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Harry Bosch #14
Il respiro del drago
Fortunato è l'uomo che trova rifugio in se stesso. Una massima che il detective Harry Bosch ha fatto sua e di cui è debitore all'uomo che ora giace sul pavimento dell'emporio di liquori, nella periferia sud di Los Angeles. John Li, un commerciante cinese immigrato da anni negli USA, non ha neppure fatto in tempo ad afferrare la pistola che teneva per difesa sotto il bancone prima di essere freddato con tre colpi al petto. Forse una semplice rapina finita male, niente di insolito in quella zona della città. Ma scorrendo le registrazioni della telecamera di sorveglianza, una sequenza che risale alla settimana prima attira l'attenzione di Bosch: uno strano scambio di denaro tra Li e un giovane asiatico che ha tutta l'aria di essere una tangente. Il ragazzo viene fermato come principale sospettato, e l'ombra della Triade, la potente mafia cinese di cui Los Angeles è una delle roccaforte inizia a insinuarsi tra le pieghe del caso. Ma questa volta Bosch avrebbe preferito che le sue ipotesi non avessero conferma. Perché nel video che riceve sul cellulare sua figlia, tredici anni, è legata e imbavagliata e fissa l'obbiettivo con uno sguardo che a Harry lacera l'anima. Qualcuno a Hong Kong, dove Maddie vive da sei anni con la madre, ha deciso di mandargli un chiaro avvertimento, colpendolo là dove è più vulnerabile. Bosch sapeva che sarebbe successo. Che, prima o poi, le forze oscure con cui combatte ogni giorno l'avrebbero trovata e usata per avere lui. Quel momento è arrivato.
360 pages, Hardcover
First published October 13, 2009
8030 people are currently reading
10745 people want to read
About the author
Michael Connelly
378 books35.3k followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads' database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Michael Connelly decided to become a writer after discovering the books of Raymond Chandler while attending the University of Florida. Once he decided on this direction he chose a major in journalism and a minor in creative writing — a curriculum in which one of his teachers was novelist Harry Crews.
After graduating in 1980, Connelly worked at newspapers in Daytona Beach and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, primarily specializing in the crime beat. In Fort Lauderdale he wrote about police and crime during the height of the murder and violence wave that rolled over South Florida during the so-called cocaine wars. In 1986, he and two other reporters spent several months interviewing survivors of a major airline crash. They wrote a magazine story on the crash and the survivors which was later short-listed for the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing. The magazine story also moved Connelly into the upper levels of journalism, landing him a job as a crime reporter for the Los Angeles Times, one of the largest papers in the country, and bringing him to the city of which his literary hero, Chandler, had written.
After three years on the crime beat in L.A., Connelly began writing his first novel to feature LAPD Detective Hieronymus Bosch. The novel, The Black Echo, based in part on a true crime that had occurred in Los Angeles, was published in 1992 and won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel by the Mystery Writers of America. Connelly has followed that up with over 30 more novels.
Over eighty million copies of Connelly’s books have sold worldwide and he has been translated into forty-five foreign languages. He has won the Edgar Award, Anthony Award, Macavity Award, Los Angeles Times Best Mystery/Thriller Award, Shamus Award, Dilys Award, Nero Award, Barry Award, Audie Award, Ridley Award, Maltese Falcon Award (Japan), .38 Caliber Award (France), Grand Prix Award (France), Premio Bancarella Award (Italy), and the Pepe Carvalho award (Spain) .
Michael was the President of the Mystery Writers of America organization in 2003 and 2004. In addition to his literary work, Michael is one of the producers and writers of the TV show, “Bosch,” which is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Michael lives with his family in Los Angeles and Tampa, Florida.
Michael Connelly decided to become a writer after discovering the books of Raymond Chandler while attending the University of Florida. Once he decided on this direction he chose a major in journalism and a minor in creative writing — a curriculum in which one of his teachers was novelist Harry Crews.
After graduating in 1980, Connelly worked at newspapers in Daytona Beach and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, primarily specializing in the crime beat. In Fort Lauderdale he wrote about police and crime during the height of the murder and violence wave that rolled over South Florida during the so-called cocaine wars. In 1986, he and two other reporters spent several months interviewing survivors of a major airline crash. They wrote a magazine story on the crash and the survivors which was later short-listed for the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing. The magazine story also moved Connelly into the upper levels of journalism, landing him a job as a crime reporter for the Los Angeles Times, one of the largest papers in the country, and bringing him to the city of which his literary hero, Chandler, had written.
After three years on the crime beat in L.A., Connelly began writing his first novel to feature LAPD Detective Hieronymus Bosch. The novel, The Black Echo, based in part on a true crime that had occurred in Los Angeles, was published in 1992 and won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel by the Mystery Writers of America. Connelly has followed that up with over 30 more novels.
Over eighty million copies of Connelly’s books have sold worldwide and he has been translated into forty-five foreign languages. He has won the Edgar Award, Anthony Award, Macavity Award, Los Angeles Times Best Mystery/Thriller Award, Shamus Award, Dilys Award, Nero Award, Barry Award, Audie Award, Ridley Award, Maltese Falcon Award (Japan), .38 Caliber Award (France), Grand Prix Award (France), Premio Bancarella Award (Italy), and the Pepe Carvalho award (Spain) .
Michael was the President of the Mystery Writers of America organization in 2003 and 2004. In addition to his literary work, Michael is one of the producers and writers of the TV show, “Bosch,” which is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Michael lives with his family in Los Angeles and Tampa, Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,483 reviews
September 9, 2018
9 Dragons opens with the murder of John Li, the Chinese owner of a liquor store in south L.A. Connelly's long-running protagonist, Detective Harry Bosch, is assigned the investigation and quickly concludes that the murder is more complicated than it might initially appear on the surface.
Displaying his excellent skills and dogged determination, Bosch discovers that Li had been paying protection money to one of the ancient Chinese triads that now operates in the United States as well as in China. Harry identifies a suspect and begins the process of arresting and charging him with the crime. As he does, Harry receives an anonymous phone call warning him off the case. If he persists, the caller warns, there will be consequences. Harry naturally ignores the warning and proceeds to make the case against his suspect, and then Harry's world is completely upended.
As readers of the series know, Harry has a daughter with Eleanor Wish, a former F.B.I. agent. Madeline, the daughter, is now thirteen and living in Hong Kong with her mother. Harry visits her regularly and otherwise maintains close ties with Madeline through phone calls and emails. As Harry continues to put together his case, ignoring the warning, he receives a video on his phone. Madeline has been kidnapped and is being held somewhere in Hong Kong, apparently in an effort to force Harry to back off.
Harry flies to Hong Kong in a desperate effort to locate and rescue Maddie and now must operate in what is, almost literally, a different world. The Hong Kong scenes are expertly written and it's virtually impossible to put this book down once Harry arrives there.
In Nine Dragons Bosch's professional and personal lives intersect as never before; he is at once both the desperate father that one would expect to find under these circumstances and the consummate professional detective that he must be if he is to have any hope of rescuing his daughter.
As the book opens, Harry is clearly frustrated with his new partner, Ignacio Ferras. Bosch, who is almost fanatically devoted to his mission as a homicide detective, believes that Ignacio lacks the fire in the gut that the job demands. In particular, Harry believes that Ignacio spends too much time attending to the demands of his family. And then, in a twist of fate, Harry's family becomes absolutely the only thing that matters in his life. Once that happens, he will travel, if not to the ends of the earth, at least to Hong Kong, and he will bend, if not break, virtually every rule in the book to ensure his daughter's safe return.
While not the equal of some of the earlier books in the series, Nine Dragons is still a great read, and it's going to be very fascinating to see where Connelly takes Harry Bosch in its wake.
2018 notes: As much as I initially enjoyed this book, I've always thought it was the weakest entry in the Bosch series, and rereading it eight years later, I'm even more convinced of that. I found that the second time around, it was much harder for me to suspend disbelief regarding that part of Harry's investigation that takes him to Hong Kong. Without giving anything away, these scenes seemed even more implausible this time through the book than they did initially. I really enjoyed much of the rest of the book, but Bosch and L.A. are so closely intertwined as to be inseparable. In Hong Kong, he's a fish out of water, and I found it even harder this time to buy into that segment of the story.
