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Mysterious Profiles
Hieronymus Bosch: A Mysterious Profile
The #1 New York Times–bestselling author brings you into the world of the LAPD’s Harry Bosch, and the history that shaped him.
In this short work, Michael Connelly delves into the origins of his famed police detective,—how he faced down the horrors of his childhood (a background story that was based on the life of another renowned crime writer); his past as a tunnel rat in Vietnam; and why jazz is his soundtrack. Connelly also shares the story of how his character Hieronymus Bosch came to be named after a fifteenth-century Flemish painter, and how his own youthful experiences of fear led to his literary creation. Those who have followed the cases of this tough cop more interested in justice than ambition will find much to enjoy and to ponder in this behind-the-scenes account.
“Connelly truly is one of the finest mystery writers.” —South Florida Sun Sentinel
“No writer exploits Los Angeles—its geography, its historical power wars, its celebrity culture, its lore—as compellingly as Connelly.” ?Chicago Tribune
In this short work, Michael Connelly delves into the origins of his famed police detective,—how he faced down the horrors of his childhood (a background story that was based on the life of another renowned crime writer); his past as a tunnel rat in Vietnam; and why jazz is his soundtrack. Connelly also shares the story of how his character Hieronymus Bosch came to be named after a fifteenth-century Flemish painter, and how his own youthful experiences of fear led to his literary creation. Those who have followed the cases of this tough cop more interested in justice than ambition will find much to enjoy and to ponder in this behind-the-scenes account.
“Connelly truly is one of the finest mystery writers.” —South Florida Sun Sentinel
“No writer exploits Los Angeles—its geography, its historical power wars, its celebrity culture, its lore—as compellingly as Connelly.” ?Chicago Tribune
31 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2007
890 people are currently reading
703 people want to read
About the author
Michael Connelly
381 books34.8k 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 135 reviews
March 7, 2023
Recycled Harry Bosch Origins
Review of the Mysterious Press/Open Road Media Kindle eBook (April 26, 2022)
I snapped this up from a Kindle Deal of the Day and didn't do any research in advance. It turns out that it is an article about the origins of Harry Bosch as he came together in the first Bosch novel The Black Echo (1992). Although sold now as individual eBooks by OpenRoad Media as of 2022, these profiles were mostly written in 2007 and 21 of them were collected in The Lineup: The World's Greatest Crime Writers Tell the Inside Story of Their Greatest Detectives (2009) edited by Otto Penzler, who founded The Mysterious Press Bookshop and Publishing Imprint.
So there is some deception involved here as the book origin isn't apparent until you get to the small print in the eBook. You also then discover that the article itself is only 16 pages of the advertised 31 pages and that the rest is advertising for the rest of the series. There now appear to be 26 individual eBooks if you do a Goodreads Search as no one has yet assembled them into a Goodreads List.
A sampling of the individual Mysterious Profiles eBooks published as of 2022. Image from my own screengrab.
The Bosch article itself was interesting though and author Michael Connelly is very open about his origins for the character (who was originally named Pierce in the first drafts) from other noir writers and Harry's orphan backstory for which he got the idea from author James Ellroy's true life, which the latter eventually wrote about in My Dark Places (1996). The downside to this Mysterious Profile is that it does not actually bring the story up to date for Bosch in 2022.
Due to the deception about the original source date and the use of padded advertising, I can't rate this more than a 2.
I did also now note that most of the Mysterious Profiles are available online at Scribd if you are a member there.
Review of the Mysterious Press/Open Road Media Kindle eBook (April 26, 2022)
I snapped this up from a Kindle Deal of the Day and didn't do any research in advance. It turns out that it is an article about the origins of Harry Bosch as he came together in the first Bosch novel The Black Echo (1992). Although sold now as individual eBooks by OpenRoad Media as of 2022, these profiles were mostly written in 2007 and 21 of them were collected in The Lineup: The World's Greatest Crime Writers Tell the Inside Story of Their Greatest Detectives (2009) edited by Otto Penzler, who founded The Mysterious Press Bookshop and Publishing Imprint.
