another great story..

Harry Bosch, a retired LAPD homicide cop, turned private investigator,is contacted by the widow of his former colleague, Terry McCaleb, who is at a loss to understand the reason for her husbands' sudden death. Terry had been the recipient of a heart transplant which had apparently been working efficiently until it ceased to beat while he was conducting a fishing cruise for a paying customer.

Disgraced FBI agent Rachel Walling has been allowed to return from limbo in a backwater posting, to assist the FBI with their enquiries regarding her old boss and mentor, Robert Backus, a proven serial killer who was supposedly killed by Rachel years previously. Harry and Rachel join forces to track down Backus, known as The Poet, and the story switched from Harrys' home base of Los Angeles and Las Vegas and the Nevada desert, where the bodies of some of Backus' victims are uncovered in shallow graves.

Mr Connelley seems to have scant respect for the politics of the FBI, focusing mainly on the arrogance of its' principals and the bitter infighting in the ranks. He writes in an interesting style, presenting Harry Bosch narrating in the first person with Rachel Wallings' story being told in the third person, making for an easy and flowing read.

Connelly's hero, Harry Bosch, returns in this book that's a sequel to his 1996 novel "The Poet." Bosch is working for Terry McCaleb's widow, Graciela, who believes that Terry's death was a homicide and his investigating leads him to FBI agent Rachel Walling, who's tracking a serial killer called The Poet, so nicknamed because he leaves lines of poetry with his victims. The action goes from the California coast to Las Vegas to the desert and the suspense never lets up. The book alternates between first person narrative (as told by Bosch) and third person narrative (which mainly deals with the FBI and Walling). Connelly has created quite an anomaly of a villain: Robert Backus, a former FBI agent turned serial killer, who knows the investigative rules and procedures as well as the people tracking him. I have only read a handful of Connelly's Bosch series, but this is one of the best.

I have been on a Michael Connelly kick lately. Usually, the set-up takes a little while, and I can put the book down with no trouble. Later on, things come together, get cooking, and I HAVE TO finish the book. This is the first of Connelly's books that didn't grab me. At first I kind of enjoyed the humor and the references to the "mildly successful" movie starring Clint Eastwood. But all in all, this book seems a little weak and thin. The attempts at humor fall flat. (In the other books, a routine bad joke would have met with "polite laughter.") The dialogue is often grating and pointless. Maybe Harry Bosch is just better when he isn't the first person narrator? I have enjoyed all of these characters far more in other books. It's hard to put a finger on exactly why this one is a clunker. (Relatively speaking, of course.)

And after taking so much crap, shouldn't Buddy have gotten a shot at redeeming himself somehow?

When the Poet - one of the most cunning of the villains created by Michael Connelly - who is known to be an ex-FBI agent named Robert Backus, resurfaces, it quickly pulls in both Rachel Walling, whom he formerly mentored, and Harry Bosch - who is being framed. Backus is again cleverly leading everyone around by the nose, keeping about 3 steps ahead.

Probably the best thing about the book is the very cleverness of the villain. Even though we don't spend much time in his head, we see the fruits of his labours throughout the book. Most people who read thrillers enjoy a good villain - because otherwise the PI, cop, detective, whomever, wouldn't have any sort of challenge. The very best writers in the business can actually make you like their villains, make them almost sympathetic. Not Backus, however - he's pretty much just evil.

Definitely a part of the Bosch series not to be missed - big recommend from this reviewer!

Another one of Michael Connelly's books has made it on my read list. This book though wasn't as great as "The Poet" and wasn't too keen on keeping my intresting in reading it non stop, it was still a very enjoyable Mystery novel to have read.

Mainly about Racheal Walling after being downed in rank from the FBI gets dragged back into finding the poet who has struck again it seems.

while far way's Harry Bosch was trying to find out how retired FBI agent Terry McCaleb died, even after getting a new heart transplanted.

Throwing them together, it seems as if they were hunting for the same person. With Harry badgeless and Racheal not respected much after "The Poet" incident, the two find comfort in each other's "awkward situation"

The book was enjoyable, but then the ending was pretty much predictable once you get up to chapter 30-ish or so. But it doesn't mean i dont' recommend the book since it is after all a sequal. great read.

I haven't read a lot of Michael Connelly's stuff, so I wasn't sure what to expect from his latest Harry Bosch novel, The Narrows. After reading the book, I think I may be going back to catch up on his earlier work. This was a good novel.

Bosch is asked to investigate the death of his ex-partner by the widow. The partner had a heart transplant, and he ended up dying of heart failure while running a fishing charter in open waters. The widow finds that his medication had been switched, and that's why his heart gave out. Bosch's investigation dovetails into an FBI investigation into a serial killer known as the Poet. The Poet was an FBI guru who was actually killing the people on the case he was leading. Agent Rachael Walling, his protégée, thought that she killed him in an earlier showdown. But he apparently survived, is killing again, and has called her specifically into the final stages of the investigation. Walling and Bosch, both "outcasts" from the FBI's viewpoint, end up teaming to find the Poet, figure out his next move, and confront him.

This is a nice mystery with a touch of darkness to it. There are a number of subthreads going on that would have probably made more sense had I read earlier novels in the series. While that might have made the novel a bit better for me, it didn't get in the way of enjoying the book on its own merits. As I mentioned above, I will probably end up putting Connelly on my "catch-up" list.

It's always good to have writers you can depend on. With Michael Connelly, you can be assured of a great mystery and The Narrows once again proves the rule. In a way, The Narrows is a convergence of several Connelly characters: Harry Bosch, his reliable series hero; Terry McCaleb (from a couple books) who, although dead at the very beginning of the book, has a significant presence; and from The Poet, FBI agent Rachel Walling and the serial killer/ex-FBI agent known as The Poet. (Although helpful, you do not need to have read previous books to enjoy this one.)

Bosch, currently in retirement from the LAPD, is hired by McCaleb's widow to investigate her husband's death. Although apparently a heart attack, she has reason to suspect foul play. Bosch's research gets him looking at McCaleb's crime files, especially a series of killings that seem linked to Zzyzx Road, an offramp in the middle of the desert between Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Meanwhile, FBI agent Walling is summoned by her superiors from her exile in the Dakotas; her last big case, involving her ex-boss who was the Poet, has re-opened. Some bodies have been found at Zzyzx.

Soon enough, Bosch and the FBI meet as there cases intersect, but the relationship is predictably stormy: Although Bosch is able to provide all sorts of assistance, federal arrogance leads to his dismissal. Walling, however, bonds with Bosch and the two of them do their own investigating, tracing the killer to a remote Nevada town, where he is still a few steps ahead of them.

Although not a whodunit - there is no doubt that the killer is the Poet - Connelly is able to make this a suspenseful novel and he does have a couple twists to throw at us. As is typically the case, the biggest strength is Bosch, who is driven to solve the case for personal reasons, while at the same time, dealing with a daughter he recently found out about and a possible return to the police. If there is a flaw with the book, it's only that it's over too soon. This is another solid outing for Connelly.

Harry Bosch is asked by a friend's widow to investigate her husband's death. She suspects that it was murder, not a heart attack.
Concurrently, tarnished FBI agent Rachel Walling (on a "hardship posting" in South Dakota) receives a late night phone call from Quantico indicating that a demonic serial killer, assumed dead, is back in business.
The simultaneous plots converge at the Zzyzx Road exit on Highway 15 between Las Vegas and LA.
Harry's quest and Rachel's investigation eventually lead to a partnership that adds tension to the story.
The characters are well drawn and believable; their strengths and weaknesses probed.
Mr. Connelly is a master at quietly producing continuous action that explodes exponentially into a white-knuckle ride.
His ability to hide clues in plain sight is extraordinary
Taut suspense, intricate plotting and the captivating premise propel Harry and Rachel in their pursuit of the diabolical villain.
It is "cat and mouse" at the highest level.
The overriding struggles and characters are potent and persuasive, the plot labyrinthine, the twists logical yet unforeseen.
Michael Connelly is the magical virtuoso of present day crime fiction. He defines and refines the genre---never playing it safe.
"The Narrows" is the most peerless example of contemporary noir writing imaginable.
I am certain one can enjoy "The Narrows" without having read "The Poet"---but if one does, it will spoil one's reading of "The Poet."

