Book Review-Older Books 17

The Narrows, by Michael Connelly.  Published by Little, Brown and Company in May 2004, 404 pgs.

Rachel Walling, is an FBI agent, who is marking time investigating federal issues in South Dakota.  She was once involved in Quantico’s Behavioral department and she hunted serial killers, one such killer is The Poet, and it would seem that he is back.  The FBI has been led to a mound that is also a gravesite for multiple victims, and Rachel is called in to help investigate and maybe also act as bait,  because, some of the information leading to this site was personally addressed to her. 

Harry Bosch is retired LAPD, who occasionally does investigative work.  He is called on by the wife of an old friend, wanting him to look into some questionable circumstances regarding her husband’s death.  It would seem that he simply died of a failing heart, this after a recent transplant.  But several issues bring new information to light and the investigation begins.  This old friend was also involved with The Poet in the past.  As Harry investigates and uncovers the cases his old friend was unraveling, it brings him into contact with Rachel and into butting heads with the FBI.

The story takes them between California and Nevada, searching for clues surrounding an unusual exit, and the pathways and highways of a chilling mind.

This book delves into the many avenues that detective work takes and the perseverance it demands.

Michael Connelly has authored several other novels, including The Poet and Blood Work, which seem to be prequels to this book.  This book at times dragged and moved slowly through the tedious to the fantastical paths of detective work.  Seeing leaps in deductive reasoning bear fruit, though, made it more enjoyable.  Also, having seen the movie Blood Work, helped make it more interesting to find out what happened at the end. I may have to go back and read the book.