Displaying his excellent skills and dogged determination, Bosch discovers that Li had been paying protection money to one of the ancient Chinese triads that now operates in the United States as well as in China. Harry identifies a suspect and begins the process of arresting and charging him with the crime. As he does, Harry receives an anonymous phone call warning him off the case. If he persists, the caller warns, there will be consequences. Harry naturally ignores the warning and proceeds to make the case against his suspect, and then Harry's world is completely upended.
As readers of the series know, Harry has a daughter with Eleanor Wish, a former F.B.I. agent. Madeline, the daughter, is now thirteen and living in Hong Kong with her mother. Harry visits her regularly and otherwise maintains close ties with Madeline through phone calls and emails. As Harry continues to put together his case, ignoring the warning, he receives a video on his phone. Madeline has been kidnapped and is being held somewhere in Hong Kong, apparently in an effort to force Harry to back off.
Harry flies to Hong Kong in a desperate effort to locate and rescue Maddie and now must operate in what is, almost literally, a different world. The Hong Kong scenes are expertly written and it's virtually impossible to put this book down once Harry arrives there.
In Nine Dragons Bosch's professional and personal lives intersect as never before; he is at once both the desperate father that one would expect to find under these circumstances and the consummate professional detective that he must be if he is to have any hope of rescuing his daughter.
As the book opens, Harry is clearly frustrated with his new partner, Ignacio Ferras. Bosch, who is almost fanatically devoted to his mission as a homicide detective, believes that Ignacio lacks the fire in the gut that the job demands. In particular, Harry believes that Ignacio spends too much time attending to the demands of his family. And then, in a twist of fate, Harry's family becomes absolutely the only thing that matters in his life. Once that happens, he will travel, if not to the ends of the earth, at least to Hong Kong, and he will bend, if not break, virtually every rule in the book to ensure his daughter's safe return.
While not the equal of some of the earlier books in the series, Nine Dragons is still a great read, and it's going to be very fascinating to see where Connelly takes Harry Bosch in its wake.
2018 notes: As much as I initially enjoyed this book, I've always thought it was the weakest entry in the Bosch series, and rereading it eight years later, I'm even more convinced of that. I found that the second time around, it was much harder for me to suspend disbelief regarding that part of Harry's investigation that takes him to Hong Kong. Without giving anything away, these scenes seemed even more implausible this time through the book than they did initially. I really enjoyed much of the rest of the book, but Bosch and L.A. are so closely intertwined as to be inseparable. In Hong Kong, he's a fish out of water, and I found it even harder this time to buy into that segment of the story.
July 7, 2023
Harry Bosch #14, the city cops need cover and Bosch team provide that cover. A seemingly botched robbery leads to the murder of a Chinese shopkeeper; a bit of detecting espies actual Trad involvement, as Bosch digs deeper ignoring warnings, his world is turned upside down, when he gets another warning, but this one from his Hong Kong resident 13-year old daughter's phone!
I've only read a very few of Bosch reality books, but like the others I read there was nothing to fault in the plotting, characterisations or writing, but a little part of me is kind of tired that so much US crime fiction with Chinese characters leads to Triad involvement; on the other hand I'm sure there's data that proves just how much the Triad is engrained American Chinese business. A solid 7 out of 12, Three Star read.
2023 read
I've only read a very few of Bosch reality books, but like the others I read there was nothing to fault in the plotting, characterisations or writing, but a little part of me is kind of tired that so much US crime fiction with Chinese characters leads to Triad involvement; on the other hand I'm sure there's data that proves just how much the Triad is engrained American Chinese business. A solid 7 out of 12, Three Star read.
2023 read
February 9, 2017
I am a big Michael Connelly fan. I usually like the social or political settings for his books, and find the plots intricate and intriguing. However, this book did not work for me. The whole part set in Hong Kong felt aimless, uninteresting and verging on stereotypical depictions of people living in Hong Kong. Also, there was more violence (one event in particular) than seemed unnecessary or that I would usually expect in a Harry Bosch book. I hope things pick up with Connelly's next book.
September 14, 2022
Harry Bosch jumping the shark? Please say it isn't so!
If there's such a thing as a routine murder, it would seem that Harry Bosch's current case would qualify! But a careful examination of the surveillance camera video tape of the cold-blooded murder committed during a liquor store robbery leads Harry into the secret world of the Hong Kong mafia and an investigation of the extortion ring run by the secretive LA oriental underworld ruled by gangs known as Triads.
When Bosch doggedly pursues the case and ignores a warning to back off or "there will be consequences", he receives a terrifying video on his cell phone showing that his daughter, then living in Hong Kong with his ex-wife and former FBI agent, Eleanor Wish, has been kidnapped and is obviously in imminent danger.
To this point in the tale, "Nine Dragons" is vintage Harry Bosch - a stellar police procedural detailing the minutiae of careful investigative work coloured with typical interludes of police politics and glimpses into Bosch's suitcase of psychological baggage. But when Bosch abandons the LA case and flies to Hong Kong to meet with his former lover, Eleanor Wish, to embark on a scrambled chase to rescue his daughter, the story loses all semblance of credibility. Bosch lurches from one impossible crisis to another with their daughter's life apparently hanging in the balance depending on his ability to complete an impossible investigation in a completely foreign city and operating under a set of cultural rules about which he knows absolutely nothing.
It is only after the recovery of his daughter and a climactic event in Hong Kong that sends Bosch back to complete the extortion investigation in LA that the now very shaky story gets back on track and struggles to its completion.
First third, wonderful; middle third, miserable, stereotyped and beyond all bounds of credibility; final third, shaky but acceptable ... this is the first evidence that I've seen of the aging of Michael Connelly's ability to carry on with what, up until now, has been one of the most exciting characters in mystery, police and thriller literature since Sherlock Holmes.
Is there a potential shark jump in the offing? I'll reserve judgment for another novel in the series.
Paul Weiss
If there's such a thing as a routine murder, it would seem that Harry Bosch's current case would qualify! But a careful examination of the surveillance camera video tape of the cold-blooded murder committed during a liquor store robbery leads Harry into the secret world of the Hong Kong mafia and an investigation of the extortion ring run by the secretive LA oriental underworld ruled by gangs known as Triads.
When Bosch doggedly pursues the case and ignores a warning to back off or "there will be consequences", he receives a terrifying video on his cell phone showing that his daughter, then living in Hong Kong with his ex-wife and former FBI agent, Eleanor Wish, has been kidnapped and is obviously in imminent danger.
To this point in the tale, "Nine Dragons" is vintage Harry Bosch - a stellar police procedural detailing the minutiae of careful investigative work coloured with typical interludes of police politics and glimpses into Bosch's suitcase of psychological baggage. But when Bosch abandons the LA case and flies to Hong Kong to meet with his former lover, Eleanor Wish, to embark on a scrambled chase to rescue his daughter, the story loses all semblance of credibility. Bosch lurches from one impossible crisis to another with their daughter's life apparently hanging in the balance depending on his ability to complete an impossible investigation in a completely foreign city and operating under a set of cultural rules about which he knows absolutely nothing.
It is only after the recovery of his daughter and a climactic event in Hong Kong that sends Bosch back to complete the extortion investigation in LA that the now very shaky story gets back on track and struggles to its completion.
First third, wonderful; middle third, miserable, stereotyped and beyond all bounds of credibility; final third, shaky but acceptable ... this is the first evidence that I've seen of the aging of Michael Connelly's ability to carry on with what, up until now, has been one of the most exciting characters in mystery, police and thriller literature since Sherlock Holmes.
Is there a potential shark jump in the offing? I'll reserve judgment for another novel in the series.
Paul Weiss
May 19, 2024
This exciting installment in the series has Bosch searching for those responsible for murdering a small business owner in LA. He's not happy with his partner and his less than energetic approach to the work. The story takes Harry to Hong Kong where he reunites with his daughter. It's not all neatly tied up at the end. There's a lot of sadness, but also hope.
February 2, 2026
3.5/5 Estrellas
Como comentábamos en una reseña reciente de Labijose, la serie de Harry Bosch no falla nunca, es el fondo de armario perfecto, donde tienes la seguridad que siempre vas a encontrar algo bueno, cuando las dudas lectoras te asaltan y no sabes cual va a ser tu siguiente lectura: Harry Bosch.
Dicho esto, quizá esta entrega es un poco diferente a lo que suelo encontrar habitualmente en estos libros.
Vemos a un Bosch muy centrado en su puesto de detective de Homicidios en el LAPD. Con un compañero no demasiado satisfactorio, ya que no tiene, ni por asomo, el grado de implicación que él se impone en cada caso. Lo cual es normal por otra parte.