THE NARROWS revisits Connelly's earlier books, THE POET and BLOOD WORK incorporating the characters of both into this story, but the main focus of the story is The Poet who ten years earlier committed a gruesome series of killings. Thought to be dead, we now find out that Robert Backus AKA The Poet is alive. Rachel Walling is the one credited with not only shooting The Poet, but also with major screw-ups in the case was her banished to the North Dakota office. She sees her chance to get back into the FBI's good graces when she called back into the new manhunt for Backus.
Former LAPD detective, Harry Bosch, is asked by the widow of Terry McCaleb (protagonist in BLOODWORK) to look into her husband's death. Backus emerges as the prime suspect in Bosch's case. Bosch and Walling reluctantly decide the work together when their cases intersect.
Connelly successfully intertwines the plots of the two earlier works into a suspenseful and gripping new thriller. I would recommend reading THE POET first since many of the characters are from that book. Characters from BLOODWORK are less integrated into this story so it is not really essential to know that story before the current one. We are also shown another side to Bosch's personality while he copes with being a father to a child he barely knows. Michael Connelly's characters continue to evolve with each installment of the series.

"The Narrows," my first time reading a Michael Connelly, a Harry Bosch mystery thriller, is named after a large sewer of sorts that fills with enough water to sweep away children after a storm. I suppose the title, and connection to the ravine, could be some sort of connection to the typical representation of dark: evil, mean, wicked, etc.

Harry Bosch, whose real name is Hieronymus, is working as a meagerly successful PI when he gets the widow of an old friend from his police days. Evidently, his friend died, and the widow suspects foul play.

Being a lifelong crime-fighter like Harry, his old pal, Terry, has boxes and files on numerous older cases, as well as some unsolved. He finds several pieces of information on a specific case that has to do with men who have gone missing in Las Vegas, and a reference to "Zzyzx" (which I still don't know if it is supposed to be pronounceable).

The plot twists and turns as Bob Backus, the former head of the FBI's Behavioral Sciences Section, ends up being involved. This would not be a big issue except for the fact that Backus is now a serial killer who loves to torment the FBI, and particularly an agent named Rachael Walling, who just so happens to be the last understudy to Backus.

Eventually it plays out as anticipated. Although, it appears as if the final climactic situation was brought on by the bad guy, the one final twist that is not expected, who was attempting to outwit the FBI and Backus once again.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in a quick, somewhat complex mystery novel that requires no prerequisite reading. While there are references to the past, it was not required to follow along. Overall, I enjoyed the read, and might buy other Bosch mysteries.

After reading all of the Harry Bosch series, Michael Connelly still keeps me wanting more, enjoying every minute of his books.
The Narrows is the 10th book in the Bosch series. Here, he's paired together with Rachel who worked on the original Poet case, trying to catch The Poet once and for all. The story is certainly interesting reading, with each of the main characters technically not supposed to be working the case. Plus, just the suspense and dynamic of the famous killer who got away adds to this story.
As all of the previous books, I enjoyed this one. Connelly books always fly by for me, they're hard to put down. And the character of Bosch is probably my most favorite character in all of fiction. I always have a hard time waiting for the next novel to see what is new with Harry! This is definitely a book I recommend. I would also recommend though if you have not read Connelly before, to start with the first book in the Bosch series, it takes a while to complete, but I think it's worth it- to watch Harry's life and cases unfold in chronological order.

Former FBI profiler Terry McCaleb is dead. His transplanted heart was rejected by his body. Clint Eastwood attended the funeral for the fictional hero of Bloodwork.

Terry's widow Graciela is worried because tests have shown someone has been tampering with her husband's medication. She goes to Harry Bosch, now retired from the LAPD, to clear her from any suspicion. Harry quickly finds himself investigating another serial killer.

Yet this killer is none other than the Poet, the great FBI profiler Robert Backus. Bosch teams with Rachel Walling, Backus' protégé to track down this good guy gone bad.

It is a chilling tale of serial crime, betrayal and the politics of murder. Only a writer with Connelly's imagination and power could kill off the hero of a short series and unite other protagonists in the chase for his killer. More amusingly, Buddy Lockridge and Graciela McCaleb bitterly object to their portrayal in Eastwood's film. Whether this is an example of life imitating art or art imitating art is for the reader to decide.

In a previous novel, a decomposed body was found but not positively identified. Clues pointed to the Poet, a serial killer who was targeting police officers. Now he has reappeared. Harry Bosch, who has retired from LAPD to become a PI, becomes involved. FBI agent Rachel Walling is back. Other characters from previous novels appear.

There are the usual conflicts, shootouts, etc. Some parts can get a bit gruesome dealing with decayed bodies. You will get a little insight into Nevada's legal brothels (there is a Web page directory - you can Google almost anything) - it is a county option, and it does seem to provide most of the income in some small towns.

There are references to the motion picture starring Clint Eastwood (a little reality blended in). Along the way, Harry Bosch is faced with a choice - should he restart his career in LA, or spend time in Las Vegas where his young daughter is located?

Harry Bosch is a likeable guy. Tough without being perfect. Able to table his own emotions while getting a job done. He's seen it all and still retains his humanity and integrity, although happiness has always eluded him. And most of the time, he has the courage to be genuine. Even with books in series, I like to approach each one individually and judge it on its own merits. And The Narrows is strong enough to stand on its own. One of the factors that makes it an intriguing cop story is that Harry can sometimes - not always - figure out how killers think. Logic, intuition, and experience combine in his mind to allow him to think outside the box. Author Connelly is adept at leading his readers step by step through the fascinating ins and outs of attacking a crime, narrowing down the possibilities, and discovering the whos, whats, and whys of Harry's cases. The balance between action and intellect is always satisfying, and makes The Narrows a gritty, enthralling winner.

I first read Michael Connelly when I read "The Poet" with Terry McCaleb. I became an immediate fan and read all of his Harry Bosch novels and have kept up with that series and the Terry McCaleb series since then as well as Connelly's other books. I have never been disappointed. I thought "A Darkness More Than Night" with both Harry and Terry in it was one of his best.
"The Narrows" allows Harry and characaters from "The Poet" and the other McCaleb books to meet and work together to finally eliminate the Poet. Harry's efforts to find out who murdered colleague Terry McCaleb is a thrill ride filled with well-drawn characters and detailed policework.
Connelly is one of the best mystery writers out there and whether or not you've read any of his previous works, you won't be disappointed with this one. In fact, after reading it, I am now going back to reread "The Poet" and then reread all of Connelly's books. It doesn't matter to me (like it appears to matter to other reviewers) that we now know what happened to the Poet. It does bother me that one reviewer couldn't even get McCaleb's name right (they called him Gerry more than once!).
If you want a good, fast-moving, well-written mystery, then spend a few hours with "The Narrows". You'll become a Connelly fan--if you aren't already!

Loved this book!! This was one of my favorites thus far in the Harry Bosch series! I have read the newer books and now going back to read the earlier ones. FBI agent Rachel Walling is involved again as the Poet (serial killer)resurfaces. He is out to track her down once again. At the same time Former LAPD detective Harry Bosch gets a call, too--from the widow of an old friend. Her husband's death seems natural, but his ties to the hunt for the Poet make Bosch dig deep. Arriving at a derelict spot in the California desert where the feds are unearthing bodies, Bosch joins forces with Rachel. Now the two are at odds with the FBI...and squarely in the path of the Poet, who will lead them on a wicked ride out of the heat, through the narrows of evil, and into a darkness all his own.

