Product Description

In his first case since he left the LAPD's Open Unsolved Unit for the prestigious Homicide Special squad, Harry Bosch is called out to investigate a murder that may have chilling consequences for national security. A doctor with access to a dangerous radioactive substance is found murdered in the trunk of his car. Retracing his steps, Harry learns that a large quantity of radioactive cesium was stolen shortly before the doctor's death. With the cesium in unknown hands, Harry fears the murder could be part of a terrorist plot to poison a major American city.
Soon, Bosch is in a race against time, not only against the culprits, but also against the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI (in the form of Harry's one-time lover Rachel Walling), who are convinced that this case is too important for the likes of the LAPD. It is Bosch's job to prove all of them wrong.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2385 in Books
• Published on: 2008-01-01
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 304 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Reviewers were somewhat abrupt about perennial bestseller Connelly's 13th Harry Bosch novel: a quick read, almost half the length of Connelly's previous novels, said one; a tasty hors d'oeuvre quipped another. How smart and fortunate for listeners that Hachette Audio has turned to veteran Connelly reader Len Cariou for some added weight. Cariou catches all the strength and sadness behind Bosch's minimal dialogue and is also perfect as Harry's LAPD colleagues, female and male. He is especially good at bringing to frightening life the real villains: the federal investigators, headed by a former Bosch lover, FBI agent Rachel Walling. The Feds are trying to take over the case of a body found on an overlook near Mulholland Drive—a doctor who turns out to have had access to radioactive materials stored at hospitals throughout L.A. All praise to Hachette for getting Cariou to help us through it. The production boasts original music by Frank Morgan.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Bookmarks Magazine
Michael Connelly originally published The Overlook as a serialized novella in the New York Times Magazine; the 16 sections contained 3,000 words each. Although expanded to novel form, The Overlook weighs in as a good, if slim (and perhaps, as a few critics claim, slight), addition to the Harry Bosch series. For the most part, the novel succeeds in maintaining Connelly's trademark fast-paced action, plot twists, suspense, and spare, humorous writing-all over the course of 12 hours. Some reviewers cited tired characters, dull romance, a bizarre time frame, and plotting missteps, but for followers of Harry Bosch, The Overlook is a worthy addition.
Copyright © 2004 Phillips & Nelson Media, Inc.

From AudioFile
By now, most listeners will agree that Len Cariou IS Harry Bosch. Cariou took over about five novels back and has made his own mark with the Connelly books. The only negative fans may voice about Connellys latest is that its very short--about half the usual length. Thats probably because it started out as a New York Times serialized novel (16 weeks) and was expanded for hardcover and audio publication. In it, Bosch investigates the murder of a doctor and the disappearance of some radioactive cesium. Naturally, Bosch and the FBI lock horns. The case also brings back Boschs lost love, Agent Rachel Walling. Cariou handles all his characters with aplomb, and Bosch with the gruff preciseness listeners have come to expect. A.L.H. AudioFile Best Audiobook of 2007 © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Customer Reviews

Reviewed for Midwest Book Review
LAPD detective Harry Bosh has a new job in the Homicide Special division, which handles murders with political, celebrity or media connections, or those called hobby cases, which are difficult to solve and take much time. His first call out involves a doctor killed at an overlook above Mulholland Dam. Bosch and his new partner, Ignacio Ferras, are surprised when the FBI shows up at the crime scene. The dead doctor worked with radioactive materials and the FBI thinks his murder is tied to a terrorist plot to build and activate a dirty bomb in Los Angeles. When they learn that radioactive material has been stolen from the doctor, the case shifts to investigate the terrorists who took the substance instead of who killed the doctor. But Bosch thinks there's more to this murder than what's obvious.

Harry Bosch is once more at odds with the FBI and his own police department, but this relentless detective will not back down and pursues his own investigation in his own way. Bosch is an edgy man with a rebellious streak, a detective whose skills continue to keep him in good standing with the upper echelons of the police department, although he always manages to alienate most of those around him. Although this mystery is relatively easy for the reader to solve, the plot is tight and suspenseful, and takes place within a 12-hour time span.

Connelly's Slipping?
I love the Harry Bosch character. But this book does not do him justice. I just got the impression reading this that it is not as good as earlier Bosch novels. Maybe Connelly should have pensioned him off and left it that. It seems that resurrecting him might have been an error. Maybe Harry needs one really big case to finish his career off. His FBI love interest needs to go also.

Again, Michael Connelly at his best... in stretching for home base...
Fifteen years ago author Michael Connelly introduced Harry Bosch in the first book of a best-selling series... 'The Black Echo'. Impresario LAPD detective Bosch is now with the Homicide Special Squad, breaking in a new partner, novice Ignacio 'Iggy' Ferras, and re-connected with FBI Agent Rachel Walling (Harry's past lover). The victim took two shots to the head... a pro job -- a medical physicist, who worked at the medical facility with material used in treating cancer. And in the wrong hands, it is a deadly weapon. The perps had used the threat of harming Kent's wife if he didn't cooperate, and give them what they want. Jesse Mitford from Canada is a stranger to LA, looking for celeb autographs to send home to mom, and he's a witness found by Bosch and partner on the property and at the scene of the crime. Bosch battles with his own conscience of detecting methods, keeping just enough from some troublesome and interfering FBI know-it-alls. Bosch is told, "...It is actually much more than [a homicide investigation]...it serves the federal government extremely well with this thing on the overlook being part of a terrorism plot.... You've got the Middle East, the price of a gallon of gasoline and a lame-duck president's approval ratings.... [here] is an opportunity for redemption. ...A chance to shirt public attention and opinion. ...A case like this, you have to broaden your political landscape." Bold and not-to-be-taken for a fool or advantage of, Bosch retorts: "Are you saying that they might try to keep this think going, maybe even exaggerate the threat?" Is it a terrorism plot? Find out when the not-so-innocents among the players are under suspicion, but you'll have to read the book to capture it all as only Connelly can deliver, with a red herring thrown in, oh, a frame-up too. 'The Overlook' is a character-driven mystery, which Connelly never falters in providing a well-groomed cast, plot, on the tip-of-your toes read, as you burn the midnight-oil through suspense and action.
Josephine Kaszuba Locke, Book Hugger, Reviewer BookLoons.com