So there is some deception involved here as the book origin isn't apparent until you get to the small print in the eBook. You also then discover that the article itself is only 16 pages of the advertised 31 pages and that the rest is advertising for the rest of the series. There now appear to be 26 individual eBooks if you do a Goodreads Search as no one has yet assembled them into a Goodreads List.
A sampling of the individual Mysterious Profiles eBooks published as of 2022. Image from my own screengrab.
The Bosch article itself was interesting though and author Michael Connelly is very open about his origins for the character (who was originally named Pierce in the first drafts) from other noir writers and Harry's orphan backstory for which he got the idea from author James Ellroy's true life, which the latter eventually wrote about in My Dark Places (1996). The downside to this Mysterious Profile is that it does not actually bring the story up to date for Bosch in 2022.
Due to the deception about the original source date and the use of padded advertising, I can't rate this more than a 2.
I did also now note that most of the Mysterious Profiles are available online at Scribd if you are a member there.
June 21, 2022
A very short selection, not really a book. More like a very long magazine article. Connelly wrote this after thirteen Bosch novels, to explain to his readers how and why he created the character of Harry Bosch. A quick must-read for Bosch-o-philes.
January 13, 2023
A Non Fiction Bosch Origin Story
I'm not really sure what to call this since it is like a non fiction short story, but it was available on Kindle at no cost to me so I figured why not. This is Michael Connelly giving a little bit about his own backstory and journey to becoming a writer, but he's also writing about how he created the character of Harry Bosch who is one of my favorites in all of fiction. I learned things here I had no idea about like Bosch being originally named Pierce for example (eww). But beyond that it was just a good insight to the foundation of him as a writer and Bosch as a character that let's you see why his books resonated with millions of readers.
I'm not really sure what to call this since it is like a non fiction short story, but it was available on Kindle at no cost to me so I figured why not. This is Michael Connelly giving a little bit about his own backstory and journey to becoming a writer, but he's also writing about how he created the character of Harry Bosch who is one of my favorites in all of fiction. I learned things here I had no idea about like Bosch being originally named Pierce for example (eww). But beyond that it was just a good insight to the foundation of him as a writer and Bosch as a character that let's you see why his books resonated with millions of readers.
May 9, 2022
If you're a Harry Bosch fan, then this short book by Michael Connelly is an interesting introduction to the character and why and how Connelly created him.
June 14, 2023
This is basically a long essay by the author about how he developed the character of Harry Bosch. If you're a fan of the novels and/or tv show, it's likely to be interesting to read. I got this from the library...and would have been a little ticked off if I'd paid for it as the actual essay is only about 17 pages with the rest of the profile a promotion for the entire series of profiles. There was a lot of good info about how the author developed the story / Harry's history, where his name came from (a 15th century Flemish painter of the weird and dark), and a driving force / "code." (Everybody counts or nobody counts.)
July 18, 2024
Short but so good.
An interesting insight into the origins of Bosch. It was fascinating to see the way the author crafted this character.
An interesting insight into the origins of Bosch. It was fascinating to see the way the author crafted this character.
