Rating: 
Summary: Well-Written Teaser
Review: "Black Ice" begins with the discovery of a dead cop in a motel room that appears to be suicide, and ends with a revelation (uncovered by Harry Bosch) that the cop's death was murder. However, Harry is the only one to believe in the cop's murder until events unfold to prove him correct, and the suspects are hard to come by.This is typically well-written, fully-developed, and articulate Harry Bosch, only William Connelly's second novel (after "The Black Echo"). The plot is very well constructed, with revelations evenly paced throughout. The characters are more than placecards to hold their positions for the novel to unfold. Bosch proves himself the rebel of custom and protocol as he ventures through several states and countries. Readers familiar with the Bosch cycle of novels will not want to miss this one. Readers new to Bosch are advised to read "The Black Ice" first.
Rating: 
Summary: Better Than The First
Review: I really enjoyed the first in the series, The Black Echo; but this one is even better. The main character, Harry Bosch, is developing nicely. The mystery was intriguing. The only predictable thing is Harry seems to become attracted to all the women. Not very discriminating, but that might be a typical male trait. Overall, an excellent read!
Rating:
Summary: Better Than The First
Review: I really enjoyed the first in the series, The Black Echo; but this one is even better. The main character, Harry Bosch, is developing nicely. The mystery was intriguing. The only predictable thing is Harry seems to become attracted to all the women. Not very discriminating, but that might be a typical male trait. Overall, an excellent read!
Rating:
Summary: Stereotypical Set-up, but with Excellent Results
Review: I've been looking for this novel, you see. It's about a well adjusted and highly effective police detective, on the fast track, who is loved by all the brass and has a nice family waiting at home for him every night. This detective is given a lot of support by the investigative apparatus and has developed a nice working relationship with the press. He works cases methodically and practically, never making himself the target of some psycho. Well, I haven't found it yet, but one thing I can tell you is Harry Bosch is not that detective and The Black Ice is definitely not that book. Michael Connelly has developed the stereotypical me against the world cop book that comes off as anything but stereotypical. In this latest police procedural, the procedure are all thrown out the window as Bosch tries to solve the murder of a fellow policeman that no one seems to want solved. Tied in with the death of narcotic's officer Cal Moore's demise, is a few drug related killers and the recent sudden retirement of a fellow homicide detective. Connelly spins a web of corruption and lost youth, symbolically weaving together the tough childhood's of the slain detective and Bosch and takes the tale south of LA, to twin Mexican Border Towns and a ring of smugglers transporting the latest hip drug, Black Ice.
While this may not have been a great novel, Connelly does a great job with the subtle symbolism in this book. He doesn't need to hit you over the head with it and he gives the reader a lot of credit for intelligence. But then it all breaks down in the end after the obligatory action scenes, Bosch takes a turn as Hercule Poirot, and needs to explain everything down to the last detail to an ungrateful boss. For the most part this was a brisk paced and fun addition to the Harry Bosch series.
Rating:
Summary: Fast paced, character driven thriller!
Review: I've started reading the Harry Bosch novels in order (I'm funning that way). This of course is the second in the series. The characters were fresh and real. The mystery in the plot was there, however when all was revealed you could go, "ah ha". Hope you enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Great police thriller!
Review: It is my first book of Harry Bosh' series (but I've read other books by Michael Conelly that I liked) and I was impressed. There are many novels with the motif of 'lone wolf' but it is difficult to make the reader really like the main hero. This book is the one. The plot seems totally logical and realistic, and at the ame time intriguing until the end. Mexican background, including Harry' adventures there, seems real and interesting. The police work in LA is described with such details that you definetely get the atmosphere the writer tried to convey. Definitely recommended to all fans of mistery novels and police thrillers.
