The Hollow

Harry Bosch #26

by Michael Connelly

12 hours

Retired LAPD detective Harry Bosch delves into the darkest chapter of his past in the new thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Connelly.

When Harry Bosch was eleven years old, his mother was murdered and he became a ward of the state, housed in MacLaren Children’s Center, a notorious facility where abuse was rampant. Decades after its closure, a massive class action lawsuit has resulted in a multibillion-dollar settlement for former residents. But when Bosch’s half-brother, defense attorney Mickey Haller, brings him word that Harry is entitled to $400,000, Bosch says he doesn’t want the money. He wants justice.

News of the settlement awakens his memories of a place he had hoped never to revisit, and a boy named Chops, a fellow inmate who wound up dead. Chops’s body was found in a hidden space under a staircase that the staff used to discipline their charges. The kids knew it only as “the hollow.” But Chops’s death was covered up and never solved. Now Bosch knows he must reopen the investigation and learn the truth, even if the killer is long dead.

As Bosch digs into the files, he picks up the trail of a predator who not only survived, but went on to a life of vicious crime. Forced to face a history that both scarred him and launched him on his mission as a cop, Bosch must bring down a sadistic criminal and finally put to rest the demons of his past.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Audiobook

Audible Audio

First published January 1, 2026

About the author

Librarian 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.

Reviews

[Liz · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

4.5 stars, rounded up
The Hollow, the 26th Harry Bosch book, takes Harry back to his time as a juvenile in the MacLaren Children’s Center. Between ages 11 and 16, Harry was a ward of the state in a place more prison than care facility. Now, the state has settled with those that were harmed during their time there. The settlement brings back memories of a friend who didn’t make it out alive, which leads Harry on a quest to find out who was behind the unsolved murder. Now in his 70s, he’s long retired, but with help from Mickey Haller and Renee Ballard, he’s able to access what information there is. His investigation puts him in the crosshairs of both a mobster and the FBI. In a neat twist, Connelly uses real life events. The Wonderland Murders really happened and still remain unsolved. And there really was a settlement for the abuses tied to the MacLaren Children’s Center.
As with all these books, the story moves quickly. The book moves across the decades. Connelly’s writing style is crisp and concise with easy to envision scenes. It’s easy to see why so many of Connelly’s books have been turned into tv series.
I appreciated learning more about Harry’s early days. It gave additional depth to his character.
My thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown for an advance copy of this book.

[Tara“on · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy Publication Day!
The Hollow (Harry Bosch) Book 26

“Everybody counts, or nobody counts”

Harry Bosch makes a triumphant return in The Hollow, a gripping crime mystery thriller by Michael Connelly. It is an outstanding book. I wholeheartedly recommend this book! Expected publication date: November 5, 2026

Over sixty years ago, Harry Bosch spent part of his childhood at the notorious McLaren Hall, a children’s home. His childhood friend Charlie Lamb “Chops” was murdered, and the case was never solved. Bosch is resolute in uncovering the truth and getting justice. His investigation pulls him into an active FBI task force case, an organization with which he has a complex history, and Bosch must navigate a politically charged investigation.

This is another exceptional installment in the Harry Bosch universe, and unlike recent installments, the spotlight firmly shines on Harry this time. Cameos from Renée Ballard and Mickey Haller appear, but this is unmistakably a Bosch story. As a long-time fan of the series, I was on the edge of my seat, thrilled and found it impossible to put down, staying up until 2:00 am to finish reading.

Watching Bosch navigate the case without the full perks of having his badge, and watching how our hero, now 74, copes with getting older- especially after the knee surgery that slows him down a bit- however, his mind is sharp as ever. It remains as acerbic and fierce as ever.

I found the dual-timeline structure engaging. As a longtime fan, I found it incredibly satisfying to explore his turbulent teenage years in greater depth. I also appreciate how Connelly masterfully interweaves true events with fictional details, creating compelling, nuanced storytelling.
The crossover elements with other Michael Connelly characters add extra layers of interest. Mickey Haller makes a brief appearance, and Renée Ballard features prominently throughout much of the story.

The characters, both familiar and new, are vividly realized, and even long-standing characters add depth to the narrative.

Michael Connelly's mastery in plotting and writing shines brightly. His stories resemble intricate jigsaw puzzles: seemingly random pieces that, through connection, form a complete and satisfying picture. For readers, this meticulous process culminates in a compelling and satisfying resolution.

Many thanks to Orion Publishing Group for providing a digital advance reader’s copy via NetGalley; all opinions expressed are solely my own.

[Shannon Moeser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harry is back!

Really back. Not just an associate in a Renee Ballard investigation, or a cameo in a Mickey Haller novel—though both Renee and Mickey appear briefly in THE HOLLOW. But finally, a novel that stars Harry, from beginning to end.

I only had to read the first paragraph to realize I was hooked:

Bosch walked between the headstones, checking names as he passed. These days he suspected that he knew more people below ground than above. He moved slowly, using the cane for support.

Thus, it starts. And doesn't stop. Although Harry is 75, and he retired from the LAPD nearly 12 years earlier, he's still trying to catch 'the ones who got away'. In the beginning, it's a man named Talbot, who Harry is sure murdered his wife 25 years earlier. Harry sets up a sting operation, working in conjunction with Ballard, head of the Open-Unsolved Unit. They overhear Talbot say in reference to Harry: "He's like a dog with a bone, that one."

While the Talbot case simmers, Harry decides to look into another long-ago murder—that of his good friend, Charles "Chops" Lamb—which took place more than 60 years earlier while both Harry and Chops were residents of the MacLauren Children's Center. Harry follows the trail from a guard whose memory is fractured to another inmate of the Center, a bully who Harry despised, and then ends up being drawn into a major FBI investigation.

The storyline twists and turns, as Harry gets desperate to make the villain pay for his crimes, not only the murder of Chops, but also a horrific mass murder—one that Harry has never forgotten after he was called upon to secure the scene soon after joining the LAPD.

In THE HOLLOW, Harry comes face to face with a true sociopath. Can he make this cold-blooded killer pay for his crimes? Harry's mind is as sharp as ever, but his body is deteriorating.

THE HOLLOW is probably Michael Connelly's best book in years. I couldn't put it down, and I suspect that most readers will feel the same way.

Thanks to Little, Brown and Company for providing an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.