July 26, 2022
This is a peek into the birthplace of Harry Bosch aka the mind of his creator
It showed me why I am a reader but not a writer
While creating Bosch, not his original name, Connelly built a character study in his head but didn’t put it on paper or in the book he just gradually slipped it into the stories
Fun fact Michael Connelly lived in Devon PA
It showed me why I am a reader but not a writer
While creating Bosch, not his original name, Connelly built a character study in his head but didn’t put it on paper or in the book he just gradually slipped it into the stories
Fun fact Michael Connelly lived in Devon PA
September 14, 2024
Hieronymus Bosch: A Mysterious Profile by Michael Connelly
Mysterious Profiles multi-author series
32-page Kindle Ebook
Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir
Featuring: Devon, Massachusetts; 1960s, Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Vietnam War, Tunnel Rats, Journalism, Los Angeles, California; Pierce, 1987, Painting “The Garden of Earthly Delights” by Hieronymus Bosch, Dirty Harry, Series in Book Covers
Rating as a movie: PG-13
Artists and Songs for the soundtrack: John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Wayne Shorter, Frank Morgan, Charlie Parker
Books and Authors mentioned: Raymond Chandler, Ross Macdonald, Joseph Wambaugh, Frank Morgan, "Lullaby" by George Cables, The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy, James Lee Burke, Lawrence Block and Thomas Harris, The Black Echo by Michael Connelly, The Tunnels of Cu Chi by Tom Mangold and John Penycate, Stephen King, The Conversation by Francis Ford Coppola, Angels Flight by Michael Connelly,
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½📖👮🏻♂️
My thoughts: This was just Michael Connelly sharing how he came up with different elements over the years that lead to the creation of the character Hieronymus Bosch, including the name changes that got him to Hieronymus and Harry. It was originally Pierce and almost Jerry. I really enjoyed the story, but he left out the background story for "Everybody counts or nobody counts." I don't know if it's because he wrote about it previously, but I think it should have been included; the robbery was. I'm on the fence about reading more of these. I think they could be great whether you're familiar with the character or not, but I'm not sure I want to at the moment. But for sure, before I read a new-to-me series. I'm definitely going to read The Lincoln Lawyer and Lincoln Rhyme, then one I don't already know to see if it makes a difference and sparks interest.
Recommend to others: Yes, if you're interested in discovering some new novels by getting to know their characters or if you're already a fan of a character.
Mysterious Profiles
Jack Taylor: A Mysterious Profile by Ken Bruen
Jack Reacher: A Mysterious Profile by Lee Child (Author)
Charlie Parker: A Mysterious Profile by John Connolly
Hieronymus Bosch: A Mysterious Profile by Michael Connelly
Lincoln Rhyme: A Mysterious Profile by Jeffery Deaver
Elvis Cole and Joe Pike: A Mysterious Profile by Robert Crais
Tess Monaghan: A Mysterious Profile by Laura Lippman
Charlie Resnick: A Mysterious Profile by John Harvey
Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus: A Mysterious Profile by Faye Kellerman
Inspector Morse: A Mysterious Profile by Colin Dexter
Dismas Hardy: A Mysterious Profile by John Lescroart
Bob Lee Swagger: A Mysterious Profile by Stephen Hunter
Alex Delaware: A Mysterious Profile by Jonathan Kellerman
Lou Boldt: A Mysterious Profile by Ridley Pearson
Mallory: A Mysterious Profile by Carol O'Connell
Aloysius X. L. Pendergast: A Mysterious Profile by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
Spenser: A Mysterious Profile by Robert B. Parker
Charlotte and Thomas Pitt: A Mysterious Profile by Anne Perry
John Rebus: A Mysterious Profile by Ian Rankin
Maisie Dobbs: A Mysterious Profile by Jacqueline Winspear
Jane Whitefield: A Mysterious Profile by Thomas Perry
Ian Rutledge: A Mysterious Profile by Charles Todd
Amos Walker: A Mysterious Profile by Loren D. Estleman
Precious Ramotswe: A Mysterious Profile by Alexander McCall Smith
The Lincoln Lawyer: A Mysterious Profile by Michael Connelly
Condor: A Mysterious Profile by James Grady
Ben Kincaid: A Mysterious Profile by William Bernhardt
Repairman Jack: A Mysterious Profile by F. Paul Wilson
Joe Pickett: A Mysterious Profile by C. J. Box
Mysterious Profiles multi-author series
32-page Kindle Ebook
Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir
Featuring: Devon, Massachusetts; 1960s, Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Vietnam War, Tunnel Rats, Journalism, Los Angeles, California; Pierce, 1987, Painting “The Garden of Earthly Delights” by Hieronymus Bosch, Dirty Harry, Series in Book Covers
Rating as a movie: PG-13
Artists and Songs for the soundtrack: John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Wayne Shorter, Frank Morgan, Charlie Parker
Books and Authors mentioned: Raymond Chandler, Ross Macdonald, Joseph Wambaugh, Frank Morgan, "Lullaby" by George Cables, The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy, James Lee Burke, Lawrence Block and Thomas Harris, The Black Echo by Michael Connelly, The Tunnels of Cu Chi by Tom Mangold and John Penycate, Stephen King, The Conversation by Francis Ford Coppola, Angels Flight by Michael Connelly,
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½📖👮🏻♂️
My thoughts: This was just Michael Connelly sharing how he came up with different elements over the years that lead to the creation of the character Hieronymus Bosch, including the name changes that got him to Hieronymus and Harry. It was originally Pierce and almost Jerry. I really enjoyed the story, but he left out the background story for "Everybody counts or nobody counts." I don't know if it's because he wrote about it previously, but I think it should have been included; the robbery was. I'm on the fence about reading more of these. I think they could be great whether you're familiar with the character or not, but I'm not sure I want to at the moment. But for sure, before I read a new-to-me series. I'm definitely going to read The Lincoln Lawyer and Lincoln Rhyme, then one I don't already know to see if it makes a difference and sparks interest.
