Review: A Darkness More Than Night

When small-time criminal Edward Gunn is killed in a way that hints his death may only be the first in a series, it is to the dismay of all concerned that the trail soon grows cold. As a last resort, Jaye Winston goes to her old friend Tony McCaleb now married, with a new baby, living on Catalina Island and asks him to have a look at the murder book, see if he cant throw up any ideas. McCaleb agrees, pleased to be back doing what he does best, catching killers. But his pleasure decreases when he uncovers significant information implicating Homicide Detective Harry Bosch currently in the thick of a high-profile trial in the crime…

It is not every author who could successfully bring together two of his protagonists in one novel, but Michael Connelly does it here with ease. That they - Bosch and McCaleb are both together also seems completely natural, which is an even harder task to accomplish. Some readers may be disappointed that Harry Bosch doesn’t feature as much as they would like, but they must remember that, really, this is more a Terry McCaleb book. Plus, that does of course means that it’s an even greater pleasure when Bosch does appear.

This is a very impressive novel, which pulses with authenticity, especially during the outstanding court scenes that help make this one of his best books since the fantastic THE CONCRETE BLONDE. (It’s also extra interesting to learn a lot more about Harry’s namesake, painter Heironymous Bosch.) The plot is structured and developed very well, the writing grips, and while it is, after a point, relatively easy to guess what’s going on, that doesn’t detract from the quality of this excellent book one bit. Connelly is one of the best in the business when it comes to the gritty and authentic American crime novel, and this book only serves to further confirm that. Also, I don’t think I’ve ever come across an author who is more expert than Connelly at keeping his series continually fresh.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Fiona Walker

Book Review: A Darkness More Than Night