Rating: 
Summary: Not quite as good as "The Black Echo"
Review: I didn't enjoy this book quite as much as i did "The Black Echo", which i thought was a stunning debut novel. However, this is still a really good book. Bosch is a great character, but at times he and his superiours attitudes toward him get so frustrating!The plot here is another good one, but to me seemed a little similar to the first. Maybe that's just because of the similarities brought ove rin Bosch's character. That's always a problem when you do a series. Nevertheless, this book has a good plot. It's exciting and tense, and Connelly's writing is gritty and evocative. He has particular talent for the descriptions of place. I would reccomend this to people who read the first one and liked it. Also, it has a really really good climax and a great twist! Definitely a high-class detective novel.
Rating: 
Summary: OK, I'm Convinced
Review: A while back I read "THE BLACK ECHO", Connelly's first Harry Bosch story. I liked it a lot, but held my rating to 4 stars. I didn't want to be too easy, after all. Well, now I've read Connelly's second tale, "THE BLACK ICE" and I'm convinced: this guy is good. "THE BLACK ICE" starts with the apparent suicide of a narc. Before long, though, Harry finds a connection between the death of the narc, Calexico Moore, and another case he is working on involving the murder of a drug runner. Then a connection turns up to another murder, that of an unidentified Mexican whose body was dumped behind a local diner. Coincidence? Harry doesn't think so. While the actual nature of Calexico Moore's death wasn't a huge surprise by the time I reached the end of the story, it was certainly an interesting ride getting there. This story has plenty of twists and turns in it, and even Harry becomes a target before it's all over. It's a page-turner from beginning to end. It's also believable, and the characters have depth and believability (except I do take issue with Harry's ability to go several days on virtually no sleep and still function effectively, but that is a small thing). Connelly isn't Doyle, and Harry Bosch isn't Sherlock Holmes, but if you like modern, gritty police procedurals then give Connelly's books a try. Keeping in mind that Holmes is 5+ star material, then this is about 4.7 star stuff. Good enough to round off at 5 stars. It was a page-turner for me and I recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Better and Better
Review: Connelly shows improvement here from his last book, Black Echo. Fun and exciting, Connelly balances the mystery with the deeply personal aspects of Bosch's life. Connelly paints a dark picture of LA, and a seedy picture of a down and out cop's life. Like most of Connelly's books, the twists and turns keep coming. This book is less contrived than the last and Connelly shows no signs of slowing down. Definately worth your time.
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: Excitement ... and more.
Review: Black Ice by Michael Connelly Saint Martins Paperbacks 1993 When a fellow police officer is found dead, a supposed suicide, Harry Bosch is told to stay away from it. But when he finds out that it's not suicide and is tied to some other murders in the same area, he begins his own investigation. Much to the chagrin of his superiors, Harry, like the lonely coyote, Timido, that lives and hunts in a ravine near Harry's home, takes off on his own and puts his career and life on the line as he follows the murder trail into Mexico. In Mexico Harry finds the source of the drug, black ice, and also the answers to some puzzling problems. In a strange twist to the story, all is revealed and Harry faces a difficult decision of how to resolve several problems. As always, Harry comes through with the right choice and ends up with enough information to keep his job and his boss on edge. For the first time in years, a woman, the wife of the murdered police officer, breaks through the thick impervious shell Harry has built around himself. This protective screen keeps him from feeling too deeply about anything except his commitment to bring the bad guys to justice. This is a very good read; with enough excitement and twists and turns of plot to keep you interested to the very end.
Rating:
Summary: Another great thriller starring Det. Harry Bosch
Review: Since I only recently started reading the Michael Connelly series featuring Harry Bosch, I made sure to start reading them in order. This 2nd book is just as great as the first book(Black Echo)and the story delves a bit more into Harry's character-something that you will likely find in all of Connelly's books featuring Harry Bosch. This time around Harry gets involved(without the approval of police brass-surprise)in the murder of fellow detective Calexico Moore, found dead in a rundown hotel room. As expected, there's more than one plot that intertwines as the story develops. Harry takes over the cases of a detective he works with in the RHD, a man with a drinking problem who suddenly calls in saying he's taking early retirement. The first case Harry looks into involves a dead laborer found just outside of a diner frequented by cops. It so happens that particular case was worked on by none other than the late Det. Cal Moore and bingo! Harry, with a little extra research starts to put two and two together and you're well on your way to a fast moving, mesmerizing story with a really surprise ending. Very highly recommended, especially for those that enjoy good mystery/suspense stories with unlike detective heroes.
Rating:
Summary: Another Winner From Connelly
Review: Although this book is not quite as good as the first Bosch novel, The Black Echo, it is still amazing. Connelly is a great mystery writer and his characters are fully developed. The plot moves along at a rapid pace and the ending is completely satisfying. So many times when you read a mystery, the suspense builds and the ending is always a let down. Michael Connelly never lets you down. Well written and a great read.
Rating:
Summary: Wow, What A Book!
Review: The Black Ice was my 5th Michael Connelly novel. I ran out and bought it after I finished The Black Echo. I thoroughly enjoyed The Black Ice the whole way through. I thought that the idea and concept of the plot was very neat. The ending is the thing that shocked me. This book had to do with the smuggling and production of a drug called Black Ice. It links the plant down in Mexico with some murders in the Hollywood/ LA area. That means Harry Bosch is on the case, and that's a good thing. This was not my favorite Connelly novel but close to it.
Rating:
Summary: Procedures, Politics and Bosch
Review: Connely is likeable for all kinds of reasons. What I like about his work is how he portrays the LAPD as a diseased institution - a cuckhold of the media, city politics and all the heavy infighting that go on inside the LAPD. Then you have Bosch, who manages to doggedly pursue his cases while limboing through the precarious balance of the LAPD political sphere. Bosch manages to do this while keeping a cool head, keeping his wits about him and meeting his deadlines. The narration is fast, lean and spare. Black Ice is interesting because Bosch is teaming up with other law enforcement agencies: the DEA and the Calexico PD. We get a convincing glimpse of law enforcement in Mexico. We also get a rollercoaster of a climax when the DEA makes a helicopter raid on a heroin ranch in Mexico.
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