Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Little, Brown and Company (2019), 416 pages
Description
Back when Harry Bosch was just a rookie homicide detective, he had an inspiring mentor who taught him to take the work personally and light the fire of relentlessness for every case. Now that mentor, John Jack Thompson, is dead, but after his funeral his widow hands Bosch a murder book that Thompson took with him when he left the LAPD 20 years before -- the unsolved killing of a troubled young man in an alley used for drug deals. Bosch brings the murder book to Renee Ballard and asks her to help him find what about the case lit Thompson's fire all those years ago. That will be their starting point. The bond between Bosch and Ballard tightens as they become a formidable investigation team. And they soon arrive at a worrying question: Did Thompson steal the murder book to work the case in retirement, or to make sure it never got solved?… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member jfe16
Detective John Jack Thompson was Harry Bosch’s mentor back in the day. Now he’s gone and his widow, Margaret, has given him a murder book. Thompson had taken it with him when he retired from the LAPD some twenty years earlier . . . the unsolved murder of a troubled young man.
Meanwhile, late
Determined to solve the case for his friend, Harry takes the murder book to Renée who finds some things that simply don’t add up. Soon she and Harry have become a formidable team. But was Thompson’s case one that he wanted to solve or one that he wanted to stay cold and unsolved?
“The Night Fire is the twenty-second outing for Harry Bosch, the third for Renée Ballard, the second for Harry and Renée. Whatever series number readers choose to attach to the book, “The Night Fire” is an intriguing mystery in a twisty plot that keeps readers on the edge of their seats as Harry and Renée get closer to the answers and the unfolding narrative ratchets up the suspense.
Although part of a series, the story works as a stand-alone; readers can easily grab a copy of “The Late Show” and “Dark Sacred Night” and catch up on this captivating series. The dynamic between Harry and Renée is one of the strengths of the series; the strong sense of place keeps the swiftly-moving narrative well-anchored.
Alternating between Harry and Renée, the unfolding stories detail the work involved for each detective in solving the cases. It’s a satisfying investigation filled with more than a few surprises and a hint of what might be coming along when Harry and Renée team up once again. Readers, both fans of Harry and Renée and those new to the series, are sure to find this riveting tale both rewarding and unputdownable.
Highly recommended.
Meanwhile, late
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show Detective Renée Ballard has caught a case: a homeless man killed when a kerosene lamp fell over and torched the tent where he was sleeping. Accident? Detective Ballard isn’t so sure.Determined to solve the case for his friend, Harry takes the murder book to Renée who finds some things that simply don’t add up. Soon she and Harry have become a formidable team. But was Thompson’s case one that he wanted to solve or one that he wanted to stay cold and unsolved?
“The Night Fire is the twenty-second outing for Harry Bosch, the third for Renée Ballard, the second for Harry and Renée. Whatever series number readers choose to attach to the book, “The Night Fire” is an intriguing mystery in a twisty plot that keeps readers on the edge of their seats as Harry and Renée get closer to the answers and the unfolding narrative ratchets up the suspense.
Although part of a series, the story works as a stand-alone; readers can easily grab a copy of “The Late Show” and “Dark Sacred Night” and catch up on this captivating series. The dynamic between Harry and Renée is one of the strengths of the series; the strong sense of place keeps the swiftly-moving narrative well-anchored.
Alternating between Harry and Renée, the unfolding stories detail the work involved for each detective in solving the cases. It’s a satisfying investigation filled with more than a few surprises and a hint of what might be coming along when Harry and Renée team up once again. Readers, both fans of Harry and Renée and those new to the series, are sure to find this riveting tale both rewarding and unputdownable.
Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member Beamis12
Ballard and Bosch. Has a nice ring to it, a partnership formed, a detecting duo extradordinaire.
Bosch, now in his seventies, is recovering from a knees surgery, is Connelly's long running detective. A character that I respect, I mean who can't love a man/cop whose motto is, "Everybody counted, or
Those are the two lead characters, now for the detecting part. A murder book left on the desk of a recently retired police captain, Bosch's friend and mentor, brings the duo together again. There are also side crimes, crimes seldom make an appearance alone. Connelly's plots are always interesting, diverse, and I enjoy following how the clues, the cases are put together. This one is a doozy and I never guessed where it would lead. I just hope the author keeps Bosch around for a while longer. I like Ballard but I'm not quite ready to let go of Bosch. I hope the author feels the same.
