The Right Book at the Right Time

Title: The Drop

Author: Michael Connelly

Publisher: Hachette Audio, 2011

Summary: Narrator Len Cariou, the voice of deeply flawed LAPD detective Harry Bosch, brings Bosch alive in this popular series that has yet to grow cold like the cases Harry oversees in the LAPD’S Cold Case Homicide Unit. On the verge of retirement Harry’s need to solve cases reaches a desperate point when not one but two cases are dropped in his lap. The first case a cold case, in which DNA from a 21 year old cold case points the finger at a convicted pedophile rapist, the only problem is that the suspect was only 8 years old at the time of the crime. The possibility of a bad DNA report from the Regional Crime Lab casts a veil of uncertainty over the validity of DNA results that could send thousands of sex crime cases into turmoil. The second case involves the son of Bosch’s arch enemy Councilman Irvin Irving, who “dropped” out of a hotel suite window at the famed Chateau Marmot. It is not clear why Irving specifically requested that Bosch investigate his son’s death when all evidence points to a suicide. Bosch sticks to his credo “Everyone counts or nobody counts,” in his investigation where he finds himself on a path of clues leading to possible political conspiracy.

I love to listen to Connelly’s Harry Bosch books on audio CD with the rich character voice of Len Cariou creates the perfect image of Harry in your mind, when audible voice is given to a character like Harry it outs the story on a whole different level. Michael Connelly revives the character of Bosch avoiding a stale storyline of heroics and glory and really giving insight into a cop facing the possibility of retirement when his life force depends on the challenges of a case and the pursuit of justice.

Who will like this?: Fans of the Harry Bosch series (this is number 17), anyone who likes crime thrillers

If you like this, try this: Joseph Wambaugh, John Sandford’s Virgil Flowers series, or books by David Simon.

Recommended by: Dawn, Main Library

Interested in this book? Visit the Fairfield Public Library Catalog to check the status or place a hold on the audio book, or visit the Fairfield Public Library Catalog to place a hold on the paper version!

Title: Abandoned

Author:  Cody McFadyen

Publisher: Bantam, October 2009

Summary: Smoky Barrett is a special agent with the FBI, leading a team that specializes in hunting down and capturing serial killers. While Smoky and several other agents are attending the wedding of one of their own, a woman is pushed from a vehicle in full view of the guests. The victim looks ghostly with a shaved head, pasty white skin, and an undernourished body. Staggering into the wedding party, she lets out a wail and doesn’t stop. The victim is Heather Hollister, missing for more than 7 years – just long enough to be declared dead. As details of Heather’s abduction and captivity are revealed, Smoky realizes they are hunting a killer more cold and calculating than any they’ve seen before.

Abandoned is the fourth in the series by Cody McFadyen, though this is the first that I’ve read. When I started this book, I thought it was a little over-the-top with more sex and violence than needed. Not Quentin Tarantino over-the-top, just a few more details than necessary. As I continued to read, and yes, I continued to read, I found myself drawn into this story and the lives of its characters. I started to believe that it was possible, probable even, that every member of Smoky’s team had a loved one murdered by a serial killer. I realized that it wasn’t really too far-fetched that not only was Smoky’s first husband and daughter murdered in front of her eyes, but she was now raising the daughter of her best friend who was also a victim of murder. In other words, after the first few chapters of this book I was hooked and no longer questioned whether it was realistic or not. I just wanted Smoky to catch the monster before anyone else was killed or, “gulp”, lobotomized. If you like your thrillers with a little more blood and guts than usual, you’ll like Abandoned.

Who will like this book? Fans of  thrillers and suspense novels.

Recommended by: Sue, Circulation Coordinator

Title: The Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death

Author:  Charlie Huston

Publisher: Ballantine, January 2009

Summary: Charlie Huston has a reputation for using vulgarity and profanity in his writing. His newest novel will cement that reputation. The dialogue, however, did not offend me because it was true to the characters. I couldn’t imagine them speaking any other way.

Webster Fillmore Goodhue, Web for short, is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and has been slacking off a bit. Once a middle school teacher, he is now living off his best friend Chev. Web is offered and encouraged to accept some part time work with Clean Team. Apparently, the trauma scene and waste cleaning industry is very competitive and the employees of Clean Team have to watch their backs. It doesn’t help that Web gets involved with a beautiful young woman who needs him to “clean up” a mess in a seedy motel room. Web finds himself in all kinds of trouble, and even though his life has been in a downward spiral, he still tries to be a good person and do the right thing.

The descriptions of the trauma scenes are grisly and may be too much for some readers. If you can get over past the language and the gore, this book is really rather amusing.

Who will like this book?  Anyone who will admit, even if its just to themselves, that they like inappropriate dialogue and blood and guts.

Recommended by: Sue, Circulation Coordinator