The Black Box

Harry Bosch, Book 16

By: Michael Connelly

Narrated by: Michael McConnohie

Length: 10 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

In a case that spans 20 years, Harry Bosch links the bullet from a recent crime to a file from 1992, the killing of a young female photographer during the L.A. riots. Harry originally investigated the murder, but it was then handed off to the Riot Crimes Task Force and never solved.

Now Bosch's ballistics match indicates that her death was not random violence, but something more personal, and connected to a deeper intrigue. Like an investigator combing through the wreckage after a plane crash, Bosch searches for the "black box", the one piece of evidence that will pull the case together.

Riveting and relentlessly paced, The Black Box leads Harry Bosch, "one of the greats of crime fiction" (New York Daily News), into one of his most fraught and perilous cases.

©2012 Michael Connelly (P)2012 Hachette Audio

Great Book If You Listen at 1.5 speed! Try It!

It looks like most of the people who didn't like the audio book complained about Michael McConnohie's performance. At first I didn't like it either. It was just toooooo slow. So I decided to listen at 1.5 speed with my IPhone app and a miracle happened. At 1.5 speed Michael McConnohie sounds exactly like Bob Bailey did on the old Yours Truly Johnnie Dollar radio shows of the late 1950's and early 1960's. If you are an Old Time Radio fan, you will appreciate this.

Bob Bailey was the best radio voice around during the 1950's and 1960's and Michael McConnohie has that same rich nicotine stained baritone voice that Bailey had and most of the same expressions (only in slow motion). If McConnohie would just speed up his delivery, he could be one of the best audio book readers around. Thankfully, due to the miracle of modern computer technology, you can do it for him.

Another advantage of listening at the faster speed is that I got through the book in 2 days of commuting around town.

I gave McConnohie 4 stars because I had to speed up his performance. If he had just sped it up himself I would have given him 5 stars.

The book itself is classic Bosch. Great story. The usual procedural and political stuff mixed with twists and turns and surprises. Overall 5 stars.

Good story marred by inappropriate read

McConnahie is miscast for this one. His is an announcers style that is more appropriate for narration, The disconnect between Harry's character and his "voice" is distracting. Len Cariou, the old pro is of course a difflicult act to follow but I'm sure Audible can come with someone in that league.

Horrible Narrator

This narrator is AWFUL. He sounds like he's reading a safety announcement on an airplane before takeoff rather than telling a story. His generic announcer voice is totally wrong for Bosch, and hardly any attempt is made to change his voice for other characters. Also, as a an Angeleno myself, his mis-pronunciation of names and locations is gratingly annoying. For example, Manteca is pronounced "Man-tee-ka," not "Mon-teck-a," and actor Ryan Phillippe's last name is pronounced "Fill-a-pee," not "Fe-leep." These narrators should do a bit of research about how to pronounce names and locations in the books they narrate.

I love Harry Bosch

Not the best Bosch book but still better than 95%of all the other detective books out there. Connelly just knows how to write.

Awesome !

Harry Bosch, always a great story. I am a huge fan. only a few left to listen to, I better slow down.
If you start on these stories, you will be a fan.

Great narration. unlikely story

The narration is much better than previous Bosch novels. The story kind of pushes the envelope of believability though.

Finish was weak

There should be consequences for Bosch on the way he finished the investigation. The way the book ends, every works out fine.

Black Box opens paths

Would you consider the audio edition of The Black Box to be better than the print version?

All of my Harry Bosch experience with Michael Connelly has been with audio and this most recent edition/addition to the series is a quality product from both the story and the performance.

Who was your favorite character and why?

It was a bit eerie to start the book in the LA Riots after just listening to some real-life accounts of chaos in the streets of Syria and then there is the jump to 2012 when the cold case begins to unthaw. Bosch is the central character and Connelly builds the story around his long-time detective friend while giving us an increasing view of the values and experience that may eventually drive his daughter Madeline into law enforcement. The innocence of Maddy combined with the persistence of the 1992 victim were an interesting bridge in this entertaining novel.

The history for the plot was quick and well developed. The police work that helped move this story forward is interesting and methodical as well as credible -- which is a little more than you can say about the unusual happenings at the end. Connelly took some shortcuts as he resolved this story and it is not easy to tell if they were lack of imagination or inability to fight through the rules of this particular genre. The ending worked to get us through the story but the lack of reasoning for the IA detective's presence just doesn't sit that well.

But, don't let the nitpicking keep you from an entertaining 12 hours.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

"Well, it is in my policy!" may be a quote I will work into my life -- wonder how that will go over with some students?

Dissapointing narrator

Would you consider the audio edition of The Black Box to be better than the print version?

I wish Mr. Connelly would insist that the narrators of his works listen to the previous narrators reads before they find their voice. For example, they would then know that J Edger had a great voice that sounds like Barry White.

Mr. McConnohie does an 'okay' job, but needs to put a little more spark in the presentation. It was like listening to Joe Buck doing color commentary for the World Series - yawn.

Would you ever listen to anything by Michael Connelly again?

Absolutely

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Michael McConnohie?

Len Cariou 1st choice
Dick Hill 2nd choice.
Dick HIll is a little better, but when I hear him now, I can't help but think of Jack Reacher

Any additional comments?

Can't wait for Harry's next case

Excellent Book

Where does The Black Box rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Love Michael Connelly books. "The Black Box" certainly did not disappoint.

Any additional comments?

One of Michael Connelly's best. Love the Harry Bosch character.