The Narrows: Harry Bosch Series, Book 10

By: Michael Connelly

Narrated by: Len Cariou

Length: 11 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

FBI agent Rachel Walling finally gets the call she's dreaded for years: the one that tells her the Poet has returned. Years ago she worked on the famous case, tracking down the serial killer who wove lines of poetry into his hideous crimes. Rachel has never forgotten Robert Backus, the killer who called himself the Poet, and apparently he has not forgotten her either.

Harry Bosch gets a call, too. The former LAPD detective hears from the wife of an old friend who has recently died. The death appeared natural, but this man's ties to the hunt for the Poet make Harry dig deep, and lead him into a terrifying, bewildering situation.

So begins the most compelling, frightening, and masterful novel Michael Connelly has ever written. The Narrows places Harry Bosch in league with Rachel Walling, at odds with the FBI and squarely in the path of the most ruthless and ingenious murderer in Los Angeles' history. What follows is a taut and tantalizing mystery that has Harry Bosch racing from the hostile vistas of the Nevada desert to the glittering Las Vegas strip to the dark corners of Los Angeles.

Through it all, Bosch works at his newfound life as father to a young daughter, balancing the deepest love he has ever felt with his own sense of mission and his profound awareness of evil.

Don't miss Detective Harry Bosch on the case in these Michael Connelly crime fiction novels.

©2004 Time Warner AudioBooks (P)2004 Time Warner AudioBooks

Critic reviews

"Michael Connelly's best crime novel since City of Bones." (The New York Times)

"A dynamite plot, fully flowered characters, and a meticulous attention to the details of investigative procedure....Connelly is a master and this novel is yet another of his masterpieces." (Publishers Weekly)

Book 10 is amazingly WRITTEN

Another ABSOLUTELY captivating and creative writing that draws you in and keeps you entertained for hours. This has so much dialogue that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Great back story. Another smash sensation.

Loved it

Great story. Great flow. Interesting characters. And Len Cariou’s narration is always top of the line.

One of the best Bosch stories

This has to be one of the best stories in the collection thus far. Just my opinion.

Connelly back in top form

After a couple of weaker efforts (Chasing the Dime, Lost light) Michael Connelly is back at the top of his game in The Narrows.

Connelly's books are so satisfying because they seem so real. Most of his books feature Harry Bosch, an LAPD homicide detective. Over the course of ten or so books Harry catches killers, battles various levels of police bureaucracy and struggles with his inner demons. The books are skillfully interconnected. A sentence or two in one book becomes the basis for a book later in the series. A little more about Bosch is revealed in each book. Over time, Bosch's mental state ebbs and flows. Bosch empathizes with his victims and this tends to depress him. In City of Bones it became too painful and he resigned from the police force. In The Narrows, nearly three years later, Bosch is refreshed and doing so much better. He joins forces directly with Rachel Walling (the FBI agent in The Poet) and indirectly with Terry McCaleb (retired FBI in Blood Work) to chase the "Poet," who has resurfaced. It is a very enjoyable listen that is well read. It stands on its own, but my enjoyment was heightened by having read The Poet and Blood Work (as well as having seen the movie Blood Work.) Highly recommended.

Bosch is Back!

"The Narrows" is Michael Connelly at his best. Once I read (listened to) my first Connelly book "The Poet", I was hooked. I went back and started to 'read' all of his books written in chronological order. Harry Bosch became my favorite character and Michael Connelly soon became my favorite author (although John Grisham runs a very close second). When Bosh retired I was worried we may not get another one of his "real life" stories.

Aside from his innate ability to develop depth of character, Michael Connelly makes his characters and his stories exceptionally believable and real to life, following tracks of logic that he assembles into a tale of commanding suspense.

"The Narrows" includes characters and pieces of previous books that will make fans feel as though they are reading yet another chapter in a life of a bona fide detective, but at the same time it is a story that without doubt stands on it's own intrigue. Buy it! You won't be dissappointed.

THE NARROWS

LOVED IT. FIRST LISTEN TO THE POET, THEN THE NARROWS AND FINALLY THE SCARECROW. I LISTENED TO SCARECROW, POET AND THEN THE NARROWS WHICH ISN'T IN THE ORDER WRITTEN AND STILL LOVED IT. MARCIA

Another excellent Harry Bosch novel

I discovered Michael Connelly about 2 years ago and was hooked. I've read or listened to everything he has written. This latest story definitely didn't dissappoint me. I loved the way he completely merged his characters from the Harry Bosch series and the Terry McCaleb books. The occasional comments the characters make in reference to a movie made about their lives (Bloodwork - a terrible Clint Eastwood adaptation of an earlier Connelly's novel) just added to my enjoyment of this book.

To truly enjoy all this book has to offer you should have read The Poet and Bloodwork (and suffer through at least part of the Bloodwork movie if you don't have to pay to do that). I imagine this book will stand well on it's own though, so don't shy away from it if you haven't read those - they aren't required to understand what's going on because Connelly is able to recap what you need to know quite well within the story. I agree with previous reviewers about having trouble putting this down - I was delayed more than once because I just couldn't stop.

The bottom line is, Connelly spins a yarn that pulls you in with the best writers in this genre. Great story, very good narraotor, enjoyable from start to finish.

Excellent Installment

If you like the series, you will like this installment. Excellent character development, wonderful story and the narration was top notch. This may be my favorite book yet in the series. Hint, you don’t see it all till the very end....I missed it too!

longtime Bosch fan

fast paced story. loved it. I wasn't sure where story would go, since Bosch retired from LAPD, but Connelly handled the action just fine, without the police force.

Just keeps getting better!

I've enjoyed all of the Harry Bosch books but the last two (9 and 10) are my favorites. They just keep getting better!