[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was thrilled to approved to read an early copy of The Hollow by my favourite author Michael Connelly, thank you so much to Orion Publishing Group. Released on November 5th, I could not wait to dive in and I spent a very happy Saturday afternoon into the evening with Harry Bosch. What could be better.

Now Harry Bosch might be in his mid 70s and retired from the police force for 12 years but that does not stop him from investigating cases. This one is personal for him and I loved getting a glimpse at younger Harry in this book. When he was a kid, Harry was a ward of the state at Maclaren Children’s Centre, some of the worst years of his life. Children were abused and mistreated for many years and finally the victims have their class action lawsuit closed and damages paid. But Harry doesn’t want the money, he wants justice for his friend who was murdered at the centre. His murder was covered up and nobody was ever charged.

He throws himself into investigating the case with the help of Renee Ballard. With his newly reconstructed knee, he might not get around as quickly as he once had but this doesn’t stop him getting into trouble. His investigations lead him unwittingly into an FBI investigation of the highest level.

Harry Bosch will always hold a special place in my heart. He has been a constant in my reading life as an adult and he brings me so much joy. He is a cranky man, not a team player and doesn’t appreciate that rules are there for a reason but that is what I love about him. His motto of Everybody Counts or Nobody Counts is never more true in this book. He is the only one who cares about what happened to his friend more than 60 years later, he will get his answers.

I loved that we got a chance to meet younger Harry in this story. As a child and as a young rookie police officer and then detective., with cases that he worked on in his past coming back to light. We see the same stubborn attitude and intensity from him even as a kid.

This is the first book we have had focused on Harry in a while which makes me very happy. Of course there are cameos from his daughter Maddie, Mickey Haller his lawyer and family and Renee Ballard who he now works cold cases with.

Michael Connelly s second book for 2026, and his second 5 star read for me. An absolute pleasure to read, and sad that I finished it.

[Linden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harry Bosch was in a children's home after his mother was murdered, a house of horrors which was more like a prison. (The hollow of the title was a tiny closet which was used for punishment.) He had a friend, Chops, who died there. Even all these years later, Bosch wants to find out what happened. He learns that one of the bullies, Nick, was adopted by a career criminal, and joined his new father in evil pursuits. The FBI is also looking at Nick for some international crimes. Harry's sure Nick was involved in not only the death of Chops, but also in a grisly crime from 30 years ago, the Wonderland murders, for which no one has ever been charged. (Apparently this was a real unsolved crime in LA. Michael Connelly hosted a documentary, The Wonderland Massacre and the Secret History of Hollywood, about it.) I liked that Ballard, Haller, and Maddie also made an appearance. The story draws to an exciting conclusion, with Bosch unsurprisingly deciding to deal with the situation himself rather than requesting assistance from the police of the FBI. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the opportunity to review this ARC.

[Andrew Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new Bosch novel, now that’s something special. And it’s not a throwback to an earlier adventure either. Well, in some ways it is, I suppose, but set in real time. An ailing Bosch – age and illness having taken their toll – is reflecting back to his time at a notorious children’s home in Los Angeles. It was a grim time in his life, six years of misery. But one happening still haunts him: the fate of a boy, Charlie Lamb, who he met briefly but who died shortly after he arrived at the home. It’s a death that was never satisfactorily explained, though Bosch strongly suspects it was an act of murder in which the brutal staff were either complicit or perhaps even carried out the act themselves. He decides it’s time to do some digging around.

Information isn’t easy to come by. The case file is thin and lacking any real insight. But he does, at least, establish some basic details. This includes where Charlie’s body was discovered: in an understairs cupboard come punishment lockup for perceived misdeeds. It was nicknamed ‘the hollow’. Time to hit the streets and talk to some people. The irascible Bosch is never afraid to ruffle a few feathers. It’s part of the attraction I have to this character. He makes a habit of making the people he’s talking to feel uncomfortable. Yet he’s also able to finesse a conversation when he feels that this approach might better bring about a desired outcome. The dialogue here – as always – feels gritty and real.

There’s also a second case here that Bosch is peripherally involved in, involving some missing military missiles. He’s seconded to an investigation run by the FBI – much to their irritation. Segways to the details of this case are less satisfying. In particular, there’s a section where Bosch decides to get physically involved in a way that just doesn’t feel like a plausible fit for a man of his age and physical vulnerability.

But at it’s core it’s yet another excellent novel in this superb series. I really hope there’s more to come.

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good procedural, covering a couple of cold murder cases. Both of which from Harry's past, one from his youth and the other a murder Harry had investigated 25 years earlier.

This goes the way most of the recent Bosch books have gone, with Harry attempting to outsmart the perps. The days of Harry's youth are in the rear view mirror. He's pretty much a physical wreck now-a-days.

[Adrian Dooley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another absolutely stellar story from Michael Connelly in the Bosch universe as the now retired Harry Bosch, upon finding out that he entitled to compensation for his time spent in a boys home where a pattern of abuse occurred, relives and rekindles old memories of his time there and the unsolved murder of his friend in that institution.

Determined to have one last look at it he soon crosses paths with the FBI and the mob and gets embroiled in a very dangerous world where he will have to tread carefully if he wants to stay alive.

Told in different timelines both in the present and the past in the boys home, but also in his early days in the police force, The Hollow is a tour de force of a book. Great characters, great storytelling and great pacing, I have nothing negative to say about it.

Connelly again proves he stands alone in the genre. A master story teller with characters to match.

Many thanks to Netgalley for the ARC through Netgalley.

[Judy Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael Connelly’s The Hollow delivers a profound character study wrapped inside a cold-case investigation. “A heart-wrenching piece of literary restoration that forces us to sit with Harry’s grief, anger, and weariness.”

A gorgeous, heartbreaking look at aging, survival, and a detective who refuses to let the world bury its ghosts.

Intro
Reviewing Michael Connelly (long-time favorite author & Bosch fan), means maintaining an exceptionally high standard—especially when analyzing a character like Harry Bosch with decades of established history. The Hollow does not simply meet that benchmark; it commands it. Connelly delivers a stark, emotionally unsparing addition to the canon that firmly secures 5/5 Stars and Top Books of the Year!

The Hook
A multimillion-dollar legal windfall offers a choice: pocket the money and walk away, or use it to dismantle the wall of silence protecting the ghosts of your past.