ARC from Netgalley
Bosch, now in his seventies, is recovering from a knees surgery, is Connelly's long running detective. A character that I respect, I mean who can't love a man/cop whose motto is, "Everybody counted, or
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nobody counted." Ballard is a young detective, on the night shift or late show in police limbo. She has already run into the politics of being on the job, young and good looking, she is on this shift because she refused to play well with others. Her life and back story is interesting in a different way. She and Bosch met up during a cold case, she has access that Bosch no longer has, not really being attached to any police division.Those are the two lead characters, now for the detecting part. A murder book left on the desk of a recently retired police captain, Bosch's friend and mentor, brings the duo together again. There are also side crimes, crimes seldom make an appearance alone. Connelly's plots are always interesting, diverse, and I enjoy following how the clues, the cases are put together. This one is a doozy and I never guessed where it would lead. I just hope the author keeps Bosch around for a while longer. I like Ballard but I'm not quite ready to let go of Bosch. I hope the author feels the same.
ARC from Netgalley
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LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
The Night Fire, Michael Connelly, author; Titus Welliver, Christine Lakin, narrators
Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch have teamed up once again. In this series, because the main character is really Renee, a female, the narrative seems to have gotten a little trite. The dialog is sometimes too
When a homeless man is burned alive in his tent, Renee is called in to investigate. The powers that be dismiss the event as an accident, but she is unconvinced as there are other cases that seem to converge with respect to clues, motives and suspects that she is suddenly made aware of. When Harry’s mentor, a well respected police officer, passes away, his wife discovers a murder book in his desk. It is about an unsolved drug murder.
Both the homeless man and the unsolved murder case involve the same law firm. Then when Renee is called to investigate the suicide of a troubled 11 year old, this too seems related in some way to the other two cases she is considering. It seems there is a law firm that is involved with each of these cases being investigated. Then a judge is murdered and more coincidences are uncovered. Have they been looking for the wrong kind of suspect?
Because Bosch is having health problems, he relies a lot on Renee to do the grunt work. They actually work together unofficially since he is no longer art of the force. Bosch is pushing 70 and has recently been diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, a result of being exposed to radiation while working on a case. Although he is expected to respond well to treatment, he is recovering from knee surgery as well, so he is not in great shape. He engages his step brother Mickey Haller to help in his effort to sue to get the police department to pay for his treatments so he is not bankrupted and can leave some kind of legacy to his daughter.
Bosch is considered an anomaly and is not well liked by some on the force because he often helps in court cases for his step brother, Mickey Haller who defends those who are often wrongfully incarcerated based on inadequate evidence, or those who have been victims of miscarriages of justice. The cops and the prosecutors don’t care that he may be helping the innocent victim; they want a conviction because they have put in the time and effort to get it. Ballard is an anomaly because she is resented as a female and has to scratch her way up the ladder, often making enemies on the way.
In an attempt to cover progressive causes, there are issues about the abuse of women, problems in the LGBTQ community, drug deals gone bad and bad cops.
Personally, I prefer the Harry Bosch novels without Renee Ballard, but this one is good for entertainment as an audiobook while driving or as a vacation read.
Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch have teamed up once again. In this series, because the main character is really Renee, a female, the narrative seems to have gotten a little trite. The dialog is sometimes too
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conversational about meaningless things. I don’t think people reading mysteries really care much about the detective’s dog, but I do understand, that part of the story serves to explain that Renee lives on the beach in a tent,with her dog. That too, is a bit over the top for a young, female detective’s odd lifestyle. It would probably be unbelievable if she was a male detective, unless he was undercover. This serves to show that Ballard is an independent and supposedly strong minded individual. Because Ballard is a female in a man’s world, she has been treated unfairly and has to fight her way to be accepted. As a result of past events, involving power struggles with higher ups, she works the murder shift at night. When a homeless man is burned alive in his tent, Renee is called in to investigate. The powers that be dismiss the event as an accident, but she is unconvinced as there are other cases that seem to converge with respect to clues, motives and suspects that she is suddenly made aware of. When Harry’s mentor, a well respected police officer, passes away, his wife discovers a murder book in his desk. It is about an unsolved drug murder.
Both the homeless man and the unsolved murder case involve the same law firm. Then when Renee is called to investigate the suicide of a troubled 11 year old, this too seems related in some way to the other two cases she is considering. It seems there is a law firm that is involved with each of these cases being investigated. Then a judge is murdered and more coincidences are uncovered. Have they been looking for the wrong kind of suspect?
Because Bosch is having health problems, he relies a lot on Renee to do the grunt work. They actually work together unofficially since he is no longer art of the force. Bosch is pushing 70 and has recently been diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, a result of being exposed to radiation while working on a case. Although he is expected to respond well to treatment, he is recovering from knee surgery as well, so he is not in great shape. He engages his step brother Mickey Haller to help in his effort to sue to get the police department to pay for his treatments so he is not bankrupted and can leave some kind of legacy to his daughter.
Bosch is considered an anomaly and is not well liked by some on the force because he often helps in court cases for his step brother, Mickey Haller who defends those who are often wrongfully incarcerated based on inadequate evidence, or those who have been victims of miscarriages of justice. The cops and the prosecutors don’t care that he may be helping the innocent victim; they want a conviction because they have put in the time and effort to get it. Ballard is an anomaly because she is resented as a female and has to scratch her way up the ladder, often making enemies on the way.
In an attempt to cover progressive causes, there are issues about the abuse of women, problems in the LGBTQ community, drug deals gone bad and bad cops.
Personally, I prefer the Harry Bosch novels without Renee Ballard, but this one is good for entertainment as an audiobook while driving or as a vacation read.
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LibraryThing member alanteder
The Lion in Winter
Review of the Audible Audio edition (Unabridged) (2019)
I mistakenly picked up the Abridged Audio edition as well, so this is a test case of reviewing 2 separate editions and also giving them a different score. Generally my enjoyment of the book was enhanced with the unabridged
What especially struck me on this 2nd listen was the range of voices that Christine Lakin handled. Both she and Titus Welliver did an excellent job. Welliver does a good thing when he is narrating the street slang portions of the text by avoiding the repellent nature of the n word by just pronouncing it as "ni" I thought that was well done.
Review of the Audible Audio edition (Unabridged) (2019)
I mistakenly picked up the Abridged Audio edition as well, so this is a test case of reviewing 2 separate editions and also giving them a different score. Generally my enjoyment of the book was enhanced with the unabridged
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edition which gave further subplots to Ballard and some further investigation time to Bosch. The Mickey Haller subplot is basically the same in both.What especially struck me on this 2nd listen was the range of voices that Christine Lakin handled. Both she and Titus Welliver did an excellent job. Welliver does a good thing when he is narrating the street slang portions of the text by avoiding the repellent nature of the n word by just pronouncing it as "ni" I thought that was well done.
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LibraryThing member Eyejaybee
One of the great virtues of Michael Connelly’s creation of Hieronymus ‘Harry’ Bosch, his taciturn and resolute Los Angeles detective, has been the way he has allowed Bosch to age in real time. This seems to be the way nowadays, in stark contrast to former stalwarts of detective fiction such
Today’s purveyors of crime fiction prefer a greater verisimilitude, and like Ian Rankin’s thrawn John Rebus, Harry Bosch has aged in real time. Indeed, both of them have initially retired from their respective police forces, only to return to work on cold case units, and then had to retire for a second time, now with ho hope of return. Harry Bosch, as a veteran of the Vietnam War, and with more than three decades in LAPD behind him, is now nearing seventy, and age is beginning to take its toll. As this book opens, he is walking with the aid of a cane, and has just received a diagnosis of leukaemia, which he believes was a consequence of an earlier case in which he was exposed to caesium rods stolen from one of the city’s hospitals. Having been driven from the force, he now passes his time doing some investigative work to help his half-brother, Mickey Haller, known as the Lincoln Lawyer and one of the city’s leading defence attorneys.
He has not completely turned his back on law enforcement, though, and is still registered as a reserve office for the police force in San Antonio, the tiny enclave city within Los Angeles. He has also developed a fruitful working relationship with Renée Ballard, a young detective working the night shift (known as ‘the Late Show’) in Hollywood Division, helping her on some of her current cases while also using her access to records to try to investigate some older, as yet unresolved, cases from his past. Ballard has emerged as a powerful character: resourceful and self-reliant, but hampered by the aftermath of her unsuccessful attempt to call out a senior officer who had submitted her to sexual harassment. Sadly (yet all too plausibly), the #MeToo campaign has not penetrated far into LAPD, and she has been ostracised for having spoken out.
One of Connelly’s great knacks is his ability to interlace stories, and he excels at that here, enabling him to give all three of his characters a fair crack of the whip. Haller is less prominent than the other too, yet still plays his part. The story opens with Ballard called to the site of a fire in one of Hollywood’s park areas, taken over in recent years by the growing ranks of the homeless, one of whom has burnt to death in his tent. Initially written off as a sad but all too predictable accident, arising from the use of a simple brazier to heat the basic tent in which the victim was sleeping, Ballard’s further investigation suggests that it was a case of arson, and unexpected facts emerge about the victim. Meanwhile, Haller, with help from Bosch, has secured the surprise acquittal of his client from a charge of murdering a superior court judge. This provokes the investigating officers’ opprobrium towards Bosch, whom they revile for committing the unpardonable sin of crossing from prosecuting criminals to helping them get off. Bosch’s mantra has always been that either everyone counts, or nobody counts, and he is unrepentant, convinced that the real perpetrator is still at large.
Connelly seems capable of producing a four-hundred-page book every year, regular as clockwork, while never letting the quality slip, and without any apparent semblance of writing to a formula. Having spent much of my younger years devouring crime fiction, generally without too much concern over the quality, I have reached a jaded stage where I tend to avoid the genre, but Michael Connelly constantly manages to make me keep coming back. I suppose the real key to successful writing is to make it all seem effortless, and he always pulls that off.
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as Chief inspector Wexford or, Superintendent Andy Dalziel, all of whom seemed preserved in aspic from their first appearance through to the end of their respective series. Even Chief Inspector Morse seemed to emerge fully formed in splenetic middle age from the brow of his creator, Colin Dexter, and although his health faltered as he succumbed to diabetes and the consequences of a career of unregulated and indiscriminate alcoholism, and finally failed, there was no sense throughout individual novels of the impending weight of years.Today’s purveyors of crime fiction prefer a greater verisimilitude, and like Ian Rankin’s thrawn John Rebus, Harry Bosch has aged in real time. Indeed, both of them have initially retired from their respective police forces, only to return to work on cold case units, and then had to retire for a second time, now with ho hope of return. Harry Bosch, as a veteran of the Vietnam War, and with more than three decades in LAPD behind him, is now nearing seventy, and age is beginning to take its toll. As this book opens, he is walking with the aid of a cane, and has just received a diagnosis of leukaemia, which he believes was a consequence of an earlier case in which he was exposed to caesium rods stolen from one of the city’s hospitals. Having been driven from the force, he now passes his time doing some investigative work to help his half-brother, Mickey Haller, known as the Lincoln Lawyer and one of the city’s leading defence attorneys.
He has not completely turned his back on law enforcement, though, and is still registered as a reserve office for the police force in San Antonio, the tiny enclave city within Los Angeles. He has also developed a fruitful working relationship with Renée Ballard, a young detective working the night shift (known as ‘the Late Show’) in Hollywood Division, helping her on some of her current cases while also using her access to records to try to investigate some older, as yet unresolved, cases from his past. Ballard has emerged as a powerful character: resourceful and self-reliant, but hampered by the aftermath of her unsuccessful attempt to call out a senior officer who had submitted her to sexual harassment. Sadly (yet all too plausibly), the #MeToo campaign has not penetrated far into LAPD, and she has been ostracised for having spoken out.
One of Connelly’s great knacks is his ability to interlace stories, and he excels at that here, enabling him to give all three of his characters a fair crack of the whip. Haller is less prominent than the other too, yet still plays his part. The story opens with Ballard called to the site of a fire in one of Hollywood’s park areas, taken over in recent years by the growing ranks of the homeless, one of whom has burnt to death in his tent. Initially written off as a sad but all too predictable accident, arising from the use of a simple brazier to heat the basic tent in which the victim was sleeping, Ballard’s further investigation suggests that it was a case of arson, and unexpected facts emerge about the victim. Meanwhile, Haller, with help from Bosch, has secured the surprise acquittal of his client from a charge of murdering a superior court judge. This provokes the investigating officers’ opprobrium towards Bosch, whom they revile for committing the unpardonable sin of crossing from prosecuting criminals to helping them get off. Bosch’s mantra has always been that either everyone counts, or nobody counts, and he is unrepentant, convinced that the real perpetrator is still at large.
Connelly seems capable of producing a four-hundred-page book every year, regular as clockwork, while never letting the quality slip, and without any apparent semblance of writing to a formula. Having spent much of my younger years devouring crime fiction, generally without too much concern over the quality, I have reached a jaded stage where I tend to avoid the genre, but Michael Connelly constantly manages to make me keep coming back. I suppose the real key to successful writing is to make it all seem effortless, and he always pulls that off.
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LibraryThing member diana.hauser
THE NIGHT FIRE by Michael Connelly is an excellent police procedural, crime drama, courtroom drama and detective story.
It is well-written; detailed; gritty; suspenseful.
Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch are interesting, emotional, hard-working detectives who ultimately solve a cold case from 20 + years
It is the second book in Michael Connelly’s Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch series. We are still getting to know Ms. Ballard and the series gives seasoned (now retired) Harry Bosch a welcome breath of fresh air.
Michael Connelly is the author of 32 previous novels, including the Harry Bosch series and the Lincoln Lawyer series. All are excellent and highly recommended.
It is well-written; detailed; gritty; suspenseful.
Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch are interesting, emotional, hard-working detectives who ultimately solve a cold case from 20 + years
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past.It is the second book in Michael Connelly’s Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch series. We are still getting to know Ms. Ballard and the series gives seasoned (now retired) Harry Bosch a welcome breath of fresh air.
Michael Connelly is the author of 32 previous novels, including the Harry Bosch series and the Lincoln Lawyer series. All are excellent and highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member Kathy89
I love Harry Bosch but this wasn’t one of the better stories. Not enough Harry. Harry has teamed with Rene Ballard to work cold cases now that he’s retired from the police force. He goes to the wake of his mentor and the widow hands him an old case book that he wanted Harry to have. Rene is
Harry’s dealing with health issues in this one. For me, the book didn’t get interesting until the last 3 or 4 chapters when the action picked up, and basically I just don’t care about Rene..
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investigating the death of a homeless man burned in a fire that is made to look accidental. Of course the two cases collide. Harry’s dealing with health issues in this one. For me, the book didn’t get interesting until the last 3 or 4 chapters when the action picked up, and basically I just don’t care about Rene..
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LibraryThing member Twink
ve been eagerly awaiting the third book in Michael Connelly's Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch series. The Night Fire is newly released - and I couldn't put it down.
Connelly keeps things moving along in real time with his characters. Renee is still without a partner - and that's okay. She's a pariah
After attending the funeral of his old mentor, the widow hands him a binder - a murder book in fact. The case is still unsolved - and no one even knows the book is missing form the department. Yes, you guessed it - Harry can't let it go. He approaches Ballard to help him from inside the force.
Connelly nails it on every front. The characters are fantastic. At first I was resistant to a new character in Harry's world, but I really like Renee - she's tough, intelligent and relentless. She and Harry play well off each other. Mickey Haller also makes an appearance in The Night Fire.
The plotting? Again - fantastic. Connelly's mysteries and police investigations are intricate and authentic. Not surprising, as Connelly is a crime journalist. If you haven't listened to his Murder Book podcast you're missing some great investigative listening. As the story progressed, I realized that there were pieces of that real life case woven into this latest book.
Each of the leads are given POV narratives. We are privy to their private lives, both good and bad. This just makes the characters more 'real' for me.
The title? From Harry..."Take every case personally and you get angry. It builds a fire. It gives you the edge you need to go the distance every time out."
This is easily a five star read - and one of my favourites for 2019.
Connelly keeps things moving along in real time with his characters. Renee is still without a partner - and that's okay. She's a pariah
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in her own department and is just fine working the night shift alone. But she does have an unofficial partner in retired Harry Bosch.After attending the funeral of his old mentor, the widow hands him a binder - a murder book in fact. The case is still unsolved - and no one even knows the book is missing form the department. Yes, you guessed it - Harry can't let it go. He approaches Ballard to help him from inside the force.
Connelly nails it on every front. The characters are fantastic. At first I was resistant to a new character in Harry's world, but I really like Renee - she's tough, intelligent and relentless. She and Harry play well off each other. Mickey Haller also makes an appearance in The Night Fire.
The plotting? Again - fantastic. Connelly's mysteries and police investigations are intricate and authentic. Not surprising, as Connelly is a crime journalist. If you haven't listened to his Murder Book podcast you're missing some great investigative listening. As the story progressed, I realized that there were pieces of that real life case woven into this latest book.
Each of the leads are given POV narratives. We are privy to their private lives, both good and bad. This just makes the characters more 'real' for me.
The title? From Harry..."Take every case personally and you get angry. It builds a fire. It gives you the edge you need to go the distance every time out."
This is easily a five star read - and one of my favourites for 2019.
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LibraryThing member waldhaus1
Working with night shift detective Rene Ballard, Bosch’s gets involved in three investigations. They have plenty of twists and turns. While one investigation, the one he inherited after the death of his mentor was telegraphed by some of the details, it remained a story with plenty of surprises.
LibraryThing member shazjhb
Loved this book. Love the continuation of an additional character. He remains my favorite detective especially as he gets older
LibraryThing member alanteder
Not Going Gentle into that Good Night
Review of the Abridged Audio CD editon (6.5 hours) of the full Unabridged Audio edition (10 hours)
Feeling virtuous after voting on Monday Oct. 21, 2019 in Canada's General Election I picked up some books at the Library and then feeling like another treat checked
So anyway, this is a bit of a compromise review as i'm doing an A/B comparison to the full Unabridged Edition on Audible. The 6.5 hour running time of The Night Fire is quite complete with the main case of a unsolved 29 year-old murder book that Harry and Renee work together and then 2 secondary cases (Bouchard's tent-fire & Bosch helping Mickey Haller with a court case) where they work apart until the cases merge. There is an entire Bouchard subplot about an apparent teenage suicide which is dropped from the Abridged Edition.
It is hard to escape the feeling that Connelly may be getting ready to phase Bosch out as he is now retired from the LAPD and also fired from his post-retirement San Fernando PD reserve officer job. He is working unofficially as an investigator for Mickey Haller (but resents being called that). His medical issues also seem to be piling up, he is walking with a cane due to a knee replacement and is found to have another underlying medical condition during this book (no spoiler here). But nevertheless, Bosch is not going gentle into that good night, and Bouchard is definitely a worthy replacement.
Review of the Abridged Audio CD editon (6.5 hours) of the full Unabridged Audio edition (10 hours)
Feeling virtuous after voting on Monday Oct. 21, 2019 in Canada's General Election I picked up some books at the Library and then feeling like another treat checked
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out a local book store where I spotted the new Harry Bosch / Renee Ballard book in audio format on the shelf a day before its official October 22nd release. That seemed like a sign to me and I snapped that up as well, not realizing that it was the Abridged Edition (why do they still make those for audio?). So anyway, this is a bit of a compromise review as i'm doing an A/B comparison to the full Unabridged Edition on Audible. The 6.5 hour running time of The Night Fire is quite complete with the main case of a unsolved 29 year-old murder book that Harry and Renee work together and then 2 secondary cases (Bouchard's tent-fire & Bosch helping Mickey Haller with a court case) where they work apart until the cases merge. There is an entire Bouchard subplot about an apparent teenage suicide which is dropped from the Abridged Edition.
It is hard to escape the feeling that Connelly may be getting ready to phase Bosch out as he is now retired from the LAPD and also fired from his post-retirement San Fernando PD reserve officer job. He is working unofficially as an investigator for Mickey Haller (but resents being called that). His medical issues also seem to be piling up, he is walking with a cane due to a knee replacement and is found to have another underlying medical condition during this book (no spoiler here). But nevertheless, Bosch is not going gentle into that good night, and Bouchard is definitely a worthy replacement.
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LibraryThing member bjkelley
Another well written book from Michael Connelly. I'm not a big fan of the Bosch team up with Ballard, since it really diminishes Bosch's character. I wish Connelly would give each of them their own book.
LibraryThing member buffalogr
Ballard and Bosch.hose are the two lead characters, Although part of a series, the story works as a stand-alone;Connelly's mysteries and police investigations are intricate and authentic. This may be Connelley's best installment. Bosch, Haller, and Ballard. Overall, fast read.
LibraryThing member Perednia
Excellent continuation of Harry Bosch's story, richer with Mickey Haller and Renee Ballard making appearances in every novel. The stories of the many cases that come up and the interplay of the three characters make these later novels closer to the 87th Precinct novels.
LibraryThing member bookwyrmm
Fast-paced, enjoyable read, and interesting that all of the cases featured did not relate.
LibraryThing member infjsarah
Enjoyable read as always by Mr Connelly. There were several crime story strands in this one which doesn't always work but did for me in this novel.
Just an enjoyable few hours of escape through reading.
Just an enjoyable few hours of escape through reading.
LibraryThing member delta61
In this book, Connelly has combined the characters of his three successes. Bosch, Ballard and Haller, working at times together, at other times working alone. It all ties together in the end to produce a great novel. Personally, this is be one of my favorites.
LibraryThing member norinrad10
What can I say about this book? You always know what you are getting when you crack open a Bosch book. Interesting cases, great dialog, and a detailed procedural. Night Flight certainly lives up to those expectations.
As of late, author Michael Connelly has addd a new character - Rene Ballard - to
Night Flight continues in the strong tradition set by Connelly over a decades long career and you won't go wrong by spending time with Ballard, Bosch and the colorful supporting cast.
As of late, author Michael Connelly has addd a new character - Rene Ballard - to
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the mix in order to spice things up. Truth is she steals most of this book.Night Flight continues in the strong tradition set by Connelly over a decades long career and you won't go wrong by spending time with Ballard, Bosch and the colorful supporting cast.
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LibraryThing member cathyskye
One of the things that Harry Bosch's mentor, Jack Thompson, told him was, "Take every case personally and you get angry. It builds a fire. It gives you the edge you need to go the distance every time out." It's something that Harry has done time and time again, and readers are seeing that Renée
The Night Fire is a mystery that kept me guessing, and I loved how all the various subplots were woven together. It takes skill to tell so many stories in such a way that isn't confusing, but long-time fans of Michael Connelly know that he's a master of the craft.
One of the underlying themes of The Night Fire is the fact that you can always learn things about the people you thought you knew well. No one wears all their experiences, all their emotions, out in plain sight for everyone to see. During the course of their investigation, both Bosch and Ballard discover that they have a lot of learning to do about their fellow police officers.
Harry Bosch has had a very special place in my heart since I first met him in the first book in the series, The Black Echo-- twenty-three books ago. I've tried to adopt Harry's mantra ("Everybody counts or nobody counts.") in my daily life. If you've never met him and don't feel like dealing with all the books in such a long-running series, I urge you to start with The Late Show. You'll be introduced to another wonderful character, Renée Ballard, who's really a young female version of Harry. And when they start working together, it's a match made in readers' heaven. Please don't miss it!
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Ballard is cut from the same cloth. The Night Fire is a mystery that kept me guessing, and I loved how all the various subplots were woven together. It takes skill to tell so many stories in such a way that isn't confusing, but long-time fans of Michael Connelly know that he's a master of the craft.
One of the underlying themes of The Night Fire is the fact that you can always learn things about the people you thought you knew well. No one wears all their experiences, all their emotions, out in plain sight for everyone to see. During the course of their investigation, both Bosch and Ballard discover that they have a lot of learning to do about their fellow police officers.
