The Harry Bosch Novels, Volume 1

I got sucked into these books after reading the first three of Michael Connelly's Mickey Haller books. Harry Bosch shows up in the third as a primary character, and it turns out that Connelly had already a whole series around the guy.

The stories mostly run together - Bosch is a detective mostly in disgrace with the LAPD because he's not a team player and he often crosses the line into unethical behavior. But he always gets his man, one way or another, usually after a few twists and turns.

The books are stylish and funny and dark and good airplane reads, or it's summer and it's too damn hot to go outside reads. Connelly reminds me of a mix of John Grisham with the police and legal stuff and Elmore Leonard with the style. His books, all set in and around LA, have a definite sense of place to them. LA is as much a part of the story as the people are.

I think there are at least three more volumes of the Harry Bosch books, and I'll probably work my way through them as the summer progresses.