Elevator Pitch
When a class-action settlement awards retired LAPD detective Harry Bosch a massive payout for the institutional abuse he survived as a boy at the MacLaren Children's Center, he refuses the check. Instead, he weaponizes the leverage to force open a fifty-year-old cold case: the murder of "Chops," a fellow ward found dead beneath a hidden stairwell. Backed by his half-brother, Mickey Haller, Harry wages a legal and psychological war against his own history to corner a killer who thought time had washed away the blood.

Setting
A split-screen vision of Los Angeles. The narrative glides between the high-stakes friction of modern legal chambers and the claustrophobic, shadow-drenched memories of a defunct mid-century orphanage. The crumbling, shadow-drenched halls of the abandoned MacLaren facility serve less as a traditional crime scene and more as an emotional purgatory where Harry's ghosts still reside.

Vibe
Elegiac, deeply personal, haunting, and quietly defiant. The atmosphere is heavy with the weight of aging, grief, and the stark isolation of a man outliving his era. It carries the weight of a late-night drive down the Pacific Coast Highway with decades of unresolved trauma sitting in the passenger seat.

Genre
Character-Driven Cold Case Mystery / Psychological Noir / Crime Fiction / Legal Thriller

Themes
~The Emptiness of Financial Restitution: The insulting notion that a state payout can substitute for accountability and closure.
~The Isolation of the Aging Fighter: Exploring how a man handles his own physical decline when his mind refuses to quit the mission.
~The Loneliness of the Forgotten Ward: The profound psychological damage inflicted on children cast aside by society.

Standout Characters
~Harry Bosch: Stripped of his badge and battling his failing body, he relies entirely on pure, stubborn moral fury. Watching him confront the raw vulnerability of his eleven-year-old self adds a profound, devastating layer to his identity.
~Charlie "Chops" Lamb: A tragic figure whose spectral memory acts as the emotional anchor of the entire narrative.
~Mickey Haller: Serving as an excellent foil, representing pragmatic legal reality against Harry’s absolute, uncompromising moral code.

Author Writing Standout
Connelly discards the traditional safety nets of the police procedural. By anchoring the entire investigation within Harry's personal history, the narrative cuts straight to the bone. The prose is clean, sparse, and heavy with intent, sustaining momentum without sacrificing a shred of psychological depth.

Connelly exhibits immense empathy in how he handles Bosch's internal life. The book bypasses clinical detachment, grounding every scene in the quiet indignities of Harry’s physical limitations—crushing painkillers in a hot car just to keep moving. It's a raw, unvarnished portrait of a man holding himself together by sheer force of will.

Takeaway
A legal settlement can close a case file, but only an unearthing of the truth can heal a lifelong scar.

Title Significance
"The Hollow" captures a terrifying dual meaning. On a literal level, it is the pitch-black, cramped disciplinary space beneath the MacLaren stairwell where unruly children were locked away to break their spirits. Metaphorically, it represents the permanent emotional void left inside Harry—the empty space where his childhood should have been.

Metaphor
The sealed crawlspace beneath the stairwell serves as an indictment of historical erasure—a physical manifestation of the dark corners where society buries its stains, waiting for someone with enough grit to tear down the drywall.

Why You Should Read
For the Bosch faithful, this is an essential, foundational milestone. It functions as a rare gift to readers, illuminating the definitive, formative trauma that forged Harry’s uncompromising worldview.

My Thoughts
This book is a heart-wrenching piece of literary restoration. The Hollow halts the clock to let us sit with Harry's grief, his anger, and his weariness. Watching a 75-year-old Bosch confront the ghosts of his 11-year-old self is incredibly moving and reminds us why this character has endured for decades.

It is remarkable that after decades of writing this character, Connelly can still unearth a layer this raw. The Hollow feels uniquely high-stakes because the mystery isn’t an assignment; it is Harry’s life story. It is dark, unsettling, and beautifully executed.

Thes installment functions as an intimate, long-overdue excavation of the character’s soul. By returning to the foundational trauma of his youth, the narrative moves past police logbook precision to confront the deep emotional scar tissue that turned an orphaned eleven-year-old boy into the most relentless detective in contemporary crime fiction. The narrative cuts straight to the bone, offering an intimate look at an iconic character without losing its signature suspenseful momentum.

A flawless, deeply personal addition to the Bosch canon that hits like a physical blow. The book elevates the stakes from a simple procedural to a haunting battle for an old man's peace by forcing Harry to confront his own vulnerable history.

Verdict 5/5 stars
A stark, deeply felt addition to the Bosch lineage that lands with the force of an impact. By forcing Harry to fight for his own childhood peace, the stakes shift from a standard investigation to an unforgettable reckoning. This is essential crime fiction that delivers a massive, earned emotional payoff.

"A deeply affecting, poetic exploration of memory and justice that stands among Connelly's most emotionally resonant work. Top Books of 2026!"

Recs or Read-Alikes
~The Last Coyote by Michael Connelly – The essential companion piece where an unstable, suspended Bosch first investigates his own mother’s unsolved murder, establishing his lifelong psychological blueprint.
~Lost Light by Michael Connelly – A classic era novel where a newly retired Harry, stripped of his LAPD badge, must rely solely on his internal compass and personal relationships to solve a lingering case.

Audio Standout
As always, I look forward to listening to the audiobook by the talented and favorite, itus Welliver! He always delivers a gritty, deeply interior performance that captures Bosch’s aging fatigue and sharp edge. The pairing with Cameron Monaghan will make for a high-wire, tension-filled audio experience.

A special thank you to Little Brown and Company and NetGalley for sharing an advance reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts. Also pre-ordered the hardcover for my home library and, as always the audiobook, a must-listen. Do not miss this one. A classic.

Blog review posted @
JudithD.Collins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
#LitLitMiniAuthorChats | #AuthorElevatorSeries
#AudioElevatorSeries
My Rating: 5 Stars +
Pub Date: Oct 27, 2026
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Oct 2026 Must-Read Books

[Valleri · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars, rounded up.

Harry Bosch is back! In The Hollow retired LAPD detective Bosch is offered a portion of a massive class-action settlement dating back to the years he spent in the horrific MacLaren Children's Center. Instead, he turns it down and opts to reopen the decades-old murder case of his childhood friend who was killed there and the murder covered up. The death of his friend Chops is something Harry has NEVER been able to forget.

He tracks the bully, who is now a dangerous criminal, determined to finally find justice for Chops and peace for himself. I loved that Harry had his daughter, as well as Renee Ballard helping him. (I can remember, many books ago, when she was a driven young detective trying to prove herself in the LAPD. HER series is well worth reading, too.)

