Trunk Music: Harry Bosch Series, Book 5

By: Michael Connelly

Narrated by: Dick Hill

Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's Summary

Back on the job after an involuntary leave of absence, LAPD homicide detective Harry Bosch is ready for a challenge. But his first case is a little more than he bargained for. It starts with the body of a Hollywood producer in the trunk of a Rolls-Royce, shot twice in the head at close range - what looks like "trunk music", a Mafia hit.

But the LAPD's organized crime unit is curiously uninterested, and when Harry follows a trail of gambling debts to Las Vegas, the case suddenly becomes more complex - and much more personal. A rekindled romance with an old girlfriend opens new perspectives on the murder, and he begins to glimpse a shocking triangle of corruption and collusion. Yanked off the case, Harry himself is soon the one being investigated. But only a bullet can stop Harry when he's searching for the truth.

Impressed? Ace detective Harry Bosch is also on the case in other exciting Michael Connelly crime-fiction novels.

©2004 Michael Connelly (P)2004 Brilliance Audio

Critic Reviews

"Dick Hill is well versed in Bosch's style after two audiobooks in the series. Hill delivers the squad room banter and the interviews with suspects and witnesses with perfection.... Bosch is immensely likeable, and Hill defines his character memorably." ( AudioFile)

Cood Connelly

This one is typical Connelly fare, which means it's a good book.

A conclusion and finale was a little unerwhelming, so I hold it to 4 stars instead of 5.

Dick Hill does a very good job as narrator (as usual)

Definitely recommended.

13 of 13 people found this review helpful

Another Harry Bosch novel

I'm reviewing a few of the over 350 in my Audible library that I haven't previously reviewed. Trunk Music, Book 5 in the series, is an excellent modern detective suspense mystery. It is the last series novel that Dick Hill narrated. I wish author Connelly had stayed with Hill until Titus Weaver started narrating with Book 17.

8 of 8 people found this review helpful

Great Story - Good Narrator

This is my first Connelly audiobook... I have previously read and enjoyed 'Harry Bosch' so I was drawn to this early title and I wasn't disappointed.
Another great storyline that hooked me and kept me wanting to listen.
Really enjoyed the narration and will definitely search out more 'Connelly' and/or 'Hill' audiobooks.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Incomparable Bosch

I've discovered I really don't remember any of the early Bosch mysteries I read some 15 plus years ago. So it is a joy to be reintroduced to Connelly's genius in the police procedural genre.

It's funny, but I don't identify with Bosch at all, but I love everything about him. He's a loner, loyal, cantankerous, gritty and the most persistent detective I've ever encountered in fiction. He commands respect, even from the readers.

The mysteries are stellar, extremely realistic. Trunk Music is just a great novel on its on.

Once again, Dick Hill does a great job.

12 of 13 people found this review helpful

Great Listen... I loved it!

If you are a Bosch series lover, you will love this novel as well. A good plot with lots of interesting happenings with twists and turns as usual. I agree with another reviewer who said that the first five novels are Connelly's best. I give a lot of the praise for the high rating of the first five novels to Narrator, Dick Hill who brings the books alive with lots of inflection to differentiate the between the characters and also uses other tricks of the trade to make the novels sounds like what the listener might hear in their head if they were actually reading the book..ie: news flashes over a TV or radio takes on a different sound like it could really be coming over a radio or TV..By the end of the book, Bosch is more endearing. I would recommend this book. I am on my second listen.

12 of 13 people found this review helpful

Another Harry Bosch winner

Trunk Music is one of the earlier Harry Bosch books. Harry once again runs afoul of the LAPD and the FBI and once again is investigated by the Internal Affairs Division of the department. The book is fast paced with lots of plot twists and turns, mobsters and cops gone bad. Bosch builds and strengthens his relationship with Jerry and Kiz, his two recurring partners, bonds with Grace Billet his supervisor, and gets married to his early flame Eleanor Wish. Along the way, Harry solves the crime and helps the FBI solve theirs. A great way to spend 13 hours.

16 of 18 people found this review helpful

Harry's life takes a turn

Reading these books in order is the way to go, as an old acquaintance shows up in this episode. Another murder case for Harry, that he seemingly is doing a good job on, goes anywhere but the right direction, and Harry finds himself in another jam. I just love all the twists and turns that Harry's life takes, as he just tries his hardest to do a good job. He has a new Lt. to deal with, and his old partner Edgar is on the case. All and all, it's a good read with a few surprises along the way, the ending is no exception. Dick Hill does his usual outstanding narrative, so put the earbuds in, and enjoy.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

totally engrossing

It's a great listen, starting to really enjoy hanging out with Harry Bosch. There is plenty of suspense, twists and turns and surprises. It's totally entertaining criminal thriller. Michael Connelly is among the best authors of this genre, right up there with Lee Child. Though I'm going to say that Lee Child just does such an amazing job with the Reacher character - Reacher's little idiosynchrasies, turns of phrase and that he's a pretty likeable character. Harry Bosch is not as well portrayed and he's a little more cynical, I think a little older too -- however I am loving this series.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Bosch on the Case

Harry Bosch is back on the job, nothing hanging over his head as in three of the prior four entries in Michael Connelly's police procedural series, the start of a series that is now up to 20+ volumes. So this one is not personal -- it's a straightforward murder case.