La muerte del propietario de una tienda de licores de origen chino, parece un caso rutinario, habitual en barrios conflictivos. Sin embargo, lo que parecía un caso de atraco con homicidio, revela una serie de conexiones peligrosas con elementos mafiosos, muy peligrosos, las mafias chinas conocidas como tríadas.
Las mafias chinas tienen sus principales bases en territorios como Hong Kong (la zona continental se llama Kowloon, 9 dragones, de ahí el nombre del libro) y Taiwan, y luego han ido expandiendo sus tentáculos tras los pasos de los ciudadanos chinos por el mundo, que son los primeros a los que explotan y extorsionan.
Harry Bosch tiene familia en Hong Kong, exmujer e hija. Bosch recibe un video donde aparece su hija, retenida y atada a una silla ¿secuestrada? ¿Dónde se ha metido? ¿Qué avispero ha removido? ¿Puede ser todo consecuencia de la investigación anodina del tendero?.
A partir de aquí vemos un Bosch desatado, mucho más peliculero que de costumbre, con mucha más acción. No sé si mejor, a mi me gusta más el Bosch que sigue los procedimientos, que investiga...pero buen no ha estado mal.
Muertes por doquier, tiroteos, poca investigación, pero la suficiente para ir avanzando, todo un poco cogido por los pelos, impunidad total en un país extranjero ¿Quién se cree esto?
En fin que se disfruta como siempre, pero quiero volver a ver al Bosch de siempre y no a este en modo Arma Letal.
Como comentábamos en una reseña reciente de Labijose, la serie de Harry Bosch no falla nunca, es el fondo de armario perfecto, donde tienes la seguridad que siempre vas a encontrar algo bueno, cuando las dudas lectoras te asaltan y no sabes cual va a ser tu siguiente lectura: Harry Bosch.
Dicho esto, quizá esta entrega es un poco diferente a lo que suelo encontrar habitualmente en estos libros.
Vemos a un Bosch muy centrado en su puesto de detective de Homicidios en el LAPD. Con un compañero no demasiado satisfactorio, ya que no tiene, ni por asomo, el grado de implicación que él se impone en cada caso. Lo cual es normal por otra parte.
La muerte del propietario de una tienda de licores de origen chino, parece un caso rutinario, habitual en barrios conflictivos. Sin embargo, lo que parecía un caso de atraco con homicidio, revela una serie de conexiones peligrosas con elementos mafiosos, muy peligrosos, las mafias chinas conocidas como tríadas.
Las mafias chinas tienen sus principales bases en territorios como Hong Kong (la zona continental se llama Kowloon, 9 dragones, de ahí el nombre del libro) y Taiwan, y luego han ido expandiendo sus tentáculos tras los pasos de los ciudadanos chinos por el mundo, que son los primeros a los que explotan y extorsionan.
Harry Bosch tiene familia en Hong Kong, exmujer e hija. Bosch recibe un video donde aparece su hija, retenida y atada a una silla ¿secuestrada? ¿Dónde se ha metido? ¿Qué avispero ha removido? ¿Puede ser todo consecuencia de la investigación anodina del tendero?.
A partir de aquí vemos un Bosch desatado, mucho más peliculero que de costumbre, con mucha más acción. No sé si mejor, a mi me gusta más el Bosch que sigue los procedimientos, que investiga...pero buen no ha estado mal.
Muertes por doquier, tiroteos, poca investigación, pero la suficiente para ir avanzando, todo un poco cogido por los pelos, impunidad total en un país extranjero ¿Quién se cree esto?
En fin que se disfruta como siempre, pero quiero volver a ver al Bosch de siempre y no a este en modo Arma Letal.
Read
June 7, 2017The Hook - Continuing to read my way through the Harry Bosch Series.
”All of that changed on the day he was introduced to the daughter he didn’t know he had. In that moment he knew he was both saved and lost. He would be forever connected to the world in the way only a father knew. But he would also be lost because he knew the dark forces he faced would one day find her. It didn’t matter if an entire ocean was between them. He knew one day it would come to this, that the darkness would find her and that she would be used to get to him.
That day was now.
The Sinker - An investigation of a murder in a liquor store sends Bosch hunting for a member of a Chinese Triad. His daughter Maddie becomes a pawn in the case and Bosch must visit Kowloon where she resides with her mother, Bosch’s ex-wife, Eleanor Wish.
Unlike some reviewers here I enjoyed Bosch’s visit to Hong Kong. Regardless of what may seem stereotypical portrayal of its citizens I did find locale details to bring back my own visit to this area.
Nine Dragons was ok. I enjoyed it but it is not my favorite of the series. That being said I have little to add to the many reviews on this title. There are some key plot elements that would be spoilers if revealed but that are important to the future of Bosch. I certainly wouldn’t call this a Mickey Haller novel. Haller plays only a bit part in the whole but as the brothers part there is promise for more family involvement in the future, reluctantly on Bosch’s part.
I will continue on with the series when the mood strikes.
”All of that changed on the day he was introduced to the daughter he didn’t know he had. In that moment he knew he was both saved and lost. He would be forever connected to the world in the way only a father knew. But he would also be lost because he knew the dark forces he faced would one day find her. It didn’t matter if an entire ocean was between them. He knew one day it would come to this, that the darkness would find her and that she would be used to get to him.
That day was now.
The Sinker - An investigation of a murder in a liquor store sends Bosch hunting for a member of a Chinese Triad. His daughter Maddie becomes a pawn in the case and Bosch must visit Kowloon where she resides with her mother, Bosch’s ex-wife, Eleanor Wish.
Unlike some reviewers here I enjoyed Bosch’s visit to Hong Kong. Regardless of what may seem stereotypical portrayal of its citizens I did find locale details to bring back my own visit to this area.
Nine Dragons was ok. I enjoyed it but it is not my favorite of the series. That being said I have little to add to the many reviews on this title. There are some key plot elements that would be spoilers if revealed but that are important to the future of Bosch. I certainly wouldn’t call this a Mickey Haller novel. Haller plays only a bit part in the whole but as the brothers part there is promise for more family involvement in the future, reluctantly on Bosch’s part.
I will continue on with the series when the mood strikes.
May 9, 2012
I’m a Michael Connelly fan. I own a copy of just about all of his books. They are generally superior fare amongst the bestseller lists, but Nine Dragons, I felt, was one of his weaker offerings. The story felt rushed, with prose that was workmanlike and flat. And the plot was weak, feeling like two shorter stories jammed together. The part of the book set in Hong Kong, in particular, seemed to lack life, depth and credibility. There was a particular event that happens that is described as if it had barely any emotional resonance or trauma to Bosch and other characters, and it continues as a notable absence throughout the rest of the book. And from the minute Bosch arrives back from Hong Kong, very little of the plot seems credible. The result is a police procedural/psychological thriller with the psychology bit mostly missing; a Harry Bosch story where Bosch seems like a very pale version of himself. I was a bit disappointed with the last Connelly I read, The Scarecrow, and Nine Dragons makes two in a row that have been below his usual very high standards. In both cases, my sense is the books were rushed. When on top of his game, it’s difficult to beat a good Connelly book, but for me at least, Nine Dragons is well down his greatest hits list.
October 20, 2009
My Plan was to make this book last at least four days. HA! Who was I foolin'?!
Day 1: 135 pages
Day 2: 190 pages
Day 3: 50 pages
End of story. I just couldn't help myself!
Connelly cranks up the interest and excitement in this one by taking Bosch to Hong Kong for a big chunk of the book. And with his own daughter as the kidnapping victim, he's prone to tunnel vision and poor judgment calls he wouldn't otherwise make.
I loved the Hong Kong venue for a nice change. I got to learn a little about that part of the world, and it was interesting to see Harry Bosch off his turf where he doesn't even speak the language. Fascinating to learn about the Chinese "triads" also. The triads are like mafias, only scarier and with a longer reach.
Michael Connelly is the absolute best for police procedural stories. He ferrets out all the latest crime-solving technology and weaves it into the plot with just the right amount of detail and explanation. Neither too much nor too little. You get that feeling of being right there on the job, but you don't get bored or distracted from the story.
The ending felt a little hurried to me, as if the author just wanted to dust off his hands and be done with it. Maybe he had a deadline to meet or was under orders to keep a low page count. But there were no loose ends, and it hardly seems fair to deduct a star for a few rushed pages after 350 pages of brilliance. So I stay with my original 5-star rating.