Back to The Hollow. It made me bite my nails as I read. It made me furious. It made me cry. It made me cross my fingers that Harry would live long enough to accomplish all that he was bound and determined to do.

The Hollow can be read as a standalone, although I highly recommend reading the entire Harry Bosch series!

HUGE thanks to #LittleBrown, for providing this book for consideration and review via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own. The Hollow has an expected publication date of November 27, 2026.

End note: Some of the elements of this book are based on real incidents and real people. MacLaren Hall was a real place, and a true house of horrors, open from 1961 until it was closed in 2003. It has been torn down and transformed into a new 5.6-acre community park named the Hilda L. Solis Community Park.

#MichaelConnelly #Crime #Suspense #ChildAbuse

[Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Harry Bosch gets told he may be entitled to roughly $400,000 from a settlement over the children’s home where he was abused, and his response is basically, keep it, I want to know who murdered my friend in the punishment space under the stairs sixty years ago. Of course it is. Most people would call a financial adviser. Harry hears “large settlement” and immediately starts reopening a murder from 1963 while recovering from knee replacement surgery. Sir. Your knee is new. You have a cane. Please consider sitting down for one afternoon.

I am not really a Bosch girlie. I dapple. I pop in, see what Harry is mad about, spend some time with Mickey Haller or Renée Ballard, and then leave again. So I was not bringing twenty-five books of history into The Hollow, which honestly made Harry’s whole personality even easier to clock. This man has spent his entire life hearing “leave it alone” and interpreting it as “you should absolutely keep digging.”

What drags him back is MacLaren Children’s Center, where Harry lived after his mother was murdered. The place was abusive, violent, and the adults who were supposed to protect these kids failed them constantly. Harry remembers Charles “Chops” Lamb, another boy there, and he remembers believing Chops was killed in the place the kids called the hollow. Nobody really cared enough to find out what happened. Harry has cared for more than sixty years.

And that got me harder than I expected, because we keep seeing younger Harry alongside present-day Harry and suddenly this very stubborn, emotionally constipated old man makes more sense. Eleven-year-old Harry is lonely, grieving, angry, and trying to survive a place where kids learn pretty fast that adults might not save them. Then you jump back to current Harry, still chasing forgotten victims, still refusing to let an unsolved death sit quietly, and you are like... oh. There you are.

Present-day Harry is also retired in the loosest possible sense of that word. He is retired the way someone is “not checking work email” while actively typing a reply. Renée Ballard is around. Mickey Haller is the one who brings him the settlement information. Maddie appears. But Harry is still the one driving straight toward trouble while everybody else points out that he no longer has a badge, like he has ever cared about administrative details.

Then this sixty-year-old cold case starts colliding with a current federal investigation involving the man Harry is tracking, and that is where the book really locked me in. The FBI tells Harry to back off. Harry hears them. Harry understands the words. Harry does not back off. I genuinely do not know why anyone still wastes the breath.

There are other cold-case threads moving too, because apparently one unresolved murder is not enough for this man. He is already helping Ballard with another old case when Chops comes roaring back into his head, and then the past starts connecting to crimes much bigger than one boy dying at MacLaren. Once Harry realizes he may have found somebody who never stopped hurting people, it is over. Everybody else can clear their calendar.

The thing that stayed with me was not the FBI or the danger. It was Harry realizing that if he dies without finding out what happened, Chops might disappear with him. “Everybody counts or nobody counts” lands differently when you understand Harry learned that because he was once one of the kids nobody counted.

And yes, for someone who merely dabbles in Bosch, I got embarrassingly invested in this elderly man making terrible decisions for justice. His body is telling him to slow down. His cane is probably filing paperwork. His recent surgery would like a word. Harry does not care. He has had sixty years to be angry about Chops, and now that there is finally a trail, he is going to follow it whether the FBI likes it or not.

The Hollow landed at 4.5 stars for me. I came in like, sure, I know Harry, we have met. Then suddenly I am worried about his knee, irritated at federal agents, and emotionally invested in a dead boy named Chops. This one worked on me because the case is not just something Harry wants solved. It is tied to the exact reason he became the kind of man who refuses to stop looking when everybody else has decided a victim is too old, too forgotten, or too inconvenient to matter.

Whodunity Award: For Giving a Seventy-Something Man a New Knee and Somehow Convincing Him This Means He Is Ready to Chase a Sixty-Year-Old Murder Into an Active Federal Investigation

Thank you to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for the ARC, and for reminding me that retirement is apparently a fake concept if your name is Harry Bosch. Somebody please hide his car keys, his case files, and Renée Ballard’s phone number until that knee finishes healing.

[Shereadbookblog · Rating 5 out of 5]

LAPD Detective Harry Bosch, now retired, spent a significant part of his childhood as a ward of the state at MacLaren’s Children’s center, a horrific and abusive environment. As a result of a multi-billion dollar class action lawsuit, Harry, along with other former residents, is entitled to a substantial settlement. Harry doesn’t want the money, he just wants to solve the covered -up murder of a friend of his killed while at MacLaren. As Harry investigates, he relives some of his years at that institution while pursuing a diabolical fellow internee. Simultaneously, he becomes involved in a secondary, intertwined storyline involving the FBI’s search for some stolen weapons.

For fans of Michael Connelly, this book is a quadruple treat. Not only is Bosch back, but we also have Ballard, Mickey Haller, the Lincoln Lawyer, and Harry’s daughter Maddie, although they play supporting roles. Harry is the true star of this narrative.

The 26th installment in this series, it does work well as a standalone. However, if you have been following Bosch for a few years, I believe it will enhance your enjoyment of this read.

The book employs dual timelines, alternating between the present day and Harry’s past years following his mother’s death. Through the earlier timeline, readers gain more insight into Bosch’s formative history. Now older and retired, is doing some bird watching and is the recent recipient of a knee replacement. He may have slowed down physically, but he is as mentally sharp as ever.

Michael Connelly is one of the first authors of mysteries that I started following years ago. He is a master story teller. This, as is his past books, is well plotted with compelling story lines.

The action and unraveling of the mysteries unfold swiftly, building tension throughout the narrative. Harry is a great character…his grumpiness, his desire for justice, his view that “everybody counts or nobody counts”, his disregard for always following protocol. He is a true maverick. I want fictional time to stop so that Harry remains with us for many more years.

