Lost Light (Harry Bosch #9), by Michael Connelly

Lost Light by Michael Connelly

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Lost Light, the ninth entry in Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch series, carries the familiar grittiness and deep introspection that long-time readers have come to expect. Bosch, now retired, finds himself entangled in another case, this time a cold one that starts just as the reader expects: with a murder shrouded in mystery and Bosch’s relentless determination pushing it forward. However, like in Angels Flight, what makes “Lost Light” stand out isn’t just the mystery itself, but Bosch’s internal journey as he grapples with his own complex emotions.

»I’m a believer in the single-bullet theory… What I do know is that Eleanor Wish had been my bullet. She had pierced me through and through… I was still bleeding and I knew I would always bleed for her. That was just the way it had to be. There is no end of things in the heart.«

This passage encapsulates the essence of Bosch’s emotional state in “Lost Light”. In some ways, it felt like meeting an old friend again, much in the way Connelly revisits familiar themes—justice, love, and loss—with renewed vigour. Yet, Bosch seems older here, more hardened by both his career and his personal relationships. Comparatively, “Lost Light” offers a more personal look at Bosch than other works like The Black Echo, where duty often took centre stage.

»And that was the hardest part of the surveillance to watch. That was the part that made me feel the most like an intruder… “Turn it off now,” I finally said.«

It’s fascinating how Connelly blends high tension with moments of emotional rawness. The human side of the man beneath the gruff exterior is both riveting and haunting, making “Lost Light” stand out in the otherwise crowded genre of detective fiction.

Five stars out of five.


Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam




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