Rating: 
Summary: AUDIO TAPE WARNING - MULTI-TRACK STEREO
Review: Just a warning to all the audiobook listeners out there. The unabridged cassette tapes are multi-track stereo meaning that the cheap publisher uses the left and right channels to record separate chapters. So unless you have a headphone splitter the tape will not work correctly. I fail to understand why in this day and age, the publishers can't spend a few more pennies and put the 4 additional tapes in the box. If AOL can send out about a bizillion CD's a year for free, why can't this publibsher spring for some old fashon cassettes! I listened to about 5 minutes of it and couldn't stand it any longer. I would have returned it had it not been past the 30 days for Amazon's return policy.
Rating:
Summary: Bosch at his best
Review: Michael Connelly consistently delivers exciting hard-boiled police procedurals with Harry Bosch in control. In Black Ice Bosch is cut out of an investigation of an apparent suicide of narcotics officer Calexico Moore by the bigwigs of the department. They want to do what is pc and Bosch is definitely not that. At the same time Bosch's supervisor Pound feels compelled to increase the percentages of his homicides solved so Bosch is elected to solve some cases of an out on stress leave detective, Porter. Harry realizes that Porter's case, his own and Moore's "suicide" are all tied together. As usual Bosch cuts corners and goes out on his own to make the pieces fit. An excellent read for any fan of mystery and suspense. Connelly is always exciting and hard to put down. I am ready for a new one. For anyone unfamiliar with Connelly and Harry Bosch, read them in order and not spread out over years as I have done.
Rating:
Summary: Hard-boiled thriller, a great read
Review: Michael Connelly's books are definitively within the "hard-boiled urban detective" genre that historically has been highlighted by the work of Raymond Chandler and other great mystery writers. *The Black Ice* is the second in a series of novels with LAPD detective Hieronymous Bosch as the protagonist (the first was *The Black Echo*), and it's definitely a winner. There's murder, intrigue, twists and turns in the plot, and plenty of action, as well. One thing that Connelly does particularly well is to include geographical/place descriptions in his work. When one reads his descriptions of life in Los Angeles or travels to a bordertown like Mexicali, these places really do seem real and are accurately depicted. The book is not perfect; as in so many police mysteries, sometimes the clues come just a bit too neatly packaged, and at times this doesn't seem realistic. But then, real police work is probably pretty dull 90% of the time (false leads, endless drudgery, etc.), so streamlining the process for the sake of fast-moving fiction is certainly forgiveable. The other thing that had me rolling my eyes a bit is the obligatory "romantic angle" that seems always to be a subplot in these books. Again, it's kind of a sacred part of the genre, but wouldn't it be interesting if for once Bosch noted the "gorgeous but sad woman" and then went about his business without becoming involved with her? All in all, this is a terrific book and an absorbing, "can't put it down" read. One last thing: I would recommend that people who wish to read the Bosch novels start with the first (*The Black Echo*) and read them in chronological order, as Connelly is very careful in his novels about maintaining accurate references to what has happened to his protagonist previously.
Rating:
Summary: A stunning, exceptional crime novel!
Review: The Black Ice has been the fifth book of M.Connelly that I have read. So far, it is his best! The story is gripping, exciting, elaborate, suspensful, and absolutely well thought out.
The tensness is increasing permanently till the end with a finish that is quite surprising. In particular, I liked the way Connelly describes the character of Harry Bosch. You really 'learn' something about him and get some insights into his complex and 'different' personality.
If you like crime novels/police stories than this is for you! Although Connelly's way of writing is different from J.Ellroy or R.Chandler, his novels are absolutely comparable.
My recommendation is, buy the book 'The Harry Bosch Mysteries' where you've got the first three H.Bosch novels in a chronological order (The Black Echo, The Black Ice, The Concrete Blonde). Although it is not essential it is better to start at the beginning due to the fact that some 'small stories' are much easier to understand.
I will continue to read the other books of M.Connelly because he is a great author in a time where you find loads of rubbish in the book shelves. BUY IT YOU WON'T REGRET IT!
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