As the author’s notes reveal, many of the events and locations in this story are real, although the characters and their actions fictional.



Thanks to @NetGalley and @LittleBrown for the DRC.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy Michael Connelly's books, and this was no exception. It's a little disconcerting to see Bosch aging - It reminds me just how long I've been reading the series!

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s been quite a while since I’ve read a Harry Bosch mystery by Michael Connelly. But, when I saw The Hollow: A Harry Bosch Novel, coming out soon, I decided it was time to visit an old friend. And yes, Harry is getting old, uh, older. But then, so am I. Harry has retired from his job as a detective, but they can’t take the detective out of the man. When he was a boy, he spent time, more than once, in a detention center called MacLaren Children’s Center. It was not a nice place for children, but Harry survived. Sadly, his buddy, a Black boy known as Chops, did not. Now, as an adult, Harry learns from his attorney, Mickey Hatcher, that he’s entitled to a portion of the settlement. Harry’s not interested in the money. He wants justice for Chops.

The main thread involves Harry’s search for information about the death of his childhood friend and the person responsible. The secondary plot involves an unsolved murder case from his days as a police detective. He was always sure he knew the identity of the killer, but he never could quite get the pieces to come together enough for the DA to build a solid case. Now, he has a plan that just might work.

The search for the person responsible for the death of his friend proves long and dangerous. The suspect is involved in multiple murders and international crimes and proves to be quite elusive. Bosch must rely on his experience and instincts, as well as his contacts in the law enforcement community to track down this killer.

Initially, I was a bit disappointed when Harry got involved with others outside local law enforcement, but that’s the way it was, at least for a time, although I rather liked it better when he was working on his own or with a smaller group. sensed that he did too. This book has plenty of suspense and action, and I could picture this story being made into a movie one day.

I received an ARC digital copy of The Hollow. My opinions are my own. Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown, and Company.

4 stars

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harry Bosch is back. Man, it feels good to say that. It feels like all we have had for years is “Harry and (fill in the blank from the many cast of characters)”. Don’t get me wrong. I like those characters, but I love Harry and it’s good to just focus on him. Now don’t misunderstand me. They cast of characters are present, but they are in the background. Waaaaay in the background. It’s just Harry in the spotlight. And it feels right.

Harry is aging. As matter of fact, with each book, I keep expecting it to end with the cast of characters gathered around a hospital bed with the beeping slowly fading as Harry breathes his last. After all, Connelly isn’t afraid to kill of a great character. I’m still mad about Terry McCaleb.

But as Harry is aging, he wants to see some justice for some wrongs. Even if they go back 60 years when Harry was a kid.

This book is emotional, even if Harry isn’t. It will not just tug on your heart strings, this novel will rip out your heart strings and jump rope with them.

One of my criticisms for the last few years is that the heart was missing out of Michael Connelly’s books. They were good but just missing the heart. Well, someone signed this novel up for a heart transplant and it is successful. This was old school Michael Connelly and old school Harry Bosch.

Welcome back to both of you. Sign me up for this every year.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

[John MacLeod · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘The Hollow’, by Michael Connelly, is the latest Harry Bosch thriller .The main man may be officially retired as a Detective yet he refuses to simply rest easy while there’s honest work still to be done in the search for the truth.Despite the real challenges of aging his instincts and drive remain as strong as ever.
There are still some open unsolved investigations for him that dig deep into his soul’s desire to achieve resolution in the memory of the victims.
The intense personal trauma of his time as an orphaned boy spent in the horrendous MacLaren institution combined with freshly jolted memories of the very poorly investigated murder of a close friend he met there ,inspires him to seek justice despite the gap of so many years.
The at times intertwining complex investigations including criminal activities from the more distant past and the present make this feel like one of the most compelling Bosch stories ever,as he ensures no valuable time is wasted despite the passing decades.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group , for an Advance Readers Copy for review.

[The Bookish Elf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harry Bosch arrives at a Hollywood cemetery with a cane, a vase of tulips and a knee replacement that is four weeks old. The man standing at the grave is the husband he has believed for twenty-five years killed his first wife, and the tulips hold a microphone. Around the corner, Renée Ballard and two volunteers from her cold-case unit sit in a plumber's van with headphones on. That is the shape of Bosch's life in The Hollow by Michael Connelly: no badge, a body that keeps reminding him of his age, and friends with badges who still let him run the play.

The cemetery case is the warm-up. The real book begins when Mickey Haller pulls up in an electric car that drives itself (the Lincoln, he explains, no longer suits a public-interest lawyer) to tell his half brother that Los Angeles County is settling the MacLaren abuse lawsuits for four billion dollars. Bosch was a ward at MacLaren Hall for six years as a boy. He refuses his share of the money. What he wants is the sealed discovery file, because it holds the records on Charlie Lamb, the friend who died there in 1965.

What This Book Adds to Michael Connelly's Bosch

The novel braids three cases separated by six decades. There is Lamb, beaten to death in 1965 after a cafeteria riot. There is Wonderland, the 1981 Laurel Canyon quadruple murder Bosch guarded as a junior detective, a crime that really happened and was never fully punished, as the Wonderland murders record shows. And there is a present-day federal task force hunting stolen military missiles, which Bosch blunders into while surveilling a suspect he recognises from MacLaren. The Hollow by Michael Connelly asks what one old man can still do when every agency in the room outranks him.

Short chapters dated 1963 to 1966 interleave with the present, and they show the boy who became Bosch in a way the series has only sketched before.

What works
The legwork is Bosch at his best. He breaks a forty-five-year-old alibi by renting the hotel room it depends on and checking which way the window faces. Nothing else in the book is as satisfying, and it costs nothing but stubbornness.
The 1981 chapter is a small masterpiece. A young detective is ordered to guard the Wonderland house and not to go inside. He goes inside. The scene explains in a few pages why this man chose homicide, and it never tips into gore for its own sake.
The courtroom fencing is sharp. A suppression hearing over the cemetery recording lets a defence lawyer put Bosch's whole career on trial, the 2014 suspension included, and the prosecutor's recovery is a pleasure.
Old tools, used well. Binoculars, a dog-eared paper map book, a printer that remembers its last jobs: Bosch's analogue habits become investigative method.
Where It Gives Ground
The biggest break is handed to him. At the turning point, the case is cracked by a detail Bosch notices almost by accident, from a place he would have been standing anyway. In The Hollow by Michael Connelly luck does work that detection should be doing, and several smaller breaks land just as neatly.
A chapter of homework. The account of the real Wonderland case, its drug dealers and its famous hangers-on, arrives in one long block that reads more like the author's old newspaper features than fiction.
The villain is all appetite. Novak is menacing on paper, but he is ego and sneer with very little inside, and his choices in the last act are more theatrical than sensible.
Do You Need the Earlier Books?

