THE BURNING ROOM (Harry Bosch #19) (audiobook) by Michael Connelly



Published by Hachette Audio in November of 2014
Read by Titus Welliver
Duration: 10 hours, 11 minutes
Unabridged

In a book that feels like the beginning of the end to the long, productive career of LAPD Detective Harry Bosch, Bosch and his new partner work on two different cold cases. One case is unique in that the murder victim just died but the shot that killed him was fired years before - the injury finally overwhelmed him. 

The second case is personal to Bosch's new partner, Lucia "Lucy" Soto. As a child, she was in a day care that was operated in the basement of an apartment building when someone set fire to the garbage in another part of the basement with a Molotov cocktail sort of device. The resulting fire killed a number of the children and their teacher. Since Soto has such a personal stake in this case she should preclude herself from it - but Bosch works it so that they can re-open the case as part of another case.
Michael Connelly. Photo by
Mark DeLong Photography

While the cases were interesting, the interplay between Bosch and Soto really got my attention. Clearly, Bosch has found a detective that shares his level of commitment and he is happy to coach her - he offers critiques when needed and praise when deserved and she works hard to figure out what he does that makes him such a good detective.

Everything points to Bosch moving on to greener pastures. This is the 19th Harry Bosch book (depending on how you choose to number them) and he is approaching forced retirement. He reminisces about old cases (he has a point to them so he is not just telling stories just to tell them), he leaves it to his partner to use the technology stuff, including internet searches. He does the old school stuff, like looking at newspaper clippings and picking locks with paper clips. Together they make a powerful team and Bosch seems to delight in telling people that they pair old detectives with the most talented newest ones so that they can learn. I am a teacher and I recognize the relationship as being the same that I have had with student teachers - mentor and mentee.

I enjoyed this book thoroughly even though Bosch seems to be moving out to make room for Soto, especially with the surprise ending. 

The audiobook was read by Titus Welliver who plays Harry Bosch in Amazon's adaptation of the series for streaming video. I have heard Welliver do several Robert B. Parker audiobooks - he was not bad with those but he is much better with this book. That is not surprising though - Connelly's books always do well as audiobooks. They read like they were designed to be read aloud.

I rate this audiobook 5 stars out of 5.

This book can be found on Amazon here: The Burning Room (A Harry Bosch Novel)




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