‘The Drop’ by Michael Connelly: B (82%) – Aggregate Book Review

Connelly is able to show off his extraordinary ability to build suspense — almost more than a poor reader’s heart can stand, which is just what I’m looking for in this kind of novel.

Nerd Verdict: Bosch not ready to Drop

In a novel where almost nothing seems clear, one thing emerges: Connelly understands how to deliver a great story of many pieces that coalesce into page-turning literature.

“The Drop,” the 17th in this series, continues those high standards as Connelly shows how politics seeps into police work, tainting investigations, crime scenes and even friendships.

A haunted quality has always been one of the chief attractions of Connelly’s series and of Bosch’s character, and this latest entry hardly fails to deliver. But because both author and character shy away from some big issues, the novel ends up not being truly good to the last drop.

Once it picks up full momentum, this book hurtles toward a dramatic search, a big switcheroo, a frame-up, a betrayal and a case of mistaken identity — the neat tricks familiar from many of Mr. Connelly’s other stories.

All of Connelly’s considerable strengths are on display: the keen eye for detail and police procedure, lots of local L.A. color, clever plotting, and—most important—the vibrant presence of Harry Bosch.

Michael Connelly is the undisputed master of police procedural thrillers and this latest episode in the colourful life of Harry Bosch is quite literally unputdownable.