No. Connelly sets out everything a newcomer needs: the knee, the retirement in 2014, his daughter Maddie now working as a detective, Ballard's unit, Haller as half brother and lawyer. Long-time readers get more from the callbacks to The Concrete Blonde and The Burning Room, and from seeing where the tunnel rat and the tattoos came from, but The Hollow by Michael Connelly stands on its own.

The Verdict

Connelly has written better-plotted Bosch novels, and a couple with sharper villains. He has not written a more heartfelt one. The Hollow by Michael Connelly, out now since 27 October 2026, takes the series' oldest wound and treats it with patience, anger and a surprising tenderness for the boys who never got the golden ticket out. The missiles and the task force are the noise. The boy under the stairs is the book, and he is why this one will stay with readers long after the plot details fade.

[Lou Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE HOLLOW: A HARRY BOSCH NOVEL by Michael Connelly
Publication: October 2026 by Little, Brown & Company
Graded: A


Michael Connelly never ceases to amaze in his 43rd novel. Another marvelous gem as Connelly delves into the childhood trauma that shaped Harry’s ultimate destiny and uncompromising code to seek justice and prevent others from suffering the feeling of powerlessness. Harry became a ward of the state at age 11, after his mother was murdered. He found himself confined to the abusive MacLaren Children’s Center, where he learned to survive the abuse and trauma of the guards and the resident “bullies.” He avoided “The Hollow” …. A cramped dark and tight space beneath the staircase, that was used to throw residents in for not only disciplinary reasons, but absurd infractions. It was a source of cruelty and degradation. Thank God this place is now scheduled for demolition. Bosch has just been made aware that he and others were awarded $400,000 each in a class action suit as compensation for the cruelty and abuse they received. Now that the Center and it’s inhuman treatment are brought to the light, he learns that his close childhood friend, Charlie “Chops” Lamb was discovered murdered while in the Hollow. More infuriating to Bosch is that nobody cared enough to investigate the circumstances. He could care less about the money. He needed to conduct his own cold-case investigation and hopefully make those perpetrators accountable. This will also allow him to address the personal helplessness feeling as a boy. He was aided in obtaining the decades old files of the Center by his friend and protege LAPD detective Renee Ballard. Intrigue and suspense build as evidence is gradually recovered. Bosch’s integrity and obsession will not let him falter in the search for justice.
Connelly once again proves to be a masterful storyteller as he weaves together multiple plot lines together with unexpected revelations. His narrative adds layers of new dimensions to the character and morality of his long running Harry Bosch novels. Connelly creates a riveting narrative that compels the reader to keep turning pages eagerly , seeking the final resolution.
This is a sharp criticism of institutional corruption and neglect of their defenseless and vulnerable charges. Connelly’s background in crime reporting shines as he effortlessly utilizes his knowledge of police procedures and details of criminal investigations. I don’t think that I’ll ever tire of Connelly’s writings … especially the Harry Bosch series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. To be published in Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine.

[Amy (ReadThisAndSteep) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book goes into Bosch's past with a deeply personal case, and it's as emotional as it is suspenseful. Fast-paced, tightly plotted, and incredibly well narrated, it's bingeable!

75-year-old Bosch is retired and recovering from a knee replacement, but still determined to investigate the 1965 murder of a friend from the children's shelter where both were placed at the time. A crime that was covered up at the time.

Los Angeles is a living, breathing character in Connelly's books, and he often weaves real landmarks and history into his stories, including institutional corruption. In this story, there are flashbacks to Harry's teen years spent at the notorious MacLaren Children's Center, a county shelter for children that operated like a prison, a place where abuses occurred and, in real life, as in the book, a historic $4 billion abuse settlement was paid out.

Cameos from other beloved Connelly characters appear, but this story focuses firmly on Bosch, and it is gritty and compelling. Bosch is a great character with a vigilante streak that is balanced by a sense of justice and deep empathy that keep me rooting for him.

There's enough backstory that you can jump in here if you haven't read the previous books.

The audiobook is fantastic and cinematic! Titus Welliver, who played Bosch on the Amazon TV series, narrates present day Bosch, and Cameron Monaghan, who will star in the upcoming Bosch prequel series narrates young Bosch in the flashbacks. Both deliver incredible performances. For me, Welliver is the definitive voice of Bosch, with strength and a noir style weariness. He lends a haunting emotional quality as Bosch faces old wounds and new physical limitations. Highly recommend this on audiobook!

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Hollow by Michael Connelly is book No. 26 in the Harry Bosch series.

"Bosch wants justice for his friend, Chops, who was killed while a resident of MacLaren's Children Center. MacLaren was the state home where Bosch was sent as an 11-year-old when his mother was killed. It was more prison than orphanage. Bosch wants to find the truth about who killed Chops, even if the person is long dead. Bosch ends up on the trail of a predator - someone still involved in violent crimes. To bring him down, Bosch must face the demons of his own past."

I have always appreciated that Connelly lets his characters age. Bosch is recovering from his cancer treatments and a new knee replacement. Physically he is hanging in there but his mind is still sharp. He's always tried to get justice for the victims that don't seem to matter to others. He is relentless is chasing leads even when told there is nothing there. There are some scary moments in this one where you wonder if this is it for Bosch or his daughter, Maddie.
The pace is tremendous in this book. I finished it in a day.

Another great Harry Bosch story from Michael Connelly.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somehow Connelly has been able to wring another story out of Harry Bosch, this one reverberating right back to his childhood experiences in a foster home, and a murdered boy who never received justice. Bosch is older now, pretty much retired, and not terribly fit, especially as he's recently had a knee replacement operation. But his brain is still in working order, and the twists and turns of the story were interesting as always. Connelly is the master of the plot line. Not the best out of all the Bosch books, but still a fast-moving and engaging read. It's probably not recommended to start your Bosch journey right here though, as the references to past characters and events will confuse or pass you by. But this one is still a worthy addition to the body of Bosch stories.