If you've tried Connelly's "non-Bosch" novels and been less-than-impressed, I recommend giving the Harry Bosch series a try. You may find it hard to believe it's the same author.
Day 1: 135 pages
Day 2: 190 pages
Day 3: 50 pages
End of story. I just couldn't help myself!
Connelly cranks up the interest and excitement in this one by taking Bosch to Hong Kong for a big chunk of the book. And with his own daughter as the kidnapping victim, he's prone to tunnel vision and poor judgment calls he wouldn't otherwise make.
I loved the Hong Kong venue for a nice change. I got to learn a little about that part of the world, and it was interesting to see Harry Bosch off his turf where he doesn't even speak the language. Fascinating to learn about the Chinese "triads" also. The triads are like mafias, only scarier and with a longer reach.
Michael Connelly is the absolute best for police procedural stories. He ferrets out all the latest crime-solving technology and weaves it into the plot with just the right amount of detail and explanation. Neither too much nor too little. You get that feeling of being right there on the job, but you don't get bored or distracted from the story.
The ending felt a little hurried to me, as if the author just wanted to dust off his hands and be done with it. Maybe he had a deadline to meet or was under orders to keep a low page count. But there were no loose ends, and it hardly seems fair to deduct a star for a few rushed pages after 350 pages of brilliance. So I stay with my original 5-star rating.
If you've tried Connelly's "non-Bosch" novels and been less-than-impressed, I recommend giving the Harry Bosch series a try. You may find it hard to believe it's the same author.
December 13, 2018
I’ve always enjoyed reading the Harry Bosch books but this is in a league of its own. This is Harry Bosch taken to the next level.
There are turns here that will have you taking a deep breath and holding it whilst uttering ‘OMG’ did that really happen.
When an elderly Chinese American is murdered at his place of work it is believed that a Chinese Triad gang is responsible for the killing. Harry and his partner are given the case. There’s a lot here that Harry has trouble believing so with his normal dogged determination Harry starts unpeeling the layers of this case.
As the case proceeds Harry finds that his personal life is under threat from the triad gang that he is investigating. Harry needs to deal with this threat asap and to do that effectively he needs to fly to Hong Kong. Once in Hong Kong things just go from bad to worse. Just as it seems that things can’t get any worse, they do, big time.
Life will never be the same for Harry Bosch.
There are twists and turn galore with tension building up exponentially with each page turned.
Highly recommended
4/5 stars.
There are turns here that will have you taking a deep breath and holding it whilst uttering ‘OMG’ did that really happen.
When an elderly Chinese American is murdered at his place of work it is believed that a Chinese Triad gang is responsible for the killing. Harry and his partner are given the case. There’s a lot here that Harry has trouble believing so with his normal dogged determination Harry starts unpeeling the layers of this case.
As the case proceeds Harry finds that his personal life is under threat from the triad gang that he is investigating. Harry needs to deal with this threat asap and to do that effectively he needs to fly to Hong Kong. Once in Hong Kong things just go from bad to worse. Just as it seems that things can’t get any worse, they do, big time.
Life will never be the same for Harry Bosch.
There are twists and turn galore with tension building up exponentially with each page turned.
Highly recommended
4/5 stars.
December 25, 2019
I really liked Michael Connelly's writing. This is the first time that I read his book. I hope I'll read more of his books in the future.
July 6, 2017
Harry's investigation of the murder of an Asian liquor store owner in Los Angeles leads him to Hong Kong in a race to save someone very dear to him.
While this wasn't one of my favorites, I still found it hard to stop listening to the story. There was a recklessness about Harry that I hadn't seen before and it had some devastating consequences. My instincts about the case ended up being dead on though I didn't get everything right. Len Cariou did an excellent job in narrating given the international cast of characters.
This was a pretty disturbing story with a few shockers I'm still reeling over. Never a dull moment with Harry.
While this wasn't one of my favorites, I still found it hard to stop listening to the story. There was a recklessness about Harry that I hadn't seen before and it had some devastating consequences. My instincts about the case ended up being dead on though I didn't get everything right. Len Cariou did an excellent job in narrating given the international cast of characters.
This was a pretty disturbing story with a few shockers I'm still reeling over. Never a dull moment with Harry.
December 14, 2019
This 14th book in the Harry Bosch series is one of my favorites so far. There's plenty of action, divided between Los Angeles and Hong Kong, where Harry goes to find his missing daughter. It's a combination of police procedural and psychological suspense, with a great deal of character development. I'll be interested to see where this excellent series goes from here.
March 9, 2025
Сега, когато препрочетох "Деветте дракона", книгата ми допадна повече.
Хари Бош разследва убийството на възрастен китаец, собственик на магазин за алкохол в ЛА.
Но се появява неочаквана връзка с Хонконг и нещата се оплитат яко. Когато дъщеря му и майка ѝ са в опасност, той не може да бъде спрян!
Хари Бош разследва убийството на възрастен китаец, собственик на магазин за алкохол в ЛА.
Но се появява неочаквана връзка с Хонконг и нещата се оплитат яко. Когато дъщеря му и майка ѝ са в опасност, той не може да бъде спрян!
November 7, 2014
When authors with a successful series and a well-defined character take that character out of his/her normal environment, to a foreign country, say, where he performs spectacularly, you know the book is about to go off the rails. The only explanation I can come up with is that the author wanted a trip to whatever country where the new mystery takes place and wanted a tax write-off for the trip.
I like Michael Connelly and the Harry Bosch series. This one, while a fast-paced read, as are the others, left me very unsatisfied. Harry is not a very nice character, self-centered and hypercritical of others. For sure, he’s a good detective, but to ream out his partners for not telling him about everything, and then withhold crucial information from them doesn’t seem right or ethical, and it’s just stupid.
My eyes also begin to roll out of their sockets when the investigations become personal. My friends in law enforcement tell me that just never happens, and in this case, where Harry’s daughter is kidnapped in Hong Kong where she lives with his ex-wife, to prevent Harry’s investigation into a Triad extortion ring in LA, just totally strained my credibility. Coincidences abound. The gun found on a couple of bad guys in a hotel where they suspect his daughter might have been held, just happens to be inscribed with the initials of a “tunnel rat” in Vietnam, which Harry had been. I mean, really.
Harry flies to Hong Kong to find and release his daughter, whom, he assumes, has been kidnapped by the Triad because of his personal actions in the LA investigation. He is confident he can accomplish all this in a *weekend* before he has to return to LA. (Is there any doubt in the readers mind he’ll pull this off? Is there anyone who actually believes this might ever be possible?) He leaves a trail of bodies following an “investigation” that was less believable than the Wizard of Oz.
Connelly is a competent writer and a good story-teller. But this one just had me shaking my head in wonder.
I like Michael Connelly and the Harry Bosch series. This one, while a fast-paced read, as are the others, left me very unsatisfied. Harry is not a very nice character, self-centered and hypercritical of others. For sure, he’s a good detective, but to ream out his partners for not telling him about everything, and then withhold crucial information from them doesn’t seem right or ethical, and it’s just stupid.
My eyes also begin to roll out of their sockets when the investigations become personal. My friends in law enforcement tell me that just never happens, and in this case, where Harry’s daughter is kidnapped in Hong Kong where she lives with his ex-wife, to prevent Harry’s investigation into a Triad extortion ring in LA, just totally strained my credibility. Coincidences abound. The gun found on a couple of bad guys in a hotel where they suspect his daughter might have been held, just happens to be inscribed with the initials of a “tunnel rat” in Vietnam, which Harry had been. I mean, really.
Harry flies to Hong Kong to find and release his daughter, whom, he assumes, has been kidnapped by the Triad because of his personal actions in the LA investigation. He is confident he can accomplish all this in a *weekend* before he has to return to LA. (Is there any doubt in the readers mind he’ll pull this off? Is there anyone who actually believes this might ever be possible?) He leaves a trail of bodies following an “investigation” that was less believable than the Wizard of Oz.
Connelly is a competent writer and a good story-teller. But this one just had me shaking my head in wonder.
October 11, 2025
Awesome read!! I read reviews from people who didn’t care for this book, but it was one of my favorites by him.
May 26, 2017
6/10
One of the weaker outings in this series with Bosch travelling to Hong Kong and channelling his inner Liam Neeson for a third of the book and the action hero that he becomes doesn't suit the series.
