| | |  | Amazon Kindle | Home » » » The Closers (Harry Bosch) | | | | | | | Description: | | He walked away from the job three years ago. But Harry Bosch cannot resist the call to join the elite Open/Unsolved Unit. His mission: solve murders whose investigations were flawed, stalled, or abandoned to L.A.'s tides of crime. With some people openly rooting for his failure, Harry catches the case of a teenager dragged off to her death on Oat Mountain, and traces the DNA on the murder weapon to a small-time criminal. But something bigger and darker beckons, and Harry must battle to fit all the pieces together. Shaking cages and rattling ghosts, he will push the rules to the limit--and expose the kind of truth that shatters lives, ends careers, and keeps the dead whispering in the night... | | | Product Details: | | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 245 reviews |
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Average Customer Review:
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127 of 134 found the following review helpful:
 Bosch is back - a little older, a little smarterMay 23, 2005
By C. Middleton
In Connelly's previous novel, The Narrows, Harry Bosch was seriously considering coming out of "retirement" and returning to service with the LAPD, despite several misgivings, one of which was the entrenched corruption throughout the force. However a new police chief is on board with a mission to clean house. Harry's old enemy, Deputy Chief Irving, a self-serving political player, wants Harry to fail and will do anything to achieve this end. Bosch has been assigned to the Open-Unsolved Unit, (cold cases) teamed up with his old partner, Kiz Rider, a no nonsense police woman in a predominately male domain, embark on an unsolved seventeen year old murder of a young girl, shot through the chest and taken out of her bedroom and dumped in a field. Harry attacks this unsolved murder with calculated zeal, leading to possible corruption in the force, pushing the case to it limits to find the perpetrator. The Closers begins at breakneck speed and doesn't let up until the last page is turned.
Reading The Closers was like meeting an old friend after a year of absence. Harry Bosch is one of the great characters in crime fiction, a man with an incredible sense of justice and an over bearing conscience, that pulls him into trouble from time to time. His relationship with Kiz Rider, as his partner, is a perfect match, as they know each other well, can read each other's thoughts before a word is spoken. Kiz never rides on Harry's coattails, but contributes to the motion, adding her own special skills to the investigation. Harry is older but he's a little smarter, and careful to stay within the bounds of the law. Kiz keeps Harry in line and is there to prevent him from slipping into his old, unorthodox habits.
As a piece of crime fiction, The Closers is by no means a character study, it is entirely plot driven, following Harry Bosch at work to every twist and turn of the case. Connelly knows how to write a crime novel and does not leave anything to the imagination. I have come to believe that the crime genre is an art form all its own, and Connelly has become one of its masters.
This is the real thing. Modern detective fiction doesn't get any better, and in the hands of Connelly, one can be sure the ride will be thoroughly entertaining; and The Closers delivers on all counts - a five star effort.
94 of 102 found the following review helpful:
Back to BasicsMay 20, 2005
By J. Brian Watkins
This was my favorite Bosch novel in a long time. From start to finish the book evidences Mr. Connelly's respect for pure police work untainted by political and personal considerations. Chief Bratton has clearly made a positive impact on our author. As a character, Harry Bosch had been kind of drifting--I am glad to welcome him back.
This book is the finest example of a police procedural. It touches on all the major policing issues of the day, local use of the Patriot Act, the "CSI" effect, various social issues, attention to unsolved cases, increased expectations of officers, and still remains faithful to the predecessor works. Granted, you have to know the prior works to fully appreciate the involvement of Deputy Chief Irving and Bosch's newfound peace with his situation but Connelly's plot is rich enough to carry the entire work without the need for Bosch's usual internal conflicts. Besides, I'm sure that Bosch will run into trouble again soon--L.A. has a new mayor and nobody knows what he really believes or what he really stands for (other than re-election.
The masters make their work appear effortless--this work takes Connelly and Bosch to new heights. Do not expect to put it down until you are finished.
21 of 21 found the following review helpful:
Connelly still the topsMay 22, 2005
By Melissa A. Noyes
Once again, Michael Connelly has caused me to lose sleep. If I open one of his books, I don't rest until it's done. And I've never regretted the sleep deprivation!
The Closers reinforces the reader's belief in Harry Bosch, reunited with Kiz Rider, and their dedication to the victims of murder, regardless of their age at death.
Letting the chips fall where they may is a brave stance and the only modus operandi when Bosch is involved.
My advise, start at the beginning of Connelly's career as a novelist and ride along with Connelly as he develops one of the most incredible law enforcement characters ever!
17 of 18 found the following review helpful:
 Ho-hum effort from one of my favorites, ConnellyJun 06, 2005
By JanSobieski
This is not one of Connelly's best efforts. Maybe he and Harry Bosch have have exhausted their useful life. Maybe Connelly was just grinding out a journeyman effort. Whatever the reason, this book lacked the punch and excitement of many of Connelly's earlier Harry Bosch novels.
As alluded to above Harry Bosch is back, now a member of a "Cold Case" unit with his old partner, Kiz Rider, who has left administration for the more exciting and rewarding life of criminal investigation.
They are investigating the death of a mixed race 16 year old girl from 1988. His old nemesis, Irvin Irving again appears in this novel as malevolent as ever. Harry's a little rusty and it shows, but, as one might expect, the indomitable Bosch once again prevails.
But the story bogs down, at least for me, in several places. The inner turmoil that makes Bosch such an interesting character was given short thrift in deference to boring police procedures. This book just never seemed to grab hold of me.
It really wasn't a bad story, but the formula just seems a little stale to me now. The novel seemed to lack the heart and soul of earlier Bosch novels. I'd call this a good, but not great, journeyman effort, however not as good as I've come to expect from Connelly
16 of 17 found the following review helpful:
Best Bosch Since 'Concrete Blond' and 'Last Coyote'May 23, 2005
By S. Barnett
This is the best Harry Bosch novel in some time and that's saying a great deal. Michael Connelly is a great writer, and as other reviewers have mentioned, has gone back to the basics and the 'core' of Harry Bosch. This book clearly deserves five stars. That said, the early pages of this book reminded me of T. Jefferson Parker's, 'California Girl', an absolutely sensational book. As good as 'The Closers' is, 'California Girl' is the better book - it just doesn't have the great Harry Bosch.
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