[Nicole Hancock · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25-4.5 stars. I was happy to learn that Connelly didn't hang up his Bosch boots after starting the Catalina series. I was also happy to see Mickey Haller, Lorna, Ballard (and Maddie) make appearances here. A couple different investigations going, and solid/typical Bosch "police"/investigative work. A few passages I particularly enjoyed (with the memory therapist and a courtroom scene). Connelly is definitely letting us know that Bosch is aging.

Bosch fans who have read this far in the series should definitely continue with this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for providing me with an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

Expected publication date: October 27, 2026.

[JD · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free advance copy for review purposes. 

Five stars. 

Harry Bosch is back in this dark crime thriller from Michael Connelly, and I very much welcome it. This is an excellent book. 

Over 60 years ago, Harry Bosch spent some of his childhood in a notorious children’s home. One of his fellow inmates was murdered, but nobody was ever caught. Bosch is determined to find out who killed him. His investigations lead to him stumbling into an active FBI case, an organisation with which he has a complicated history, and Bosch must navigate his way through a politically sensitive investigation.

This is another fantastic addition to the Harry Bosch series, and unlike recent books, the focus is fully back on Harry this time. There are cameos from Renee Ballard and Mickey Haller, but this is very much a Bosch novel, and that makes me happy. Harry has had a few health issues recently, and had just had knee replacement surgery which slows him down a bit, but his mind is as sharp as ever, and he is on top form here (as is the author).

As always, the characters in the story, both old and new, are really well drawn out, and even for long standing characters, there are always new things revealed and new layers uncovered. 

I love how Michael Connelly plots and writes. His stories are a bit like jigsaw puzzles. He starts with different pieces of information that seem random, but then a connection is found between two pieces, and then those link to other pieces. From a reader point of view, I find it immensely satisfying as everything methodically comes together to form a final resolution. 

Very highly recommended. This is the second Michael Connelly book of the year - Ironwood, set on Catalina Island but in the same universe, is also excellent. Not many other authors can produce two five star books in a year. 

You might like this if you like Ian Rankin, Peter James, Lin Anderson or Steve Cavanagh.

[Elainedav · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is absolutely my favourite book series. When Michael Connelly retired Harry Bosch from the LAPD in 2014 I was worried that the series would come to an end. 12 years later, this is a stunning book, I loved it!

In this novel we are taken back to Harry's time in a notorious children's home, Maclaren, in the 1960s. In the current timeline, Harry picks up a cold case investigation of a murder at Maclaren of a childhood friend. Of course it's not as simple as that, a breakthrough in the case gets him involved with a taskforce looking at a much bigger investigation involving stolen weapons.

I loved the dual timeline aspect of this book. I have been reading about Harry Bosch for many years, so to get a bit more of his back story is always a good thing. I like that the author explained that some of the things I would have assumed were fictional, were actually real and factual.

I liked the crossover with other Michael Connelly characters. The Lincoln Lawyer has a cameo role and Ballard is there throughout much of the narrative.

This was a great crime thriller read - fast paced, topical, lots of twists and turns - and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre (but read the rest of the series first!).

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the continuation of the Harry Bosch series. The story revolves around Harry’s age and the challenges it presents as he works to solve a cold case that ties into a current development.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Goodreads, Net Galley, Amazon, and my fiction book review blog.

[Lori L (She Treads Softly) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Hollow By Michael Connelly is a very highly recommended investigative thriller. This can readily be enjoyed as a standalone despite the fact that it is the 26th novel featuring retired LAPD detective Harry Bosch.

Still recovering from knee replacement surgery 4 weeks earlier, Harry Bosch visits the grave of murder victim Jennifer Talbot whose case was never solved. He is leaving a vase of flowers on it when her ex-husband Gregory Talbot shows up. The two exchange words, Bosch leaves and Talbot takes the vase of flowers to give to his current wife, not knowing that the flowers were bugged and everything he says is being recorded by Renee Ballard and her team. They record him and his wife confessing to the murder. Now they need to file the charges.

When he returns home, defense attorney Mickey Haller is there to inform Bosch that the class action civil suit against MacLaren Children's Center, which was decades in the making, has been settled and he along with many others are entitled to an award for damages of $350,000. Over sixty years ago Bosch became a ward of the state and sent to the notorious MacLaren after his mother died. The news pulls Bosch back in time to 1963 when he first met his good friend Charlie Lamb "Chops" who was killed at MacLaren in 1965. At the time Chops death was barely investigated. Now Bosch wants to see the discovery papers from the class action suit and hopefully find clues about who killed Chops. He has his suspicions. Bosch's investigation leads him right into another, much larger, investigation involving the FBI.

It was a sheer pleasure to read this well-written, fast-paced, un-put-downable novel featuring compelling investigations covering decades. The writing is clear and concise while following the clues in the investigations and it will hold your complete attention. He manages to follow clues and piece together information that others have missed. The deep dive into events from the past, along with Bosch's memories, added a depth to the current discoveries. He doesn't want the payout, in fact he's going to donate it, what he wants is justice.

Bosch may be feeling his age now, but his mind is still as sharp as ever and he continues to put himself into harms way. Honestly, there were times when I wanted to caution him, "Be careful. You've just had a knee replacement and you are 75." I understand that he would ignore me and continue to do things his way. The final denouement, implemented in Bosch's immutable style, was absolutely perfectly.

The Hollow is an excellent choice for those who enjoy investigative thrillers and fans of Michael Connelly's novel. Thanks to Little, Brown and Company for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

https://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2026/...

[Sun | The Hobbiton Book Club · Rating 5 out of 5]

"'It's something I have to make right. That's all I can tell you'
'Even if making it right for others might make it wrong for you?'
'That's a risk I'm willing to take, I guess.'"
--
"Bury the past. Bosch knew this was how communities and human evolution worked. Rebuild, reinvent, redefine the past. He wasn't sure if it was a good thing, He wondered whether there would be a plaque somewhere in the park that would tell the children who played there about the children who were there before. Once Bosch was gone, would there be anyone left who remembered Charlie Lamb?"
--

It was an absolute pleasure reading this installment in the Bosch series. The Hollow hits the ground running and doesn't let up. The whole time reading this I was on the edge of my seat. It's one of many Michael Connelly books I've read (all quite enjoyable), but one CAN read this as a standalone with no prior knowledge and still be totally engrossed.