There are a number of things that work well, it's a Bosch book after all! The usual crime to be solved in the LA environment, Bosch methodically working the case, a Mickey Haller cameo as a treat. But smack bang in the middle is an action movie and it detracts from what the series excels at.
By the sounds of it this was something that had been on the authors mind for a while and he'd been dropping tidbits in from about five books previous to get the setup right. I hope it's out of his system though and the next outing reverts to type. The ending overall was a bit of a damp squib too leaving the usual case closure satisfaction missing from this outing.
This is one of my favourite series at the minute so I can allow the odd blip along the way, I didn't overly like this but it was still a quick read and had a number of interesting ideas in there. I look forward to the next in the series and seeing what it has to offer.
One of the weaker outings in this series with Bosch travelling to Hong Kong and channelling his inner Liam Neeson for a third of the book and the action hero that he becomes doesn't suit the series.
There are a number of things that work well, it's a Bosch book after all! The usual crime to be solved in the LA environment, Bosch methodically working the case, a Mickey Haller cameo as a treat. But smack bang in the middle is an action movie and it detracts from what the series excels at.
By the sounds of it this was something that had been on the authors mind for a while and he'd been dropping tidbits in from about five books previous to get the setup right. I hope it's out of his system though and the next outing reverts to type. The ending overall was a bit of a damp squib too leaving the usual case closure satisfaction missing from this outing.
This is one of my favourite series at the minute so I can allow the odd blip along the way, I didn't overly like this but it was still a quick read and had a number of interesting ideas in there. I look forward to the next in the series and seeing what it has to offer.
September 8, 2022
Det. Harry Bosch & Det. Ferras (Bosch’s partner) investigate a Chinese man, John Li’s murder at his Fortune Liquors store in Southern L.A. Money & the surveillance camera’s disc was taken?
Harry Bosch - Titus Welliver
Mi Li (daughter) & Robert Li (son) tell Bosch they warned dad to sell - the store made no money as John Li (dad) paid the Hong Kong Triad’s mob for “protection”. He was “stubborn” to close & move the store.
Bo-Jing Chang is the head of the Hong Kong Triad - a secret mafia family over 200 years old.
Maddie Bosch - actress Madison Lintz
Bosch gets a video of Maddie (daughter) & phone call to back-off in a voice that was distinctly Asian - Bo-Jing Chang? Bosch goes to Hong Kong where Maddie lives with Eleanor (x-wife & mom) & Sun Yee (mom’s boyfriend). Lately, Eleanor tells him Maddie wants to live in L.A. with him.
Maddie is saved, as Bosch & his team found clues between Maddie's disappearance & John Li’s murder case. Was it Mia Li (daughter), Robert Li (son) and/or the Triad??
An unbelievable shocking end you will not see coming, with another death in the story, as Maddie now lives with Bosch in LA!!
FYI: When reviewing Hong Kong photos, they see an area the Kowloon a term for 9 dragons, “alluding to eight mountains and a Chinese emperor”.
Youtube: Bosch Season 4 Trailer (2018) on Prime Video
Fandom: lists Bosch characters & actors
FYI: Micheal Connelly - Police & FBI Acronyms
Harry Bosch - Titus Welliver
Mi Li (daughter) & Robert Li (son) tell Bosch they warned dad to sell - the store made no money as John Li (dad) paid the Hong Kong Triad’s mob for “protection”. He was “stubborn” to close & move the store.
Bo-Jing Chang is the head of the Hong Kong Triad - a secret mafia family over 200 years old.
Maddie Bosch - actress Madison Lintz
Bosch gets a video of Maddie (daughter) & phone call to back-off in a voice that was distinctly Asian - Bo-Jing Chang? Bosch goes to Hong Kong where Maddie lives with Eleanor (x-wife & mom) & Sun Yee (mom’s boyfriend). Lately, Eleanor tells him Maddie wants to live in L.A. with him.
Maddie is saved, as Bosch & his team found clues between Maddie's disappearance & John Li’s murder case. Was it Mia Li (daughter), Robert Li (son) and/or the Triad??
An unbelievable shocking end you will not see coming, with another death in the story, as Maddie now lives with Bosch in LA!!
FYI: When reviewing Hong Kong photos, they see an area the Kowloon a term for 9 dragons, “alluding to eight mountains and a Chinese emperor”.
Youtube: Bosch Season 4 Trailer (2018) on Prime Video
Fandom: lists Bosch characters & actors
FYI: Micheal Connelly - Police & FBI Acronyms
February 21, 2017
Well this is one of my least favorite Bosch books. We get Bosch just bumbling from the beginning of this book to the end. We have Connelly get rid of two characters we have been following for a number of books now in completely (IMHO) stupid ways, and I don't know, I think Bosch is just casually racist towards Chinese people. I also didn't get a sense of Hong Kong at all while reading this book. I felt like Connelly watched "Knock Off" a few times, visited Hong Kong, took a couple of terrible pictures he inserted in this book and called himself done. As someone who has been to Hong Kong and adored it, he completely misses the mark on just how big the city is and how many people are there. I also think the fact that Bosch is there for about 24 hours makes the whole story-line dance towards ridiculous by the time we get to the end and realize what happened with Bosch's kidnapped daughter.
In "Nine Dragons" we have Bosch investigating the murder of a Chinese store owner that Bosch feels a connection to since he gave Bosch a match to light a cigarette. I am not kidding people. That is something that Bosch repeats to himself and others throughout the story. I maybe wanted to smack Bosch across the face when he says this to the victim's son. And then we have Bosch acting like how come no one gets what he is talking about and man oh man I broke out some wine since I could see we were dancing towards that kind of story.
When Bosch and his partner (poor Iggie) investigating the murder, Bosch brings in someone from the Asian Gang Unit to lend a hand (David Chu). Bosch though of course acts like an asshole to David and to Iggie so that's like negative 10 we got for Bosch at this point in the story. When David and Bosch start to dig deeper, it looks like the murder may have links to a local Triad. And when Bosch swoops in to make an arrest, everything gets "F" up when his 13 year old daughter Maddie is kidnapped.
From prior books, readers know that Bosch has a daughter named Maddie with former wife Eleanor Wish. Maddie and Eleanor live in Hong Kong where Eleanor makes a living playing poker (don't ask). Though Bosch has had relationships with other women, he still sits around thinking about Eleanor and how one day things may work out (considering how she left him and didn't tell him about his daughter for I think 4 years I think Bosch is out of his mind). We never get to see Bosch and Maddie interact at all with each other until this book so I had a hard time with Maddie in this one. She was being a brat up until she went missing, and when we find out about what went on I definitely didn't like her one bit. And Bosch questioning Eleanor's parenting style...look there's a lot to yell at this character about, but she's the main parent taking care of Maddie while Bosch is off avenging folks. And him being a jerk about the new man in Eleanor's life, sigh at this point we are at about minus 1,000 with Bosch.
I ended up feeling really sad about what happens with Iggie and other people in this one. I think Connelly was so focused on moving the action to Hong Kong he didn't sit and think about how other people got the end of the short stick in this one. Since Bosch treated Iggie terribly in the last book (IMO) I was not feeling him acting as if Iggie was being a baby or less of a cop since he got shot in the last book. I would think Bosch could feel some type of empathy towards Iggie who now has three kids, but nope, he acts like unless Iggie lives and breathes the job he is less of a cop than Bosch.
Connelly of course nails Bosch's voice. But I have to say, he is way more bumbling in this one. His arrogance as far as I am concerned got people hurt. Going to a foreign country and trying to show your ex wife's new boyfriend you know better than him was just eye roll inducing. I want to say something about Ugly Americans, but I want this review to be over and am going to skip over it.
The setting of Hong Kong wasn't used very well at all as I said above. Bosch flies in and manages to wreck havoc in 24 hours. I don't even get a sense of Hong Kong in this one probably because Bosch was too busy obsessing over Eleanor and being a jerk. And then we have Bosch flying back to LA and somehow setting up his daughter with a therapist to discuss what happens while continuing his case against someone he believes murdered a shop keeper. I got whip lash while reading this book. The flow was off as soon as Bosch gets to Hong Kong and never gets fixed. And the fake out ending making you think that someone was dead and you find out that actually someone else died off screen was BS of the first water. I was mad at the way Bosch showcased this character's death (not at all) and the character of Bosch not really giving two craps about it that I could see.
