Nine Dragons
"...an acknowledged master of the modern thriller..."
Synopsis:
The shooting of a Chinese liquor store owner in LA brings Harry Bosch's mind back to the Rodney King riots and the memory of a moment when a complete stranger gave a young inexperienced cop sanctuary.
The murdered store owner was the man who helped Harry out all those years ago and now the debt must be repaid in the way that Harry knows best; he must find the killer and bring him to justice. He soon discovers the old man's death was no ordinary hold-up.
Digging into clues ignored by the cops at the scene, Harry builds a picture of corruption and intimidation, with the local Triads at the heart of it all. But as he tries to build a case and breach the impenetrable wall of silence in the local community, he finds he is taking a dragon by the tail - a dragon whose claws reach across the globe.
He receives a terrified message from his daughter in Hong Kong and suddenly the most precious thing in Harry's life is under threat. With no back-up and working outside of the law he is forced to leave the familiarity of LA to stop his worst nightmare from happening.
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Review:
Michael Connelly is an acknowledged master of the modern thriller and with this, his third book in almost a year, he demonstrates the high level of skill that his fans have come to expect. Some readers might worry that their favourite author's work might be diluted by such a publishing schedule, but let me put them straight on that. Michael Connelly is simply too good to allow this to happen and Nine Dragons is a strong addition to the master's oeuvre. Pick up Nine Dragons and you will find all the elements are there. Connelly is exceptional at choosing just the right details that add “truth” to the actions of his characters, and in turn his characters, are superbly drawn and completely believable. They each play the part that the master puppeteer has drawn for them as the plot turns and twists and unfolds in a confrontation that is well choreographed and as thrilling as a bungee jump off the Central Plaza Tower in Hong Kong. Connelly has that “must read through to the wee, small hours” factor by the bucketful. This is exciting, taut and clever writing. It also gives the reader a chance to see Harry Bosch driven into a situation with consequences that are deeply personal, adding further layers into a character already full of depth. Classy and relevant.