There are multiple threads to the story:
1. 1960s: Bosch's youth as a ward of the state, forced to live at a facility named MacLaren (a children's home which was really run like a prison)
2. Present: Bosch remembers a friend at MacLaren named Charlie Lamb "Chops" whose death/murder was never solved. Bosch resolves to learn the truth of Chops' death. JUSTICE!
3. 1980s: the Wonderland massacre (a real event) is woven into Bosch's early police force days and possibly connected to other investigations.
4. FBI investigation into some missiles/weapons.

All these threads are skillfully interwoven throughout the story, making for a compelling read that also gives commentary on social issues like racism, systemic mistreatment of youth, etc. I appreciate that Bosch is very human protagonist at 74 years old and dealing with normal-people problems like having a bum knee. Showing his challenging childhood gave depth and humanity to his character. The story is written accessibly; you don't need to have read any other Connelly books to feel enthralled by the plot and feel like you might be close to figuring out the mystery yourself. The writing is concise, crisp, and gritty. It's also fun that characters from his other series/TV shows make appearances (Lincoln Lawyer, Maddie Bosch, Ballard). The connection to real events in history (Wonderland massacre, MacLaren) and even the real organization Hope in a Suitcase make this story feel even more visceral and authentic.

It's an easy 5/5 stars for me. I hope there are more to come in this series!

Thank you to Little, Brown, & Co and #Netgalley for the ARC!

[Monnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

At 75, retired Los Angeles Police Department detective Harry Bosch is about three seasons away from a spring chicken (if nothing else, as evidenced by the fact that this is the 26th book in which he’s got the lead role and he’s nursing an age-related knee replacement). But that doesn’t stop him from remaining on the prowl; as this story opens, he’s trying to nail Gregory Talbot, a man Harry is certain murdered his wife Jennifer 25 years ago but never was able to prove it. At the outset, he’s watching the guy at his late wife’s cemetery plot.

Nothing viable happens there, so Harry hobbles to his car and heads for home, where his half-brother (and star of a different series by this author), and attorney Mickey Haller is waiting. Harry, he explains, is due to receive a substantial payout as a result of a class-action lawsuit against a state-run home for underage orphans – a home to which Harry was sent (and escaped from more than once) after his mother was murdered when he was kid.

Money isn’t everything, though, especially for a man like Harry. In fact, Mickey’s news brings back awful memories of Charles Lamb, a.k.a., “Chops,” a much-bullied kid who Harry befriended back then but who later was found dead in an under-the-stairs hideaway. Most likely, whoever killed Chops is long dead, but Harry’s memories are very much alive. He becomes obsessed with finding the truth – someone, somewhere must have some clues as to what really happened, even after six decades. To that end, Harry begins what will be an exhaustive (both physically and mentally) investigation into a past he’d rather forget.

Progress on both investigations quickly escalates into a tangled web, with danger lurking at just about every turn of the page. All I’m willing to reveal, though, is that despite all the twists and turns, everything gets straightened out in the end – and the whole thing makes for a great read I heartily recommend to others (especially fans of Harry and Mickey, though the book stands on its own well). All I’ll say beyond that is a big thank you to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to catch all the action by way of a pre-release copy.

[AllBookedUp · Rating 4 out of 5]

He’s back, and I couldn’t be happier! And what a treat to have the entire gang together: Renée Ballard, his half-brother Mickey Haller, and his daughter, Maddie! Okay, so they’re more like cameos, but I’ll take what I can get!

This time, we’re taken on an emotional journey through a dual timeline that revisits Harry Bosch’s troubled childhood. Harry is placed in state custody and eventually ends up at MacLaren Children’s Center, an institution where vulnerable children suffer abuse and mistreatment. In the present, a lawsuit reopens old wounds, forcing Harry to confront painful memories he’s carried for decades.

I love a great mystery, but what truly drew me into this novel was the emotional journey. After following Harry for so many years, I thought I knew him pretty well. Yet here I was, discovering another side of him. Seeing the vulnerable child behind the hardened detective gave me a deeper understanding of the man he’s become and his determination to seek justice for those who have been forgotten or overlooked.

What I found especially heartbreaking was learning that MacLaren Children’s Center wasn’t simply a place Michael Connelly created for his story. It actually existed. For decades, children who were already facing difficult circumstances were placed there, only to experience further neglect and mistreatment. These were children who needed protection, compassion, and a safe place to call home. Instead, far too many were failed by the very system that was supposed to care for them.

Knowing that made Harry’s story all the more difficult to shake. Although he’s a fictional character, the suffering that inspired parts of his childhood was very real.

For me, this was more than another Harry Bosch mystery. It was a moving reminder of why I’ve loved this character for so many years.

[Mike Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael Connelly takes readers back to retired Los Angeles detective Harry Bosch's troubled childhood in his latest novel, The Hollow. As a young boy, Harry spent several years at the MacLaren Children's Center, a Los Angeles County facility plagued by abuse, neglect, and mistreatment. Along with his half-brother, Lincoln Lawyer Mickey Haller, Harry receives a settlement from a class action lawsuit brought against the institution. However, Harry's interest in the case has little to do with the money. Instead, he uses the opportunity to gain access to MacLaren's records in hopes of finding justice for a childhood friend who was murdered after being sent to "The Hollow," a small, hidden room beneath a staircase where children were subjected to punishment and isolation.

As Harry investigates the decades old crime, he is forced to confront painful memories and revisit the darkest parts of his past. The case leads him to former MacLaren employees, childhood tormentors, and long buried secrets. Along the way, he uncovers a present day criminal operation that threatens to turn everything upside down.

While the story is primarily set in the present, Connelly skillfully weaves in flashbacks to Harry's time at MacLaren, revealing pieces of his childhood one chapter at a time. For longtime Bosch fans, these glimpses into Harry's formative years are especially rewarding, providing deeper insight into experiences that have shaped his character, values, and relentless pursuit of justice throughout the series.

Connelly does an excellent job connecting Harry's past to a compelling modern day investigation while layering in an additional case that adds even more suspense and intrigue. The supporting characters from MacLaren are vividly drawn and help paint a realistic picture of the environment that influenced Harry as a young boy.

One bittersweet aspect of the novel is the reminder that Harry Bosch continues to age in real time. As a result, longtime readers may find themselves wondering how many more adventures remain for one of crime fiction's most beloved detectives.

As always, Michael Connelly demonstrates why he remains one of the masters of the genre. The Hollow is a gripping, emotional, and satisfying addition to the Harry Bosch series that will leave fans eager for whatever comes next.