In "Nine Dragons" we have Bosch investigating the murder of a Chinese store owner that Bosch feels a connection to since he gave Bosch a match to light a cigarette. I am not kidding people. That is something that Bosch repeats to himself and others throughout the story. I maybe wanted to smack Bosch across the face when he says this to the victim's son. And then we have Bosch acting like how come no one gets what he is talking about and man oh man I broke out some wine since I could see we were dancing towards that kind of story.
When Bosch and his partner (poor Iggie) investigating the murder, Bosch brings in someone from the Asian Gang Unit to lend a hand (David Chu). Bosch though of course acts like an asshole to David and to Iggie so that's like negative 10 we got for Bosch at this point in the story. When David and Bosch start to dig deeper, it looks like the murder may have links to a local Triad. And when Bosch swoops in to make an arrest, everything gets "F" up when his 13 year old daughter Maddie is kidnapped.
From prior books, readers know that Bosch has a daughter named Maddie with former wife Eleanor Wish. Maddie and Eleanor live in Hong Kong where Eleanor makes a living playing poker (don't ask). Though Bosch has had relationships with other women, he still sits around thinking about Eleanor and how one day things may work out (considering how she left him and didn't tell him about his daughter for I think 4 years I think Bosch is out of his mind). We never get to see Bosch and Maddie interact at all with each other until this book so I had a hard time with Maddie in this one. She was being a brat up until she went missing, and when we find out about what went on I definitely didn't like her one bit. And Bosch questioning Eleanor's parenting style...look there's a lot to yell at this character about, but she's the main parent taking care of Maddie while Bosch is off avenging folks. And him being a jerk about the new man in Eleanor's life, sigh at this point we are at about minus 1,000 with Bosch.
I ended up feeling really sad about what happens with Iggie and other people in this one. I think Connelly was so focused on moving the action to Hong Kong he didn't sit and think about how other people got the end of the short stick in this one. Since Bosch treated Iggie terribly in the last book (IMO) I was not feeling him acting as if Iggie was being a baby or less of a cop since he got shot in the last book. I would think Bosch could feel some type of empathy towards Iggie who now has three kids, but nope, he acts like unless Iggie lives and breathes the job he is less of a cop than Bosch.
Connelly of course nails Bosch's voice. But I have to say, he is way more bumbling in this one. His arrogance as far as I am concerned got people hurt. Going to a foreign country and trying to show your ex wife's new boyfriend you know better than him was just eye roll inducing. I want to say something about Ugly Americans, but I want this review to be over and am going to skip over it.
The setting of Hong Kong wasn't used very well at all as I said above. Bosch flies in and manages to wreck havoc in 24 hours. I don't even get a sense of Hong Kong in this one probably because Bosch was too busy obsessing over Eleanor and being a jerk. And then we have Bosch flying back to LA and somehow setting up his daughter with a therapist to discuss what happens while continuing his case against someone he believes murdered a shop keeper. I got whip lash while reading this book. The flow was off as soon as Bosch gets to Hong Kong and never gets fixed. And the fake out ending making you think that someone was dead and you find out that actually someone else died off screen was BS of the first water. I was mad at the way Bosch showcased this character's death (not at all) and the character of Bosch not really giving two craps about it that I could see.
September 1, 2016
This didn't blow a lot of wind up my skirt most of the time. Oh, I never got bored or disliked it, but I'm not fond of Len Cariou's narration as compared to the earlier guy (Dick Hill?). His weighty words make a police procedural read like a police report. The story was typical Connelly, though. All the facts, several theories, & Harry doggedly pursuing the leads. This one had quite a bit of excitement & the ending was just mind bending.
Other characters in the series take part, so it's important to read this in order, as usual. Mickey Haller had a small, but excellent role to play.
17.6 - One Dollar Jackpot(2007) in Suicide Run, 2011
18 - The Brass Verdict (Harry Bosch #14, also Mickey Haller #2), 2008
19 - Nine Dragons (Harry Bosch #15, Mickey Haller appears briefly), 2009
20 - The Scarecrow (Jack McEvoy #2), 2009
21 - The Reversal (Mickey Haller #3, Harry Bosch #16), 2010
The full chronological list is in my review of the first book here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Other characters in the series take part, so it's important to read this in order, as usual. Mickey Haller had a small, but excellent role to play.
17.6 - One Dollar Jackpot(2007) in Suicide Run, 2011
18 - The Brass Verdict (Harry Bosch #14, also Mickey Haller #2), 2008
19 - Nine Dragons (Harry Bosch #15, Mickey Haller appears briefly), 2009
20 - The Scarecrow (Jack McEvoy #2), 2009
21 - The Reversal (Mickey Haller #3, Harry Bosch #16), 2010
The full chronological list is in my review of the first book here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
July 3, 2019
9 Dragons is an incredibly suspenseful book! It starts out like your average police mystery novel—and then the action ramps up fast! Bosch is called out to a murder and finds clues that lead to a Chinese Triad (crime gang) member who was shaking the victim down for protection money. This part of the book is good—the investigation, with Bosch dealing with a partner who is too scared to be on the street, a detective from another division who is so enthusiastic he's coming close to blowing the case, and the red tape from his supervisors who can't authorize overtime or wiretaps.
Then, from Hong Kong, where his daughter lives with her mother, a video is sent to Bosch of his daughter tied up and gagged. Bosch, terrified, immediately flies to Hong Kong, determined to do WHATEVER he has to do to rescue his daughter. His ex-wife teams him up with the man she's seeing—a Chinese man who is her bodyguard and security at the casino in which she works. There are some BIG twists in the plot that were completely out of the blue, and the book was so good that I felt myself reading faster and faster to find out what was going to happen. I could not put it down.
I love all of Michael Connelly's books but this one really stood out (not sure how I missed this one when it first came out?). Just a great, great read.
Then, from Hong Kong, where his daughter lives with her mother, a video is sent to Bosch of his daughter tied up and gagged. Bosch, terrified, immediately flies to Hong Kong, determined to do WHATEVER he has to do to rescue his daughter. His ex-wife teams him up with the man she's seeing—a Chinese man who is her bodyguard and security at the casino in which she works. There are some BIG twists in the plot that were completely out of the blue, and the book was so good that I felt myself reading faster and faster to find out what was going to happen. I could not put it down.
I love all of Michael Connelly's books but this one really stood out (not sure how I missed this one when it first came out?). Just a great, great read.
September 13, 2022
I have read Bosch since Connelly has been writing his character. Usually as they were published....what happened with this book was I bought the CD version and it was lost and I just found it. I have listened to many audiobooks in the series since this one and have enjoyed them. Plus, I watched all seasons of the Amazon show. So now you know I am a fan, I had a road trip and decided to listen to Nine Dragons. The police procedural at the beginning was basic and boring. His partner (the real one, not the one from another dept) was written so thinly that I didn't know who his character was. The trip to Hong Kong had Bosch's actions bordering on superhuman with carnage that was unbelievable. Then it was like oh well life resumes. OK the last "disc" was the only part of the book I liked where the crime was solved. I mean really the rest to me was just a waste. So, in truth the book only gets 2.5*
June 24, 2017
A new homicide case has Harry Bosch investigating the death of a Chinese man who owned a liquor store. It seems like a robbery gone wrong, but Harry's investigation points to a Chinese triad (gang) connection. When Harry and Detective Chu make an arrest in the case, Harry receives a video of his daughter, Maddie, who has been kidnapped in Hong Kong. Harry drops everything to go to Hong Kong and rescue his daughter from the hands of the triad.
Another entertaining Harry Bosch mystery from Michael Connelly. I liked the whole triad angle of this story. Harry working with his ex-wife and her friend, Sun Yee, while looking for Maddie was interesting. The whole story was pretty good, but I was disappointed by how the end was written and how we were told about exactly what happened. That didn't work for me since I'd rather be "shown" instead of "told". My rating: 4 Stars.
Another entertaining Harry Bosch mystery from Michael Connelly. I liked the whole triad angle of this story. Harry working with his ex-wife and her friend, Sun Yee, while looking for Maddie was interesting. The whole story was pretty good, but I was disappointed by how the end was written and how we were told about exactly what happened. That didn't work for me since I'd rather be "shown" instead of "told". My rating: 4 Stars.
August 18, 2022
Harry's new case pulls in Eleanor and Maddie and takes him to Hong Kong and back to LA. It's a dark, twisted story that takes place over a very short period of time. It is a story of good intentions going very wrong. There is even a brief appearance of Mickey Haller and a shout-out to Jack McEvoy. It's a strong entry in the series, but not my most favorite. 4 of 5 (8 of 10).
