Rating: 
Summary: Great L. A. sleuthing
Review: Michael Connelly keeps your attention from the first page. Harry Bosch, wry LAPD homicide detective, puts together the pieces of an interesting puzzle. Who killed the blonde buried in concrete????Bosch uses all his informants to build a case. You will enjoy the polictical intrigue with Parker center, home of the LAPD brass.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Bosch
Review: The Concrete Blond is the Bosch novel we've been waiting on. This one has something for everyone. It has the legal/courtroom suspence, it's a classic who-done-it, and it has all the plot twists a reader could want. Connelly takes all these components and expertly wraps them up into a very tight plot. This book would be excellent as a stand alone, but it is also key in the series. It answers a lot of questions raised in the first two books about Bosch's past. This one is my favorite Connelly book so far, and I highly recommend it to any mystery/suspence fans. It can be read as a stand alone, but I think it was much better after having first read The Black Echo and the Black Ice. Also recommended: anything by Michael Connelly (Blood Work); Greg Iles (Dead Sleep, 24 Hours); Nelson DeMille (Plum Island, The Lions Game); Jeffery Deaver (The Devil's Teardrop, The Bone Collector); or T. Jefferson Parker (The Blue Hour, Red Light).
Rating:
Summary: Terrific
Review: The Concrete Blonde is about the fifth Michael Connelly work I have read and while I have loved them all--this one is definitely the best I have read so far. This is the third installment in the Harry Bosch chronicles and is a court room drama and police procedural rolled into one, complete with terrific dialogue, an excellent plot and expert pacing. Before this series opened, Harry took out the Dollmaker, a notorious LA serial killer. Harry is now on trial, in civil court, accused of violating the civil rights of the murderer. During the trial, evidence surfaces that causes Harry to doubt whether he shot the wrong man--could the Dollmaker still be at large? Connelly handles this story quite well, weaving the stories of the trial and the criminal investigation seamlessly. This is a well-done escape. Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Another Great Harry Bosch Story
Review: THE CONCRETE BLONDE is the third tale in Michael Connelley's Harry Bosch series. Four years ago, Harry shot and killed the man he believed was an L.A. serial killer nicknamed "The Dollmaker". Now, the man's widow and her high-powered lawyer are suing Harry and the LAPD for wrongful death. Just as the case opens in court, a new murder victim with all the characteristics of a "Dollmaker" kill turns up embedded in concrete. The location of the body has been tipped off by a note and the body is definitely not four years old. Did Harry shoot the wrong man? This is another great story by Connelly. It's a page-turner and keeps you guessing right to the end. If gritty, contemporary mysteries are your forte, you've got to read this. In fact, I recommend it highly to anyone who isn't put off by the graphic realism of the details. Connelly has proved himself as a first-rate writer in this genre. His books are top-notch and this one is no exception. Buy a copy and get comfortable, because you won't want to put it down.
Rating:
Summary: Best so far
Review: This book is highly recommended to fans of crime fiction/police procedurals. Actually, in this book, you also get an interesting civil rights trial set in 1990's LA, California. Connelly does everything right in my opinion. He tells enough about Bosch's history so that you could start with this novel (which is by far better than his first two). Secondly, the cop speak (police jargon) is right on. Most importantly Connelly plots a wonderful murder mystery with several viable suspects until near the end of the book. This book held my interest from page one, and I loved every bit of The Concrete Blonde.
Connelly does so much more than weave a mystery. His writing is very excellent. When I read this book I felt like I was right there in L.A. Also, the thoughts of Bosch are hilarious at times. Harry is a very likeable and intriguing character.
I read the first two Bosch books, but this is the best so far as I previously stated. For the sake of learning more about Bosch, I recommend starting at the beginning of the series. I love the character of Bosch as much as I love the setting of 1990's L.A. On to the next adventure of Harry Bosch.
Rating:
Summary: BLONDES DO HAVE MORE FUN
Review: This is my first Connelly book and it is a tremendous story! I found myself completely engrossed in Harry Bosch and the complex plot. Connelly deftly balances courtroom intrigue and police procedurals, not relying on a lot of crimes being committed during the course of this novel. He refers instead to a previous crime which he thought was over, but has now resurfaced as the victim's widow has filed suit against him. A really good writer, Connelly entangles us in several breathtaking courtroom confrontations and "dirty" cop scenarios. Bosch is a great character, his relationship with Sylvia is very believable and you want it to work out. Add Money Chandler, the vicious defense attorney, who is one of the best "hero/villains" I've read in a long time. All the characters are well-fleshed and even though I thought I had the mystery figured out, Connelly pulls a very credible surprise on us! I can't wait to get the other Bosch books now. A great series!
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