The Narrows: Harry Bosch Series, Book 10

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)

New to Harry Bosch

Ok, so I admit, I hadn't caught on yet to the series of books with the character of Harry Bosch. Obviously, I regret that. I read some great reviews of this book, and so I made sure to add it to my top five list. Before reading this, however, I picked up the beginning of the story contained in the first book "The Poet". Regrettably, audible doesn't have this available yet, so annoyingly, I had to get it on tape. It was well worth the aggravation. "The Poet" is a GREAT thriller, and I couldn't wait to get to the next installment with "The Narrows".

This book definitely falls in line with the hype. I know some people were annoyed by the transition from first person to third person, but I wasn't confused at all by this. It didn't really register with me until a friend pointed it out.

The characters are compelling and real. The descriptions are graphic enough that a few nauseated me (crime scenes and a few other circumstances) which tells me Connelly is good at his craft. To have physical reactions as well as emotional ones is the sign of a great story.

Do yourself a favor though - be sure to read or listen to "The Poet" first. I think it goes a long way to completing this story, and it will make it infinitely more exciting.

15 of 15 people found this review helpful

Anoother winner

Michael Connelly is one of my favorite writers, but this book, The Narrows, top all the rest. It is beautifully written. The characters and their relationships are well drawn. But it is the excitement that kept me listening non-stop. When I had 3 hours left I uplugged my phone and listened!

26 of 27 people found this review helpful

Riders on the storm

Has all the ingredients of a good thriller, and delivers the goods. Exciting plot (without stretching credibility too far), good combination of suspense and action, tightly?written, effective dialogue, well-drawn characters. This is all brought together by a first-class narrator, Len Cariou, who manages to mix the necessary tough guy delivery with the variety of other styles required. The closing scenes might remind you of the atmosphere of the song Riders on the Storm, by the Doors. If this book is ever filmed, the song is a must.

10 of 10 people found this review helpful

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.

9 of 9 people found this review helpful

Bosch again

What can I tell you? If you read the prior Harry Bosch novels you'll love it. If this is your first you'll be hooked. It's just great to be able to listen the yarn unfold. Michael Connelley is a masterful story teller.

38 of 41 people found this review helpful

How to write a good read.

Bosch has really come into his own as a character. The book is well written, well read, fast paced, hangs together well and has lot's of good twists and turns. If all writers made their books this interesting, we readers would be in "hog heaven".

54 of 59 people found this review helpful

Good Tale

This book struck me in a different manner than other Connelly - Harry Bosch tales.

This one doesn't really come from a who-dunnit perspective at all.

It's simply a manhunt for a serial killer. There is never any doubt as to culprit. The way Connelly unravels the path to the murderer was also different than past Bosch fare, but quite good!

This is the first time I ever had a lukewarm comment regarding the reader Len Cariou. He seemed to overemphasize mundane points throughout the book as if he was trying to build suspense where it did not exist. He does not do this in other stories from the Harry Bosch series.

Overall worth it, and I'll be back for more.

My favorite Connelly is "The Lincoln Lawyer". It's a can't miss and I hope Connelly revives the character.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Great 'continuation' of Bloodwork and The Poet

First of all, let me say that one of the books that 'sets up' The Narrows - 'Bloodwork' is one of the best suspense reads of all time. It was that book that hooked me on Connelly.

This is a great continuation of that story. You get caught up right in the beginning with some great hooks. Connelly's characters are real and have depth. Bosch is up there with the great characters of this and similar genres (Clancy's Jack Ryan comes to mind).

Anyway - don't know if I can say anthing that hasn't already been said, but even if you've not read Bloodwork, this is a great and satisfying read. If you've got lots of time on your hand, buy The Poet, Bloodwork AND The Narrows and read them all back to back. You won't be disappointed.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Connelly pulls it off

This is the sequel to The Poet. While it wasn't as good as the previous novel (The Poet was hard to beat) it was a good read in it's own right. The action climax scene at the end of the book was fast-paced and hard to follow. Accurate rewinding is difficult with a Nomad MuVo as some of you may know. :)

Anyway, Connelly pulled it off. The sequel to the Poet didn't disappoint. I highly recommend reading that novel first, by the way. Enjoyment of this book is highly dependent on the reader knowing the history of these characters. Sadly, although The Poet IS available in unabridged audio format, Audible doesn't catalog it. Hint, hint.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Captivating

This book really hit a home run with me, based mostly in Los Angeles and Las Vegas made this story real in my mind. Harry Bosch is at it again, with FBI Agent Rachel Walling hunting for The Poet, a serial killing phsycopath with Walling's number. The imagery of this audio book keeps me in my car listening long after I reach my destination. Michael Connelly's incredible writing coupled with Len Cariou's narration made this a great experience.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Frighteningly Good

Really got to like Hieronymous Bosch. To me each book I read/listen to seems to get better. Excellent read

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

A Triumph of Plotting and Tension

Bringing together plots from at least two of Michael Connelly's earlier novels, The Narrows, shows a complexity of plotting that is deeply impressive: each clue, each reaction to a clue, each move by the killer to taunt the police, and for the police to pursue the elusive killer, is one more tightening of the tension and suspense of the story. In pursing the Poet each major character puts their fate and their lives in jeopardy. This book is a worthy successor to the previous novel The Poet, and a book not to be missed. The audiobook is skilfully read: well paced and strong.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful