Black Ice by Michael Connelly is a dark mystery taking place in Los Angeles and will travel down to Mexico to solve. Black Ice is book two in the original Harry Bosch series and book two in the expanded Harry Bosch Universe. This mystery is pretty compelling and full of twists and turns. The final twist is really memorable, I read this book 15 years ago and still remembered elements of the final twist. I liked this book quite a bit more than the first book. This book dipped more into police corruption, dirty cops, and the breaking of the laws for the means to an end that Bosch expanded on from the first book. Bosch as a character is so compelling, and is a joy to read his exploits. The pace is for this book was good at first then hit a lull when he arrives in Mexico, it picks back up to give a worthwhile end. The mystery was good but it did go into head scratching territory in Mexico for a bit everything was explained at the end but it took a while. Irving takes a much bigger role and his and Bosch’s back and forth against the politics of policing make this book good and a reason I find Bosch the show so compelling. There’s also a reference to the the father of the Lincoln Lawyer, who Bosch will eventually connect with and work with the Lincoln Lawyer in later books.

The Plot Summary: It’s Christmas and Harry Bosch is on call, he has no one and listen to Jazz and the police scanner. He hears a call of murder over the scanner but does not get the call. Bosch knows there’s something to this and finds out that the top brass is taking the case since it was a fellow cop. Bosch knew the cop Calexico, he was helping him out with a case involving a new drug called Ice, Bosch learned from the cop the drug originated in Hawii and now Mexico is making a product called Black Ice, and it’s causing a turf war, the last Bosch talked to the cop he was looking into it, now he is found dead by shotgun. Everyone is thinking suicide but Bosch he isn’t on the case but needs to find a way to get involved. His watch commander loads Bosch with cases of a cop on leave so he won’t get involved with the Calexico’s suicide investigation, but it fails when he gets a case of a Mexican day laborer that’s body was discovered by Calexico just days prior to his suicide.

What I Liked: Harry Bosch the character is great, he plays by his own sense of justice, and doesn’t care about politics. Its fun to see how his mind works and he detects. I love the little connections to the Harry Bosch universe and the revelation about his possible father. The mystery was good with lots of twist and turns, and I loved that we have all the knowledge that the character has to solve the mystery. I love the descriptions of scenery, especially LA. The climax was really good with a good memorable twist.

What I Disliked: The slow down of when Bosch gets to Mexico was too slow. I found the gunfight descriptions really hard to follow and picture. I liked the battle with the bull, but it was hard to imagine.

Recommendation: I love this series and it was a better entry than the first one. Black Ice is fun, dark, and great mystery that dips into the noir. I rated Black Ice by Michael Connelly 4 out of five stars.