THE NIGHT FIRE

4.5 stars out of 5


After reading the first two books that brought together retired LAPD detective Harry Bosch and detective Renee Ballard - giving each 5 stars - I was eager to read this one. I loved it as well, albeit not quite as much as the other two. It's hard to put my finger on why, but I think for the most part it was because Bosch just didn't seem to have his whole heart in the game. Granted, he's nearly 70 years old with a couple of health issues, but somehow he lacked his usual enthusiasm for the tasks at hand.

Nonetheless, this is not to be missed if you're a fan of Bosch and Ballard; both get plenty of read time here, as does Bosch's infamous half-brother Mickey Haller (the "Lincoln Lawyer," remember)? Mix them all together, stir them up and you've got a winning recipe for an enjoyable book that holds attention throughout (well, mine, at least). It begins as Bosch attends the funeral of a former LAPD partner and mentor; his widow invites Bosch back to their home, saying her late husband had something she was to give to Bosch. It's a murder book that his old partner had taken home from him when he retired 20 years earlier (had stolen, actually). But looking through it, Bosch can't figure out why the book was so important; so he shares it with Ballard and enlists her help with figuring out what to do next.

Meanwhile, Ballard, who works the midnight shift, lands an official case of her own; a homeless man dies when the street tent in which he's sleeping catches fire. At first, it appears to have been an accident - but further investigation raises a real possibility of murder. So now, she must follow up on that case as part of her job, trying to follow up on Bosch's mystery as time allows (thank goodness she doesn't need much sleep)!

Although the three storylines are well thought out, as always, the main attraction is the interaction between Bosch and Ballard (and Bosch and Haller). All told, this one stands on its own quite well. Bring on the next!

The Night Fire by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown and Co., October 2019); 417 pp.