Some years ago, I read a pair of novels by Michael Connelly, back when pretty much no one knew who he was. The Black Ice and Black Echo were pretty good detective novels, but they were also pretty formulaic. The character was the typical slob loner, obsessed with catching bad guys and unable to form a meaningful relationship with a woman unless she was in the department and the relationship itself was work-related. I've followed Connelly's career from there, and worked my way through his books as they've come out (with the exception of Lost Light, which I have but haven't read yet). He's grown tremendously as a writer, adding layers to his characters, his prose style, and his plots. Several of those plots (notably Blood Work, the Poet, Angel's Flight, and the Concrete Blonde) are standouts in detective fiction, so cleverly written that the mystery's just wonderful, and adds layers to the story.
Here, the plot is more straightforward. Terry McCaleb, the protagonist of Blood Work, has been killed. Though he and Harry Bosch (Connelly's main character in most of his books) didn't really get along well in life, McCaleb's widow, Graciela, is concerned that his killing wasn't the heart attack it seems, and asks Harry to look into it. Meanwhile, Rachel Walling, the heroine of The Poet, is called out of exile from South Dakota. The FBI HQ in Quantico has recieved a strange package, addressed to her, which leads them to a stretch of desert on the road between LA and Las Vegas, where they discover ten bodies buried in the ground, and strange indications that it might be the same Poet. Their stories merge partway through the book.
This is one of the most satisfying books I've read in recent years. I will admit that Connelly's choice to jump between first person narration (with Bosch doing the talking) and third person (mostly following Rachel) was a bit jarring at first, but I got used to it. There are most of the Connelly touches: an enigmatic character who just fades in and out in one scene, but will be recognizable to Connelly fans as Cassie Black, the thief heroine of Void Moon, and of course Connelly's almost encyclopedic knowledge of Southern California. He even gets things like the place to hold a large retirement party right.
I like Michael Connelly, and I especially liked this book. I would highly recommend it, though people who haven't read other of his books might want to look into a few others, first.

The Poet returns in this fast-paced intriguing sequel to 1996's The Poet. After reading the Poet I went and bought this one. Some of the reviews said it was even better than The Poet. I thought that was impossible because The Poet was absolutely stunning and no sequel could top it. Was I wrong?

No, I wasn't. The Narrows was nothing compared to The Poet. For reasons like you don't get inside the Poets head, it was too fast, it was too short, and mainly Jack McEvoy didn't even have a cameo let alone know the Poet was still alive, I found the book to be disappointing compared to The Poet.

But has a suspense thriller it was great. There were well developed characters and no-stop page turning twists to keep you going. Now I love Harry Boesch and want to read more of his and have. Since I had never read a Harry novel before this was a great introduction to him. Plus Michael Connolly writing is great again. The way he writes makes you feel like you are right there and can feel the mist. A quality some mystery writers don't have.

So as a sequel to The Narrows is horrible, but as a suspense book it is a great read to sit down and read on a cold rainy day, plus I will be checking out some Harry Boesch mysteries because Michael Connolly really does write like a poet.

This is one of the best Harry Bosch stories I have listened to and exciting. The author did an excellent job at bring FBI Agent Waller and Bosch together to solve the mystery of the death of Terry and catch the Poet. Each main character was highly developed and added to the storyline. I listened to this on audio and narrator was excellent. Another great story..

Harry Bosch, a retired LAPD homicide cop, turned private investigator,is contacted by the widow of his former colleague, Terry McCaleb, who is at a loss to understand the reason for her husbands' sudden death. Terry had been the recipient of a heart transplant which had apparently been working efficiently until it ceased to beat while he was conducting a fishing cruise for a paying customer.

Disgraced FBI agent Rachel Walling has been allowed to return from limbo in a backwater posting, to assist the FBI with their enquiries regarding her old boss and mentor, Robert Backus, a proven serial killer who was supposedly killed by Rachel years previously. Harry and Rachel join forces to track down Backus, known as The Poet, and the story switched from Harrys' home base of Los Angeles and Las Vegas and the Nevada desert, where the bodies of some of Backus' victims are uncovered in shallow graves.

Mr Connelley seems to have scant respect for the politics of the FBI, focusing mainly on the arrogance of its' principals and the bitter infighting in the ranks. He writes in an interesting style, presenting Harry Bosch narrating in the first person with Rachel Wallings' story being told in the third person, making for an easy and flowing read.

Connelly's hero, Harry Bosch, returns in this book that's a sequel to his 1996 novel "The Poet." Bosch is working for Terry McCaleb's widow, Graciela, who believes that Terry's death was a homicide and his investigating leads him to FBI agent Rachel Walling, who's tracking a serial killer called The Poet, so nicknamed because he leaves lines of poetry with his victims. The action goes from the California coast to Las Vegas to the desert and the suspense never lets up. The book alternates between first person narrative (as told by Bosch) and third person narrative (which mainly deals with the FBI and Walling). Connelly has created quite an anomaly of a villain: Robert Backus, a former FBI agent turned serial killer, who knows the investigative rules and procedures as well as the people tracking him. I have only read a handful of Connelly's Bosch series, but this is one of the best.

I have been on a Michael Connelly kick lately. Usually, the set-up takes a little while, and I can put the book down with no trouble. Later on, things come together, get cooking, and I HAVE TO finish the book. This is the first of Connelly's books that didn't grab me. At first I kind of enjoyed the humor and the references to the "mildly successful" movie starring Clint Eastwood. But all in all, this book seems a little weak and thin. The attempts at humor fall flat. (In the other books, a routine bad joke would have met with "polite laughter.") The dialogue is often grating and pointless. Maybe Harry Bosch is just better when he isn't the first person narrator? I have enjoyed all of these characters far more in other books. It's hard to put a finger on exactly why this one is a clunker. (Relatively speaking, of course.)

And after taking so much crap, shouldn't Buddy have gotten a shot at redeeming himself somehow?

When the Poet - one of the most cunning of the villains created by Michael Connelly - who is known to be an ex-FBI agent named Robert Backus, resurfaces, it quickly pulls in both Rachel Walling, whom he formerly mentored, and Harry Bosch - who is being framed. Backus is again cleverly leading everyone around by the nose, keeping about 3 steps ahead.

Probably the best thing about the book is the very cleverness of the villain. Even though we don't spend much time in his head, we see the fruits of his labours throughout the book. Most people who read thrillers enjoy a good villain - because otherwise the PI, cop, detective, whomever, wouldn't have any sort of challenge. The very best writers in the business can actually make you like their villains, make them almost sympathetic. Not Backus, however - he's pretty much just evil.

Definitely a part of the Bosch series not to be missed - big recommend from this reviewer!

Another one of Michael Connelly's books has made it on my read list. This book though wasn't as great as "The Poet" and wasn't too keen on keeping my intresting in reading it non stop, it was still a very enjoyable Mystery novel to have read.

Mainly about Racheal Walling after being downed in rank from the FBI gets dragged back into finding the poet who has struck again it seems.

while far way's Harry Bosch was trying to find out how retired FBI agent Terry McCaleb died, even after getting a new heart transplanted.

Throwing them together, it seems as if they were hunting for the same person. With Harry badgeless and Racheal not respected much after "The Poet" incident, the two find comfort in each other's "awkward situation"

The book was enjoyable, but then the ending was pretty much predictable once you get up to chapter 30-ish or so. But it doesn't mean i dont' recommend the book since it is after all a sequal. great read.

As always, Michael Connelly delivers. Since the first two books I read by Connelly, I decided to read them in order of copyright date, thereby enhancing the continuity of Harry Bosch's life. This book is getting close to the end of Mr. Bosch's career.

My favorite thing about all of the Harry Bosch novels is his three-dimensionality. We are allowed inside his head. There were times when I felt like shouting, "No, Harry! Dammit, control yourself and don't do that!" But as always, he gets himself into hot water, and manages to get out.

For readers not familiar with this author, I respectfully submit that Michael Connelly delivers as much meaningful content in 200 pages as Clancy does in 450. There is not a single word of filler. I have also never read a book where the speaker moves from the third person to the first person back and forth from chapter to chapter.

A totally enjoyable page turner!

The Narrows is a satisfying sequel to The Poet that for me was better than the first book. It also introduced me to Harry Bosch, the defining character of Michael Connelly novels. The novel moves fairly straight-forward to its conclusion, which is satisfying, if not a little brisk. Eight years after the Poet disappears, a GPS is sent to FBI agent Rachel Walling. On the GPS, she finds coordinates to the location of many, many bodies, and so begins the final quest to stop the Poet once and for all.

The Narrows just seemed to flow better, and it was easier to make sense of than the first novel. I found Walling to be a much more interesting character this time, and thought Bosch was more likable/sympathetic than Jack McAvoy of the first novel. However, it was insinuated that Jack might reappear in this novel, but it never happens.

This is another good book from Michael Connelly.