Of course Bosch wouldn't be Bosch if he didn't eventually run afoul of the LAPD, other police departments, internal affairs, the FBI and the mob. And Bosch wouldn't be Bosch if he didn't eventually untangle the whole mess and uncover unexpected secrets, the best of which, as per Connelly's MO, come after you think (as he does) that the case has been solved.

Trunk Music is good, but the best Bosches are the ones where it is indeed personal. There is a side plot where he reconnects with an old flame, and that relationship will form the basis of later entries. At the end of the day, this is a boilerplate police procedural solved by your hard-boiled misunderstood cop, but Connelly, Bosch, and narrator Dick Hill make it work.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

About what we've come to expect from Bosch

Harry Bosch is once again outside the mainstream in law enforcement,His brash style guarantees that he won't get the willing cooperation of fellow law enforcement officers and agencies with similar goals. Harry does manage to work closely with two partners and a boss, so he's not quite the loner he's been in other stories in the series. His love interests also take front seat in this novel. Dick Hill does a masterful job with the narration and the absolutely ludicrous coincidence written into the plot at the very end of the story doesn't detract as much as I though it would. Overall, a pleasant listen.

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

This is just so good

I was was looking for a replacement for Jack Reacher/Lee Child books as I had read them all and I came across Michael Connelly. This is the fifth book I've read so far and each one is getting better and better not the first one wasn't excellent because it was but this book was very good if you like the Bosch TV series and/or Lee Child as an author and are looking for a good series to get your teeth/ears(?) stuck into then Michael Connolly is easily his peer and well worth checking out

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Good story well read

As per usual, Michael Connolly's novel is well written and has great characters and storyline. The characters were well defined by the narrator.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Very good series. Well worth a listen.

I really like the Harry Bosch series. The main character is your archetypal loner who struggles with relationships - both romantic and professional; a maverick railing against the establishment but in my opinion he isn't an antihero, rather a deeply flawed man who somehow manages to stay true to his own moral compass and I think that is ultimately what earns the respect of his peers.
I have read books 1-5 so far. I think the plot lines are very good with lots of twists and turns. In short everything I like in a whodunit.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Brilliant

Another brilliant book by Michael Connelly. Can wait for the next Harry Bosch Book

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Great series until he changed the narrator!!

What did you like most about Trunk Music: Harry Bosch Series, Book 5?

I love these books, I have read all of the 4 first ones, they have changed the narrator from Dick Hill to a guy called Peter. He is not as good, he says everything in a weird way. I listened to it for about 5 minutes and returned it. It is a shame as I love the series but I miss Dick.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Another classic Bosch...

Though cliché, the characterisation is so good that you can empathise with heroes and villains alike. I also felt this one (I am working my way through all the Harry Bosch novels in order) had a more complex and engaging plot than one or two previous ones.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Excellent Book

As usual Michael Connelly proves he is the master. Trunk Music is a great book and Harry Bosch is a brilliant character. Narration is also top class. All in all i really enjoyed this book.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Superb

Well crafted, well paced, plausible, taut with excellent characterisation. Thoroughly enjoyable - a crime novel to be drawn into until its end.

Somehow found it less exciting that other novels

Would you listen to Trunk Music: Harry Bosch Series, Book 5 again? Why?

There are not many stories, not many characters from the books I read so far, that inspired me so much as Harry Bosch. The way Michael Connelly set his character in the LA daily life - makes him a very regular guy. A guy who can experience things in real life the same way Bosch experiences it in the book. Unlike many other factious figures from books I read - Bosch's actions and reactions seem to be very realistic. Besides - I visited States only few times - and have never been to LA - but these books (whole Bosch series) gave me a flavour of Californian life and places like city of angels.
After this read - I am not sure if I would like to live there. All in All - Michael Connelly - is fantastic author and deserves 5 stars! I strongly recommend the whole series ... including Trunk Music (although - this is the weakest one in my personal opinion).
Kris

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

see above

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

see above

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

Relationship Bosch has with women. So real ... so similar to what we all experience.

Any additional comments?

see first entry

Fantastic

Really enjoyed, definitely recommend this story , great narrative, gripping story line right to the end