April 30, 2018
Once again I finish a Michael Connelly novel in complete awe at the story that he has written. This is Harry Bosch’s most personal case yet, the one that tests him more than ever before, and the one that shows the true strength of his character. Nine Dragons might be one of the best Bosch novels so far, however as always I am reluctant to say that while still on a high from finishing the story. All I do know is that not many authors can sustain this quality in their crime series after so many books.
Nine Dragons sees Bosch investigating a shooting at a neighbourhood off-license. When connections to the Triad appear, Bosch soon finds himself being threatened. When he receives a video of his daughter bound up across the world in Hong Kong, he immediately jumps on the next plane and is re-united with his ex-wife Eleanor Wish as they hunt down those responsible for taking his daughter. A third of the book is set in Hong Kong and it was captured brilliantly. A really vivid portrayal, taking place across the course of just one day made this an exhilarating and atmospheric part of the story.
It’s only when you finish a story that you can truly appreciate its twists and turns. It’s hard to elaborate further but the denouement here was nothing short of brilliant, and it makes you look at the story and everything that happened in a whole new light. The consequences in this story are far-reaching and can never be forgotten, however it’s crazy to think about how different they could have been had one or two things just been done differently. Basically what all that means is that this story is amazing.
Bosch has always been a fascinating character. As a loner with few friends he’s always went into a case without considering its repercussions because he’s only ever had his own life to consider (aside from some brief sojourns with various women), however the addition of a daughter he didn’t know about a few years back added a whole new dimension to his character and now he has her to consider every time he runs into the line of fire, especially after the events of this story. I’m excited to see how this progresses in future novels and hope Michael Connelly continues to expand on that and further Bosch’s development as a character and a father rather than going backwards or having Bosch just remain the same. I was also thrilled to see the return of another of his family members. Not hard to guess who if you follow all Michael Connelly’s series!
I just love this series and my reading enjoyment since quitting the blog only keeps going up now that I am reading the books I want to read and the series I want to read, when I want to read them. So many people become bogged down by review books that seeing their stress on Twitter only makes me value my reading time even more. Long may this series continue and bring on the next one.
Nine Dragons sees Bosch investigating a shooting at a neighbourhood off-license. When connections to the Triad appear, Bosch soon finds himself being threatened. When he receives a video of his daughter bound up across the world in Hong Kong, he immediately jumps on the next plane and is re-united with his ex-wife Eleanor Wish as they hunt down those responsible for taking his daughter. A third of the book is set in Hong Kong and it was captured brilliantly. A really vivid portrayal, taking place across the course of just one day made this an exhilarating and atmospheric part of the story.
It’s only when you finish a story that you can truly appreciate its twists and turns. It’s hard to elaborate further but the denouement here was nothing short of brilliant, and it makes you look at the story and everything that happened in a whole new light. The consequences in this story are far-reaching and can never be forgotten, however it’s crazy to think about how different they could have been had one or two things just been done differently. Basically what all that means is that this story is amazing.
Bosch has always been a fascinating character. As a loner with few friends he’s always went into a case without considering its repercussions because he’s only ever had his own life to consider (aside from some brief sojourns with various women), however the addition of a daughter he didn’t know about a few years back added a whole new dimension to his character and now he has her to consider every time he runs into the line of fire, especially after the events of this story. I’m excited to see how this progresses in future novels and hope Michael Connelly continues to expand on that and further Bosch’s development as a character and a father rather than going backwards or having Bosch just remain the same. I was also thrilled to see the return of another of his family members. Not hard to guess who if you follow all Michael Connelly’s series!
I just love this series and my reading enjoyment since quitting the blog only keeps going up now that I am reading the books I want to read and the series I want to read, when I want to read them. So many people become bogged down by review books that seeing their stress on Twitter only makes me value my reading time even more. Long may this series continue and bring on the next one.
July 13, 2017
There seemed to be no uniformity of walking to your right. People moved every which way and Bosch had to pay attention to avoid collisions. At one point the people moving in front of him suddenly stepped left and right and Bosch almost stumbled over an old woman…
Harry Bosch is called to the murder of the elderly Chinese owner of a liquor store in downtown LA, teamed with detective David Chu of the Asian Gang Unit. The store owner has a gun he was unable to draw and in his dying moments he hides the casing from one of the bullets that kills him. The surveillance camera tape is missing, but two earlier discs show a black would-be shoplifter threatening him, and an earlier transaction where the owner hands money to a man of Oriental appearance. The combination of notes accounts for $216, which Detective Chu explains is 2 x $108, suggesting a link to the triads; 108 the number of shaolin monks killed three hundred years before by Manchu raiders; the surviving 5 monks forming the triads.
The earlier part of the book is routine LA investigation; the autopsy reveals the bullet casing in the victim’s mouth and Chinese characters tattooed on the heels. Chu, born and raised in LA is unable to translate and Bosch sends the image to his 13-year old daughter, living with her mother in Hong Kong, unwittingly setting in train a series of events. A suspect on the tape is identified and brought in as he tries to flee the country but evidence is flimsy, their only hope advanced technology to bring up prints on the bullet casing. Bosch received a call warning him to back off, and then a video from his daughter’s cell phone showing she has been abducted. With the Hong Kong police unwilling to step in Bosch flies over to rescue his daughter…
The title “Nine Dragons” is the translation of “Kowloon”. Connelly produces another tight thriller, the action laced with tensions between detectives of different law enforcement agencies, between a mother and teenage daughter, a man and his former wife and her new partner, of a clash of cultures. Bosch hands an impoverished elderly woman money for information and is astounded to see her set alight a one hundred dollar note as an offering to "the hungry ghosts".
For this reader it revived fond memories; the sounds, smells and vivid colours of Kowloon’s Tsim Sha Tsui district with its bamboo scaffolding, which I explored on foot for days, weaving through a sea of mostly young people on the streets, moving with purpose but never pressured, not once feeling threatened. And of my trips to the New Territories, but not to Tuen Mun and the Gold Coast.
Harry Bosch is called to the murder of the elderly Chinese owner of a liquor store in downtown LA, teamed with detective David Chu of the Asian Gang Unit. The store owner has a gun he was unable to draw and in his dying moments he hides the casing from one of the bullets that kills him. The surveillance camera tape is missing, but two earlier discs show a black would-be shoplifter threatening him, and an earlier transaction where the owner hands money to a man of Oriental appearance. The combination of notes accounts for $216, which Detective Chu explains is 2 x $108, suggesting a link to the triads; 108 the number of shaolin monks killed three hundred years before by Manchu raiders; the surviving 5 monks forming the triads.
The earlier part of the book is routine LA investigation; the autopsy reveals the bullet casing in the victim’s mouth and Chinese characters tattooed on the heels. Chu, born and raised in LA is unable to translate and Bosch sends the image to his 13-year old daughter, living with her mother in Hong Kong, unwittingly setting in train a series of events. A suspect on the tape is identified and brought in as he tries to flee the country but evidence is flimsy, their only hope advanced technology to bring up prints on the bullet casing. Bosch received a call warning him to back off, and then a video from his daughter’s cell phone showing she has been abducted. With the Hong Kong police unwilling to step in Bosch flies over to rescue his daughter…
The title “Nine Dragons” is the translation of “Kowloon”. Connelly produces another tight thriller, the action laced with tensions between detectives of different law enforcement agencies, between a mother and teenage daughter, a man and his former wife and her new partner, of a clash of cultures. Bosch hands an impoverished elderly woman money for information and is astounded to see her set alight a one hundred dollar note as an offering to "the hungry ghosts".
For this reader it revived fond memories; the sounds, smells and vivid colours of Kowloon’s Tsim Sha Tsui district with its bamboo scaffolding, which I explored on foot for days, weaving through a sea of mostly young people on the streets, moving with purpose but never pressured, not once feeling threatened. And of my trips to the New Territories, but not to Tuen Mun and the Gold Coast.
May 31, 2025
Another read, another Bosch. A better Bosch than the previous one and, yet, still not back to old form.
It begins interestingly enough when Bosch is called out to a liquor store he knows from way back, the owner of which has been murdered. Just as usual, this sets off a police procedural with Harry Bosch at its front and centre. Ignacio Ferras, his latest partner, also makes some appearances, but only attains any kind of significance at the very end.