This is my first Bosch novel. I've read several of Connelly's stand alone novels and was pleased to see so many of those come together here. A sharp eyed reviewer even caught Cassie Black's cameo--I missed it, but that is so cool. VOid Moon and the Poet and the Bosch books come together--and Blood Work as well. Connelly makes this book relentlessly up to date--he even mentions the tepid box office performance of the Eastwood film! It was hilarious. Buddy even complains that he is made to be the villian in the film. There are also references to Robert Blake, Elizabeth Smart, and Laci Peterson. It is a small thing, but helps ground the novel in reality. We aren't searching to find out WHO murdered these people, but more the why. It is a fantastic work, taut, smart, and even smart. Now, since I just love Harry, I have to go read all the Bosch novels. Smart guy that Connelly...

Alright, THE NARROWS once again proves why Michael Connelly is so successful. With an eye for narrative flow (both in first and third person), and a deep understanding of his characters (not always likeable), he continues to mesmerize. But isn't anybody else out there bothered by this novel's biggest flaw: we STILL don't know why Robert Backus (aka THE POET) killed all those homicide detectives in the THE POET. And now he's back and killing again, but with no real reason for these murders either. There is a slight mention of Backus' stern father and apathetic mother, so we understand perhaps why he's a serial killer, but Connelly let me down by not explaining the why of his victims. Connelly also should have brought Jack McEvoy back, as he was the real hero in THE POET.
Instead, we get the irrepressible Harry Bosch, hero of many of Connelly's books, paired with FBI agent Rachel Walling, who was a key player in THE POET. Connelly wisely uses the media again in that in this book they mention quite often the movie BLOOD WORK, which is based on Connelly's own novel, revolving around the heart-transplanted cop Terry McCabe. Buddy Longbridge's reference to Jeff Daniels' interpretation of his character is slyly brilliant. Which is a shame..Connelly is brilliant, and this book certainly entertains. I just wish I could understand why Connelly has let something so important be taken for granted without any supporting narrative evidence. Maybe we'll get it again? Anyway, definitely a must for fans, but if you're a new reader, you may be let down a little too.

I'm yet to find a Michael Connelly book that isn't great. I must admit that the Narrows started off a bit slow for my liking but like a semi truck heading down a long straight stretch, it just kept on picking up speed. As always I thoroughly enjoyed all the twists and turns a long the way. Connelly is a master at weaving friction between LAPD Detective Bosch and the FBI and does it in such a way that is seems both believable and leaves the reader with a sense of vindication. If you like detective books or have ever enjoyed any other Connelly books in the Bosch series, this book should be right up your alley.

When I started this book I stopped after the first page and went back and read The Poet. I am sure glad I did. There was so much connecting the two books. Harry gets involved chasing The Poet after Terry McCaleb's wife asks him to help determine who switched out Terry's meds, causing his death. Great work again! Couldn't put it down!

FBI Agent Walling & retired Harry Bosch each get phone calls which draw them into murders with links to their pasts.
For Agent Walling, exiled to the Dakotas after Robert Backus, a serial killer known as The Poet, almost killed her & got away. This time a GPS unit has been mailed to her care of the FBI. An agent she mentored a decade ago calls her & she flies to the Mojave Desert where a mass grave has been found. There she is ordered into a spectator role, & when Bosch turns up, she is sicced on him, to find out what he knows.
For Bosch, he must investigate the death of an ex-partner who died of heart failure out at sea, where the hope of rescue was minimal. Trouble was Terry McCaleb had healthily survived six years as a recipient of a heart transplant. Why did his autopsy printouts show no sign of the anti-rejection meds he religiously took each day? & why was the GPS unit in his charter boat stolen? Bosch begins to go through McCaleb's computer files to find a series of photos taken of his ex-partner's family which he could never have taken...& then he finds a photo of a mystery man. It is, however, a crumbled receipt under the driver's seat in McCaleb's auto which sends Bosch out into the Mojave Desert.
Written from the killer's, Agent Walling's & Bosch's points of view, THE NARROWS skitters across the landscape of Nevada & California as The Poet draws the two veteran investigators closer & closer into his web of evil.
Rebeccasreads recommends THE NARROWS as a satisfying thriller.

Michael Connelly is a great -- really great -- mystery writer, and Harry Bosch is a compelling character. Having read "A Darkness More than Night" and having become really intrigued with the character of Terry McCaleb, I was hooked by the manner and mystery of his death. Then the book descended into a hunt for a serial killer. I greatly dislike the Patricia Cornwell-Kathy Reich-type books, so call me biased. For me, a mystery becomes magnetic when I know and empathize with the victim - that's when I really want the detective to find the monster who killed him or her. The serial killer books use the victims like statistics -- meaningless corpses who smell horrible, and are disinterred or cut up in grotesque detail. As a reader, I don't care if they are avenged or not, and so the hunt for the killer becomes an academic exercise. This was the basic problem with "The Narrows." There were moments of suspense, but most of the time I didn't care if the murderer was caught or not, because the victims were faceless bodies. And the denouement was a letdown - I came away asking questions, which indicates that there were holes in the plot. I'll read more of Michael Connelly, but will avoid the ones with a serial killer theme.

Although Bosch is a character in this book he plays a supporting part. It is more about another character that Connelly wants to introduce in order to expand his readership to females. Skip it. Go to the next one.

Bosch is back. He is now a PI hired by Graciela, wife of his friend, Terry McCaleb. It seems Terry died of heart failure while on his boat. Graciela is concerned that he might have been murdered. As Bosch looks into it, he discovers that someone tampered with Terry's heart medication. At the same time, it seems a killer has reemerged nicknamed The Poet. FBI agent, Rachel Walling is on his trail. The Poet was formerly her mentor and chief in the FBI. As she follows the trail of bodies to a desert site outside of Las Vegas, Bosch's investigation leads him to the same location. They decide to join forces to capture this very dangerous and worthy adversary before he kills again.
THE NARROWS is just another example of Mike Connelly doing what he does best- simply writing the best crime fiction novels being published today replete with superbly sketched characters and frequent plot twists and turns including one big zinger at the end. Mike's books should be carefully studied by anyone wanting to write in this subgenre. It simply doesn't get better.

The Poet returns. Though FBI agent Rachel Walling supposedly shot the serial killer of policeman several years before, most realized that he had staged his own death and was at large (Connelly's The Poet). Now years later a GPS device has been mailed to FBI headquarters addressed to Walling with the Poet's fingerprints on it. The set of coordinates stored on the device reveal a grisly desert scene of long buried bodies, which coincides with the timeframe of the mysterious disappearance of several men visiting Las Vegas over the last few years. Why has the Poet now contacted Walling?

Longtime Connelly protagonist, Harry Bosch, now ex LA homicide detective, is asked by the widow of Terry McCaleb, former FBI profiler, to look into Terry's sudden death while conducting a charter fishing expedition. Bosch in his usual mode of leaving no stone unturned finds photos of a mystery customer on McCaleb's boat and other evidence that leads him to the desert outside of Las Vegas. Harry now meets Rachel and the FBI.

The disillusioned Bosch circumvents the FBI and takes the lead on this case; Walling banished to the hinterlands of the Dakotas by FBI higher-ups for alleged indiscretions is allowed to monitor Harry, while being mostly bait for the Poet. The Poet makes the smallest of mistakes to lead to a resounding conclusion involving the rainstorm run-off system in LA known as the narrows.

What would a Bosch book be without Harry's halting interpersonal relations. Harry finds it best to visit his daughter Maddie when Eleanor, his ex-wife, is out gambling in the Las Vegas casinos. Harry sees Walling as a kindred spirit, but does the job get in the way of a relationship.

The Narrows is a typical Connelly book. There is substantial time devoted to police procedure. The plot is complexly drawn and executed. But it is the look, feel, and characterizations of the police world that make his books so compelling. And there is a special ending turn.

The Narrows follows detective Hieronymus Bosch as he tries to uncover the truth about his late friend’s heart attack. His late friend, Terry, is a sea charter captain who, in his spare time, helps other agencies solve cases pro bono. In order to solve Terry’s death, Bosch must first determine whether Terry came too close to one of the killers in his files or if his death is closer to home.