Harry Bosch has had a very special place in my heart since I first met him in the first book in the series, The Black Echo-- twenty-three books ago. I've tried to adopt Harry's mantra ("Everybody counts or nobody counts.") in my daily life. If you've never met him and don't feel like dealing with all the books in such a long-running series, I urge you to start with The Late Show. You'll be introduced to another wonderful character, Renée Ballard, who's really a young female version of Harry. And when they start working together, it's a match made in readers' heaven. Please don't miss it!
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LibraryThing member jamespurcell
A very good entry in this excellent series. Harry and Renee tackle some old and closed cases with their usual persistence, diligence, and techniques. As their investigations continue, a convergence begins to evolve from the formerly disparate cases. Some off the books methods help as they
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demonstrate their usual skating on the edge abilities in order to get the job done. Show Less
LibraryThing member phoenixcomet
I used to love the Harry Bosch mystery novels and I'm so so about the character of Renee Ballard, so not surprisingly I fall somewhere in the middle about the book The Night Fire. Harry brings Renee in on a cold case murder some 20 years past when he inherits the murder book from his mentor JJ
Overall, fast read. Another 1/2 star if you like both the main characters. Plus, of course, Harry intersects with his half brother, Mickey Haller as well. Mostly an enjoyable yet quickly forgotten serial novel.
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Thompson. Renee meanwhile is dealing with a murder of her own, of a down and out homeless man who is burnt to death in his tent. Overall, fast read. Another 1/2 star if you like both the main characters. Plus, of course, Harry intersects with his half brother, Mickey Haller as well. Mostly an enjoyable yet quickly forgotten serial novel.
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LibraryThing member RonWelton
In The Night Fire Connelly alternates between the points of view of Renée Ballard and Harry Bosch. Bosch has been given an old murder book left behind by his first partner, John Jack Thompson. Ballard agrees to open it as a hobby case with only limited help from Bosch, who has medical issues. This
Bosch is again helping his half-brother, Mickey Haller, while fighting the stigma of "moving to the dark side" to help the defense. Bosch's help, though, is conditional. His desire is always to find the true killer.
Ballard, who lives in a tent on a beach, becomes intrigued by a seemingly accidental death of a homeless man who had been living in a tent until it was consumed by fire. This case stresses Ballard when Deputy Chief Olivas becomes involved and when the Victim is identified as being the heir of a recently deceased business magnate.
There is a great deal more to this with complexities and surprises, as far as I know, this is the last in the Bosch series.
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case carries through the novel as Ballard and Bosch work on other cases. Bosch is again helping his half-brother, Mickey Haller, while fighting the stigma of "moving to the dark side" to help the defense. Bosch's help, though, is conditional. His desire is always to find the true killer.
Ballard, who lives in a tent on a beach, becomes intrigued by a seemingly accidental death of a homeless man who had been living in a tent until it was consumed by fire. This case stresses Ballard when Deputy Chief Olivas becomes involved and when the Victim is identified as being the heir of a recently deceased business magnate.
There is a great deal more to this with complexities and surprises, as far as I know, this is the last in the Bosch series.
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LibraryThing member DeaconBernie
Well-written and coherent story. Alas, the conclusion departs from the steady progress of the rest of the book and seems to be rushed.
LibraryThing member susandennis
I am an unapologetic fan of Michael Connelly and all things Bosch... except this audiobook. First of all neither actor who reads this book is a reader. They are fine actors but mediocre readers. But the worst part is that you are listening along to the story and all of a sudden the two actors enter
The story is not the best anyway. it's good. It's Bosch but maybe I was just too pissed about their ruining the audiobook.
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a back and forth dialogue! Then they go back to reading the story and then it happens again. It's so jarring and takes you right out of the story. Really really really bad. The story is not the best anyway. it's good. It's Bosch but maybe I was just too pissed about their ruining the audiobook.
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LibraryThing member SamSattler
Michael Connelly is well known for the way he has the main characters from his series appear in each other’s books – even to the point where fans are not always sure how to classify a particular novel within the author’s bibliography. The Night Fire, for instance, is a “threefer” that
I make you suffer through all of this number-crunching because I’m starting to believe that Harry Bosch’s days as a main fictional character may be numbered (pun intended). Now retired from the LAPD and approaching seventy years of age, Harry is not capable of doing some of the things he did in the past. The only badge he carries nowadays is the reserve deputy badge of a small police department near Los Angeles, and he only has even that one because he may be needed to testify in a couple of cases that are still open in that jurisdiction. Bosch keeps his hand in the game mainly by working under the radar with LAPD Detective Ballard, who has agreed to partner up with him on cold cases that catch their interest, or by helping his half-brother Mickey Haller work up legal defenses for clients. Spoiler Alert: And now, Connelly throws a new (and unresolved) complication into Bosch’s life that may just further lessen his effectiveness as a street detective. Frankly, it’s starting to look like Ballard is being eased into her series just as Bosch may be approaching the end of his. (I hope I’m wrong about this, believe me.)
