Harry Bosch returns in stellar 'Black Box'

Michael Connelly has been writing books featuring Los Angeles police Detective Harry Bosch for 20 years, and his 25th novel, “The Black Box,” continues his streak of telling stellar crime stories.

Connelly's writing is like the best flavor of ice cream: reliably delicious every time. This time, the case holds a personal connection to Bosch. In 1992, during the L.A. riots, a woman's body was found shot in a dark alley. She was a reporter from Europe who was working on a big case, but why was she deep in the middle of the chaos? Was her murder related to the riots or her investigation? Bosch never had a chance to find out because he was pulled to another crime and the case was turned over to another unit.

Her murder was never solved, and Bosch never forgot about it. Working for the cold case unit, Bosch decides to reopen the case, and soon discovers the gun used in her shooting was involved in other crimes involving gang members.

Instead of following the money, he decides to follow the gun. His hope is to find the plane's “black box.” He knows that if he's persistent, he'll finally discover the truth.

His character and code of honor make Bosch one of the top detectives in crime fiction. Connelly has a gift for taking what seem to be clichés and making them fresh and vibrant. Readers should find this “Black Box” because what it unveils is extraordinary.