Let me preface, this is only the third Michael Connelly story I have read. I started with The Poet and then read The Black Echo. Maybe it’s a coincidence, but all three books go the same way: Main Character comes into knowledge about a case, Main Character forces way into investigation, FBI tries to block main character from investigation, Main Character has relations with FBI Detective which, oh, by the way, gains him access to the case, FBI Detective ends relations, Case ends.

The problem I have with these stories is that I cannot emotionally connect with the characters. Bosch is a notorious pain in the ass that doesn’t care about anybody but himself and, somehow, gets the girl anyways. The girl then, at the end of the book, abruptly ends the relationship as if there was no meaning to it at all. In this book, they have relations once and then they pretend like nothing ever happens. Um, what? Does this happen in real life?

The detective story itself is fine. The book pieces the clues together in a way that keeps you entertained, but not enthralled. This isn’t a thriller; it won’t hook you into the story. It simply provides a resolution to The Poet.

For the store I classified this book as predictable, dark, steady-paced, with developed characters, but that isn't to say it wasn't good. This was my first Bosch novel. I loved the Lincoln Lawyer series and the Bosch TV series, so I gave this a try (luckily I'd watch the movie Bloodwork, it is heavily based on that). I wish I'd have read "The Poet" first. This book completely makes that one unreadable now that I know the major twists. But ultimately you know who did it, you just don't know the details about how it's going to progress and end. The dialogue and writing is good, up to Connelly's high standards, but the overall plot isn't the most intriguing. It's entertaining and worth a read if you are into the Connelly universe though. I'm pretty sure everyone but Mickey Haller makes an appearance in this one.

First, the author is a talented writer. Great dialogue, with only a couple of false notes ("I will do it" didn't sound like an actual person talking). Great depiction of FBI bureaucracy and arrogance (I hope it's not really this bad, but it's plausible).

However, it's nowhere as scary as the blurbs would have you believe.

Most of the book is investigative plodding. Not much really happens apart from power plays and infighting, although this is interesting. The ending was anticlimactic, I thought. Not up to The Poet's reputation.

I did enjoy the dialogue and writing, but the content seemed wanting.

Other fans think it's clever but I think that for Connelly, trying to make all his lead characters live in the same world is a drastic error, akin to the way with every new book by Stephen King we find out that all of his books take place within the Dark Tower world. Squeezing The Poet into the world of Harry Bosch meant that the Poet plot had to be drastically curtailed and stripped of interest. It's just there, the Poet is back, Harry is charged with catching him, that's it. In THE POET the killer was scary, nearly terrifying. Here he's just a faceless blob who pops up to kill six people here, six people there, for no rhyme or reason. By the end of the book the reader tires of his ways. On the other hand, page by page the book is one of Connelly's best written, and despite itself, the story succeeds, although nothing will make me believe that Rachel ever develops the least bit of interest in Harry.

Didn't we already read this plot (disgraced FBI agent is summoned back to the center of the action by the serial killer she tracked down) in Thomas Harris' novels? On every page of THE NARROWS I kept thinking of Rachel Walling and how she was just a pale imitation of the way Clarice Starling was mistreated by her superiors in HANNIBAl. Too bad the Poet didn't swoop in and boil the brains of Rachel's asinine bosses.

Harry Bosch, now working as a private detective, is asked by the wife of his friend Terry McCaleb to look into Terry's death, which appears to be unnatural. The trail that Harry finds when going through Terry's files leads him into the desert of Nevada and into the hands of the FBI, who are unearthing a mass burial site of The Poet, the serial killer that featured in the book that made Michael Connelly world famous. Together with fallen-from-grace FBI agent Rachel Walling Bosch follows the trail of The Poet to a small brothel-town and from there to Los Angeles, all the time running into gruesome killings that are the hallmark of The Poet. The apotheosis of the book happens in the pouring rain. Another authentic Michael Connelly with all the features of a good detective book, but not as nail-bitingly exciting as some of his previous books.

The Margin
From the very begining you 'think' you know what is going to happen, but you will be wrong. Connelly tells his story, then he adds a twist then a turn. Complications occur at every turn, some anticipated, some not.
Bosch is one of my favorite detectives (retired or not), he goes all the way, never leaves a stone unturned even when he KNOWS what's under it. Even when he knows it could be the last stone he'd turn. Along with the mystery, the wonderful characters and scenes is Bosch's signature personality trait that I find captivating; he's forever disturbed by the crimes people commit and that has left an indelible emotional scar right across his soul. He knows this about himself, but keeps on keeping on.

Marvin Wiebener, author of The Margin

I wanted to like this book more than I did. Seemed like a lot of filler, and the ending really was a let down, I also felt the plot was a bit contrived, especially after the burned copy of a book enters the story. Disappointment,

In THE NARROWS Michael Connelly ties together the themes and characters from several of his previous novels while returning to the loose end of the unresolved fate of Robert Backus at the conclusion of THE POET. Those readers familiar with the world of Hieronymous (Harry) Bosch know that it is the centered in LA - "a sunny place for shady people"- and that Harry's character and Connelly's style have both evolved in reaction to the events which they have experienced. This book continues Connelly's recent adoption of the first person narrative by Harry Bosch interspersed with third person narrative for the other main characters in the book, primarily FBI profiler Rachel Walling and Backus, the former FBI agent who had for years used his knowledge of police procedures to escape detection as a serial killer. As is always the case in the author's work, this book is as much about the development of the characters and providing the reader with great depth of insight concerning the impact upon them of the events described as it about bringing the case to a conclusion.
Rachel Walling is recalled from her exile FBI posting in Rapid City, S.D. by a mysterious message sent to the FBI that unambiguously indicates that the serial killer identified as THE POET has reemerged. The nature of the communication also clearly indicates his desire that his former pupil and associate Rachel should be a member of the investigatory team despite her marginalization with the Bureau as a result the outcome of their previous encounters. Simultaneously, Harry Bosch is hired by Graciela McCaleb to investigate evidence she has inadvertently uncovered that the cause of the death of her husband Terry was not simply the failure of his transplanted heart that occurred during a charter aboard his fishing boat. (As a result of the book BLOODWORK being made into a movie both directed by and also starring Clint Eastwood, Terry McCaleb may be Connelly's most widely recognized character. In a wonderful twist, as the story proceeds we learn that Clint Eastwood attended Terry's funeral.) The threads of the two cases become intertwined in a complex story of evil that involves several very intriguing elements. As might be expected, these include the tension betwen the FBI investigators with their agenda of controlling the impact upon the Bureau of any potentially devasting political blowback often coming into conflict with Rachel's and Harry's views of the best procedural steps to follow. Thus, unsurprisingly, an uneasy alliance is gradually forged between Rachel and Harry which concludes in their investigation nearly resulting in disastrous consequences.
There are several other elements woven into the plot, including Harry's old LAPD associate Kiz Rider convincing Harry to consider rejoining the Cold Case Unit of the Department under a policy actually adopted by Chief Bratton to encourage the return of recent retirees. Finally, while I won't reveal the role that it plays in the plot, for those readers unaware of the location of the road to Zzyzx, it is on US 15 halfway betwen LA and Las Vegas. (In a wonderful line that both captures the macabre poetry of Connelly's work and is reminiscent of a recent book, it is "a CITY OF BONES at the end of the alphabet.") As readers of LOST LIGHT have undoubtedly surmised, the necessity for Harry to travel to Las Vegas in pursuit of the truth regarding Terry's death means that he can visit Maddie (his five year old daughter who only recently entered his life) and will undoubtedly continue to joust with his former wife (and former FBI agent) Eleanor Wish about the propriety of Maddie growing up in Las Vegas while her mother earns her living during the late night hours of a professional poker player.
Providing further meaningful details of this story would almost certainly involve spoilers which would only detract from the reader's enjoyment of the book. They are also unnecessary, since any fan of Connelly undoubtedly knows that no summary can do justice to the richness of the picture which he draws. (He has stated that his goal in his writing is "to paint to all four corners of the canvas {of his story} and fill in the holes.) Like most detective stories, this one is largely about unraveling the past and understanding its impact on the present. But at the same time is does also present a glimpse of fleeting hope for the future despite the evil which Harry has to confront.
The reason why I subtracted a half point from my rating was my less than total satisfaction with two aspects of the conclusion. It was action packed and very clever, and certainly tied in completely with Harry's introductory comments that set the tone of the story. But it semed to me somewhat contrived and overly dramatic; more in keeping with the visual impact of a movie than the understated and nuanced nature of Harry's world. But this is still a wonderful story, both for long time Harry Bosch fans and first time readers who want a good psychological detective tale in the tradition of Philip Marlowe.
NOTE: If you also obtain a copy of the complimentary DVD - BLUE NEON LIGHT - subtitled MICHAEL CONNELLY'S LOS ANGELES, with commentary by Connelly and excerpts from his work narrated by William Petersen (CSI), be sure to take the time to view it. It is wonderfully produced and provides great background and insights about Connelly's development as a writer and the themes that tie together his novels.
Tucker Andersen

Excellent addition to the series. It was nice to touch upon the Poet again. Also neat to see what happened to Rachel. Also, the old friend whose death Bosch investigated? I was not expecting that. At all. Great book, lots of moments you won't see coming.

