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Type of bind: Mass Market Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN num: 9780446613446
ISBN number: 0446613444
Label: Vision
Manufacturer: Vision
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 448
Printing Date: 2003-12
Publishing house: Vision
Release Date: December 02, 2003
Sale Popularity Level: 11880
Studio: Vision
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Product Description:
The corpse in the hotel room appears to be that of a missing LAPD narcotics officer. Rumours abound that he had crossed - selling a new drug called Black Ice from Mexico - and the LAPD brass are quick to declare his death aside.But Harry Bosch isn't so sure; prompted by odd, inexplicable details from the crime scene, and attraction to the widow, he begins his own investigation. An investigation that takes him over the border to Mexico and into a dangerous labyrinth of shifting identities and deadly corruption.
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Rated by buyers -
The Black Ice is Michael Connelly's second book in his series of Harry Bosch novels. What makes his books special is the combination of an interesting and complex main character with fascinating story lines that are complex enough to keep you on your toes, but also fun and engaging.
In this installment, Bosch discovers that a suicide of a narcotics officer might actually be a homicide, and that the officer may have been playing both sides. The story bogs down a bit when Bosch travels to Mexico, and the story started to veer off into 3 star territory, but for me, the ending redeemed this book.
Rated by buyers -
It is Christmas, and Harry Bosch is on standby to take calls for any murders. He has the police scanner on, and hears a report of an incident within his jurisdiction. When he investigates, he becomes involved in a messy case involving a police officer. Things develop from there.
There is a lot about bureaucracy and bean counting in the police department. Increase the number of arrests and increase the percentage of solved cases to make the atatistics look good when the budget request goes in. There are continuing conflicts between Harry and his superiors, but there are some tradeoffs. Not everything is as it seems, but everyone seems to come away with something. Sometimes it's better not to look too close.
Black ice, by the way, is a new form of narcotic - an emerging recreational drug showing up on the scene.
The novel is also available as part of the omnibus collection, "The Harry Bosch Novels."
Rated by buyers -
Be sure you read The Black Echo before this book. The back story and characterizations rely a lot on these books being read in the order they were written.
The Black Ice has many things to recommend it. Harry Bosch is a modern "noir" detective working in LA's underbelly, the sleazy streets of Hollywood, who sees himself as an avenging angel with no room for anything else in his life. That characterization is tested in The Black Ice when Harry is affected to his toes by meeting the widow of a murder victim.
The descriptions of drug manufacture, distribution, and dealing are powerful and memorable. The book has lots of exciting action.
You'll also feel like you've been taken on a well-run tour of Hollywood and Mexicali . . . to see the tawdriest locales.
But the book does go wrong, tarnishing lots of good writing. Michael Connelly inexplicably and unnecessarily uses one of the oldest and least satisfying plot devices in the mystery author's filing cabinet. I won't say more, but you'll know what I mean when the book is over.
The effect of hitting that plot device is like going from a smooth ride in a jet to a kid's soap box derby crate rolling over potholes. The ride just isn't the same. Up until the plot device is triggered, the book is clearly a five-star effort.
But you have better things ahead. The Concrete Blonde, the third Harry Bosch mystery, is a much better and more rewarding book to read.
Rated by buyers 
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Just love Harry Bosch. The stories are gritting, complex and well executed with believable characters. What else do you want!?
Rated by buyers -
Having grown up in the upper Midwest (eastern Montana), I know all about grey ice. It is deceptive - the road looks perfectly fine, but if you aren't very careful, and if you hit a patch just right (or wrong, I suppose, would be more correct), it can send you careening off in an unexpected direction. This idea is used to good effect in this very excellent novel by Michael Connelly.
Harry Bosch only knew about the killing because one of the transmissions happened to go out on the regular frequency. He was angry, because he was supposed to be on call that night for any murders, so he decided to go and crash the party, so to speak. When he arrived, it was to discover that one of the vice cops - Calexio Moore - had apparently taken a shotgun, propped himself against the bathtub, held it to his face and pulled both the triggers with his toe. There wasn't much left of his face. When the body is finally moved and searched, a note is found in his back pocket which reads "I found out who I was."
Harry is told in no uncertain terms that his help is not wanted on this case but because Harry is completely incapable of letting things go, he begins to investigate the matter anyway. What he discovers eventually leads him to the barrio Cal grew up in, in Calexico - right across the border from Mexicali. From bull fights to a castle on a hill, Harry's time spent in this area is vivid and beautifully described.
This is an amazing book. Fans of noir, thrillers, good mysteries and/or this series will love this Bosch story!
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