Wednesday, July 14, 2021

The Wrong Side of Goodbye by Michael Connelly

 

First Line: They charged from the cover of the elephant grass toward the LZ, five of them swarming the slick on both sides, one among them yelling, "Go! Go! Go!" -- as if each man needed to be prodded and reminded that these were the most dangerous seconds of their lives.
 
Harry Bosch may be working part-time as a detective in San Fernando, but he's also a private investigator. He's extremely picky about the cases he takes on, so he doesn't advertise, but that doesn't keep word from spreading, and he's summoned to the estate of one of southern California's biggest moguls. The man is in his eighties, has six months to live, and a ton of regrets. Foremost on his mind is whether or not he has an heir. 
 
Harry reluctantly takes on the case and soon finds himself piecing together a 65-year-old mystery that's nowhere near as simple-- or as cold-- as he thought it was going to be.  

~

I've loved Harry Bosch since something compelled me to buy a copy of The Black Echo years ago at a local bookstore. Bosch is a fixture in my life. One of my vertebrae even. I was thrilled at the quality of Amazon Prime's Bosch television series. But for some unknown reason, I allowed myself to get a bit behind in reading the books. Probably because Mickey Haller made an appearance, and I'm not a big fan of his. I know-- excuses, excuses. But I knew the books would always be there, and they'd always be good. 

For the past few years, I've been conducting a private war with audiobooks. So many readers seem to swear by them, but I'd never found a book narrated by someone who didn't put me to sleep. I don't have trouble with insomnia, so this entire "war" has been frustrating-- until I noticed an audiobook copy of The Wrong Side of Goodbye. The price was really good, so I took a look at the small print. Narrated by Titus Welliver... I love that man's voice! I bought the audiobook so fast I think I broke the internet for a second or two.

Listening to this book was being allowed to relax in heaven for a while. Seriously! I haven't felt this good about being read to since I was small enough to crawl into my mother's lap to listen to her read me a story.

Of course, the story is excellent, vintage Connelly. Harry has two cases keeping him busy: his P.I. case for the billionaire, and a case involving a serial rapist called the "Screen Cutter" in the San Fernando Valley. Most writers would think they'd hit the jackpot with just one of those storylines, but Connelly has them both and he handles both brilliantly.

What I love the most about Connelly's storytelling is the personal details he adds. It's the personal that brings the reader's emotions to the fore, that really makes the reader engage with the story and the characters. Why Harry won't eat Vietnamese food. Bob Hope, Connie Stevens, and Neil Armstrong going out to entertain the troops during the Vietnam War. That sculpture at the conclusion of the book...

With this audiobook experience being such a wonderful one, you know what I did, don't you? I have the next Harry Bosch lined up, and I'm looking forward to listening to Titus Welliver's voice telling me another story. I have finally been converted, at least where Harry is concerned.

The Wrong Side of Goodbye by Michael Connelly
Narrated by Titus Welliver
ASIN: B01K3EKBXS
Hachette Audio © 2016
Audiobook. 10 hours, 21 minutes.
 
Police Procedural, #19 Harry Bosch mystery
Rating: A
Source: Purchased through Chirp Books.  

17 comments:

  1. Well, I can't say I'm surprised that you loved this one, Cathy. Connelly is that good. And it does sound like a great story. It's good to hear that the audio version of it worked for you, too. I admit, I haven't done that much in the way of audio books, but they are a great alternative.

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    1. I'm finally beginning to learn that they are a great alternative, too. I always knew I was missing out on a good thing!

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  2. I just started reading this series this year and I'm already a big fan. Michael Connelly is such a fantastic author. :D

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  3. This is good. I read it, but don't remember it.
    I like Mickey Haller's latest, with a touch of Bosch. It is funny and worth the read. He's the alleged culprit and has to worm his way out of prison.

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    1. Yes, I remember that you like Haller. You like to spend more time in the courtroom than I do.

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    2. I like well-written courtroom mysteries, but books where the defense attorney is defending an innocent person and finds the real culprit, ala Perry Mason.
      I liked Steve Cavanagh's Thirteen, as he defends an innocent person and finds the real killer, a complicated financial scheme and is funny at the same time.
      And I do like John Grisham's Jake Brigance books. The latest one, A Time for Marcy, is well-written and is about a real legal conundrum.

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    3. You keep trying to drag me into the courtroom, but I continue to drag my feet. Feel like giving up yet? :-)

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  4. I share your love for the Bosch books and Welliver's narration and acting skills. I was very relieved to learn that a new series is being shot right now that will feature him in the Bosch role - and that I don't have to have Netflix to watch it. I am thinking it will feature the collaborations between Harry and Renée Ballard, but I haven't seen that verified anywhere...just seems logical.

    BTW, I think that Welliver has narrated several other books, too, not all of them Bosch books. And I agree with you about the Lincoln Lawyer. The only ones I've read of those are the ones in which Bosch makes an appearance. Those are satisfying additions to Bosch's story.

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    1. I have a link about this spin-off in this week's round-up tomorrow. I was expecting it to be a Bosch & Ballard series, too, but-- although my rememberer seems to be broken this afternoon-- I don't think it is.

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  5. Sounds like a very intriguing story. Thank you for the post.

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    1. It is a very intriguing and very well-written story, Mystica.

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  6. The Bosch spin-off features Bosch as a private investigator, not a cop, along with Honey Chandler, a lawyer and Madeline Bosch, his daughter. At the end of the last episode this year, Bosch is applying for a private eye license.

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    1. What Sam wanted to know is if the spin-off was going to be Bosch & Ballard. It isn't. I looked up the link I had in this week's round-up. The storyline the spin-off is starting with just happens to be The Wrong Side of Goodbye.

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  7. No. It isn't a Bosch/Ballard spinoff, however there is a new Bosch/Ballard book coming out later in the fall.

    I may not succeed in dragging you into the courtroom, but maybe some other readers would be inspired.

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    1. I talked about that new Bosch/Ballard last month The Dark Hours.

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