Firstly, an important announcement concerning THE NARROWS, the book contains crucial spoilers for those who have not yet read THE POET. If you were planning on reading THE POET, do so before picking this book up. In my opinion, failing to do so will ruin both books.
The Poet is active again. The brilliant but deranged serial killer who somehow escaped in Michael Connelly's award-winning book THE POET has left the FBI the location of his killing field. He also leaves a note inviting Rachel Walling, his FBI combatant in the earlier book, to come and catch him. Since The Poet disappeared Rachel has been posted to the Dakotas as a form of FBI punishment for her failures, but she answers the call and heads straight for the Nevada desert where ten bodies are being exhumed. Joining her, in a round about sort of way is Harry Bosch, who happens to stumble into the investigation, but naturally, runs rings around the FBI.
Their partnership is an uneasy one. Bosch suspects that Rachel has been ordered by her superior to keep an eye on him and this is how she has decided to do it, Rachel knows that Bosch isn't telling her everything he knows about the case. And they're both pretty certain that The Poet is luring them into a trap that he will spring at a time of his choosing. It's a chase that will take them from Las Vegas all the way back to Harry's home turf in Los Angeles.
Michael Connelly has written a celebration of past books by joining together characters from his different series and stand-alones. This isn't the first time he has done this, having already brought together Harry Bosch and Terry McCaleb in A DARKNESS MORE THAN NIGHT.
This is certainly not the most compelling book in the Harry Bosch series, but to give it its dues, the detective work was clever and insightful. Where it fell down for me was in the pacing. It drifts along for an inordinate length of time before there was any real interaction between the killer and the protagonists. In place of the head-to-head confrontations between Harry Bosch and The Poet, the story was taken up with Bosch butting heads with the FBI. While this was entertaining to begin with, its continuation became irritating because it impeded the flow of the story.
THE NARROWS never really delivers on the promises it makes through the knowledge that a heartless killer is out there possibly hunting the hunters. Comparing it to a couple of the books from which the characters were taken, I thought THE POET was a more face-paced thriller that contained much edgier drama, while the previous Harry Bosch book LOST LIGHT gave us a more introspective analysis of the Bosch persona, which epitomises the Harry Bosch series, while also providing a heart-pounding thriller.
An unusual but effective feature employed by Connelly was to shift from a first person narrative to a third person description from chapter to chapter. Whenever Bosch too the scene, it was told from his perspective, but Connelly gave himself the freedom to describe events outside of Bosch's realm too.
It's a good thing I'm just wild about Harry or I'd be wondering what all the fuss was about. Although it was a treat to have the interwoven characters and past storylines joined, I felt the story fell a little flat.

This is my first Bosch novel. I've read several of Connelly's stand alone novels and was pleased to see so many of those come together here. A sharp eyed reviewer even caught Cassie Black's cameo--I missed it, but that is so cool. VOid Moon and the Poet and the Bosch books come together--and Blood Work as well. Connelly makes this book relentlessly up to date--he even mentions the tepid box office performance of the Eastwood film! It was hilarious. Buddy even complains that he is made to be the villian in the film. There are also references to Robert Blake, Elizabeth Smart, and Laci Peterson. It is a small thing, but helps ground the novel in reality. We aren't searching to find out WHO murdered these people, but more the why. It is a fantastic work, taut, smart, and even smart. Now, since I just love Harry, I have to go read all the Bosch novels. Smart guy that Connelly...

Alright, THE NARROWS once again proves why Michael Connelly is so successful. With an eye for narrative flow (both in first and third person), and a deep understanding of his characters (not always likeable), he continues to mesmerize. But isn't anybody else out there bothered by this novel's biggest flaw: we STILL don't know why Robert Backus (aka THE POET) killed all those homicide detectives in the THE POET. And now he's back and killing again, but with no real reason for these murders either. There is a slight mention of Backus' stern father and apathetic mother, so we understand perhaps why he's a serial killer, but Connelly let me down by not explaining the why of his victims. Connelly also should have brought Jack McEvoy back, as he was the real hero in THE POET.
Instead, we get the irrepressible Harry Bosch, hero of many of Connelly's books, paired with FBI agent Rachel Walling, who was a key player in THE POET. Connelly wisely uses the media again in that in this book they mention quite often the movie BLOOD WORK, which is based on Connelly's own novel, revolving around the heart-transplanted cop Terry McCabe. Buddy Longbridge's reference to Jeff Daniels' interpretation of his character is slyly brilliant. Which is a shame..Connelly is brilliant, and this book certainly entertains. I just wish I could understand why Connelly has let something so important be taken for granted without any supporting narrative evidence. Maybe we'll get it again? Anyway, definitely a must for fans, but if you're a new reader, you may be let down a little too.

I'm yet to find a Michael Connelly book that isn't great. I must admit that the Narrows started off a bit slow for my liking but like a semi truck heading down a long straight stretch, it just kept on picking up speed. As always I thoroughly enjoyed all the twists and turns a long the way. Connelly is a master at weaving friction between LAPD Detective Bosch and the FBI and does it in such a way that is seems both believable and leaves the reader with a sense of vindication. If you like detective books or have ever enjoyed any other Connelly books in the Bosch series, this book should be right up your alley.

When I started this book I stopped after the first page and went back and read The Poet. I am sure glad I did. There was so much connecting the two books. Harry gets involved chasing The Poet after Terry McCaleb's wife asks him to help determine who switched out Terry's meds, causing his death. Great work again! Couldn't put it down!

FBI Agent Walling & retired Harry Bosch each get phone calls which draw them into murders with links to their pasts.
For Agent Walling, exiled to the Dakotas after Robert Backus, a serial killer known as The Poet, almost killed her & got away. This time a GPS unit has been mailed to her care of the FBI. An agent she mentored a decade ago calls her & she flies to the Mojave Desert where a mass grave has been found. There she is ordered into a spectator role, & when Bosch turns up, she is sicced on him, to find out what he knows.
For Bosch, he must investigate the death of an ex-partner who died of heart failure out at sea, where the hope of rescue was minimal. Trouble was Terry McCaleb had healthily survived six years as a recipient of a heart transplant. Why did his autopsy printouts show no sign of the anti-rejection meds he religiously took each day? & why was the GPS unit in his charter boat stolen? Bosch begins to go through McCaleb's computer files to find a series of photos taken of his ex-partner's family which he could never have taken...& then he finds a photo of a mystery man. It is, however, a crumbled receipt under the driver's seat in McCaleb's auto which sends Bosch out into the Mojave Desert.
Written from the killer's, Agent Walling's & Bosch's points of view, THE NARROWS skitters across the landscape of Nevada & California as The Poet draws the two veteran investigators closer & closer into his web of evil.
Rebeccasreads recommends THE NARROWS as a satisfying thriller.