What comes next, though, is in several ways a complete departure from earlier paths: Maddy, at this point 13, is abducted in Hong Kong. Bosch is contacted and is told in no uncertain terms that he’s to stop looking into things. This is where a completely different part of the novel begins.
Bosch, of course, travels to Hong Kong to join forces with his ex-wife, Eleanor Wish, to rescue their daughter. This part is basically a wild manhunt through the city and its seedier districts. There’s much violence, and almost gore, in this part, and it felt like a bit too much. It’s also very different from other Bosch novels because here, Harry plays the role of a vigilante, and that doesn’t really suit him. Also, Eleanor deserved a better ending: She is shot and killed in a simple mugging attempt, instead of, as in the TV show, being killed for revenge.
Back in L.A. things start getting better until a very rushed ending that’s also told in a flashback - a curious decision on the author’s part.
Still, it’s a Bosch, and it was definitely more satisfying and interesting than “The Overlook”.
Four stars out of five.
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Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam
It begins interestingly enough when Bosch is called out to a liquor store he knows from way back, the owner of which has been murdered. Just as usual, this sets off a police procedural with Harry Bosch at its front and centre. Ignacio Ferras, his latest partner, also makes some appearances, but only attains any kind of significance at the very end.
What comes next, though, is in several ways a complete departure from earlier paths: Maddy, at this point 13, is abducted in Hong Kong. Bosch is contacted and is told in no uncertain terms that he’s to stop looking into things. This is where a completely different part of the novel begins.
Bosch, of course, travels to Hong Kong to join forces with his ex-wife, Eleanor Wish, to rescue their daughter. This part is basically a wild manhunt through the city and its seedier districts. There’s much violence, and almost gore, in this part, and it felt like a bit too much. It’s also very different from other Bosch novels because here, Harry plays the role of a vigilante, and that doesn’t really suit him. Also, Eleanor deserved a better ending: She is shot and killed in a simple mugging attempt, instead of, as in the TV show, being killed for revenge.
Back in L.A. things start getting better until a very rushed ending that’s also told in a flashback - a curious decision on the author’s part.
Still, it’s a Bosch, and it was definitely more satisfying and interesting than “The Overlook”.
Four stars out of five.
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Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2009
This is the first 5 star book I've read in over 2 months, so first off, THANK YOU MICHAEL CONNELLY!
I read this book in about 4 hours today which is a lot faster than I usually read Connelly books. Usually I like to savor them slowly, analyze all of Bosch's moves, and then realize I love his character SO much that I want him to come to my house so I can cook him dinner and cookies and talk to him all night. I come to this same conclusion after reading each Bosch book, and I really think he is one of the most complex, most interesting, and most heartbreaking characters in fiction.
However, I really got into this book, had a lot of time at the airport, and was desperate for a 5 star book that it didn't last nearly long enough and I read through it very quickly.
The premise of the book is different from most of Bosch's other stories - before this he is a man who truly "finds refuge in himself", but when his daughter is kidnapped, his world seems to crumble and he can't find happiness in himself. I'm generally not a big fan of using the child getting kidnapped plotline, but I really enjoyed this story. I felt as though he wasn't searching for his daughter, but himself instead.
There were a few plot twists I didn't expect, and since I had figured out the last 4-5 Connelly books, I enjoyed being fooled at the end. There is a great "cameo" appearance by another Connelly-verse character, and I hope he continues that storyline in later books.
I also loved how the winner of Connelly's Nine Dragons contest got her name in the book as a minor character - I was definitely a little jealous when her name kept popping up!
I read this book in about 4 hours today which is a lot faster than I usually read Connelly books. Usually I like to savor them slowly, analyze all of Bosch's moves, and then realize I love his character SO much that I want him to come to my house so I can cook him dinner and cookies and talk to him all night. I come to this same conclusion after reading each Bosch book, and I really think he is one of the most complex, most interesting, and most heartbreaking characters in fiction.
However, I really got into this book, had a lot of time at the airport, and was desperate for a 5 star book that it didn't last nearly long enough and I read through it very quickly.
The premise of the book is different from most of Bosch's other stories - before this he is a man who truly "finds refuge in himself", but when his daughter is kidnapped, his world seems to crumble and he can't find happiness in himself. I'm generally not a big fan of using the child getting kidnapped plotline, but I really enjoyed this story. I felt as though he wasn't searching for his daughter, but himself instead.
There were a few plot twists I didn't expect, and since I had figured out the last 4-5 Connelly books, I enjoyed being fooled at the end. There is a great "cameo" appearance by another Connelly-verse character, and I hope he continues that storyline in later books.
I also loved how the winner of Connelly's Nine Dragons contest got her name in the book as a minor character - I was definitely a little jealous when her name kept popping up!
June 26, 2019
বিভিন্ন ব্যস্ততায় এক সপ্তাহেরও বেশি লেগে গেল বইটা পড়তে। প্রিয় ক্রাইম লেখক মাইকেল কনেলি তার কোনো কাজেই কখনো হতাশ করেন না। কোনো না কোনো সারপ্রাইজ প্যাকেজ থাকবেই তার উপন্যাসে। হ্যারি বশ সিরিজের এই পুলিশ প্রসিডিউরাল নভেলও কোনো দিক দিয়েই কম নয়। কাহিনীর শুরু এক চাইনিজ বংশোদ্ভুত মদের দোকানদারের খুনের মাধ্যমে। কেস তদন্তে নেমে হ্যারি বশ এই খুনের সাথে চাইনিজ গুপ্তসঙ্ঘের সম্পর্ক খুঁজে পায়। শুরু হয় আরেক খেলা। হ্যারির ফ্যামিলি জড়িয়ে যায় এই কেসে। ফ্যামিলি বাঁচিয়ে হ্যারি কি এই মার্ডার মিস্ট্রি সমাধান করতে পারবে??
কি উদ্দেশ্য মদের দোকানদারের খুনের পেছনে??
বেশ ভালোই রহস্য লুকিয়ে রেখেছিলেন মাইকেল কনেলি। সেই সাথে হ্যারি বশের বুদ্ধিদীপ্ত তদন্ত প্রক্রিয়া তো রয়েছেই।
দ্য পোয়েট এর প্রধান চরিত্র জ্যাক ম্যাকেভয়ের সামান্য উপস্থিতি রয়েছে এই উপন্যাসে। সেই সাথে রয়েছে আরেক কনেলির বিখ্যাত উকিল চরিত্র মিকি হেলারও।
প্লট, থ্রিল, টুইস্ট সব ভালোই ছিল। তবে আরেকটু টাইট হতে পারতো। সবমিলিয়ে ভালোই উপভোগ্য একটা ক্রাইম থ্রিলার।
কি উদ্দেশ্য মদের দোকানদারের খুনের পেছনে??
বেশ ভালোই রহস্য লুকিয়ে রেখেছিলেন মাইকেল কনেলি। সেই সাথে হ্যারি বশের বুদ্ধিদীপ্ত তদন্ত প্রক্রিয়া তো রয়েছেই।
দ্য পোয়েট এর প্রধান চরিত্র জ্যাক ম্যাকেভয়ের সামান্য উপস্থিতি রয়েছে এই উপন্যাসে। সেই সাথে রয়েছে আরেক কনেলির বিখ্যাত উকিল চরিত্র মিকি হেলারও।
প্লট, থ্রিল, টুইস্ট সব ভালোই ছিল। তবে আরেকটু টাইট হতে পারতো। সবমিলিয়ে ভালোই উপভোগ্য একটা ক্রাইম থ্রিলার।
August 9, 2013
Positives:
- A cool cameo by sleazy defense attorney Mickey Haller.
- Incidents from this book should push Bosch's character development further in future books.
Positive or negative, depending on your perspective:
- The middle third of the book was basically a retelling of the Liam Neeson movie Taken.
- Less realistic than most books in the series; it read more like a suspense/thriller than a detective novel.
Negatives:
- Not much character development in this book.
- The ending felt very rushed, and left some plot threads unresolved.
- A cool cameo by sleazy defense attorney Mickey Haller.
- Incidents from this book should push Bosch's character development further in future books.
Positive or negative, depending on your perspective:
- The middle third of the book was basically a retelling of the Liam Neeson movie Taken.
- Less realistic than most books in the series; it read more like a suspense/thriller than a detective novel.
Negatives:
- Not much character development in this book.
- The ending felt very rushed, and left some plot threads unresolved.
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