As The Night Fire opens, Bosch is attending the graveside service of his old LAPD mentor John Jack Thompson, the man largely responsible for shaping rookie Bosch into the cop he would ultimately become. Later, Thompson’s widow gives Bosch an old case file that her husband walked away with when he retired twenty years earlier. Bosch, after reviewing the file for himself, and still unable to figure out why John Jack was so interested in it, convinces Ballard, unbeknownst to her LAPD bosses, to work the cold case with him. But when it becomes obvious to both of them that John Jack Thompson added nothing new to the file during the entire twenty years it was in possession, Bosch wonders whether his old friend was more interested in making sure the case was forgotten about than he was in solving it.
Bottom Line: The Night Fire is another excellent, character-driven police procedural from Michael Connelly. Ballard, who has had her ups and downs with her immediate superiors in the past, is now politically savvy enough to simultaneously investigate a cold case with Bosch and another very different case on her own while keeping both of them from the wrath of vengeful LAPD detectives who would love nothing more than to get even with both of them. Bosch is getting older, and he’s starting to feel it every day. He’s closer now to being a desktop consultant than he is to being a street cop, and he knows it. Where the Renée Ballard/Harry Bosch partnership goes from here will be very interesting to see, and I can’t wait for Ballard #4/Bosch #24 to find out what happens next. (Bosch #23 is a collaboration with Mickey Haller scheduled for publication later this year). There are those numbers again.
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combines the leads from all three of Connelly’s main series: Renée Ballard, Harry Bosch, and Mickey Haller. Past experience indicates that the Ballard/Bosch books get counted in both series, but that the Haller books don’t always get numbered that way. So this one will probably become known as Renée Ballard #3 and Harry Bosch #22, with only an honorable mention going to Mickey Haller who gets fewer pages in this one than the other two characters get. The Haller series, in fact, numbers only five books to this point although that character has also appeared in four Bosch books. To be fair, Bosch is limited to the same honorable mention in two of the five Haller books.I make you suffer through all of this number-crunching because I’m starting to believe that Harry Bosch’s days as a main fictional character may be numbered (pun intended). Now retired from the LAPD and approaching seventy years of age, Harry is not capable of doing some of the things he did in the past. The only badge he carries nowadays is the reserve deputy badge of a small police department near Los Angeles, and he only has even that one because he may be needed to testify in a couple of cases that are still open in that jurisdiction. Bosch keeps his hand in the game mainly by working under the radar with LAPD Detective Ballard, who has agreed to partner up with him on cold cases that catch their interest, or by helping his half-brother Mickey Haller work up legal defenses for clients. Spoiler Alert: And now, Connelly throws a new (and unresolved) complication into Bosch’s life that may just further lessen his effectiveness as a street detective. Frankly, it’s starting to look like Ballard is being eased into her series just as Bosch may be approaching the end of his. (I hope I’m wrong about this, believe me.)
As The Night Fire opens, Bosch is attending the graveside service of his old LAPD mentor John Jack Thompson, the man largely responsible for shaping rookie Bosch into the cop he would ultimately become. Later, Thompson’s widow gives Bosch an old case file that her husband walked away with when he retired twenty years earlier. Bosch, after reviewing the file for himself, and still unable to figure out why John Jack was so interested in it, convinces Ballard, unbeknownst to her LAPD bosses, to work the cold case with him. But when it becomes obvious to both of them that John Jack Thompson added nothing new to the file during the entire twenty years it was in possession, Bosch wonders whether his old friend was more interested in making sure the case was forgotten about than he was in solving it.
Bottom Line: The Night Fire is another excellent, character-driven police procedural from Michael Connelly. Ballard, who has had her ups and downs with her immediate superiors in the past, is now politically savvy enough to simultaneously investigate a cold case with Bosch and another very different case on her own while keeping both of them from the wrath of vengeful LAPD detectives who would love nothing more than to get even with both of them. Bosch is getting older, and he’s starting to feel it every day. He’s closer now to being a desktop consultant than he is to being a street cop, and he knows it. Where the Renée Ballard/Harry Bosch partnership goes from here will be very interesting to see, and I can’t wait for Ballard #4/Bosch #24 to find out what happens next. (Bosch #23 is a collaboration with Mickey Haller scheduled for publication later this year). There are those numbers again.
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Awards
LA Times Book Prize (Finalist — Mystery/Thriller — 2019)
Original language
English
Original publication date
2019-10-22
Physical description
9.5 inches
ISBN
0316485616 / 9780316485616
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