Michael Connelly is a great -- really great -- mystery writer, and Harry Bosch is a compelling character. Having read "A Darkness More than Night" and having become really intrigued with the character of Terry McCaleb, I was hooked by the manner and mystery of his death. Then the book descended into a hunt for a serial killer. I greatly dislike the Patricia Cornwell-Kathy Reich-type books, so call me biased. For me, a mystery becomes magnetic when I know and empathize with the victim - that's when I really want the detective to find the monster who killed him or her. The serial killer books use the victims like statistics -- meaningless corpses who smell horrible, and are disinterred or cut up in grotesque detail. As a reader, I don't care if they are avenged or not, and so the hunt for the killer becomes an academic exercise. This was the basic problem with "The Narrows." There were moments of suspense, but most of the time I didn't care if the murderer was caught or not, because the victims were faceless bodies. And the denouement was a letdown - I came away asking questions, which indicates that there were holes in the plot. I'll read more of Michael Connelly, but will avoid the ones with a serial killer theme.

Although Bosch is a character in this book he plays a supporting part. It is more about another character that Connelly wants to introduce in order to expand his readership to females. Skip it. Go to the next one.

Bosch is back. He is now a PI hired by Graciela, wife of his friend, Terry McCaleb. It seems Terry died of heart failure while on his boat. Graciela is concerned that he might have been murdered. As Bosch looks into it, he discovers that someone tampered with Terry's heart medication. At the same time, it seems a killer has reemerged nicknamed The Poet. FBI agent, Rachel Walling is on his trail. The Poet was formerly her mentor and chief in the FBI. As she follows the trail of bodies to a desert site outside of Las Vegas, Bosch's investigation leads him to the same location. They decide to join forces to capture this very dangerous and worthy adversary before he kills again.
THE NARROWS is just another example of Mike Connelly doing what he does best- simply writing the best crime fiction novels being published today replete with superbly sketched characters and frequent plot twists and turns including one big zinger at the end. Mike's books should be carefully studied by anyone wanting to write in this subgenre. It simply doesn't get better.

The Poet returns. Though FBI agent Rachel Walling supposedly shot the serial killer of policeman several years before, most realized that he had staged his own death and was at large (Connelly's The Poet). Now years later a GPS device has been mailed to FBI headquarters addressed to Walling with the Poet's fingerprints on it. The set of coordinates stored on the device reveal a grisly desert scene of long buried bodies, which coincides with the timeframe of the mysterious disappearance of several men visiting Las Vegas over the last few years. Why has the Poet now contacted Walling?

Longtime Connelly protagonist, Harry Bosch, now ex LA homicide detective, is asked by the widow of Terry McCaleb, former FBI profiler, to look into Terry's sudden death while conducting a charter fishing expedition. Bosch in his usual mode of leaving no stone unturned finds photos of a mystery customer on McCaleb's boat and other evidence that leads him to the desert outside of Las Vegas. Harry now meets Rachel and the FBI.

The disillusioned Bosch circumvents the FBI and takes the lead on this case; Walling banished to the hinterlands of the Dakotas by FBI higher-ups for alleged indiscretions is allowed to monitor Harry, while being mostly bait for the Poet. The Poet makes the smallest of mistakes to lead to a resounding conclusion involving the rainstorm run-off system in LA known as the narrows.

What would a Bosch book be without Harry's halting interpersonal relations. Harry finds it best to visit his daughter Maddie when Eleanor, his ex-wife, is out gambling in the Las Vegas casinos. Harry sees Walling as a kindred spirit, but does the job get in the way of a relationship.

The Narrows is a typical Connelly book. There is substantial time devoted to police procedure. The plot is complexly drawn and executed. But it is the look, feel, and characterizations of the police world that make his books so compelling. And there is a special ending turn.

The Narrows follows detective Hieronymus Bosch as he tries to uncover the truth about his late friend’s heart attack. His late friend, Terry, is a sea charter captain who, in his spare time, helps other agencies solve cases pro bono. In order to solve Terry’s death, Bosch must first determine whether Terry came too close to one of the killers in his files or if his death is closer to home.

Let me preface, this is only the third Michael Connelly story I have read. I started with The Poet and then read The Black Echo. Maybe it’s a coincidence, but all three books go the same way: Main Character comes into knowledge about a case, Main Character forces way into investigation, FBI tries to block main character from investigation, Main Character has relations with FBI Detective which, oh, by the way, gains him access to the case, FBI Detective ends relations, Case ends.

The problem I have with these stories is that I cannot emotionally connect with the characters. Bosch is a notorious pain in the ass that doesn’t care about anybody but himself and, somehow, gets the girl anyways. The girl then, at the end of the book, abruptly ends the relationship as if there was no meaning to it at all. In this book, they have relations once and then they pretend like nothing ever happens. Um, what? Does this happen in real life?

The detective story itself is fine. The book pieces the clues together in a way that keeps you entertained, but not enthralled. This isn’t a thriller; it won’t hook you into the story. It simply provides a resolution to The Poet.

For the store I classified this book as predictable, dark, steady-paced, with developed characters, but that isn't to say it wasn't good. This was my first Bosch novel. I loved the Lincoln Lawyer series and the Bosch TV series, so I gave this a try (luckily I'd watch the movie Bloodwork, it is heavily based on that). I wish I'd have read "The Poet" first. This book completely makes that one unreadable now that I know the major twists. But ultimately you know who did it, you just don't know the details about how it's going to progress and end. The dialogue and writing is good, up to Connelly's high standards, but the overall plot isn't the most intriguing. It's entertaining and worth a read if you are into the Connelly universe though. I'm pretty sure everyone but Mickey Haller makes an appearance in this one.

First, the author is a talented writer. Great dialogue, with only a couple of false notes ("I will do it" didn't sound like an actual person talking). Great depiction of FBI bureaucracy and arrogance (I hope it's not really this bad, but it's plausible).

However, it's nowhere as scary as the blurbs would have you believe.

Most of the book is investigative plodding. Not much really happens apart from power plays and infighting, although this is interesting. The ending was anticlimactic, I thought. Not up to The Poet's reputation.

I did enjoy the dialogue and writing, but the content seemed wanting.

Other fans think it's clever but I think that for Connelly, trying to make all his lead characters live in the same world is a drastic error, akin to the way with every new book by Stephen King we find out that all of his books take place within the Dark Tower world. Squeezing The Poet into the world of Harry Bosch meant that the Poet plot had to be drastically curtailed and stripped of interest. It's just there, the Poet is back, Harry is charged with catching him, that's it. In THE POET the killer was scary, nearly terrifying. Here he's just a faceless blob who pops up to kill six people here, six people there, for no rhyme or reason. By the end of the book the reader tires of his ways. On the other hand, page by page the book is one of Connelly's best written, and despite itself, the story succeeds, although nothing will make me believe that Rachel ever develops the least bit of interest in Harry.

Didn't we already read this plot (disgraced FBI agent is summoned back to the center of the action by the serial killer she tracked down) in Thomas Harris' novels? On every page of THE NARROWS I kept thinking of Rachel Walling and how she was just a pale imitation of the way Clarice Starling was mistreated by her superiors in HANNIBAl. Too bad the Poet didn't swoop in and boil the brains of Rachel's asinine bosses.

Harry Bosch, now working as a private detective, is asked by the wife of his friend Terry McCaleb to look into Terry's death, which appears to be unnatural. The trail that Harry finds when going through Terry's files leads him into the desert of Nevada and into the hands of the FBI, who are unearthing a mass burial site of The Poet, the serial killer that featured in the book that made Michael Connelly world famous. Together with fallen-from-grace FBI agent Rachel Walling Bosch follows the trail of The Poet to a small brothel-town and from there to Los Angeles, all the time running into gruesome killings that are the hallmark of The Poet. The apotheosis of the book happens in the pouring rain. Another authentic Michael Connelly with all the features of a good detective book, but not as nail-bitingly exciting as some of his previous books.

The Margin
From the very begining you 'think' you know what is going to happen, but you will be wrong. Connelly tells his story, then he adds a twist then a turn. Complications occur at every turn, some anticipated, some not.
Bosch is one of my favorite detectives (retired or not), he goes all the way, never leaves a stone unturned even when he KNOWS what's under it. Even when he knows it could be the last stone he'd turn. Along with the mystery, the wonderful characters and scenes is Bosch's signature personality trait that I find captivating; he's forever disturbed by the crimes people commit and that has left an indelible emotional scar right across his soul. He knows this about himself, but keeps on keeping on.

Marvin Wiebener, author of The Margin

I wanted to like this book more than I did. Seemed like a lot of filler, and the ending really was a let down, I also felt the plot was a bit contrived, especially after the burned copy of a book enters the story. Disappointment,

In THE NARROWS Michael Connelly ties together the themes and characters from several of his previous novels while returning to the loose end of the unresolved fate of Robert Backus at the conclusion of THE POET. Those readers familiar with the world of Hieronymous (Harry) Bosch know that it is the centered in LA - "a sunny place for shady people"- and that Harry's character and Connelly's style have both evolved in reaction to the events which they have experienced. This book continues Connelly's recent adoption of the first person narrative by Harry Bosch interspersed with third person narrative for the other main characters in the book, primarily FBI profiler Rachel Walling and Backus, the former FBI agent who had for years used his knowledge of police procedures to escape detection as a serial killer. As is always the case in the author's work, this book is as much about the development of the characters and providing the reader with great depth of insight concerning the impact upon them of the events described as it about bringing the case to a conclusion.
Rachel Walling is recalled from her exile FBI posting in Rapid City, S.D. by a mysterious message sent to the FBI that unambiguously indicates that the serial killer identified as THE POET has reemerged. The nature of the communication also clearly indicates his desire that his former pupil and associate Rachel should be a member of the investigatory team despite her marginalization with the Bureau as a result the outcome of their previous encounters. Simultaneously, Harry Bosch is hired by Graciela McCaleb to investigate evidence she has inadvertently uncovered that the cause of the death of her husband Terry was not simply the failure of his transplanted heart that occurred during a charter aboard his fishing boat. (As a result of the book BLOODWORK being made into a movie both directed by and also starring Clint Eastwood, Terry McCaleb may be Connelly's most widely recognized character. In a wonderful twist, as the story proceeds we learn that Clint Eastwood attended Terry's funeral.) The threads of the two cases become intertwined in a complex story of evil that involves several very intriguing elements. As might be expected, these include the tension betwen the FBI investigators with their agenda of controlling the impact upon the Bureau of any potentially devasting political blowback often coming into conflict with Rachel's and Harry's views of the best procedural steps to follow. Thus, unsurprisingly, an uneasy alliance is gradually forged between Rachel and Harry which concludes in their investigation nearly resulting in disastrous consequences.
There are several other elements woven into the plot, including Harry's old LAPD associate Kiz Rider convincing Harry to consider rejoining the Cold Case Unit of the Department under a policy actually adopted by Chief Bratton to encourage the return of recent retirees. Finally, while I won't reveal the role that it plays in the plot, for those readers unaware of the location of the road to Zzyzx, it is on US 15 halfway betwen LA and Las Vegas. (In a wonderful line that both captures the macabre poetry of Connelly's work and is reminiscent of a recent book, it is "a CITY OF BONES at the end of the alphabet.") As readers of LOST LIGHT have undoubtedly surmised, the necessity for Harry to travel to Las Vegas in pursuit of the truth regarding Terry's death means that he can visit Maddie (his five year old daughter who only recently entered his life) and will undoubtedly continue to joust with his former wife (and former FBI agent) Eleanor Wish about the propriety of Maddie growing up in Las Vegas while her mother earns her living during the late night hours of a professional poker player.
Providing further meaningful details of this story would almost certainly involve spoilers which would only detract from the reader's enjoyment of the book. They are also unnecessary, since any fan of Connelly undoubtedly knows that no summary can do justice to the richness of the picture which he draws. (He has stated that his goal in his writing is "to paint to all four corners of the canvas {of his story} and fill in the holes.) Like most detective stories, this one is largely about unraveling the past and understanding its impact on the present. But at the same time is does also present a glimpse of fleeting hope for the future despite the evil which Harry has to confront.
The reason why I subtracted a half point from my rating was my less than total satisfaction with two aspects of the conclusion. It was action packed and very clever, and certainly tied in completely with Harry's introductory comments that set the tone of the story. But it semed to me somewhat contrived and overly dramatic; more in keeping with the visual impact of a movie than the understated and nuanced nature of Harry's world. But this is still a wonderful story, both for long time Harry Bosch fans and first time readers who want a good psychological detective tale in the tradition of Philip Marlowe.
NOTE: If you also obtain a copy of the complimentary DVD - BLUE NEON LIGHT - subtitled MICHAEL CONNELLY'S LOS ANGELES, with commentary by Connelly and excerpts from his work narrated by William Petersen (CSI), be sure to take the time to view it. It is wonderfully produced and provides great background and insights about Connelly's development as a writer and the themes that tie together his novels.
Tucker Andersen

Excellent addition to the series. It was nice to touch upon the Poet again. Also neat to see what happened to Rachel. Also, the old friend whose death Bosch investigated? I was not expecting that. At all. Great book, lots of moments you won't see coming.

Firstly, an important announcement concerning THE NARROWS, the book contains crucial spoilers for those who have not yet read THE POET. If you were planning on reading THE POET, do so before picking this book up. In my opinion, failing to do so will ruin both books.
The Poet is active again. The brilliant but deranged serial killer who somehow escaped in Michael Connelly's award-winning book THE POET has left the FBI the location of his killing field. He also leaves a note inviting Rachel Walling, his FBI combatant in the earlier book, to come and catch him. Since The Poet disappeared Rachel has been posted to the Dakotas as a form of FBI punishment for her failures, but she answers the call and heads straight for the Nevada desert where ten bodies are being exhumed. Joining her, in a round about sort of way is Harry Bosch, who happens to stumble into the investigation, but naturally, runs rings around the FBI.
Their partnership is an uneasy one. Bosch suspects that Rachel has been ordered by her superior to keep an eye on him and this is how she has decided to do it, Rachel knows that Bosch isn't telling her everything he knows about the case. And they're both pretty certain that The Poet is luring them into a trap that he will spring at a time of his choosing. It's a chase that will take them from Las Vegas all the way back to Harry's home turf in Los Angeles.
Michael Connelly has written a celebration of past books by joining together characters from his different series and stand-alones. This isn't the first time he has done this, having already brought together Harry Bosch and Terry McCaleb in A DARKNESS MORE THAN NIGHT.
This is certainly not the most compelling book in the Harry Bosch series, but to give it its dues, the detective work was clever and insightful. Where it fell down for me was in the pacing. It drifts along for an inordinate length of time before there was any real interaction between the killer and the protagonists. In place of the head-to-head confrontations between Harry Bosch and The Poet, the story was taken up with Bosch butting heads with the FBI. While this was entertaining to begin with, its continuation became irritating because it impeded the flow of the story.
THE NARROWS never really delivers on the promises it makes through the knowledge that a heartless killer is out there possibly hunting the hunters. Comparing it to a couple of the books from which the characters were taken, I thought THE POET was a more face-paced thriller that contained much edgier drama, while the previous Harry Bosch book LOST LIGHT gave us a more introspective analysis of the Bosch persona, which epitomises the Harry Bosch series, while also providing a heart-pounding thriller.
An unusual but effective feature employed by Connelly was to shift from a first person narrative to a third person description from chapter to chapter. Whenever Bosch too the scene, it was told from his perspective, but Connelly gave himself the freedom to describe events outside of Bosch's realm too.
It's a good thing I'm just wild about Harry or I'd be wondering what all the fuss was about. Although it was a treat to have the interwoven characters and past storylines joined, I felt the story fell a little flat.

Michael Connelly, author of the brilliant Harry Bosch series, sends his detective into The Narrows (Little, Brown, $25.95) on a mission to track down the serial killer who calls himself "The Poet" (and who appeared in Connelly's earlier book of the same name).
Following on a series of extraordinary, powerful mysteries featuring Bosch, The Narrows changes things up with its emphasis on thrills and suspense, rather than mystery and police procedure.
Connelly is such a master of his craft that his story shifts between multiple, connecting perspectives so smoothly that most readers will hardly even notice. They will be swept away by the story, just as the story's hero is by one of the city's aqueducts (the "narrows" of the book's title).
In some ways, The Narrows is like a "greatest hits" volume for Connelly, as it brings back several of the faces who appeared in his earlier works. Because of that, it will probably appeal most to fans that have already read those books.
Even a reader who is coming to Connelly for the first time, though, will still find a lot to enjoy here.
The Narrows is crime fiction at its best.
Reviewed by David Montgomery, Mystery Ink