Recommend to others: Yes, if you're interested in discovering some new novels by getting to know their characters or if you're already a fan of a character.
Mysterious Profiles
Jack Taylor: A Mysterious Profile by Ken Bruen
Jack Reacher: A Mysterious Profile by Lee Child (Author)
Charlie Parker: A Mysterious Profile by John Connolly
Hieronymus Bosch: A Mysterious Profile by Michael Connelly
Lincoln Rhyme: A Mysterious Profile by Jeffery Deaver
Elvis Cole and Joe Pike: A Mysterious Profile by Robert Crais
Tess Monaghan: A Mysterious Profile by Laura Lippman
Charlie Resnick: A Mysterious Profile by John Harvey
Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus: A Mysterious Profile by Faye Kellerman
Inspector Morse: A Mysterious Profile by Colin Dexter
Dismas Hardy: A Mysterious Profile by John Lescroart
Bob Lee Swagger: A Mysterious Profile by Stephen Hunter
Alex Delaware: A Mysterious Profile by Jonathan Kellerman
Lou Boldt: A Mysterious Profile by Ridley Pearson
Mallory: A Mysterious Profile by Carol O'Connell
Aloysius X. L. Pendergast: A Mysterious Profile by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
Spenser: A Mysterious Profile by Robert B. Parker
Charlotte and Thomas Pitt: A Mysterious Profile by Anne Perry
John Rebus: A Mysterious Profile by Ian Rankin
Maisie Dobbs: A Mysterious Profile by Jacqueline Winspear
Jane Whitefield: A Mysterious Profile by Thomas Perry
Ian Rutledge: A Mysterious Profile by Charles Todd
Amos Walker: A Mysterious Profile by Loren D. Estleman
Precious Ramotswe: A Mysterious Profile by Alexander McCall Smith
The Lincoln Lawyer: A Mysterious Profile by Michael Connelly
Condor: A Mysterious Profile by James Grady
Ben Kincaid: A Mysterious Profile by William Bernhardt
Repairman Jack: A Mysterious Profile by F. Paul Wilson
Joe Pickett: A Mysterious Profile by C. J. Box
August 6, 2023
This is basically an essay by Michael Connelly where he recalls where his inspiration came from for the fictional character of Harry Bosch, who features in a long series of novels by the author and who is one of my favourites alongside Matt Scudder. Connelly recalls an incident from his childhood, from his early days as a crime journalist and from his favourite authors of the time, whose influences brought to fruition Bosch’s character. This publication will really only be of interest to fans of Connelly and the Harry Bosch novels but this is just one of a series of short books by various authors describing their inspiration for their most famous protagonists.
January 23, 2024
a short and intimate look into Harry Bosch! now, as it stands, I’ve only read one Bosch book, but I’ve been watching the Amazon series with my parents and have fostered an attachment to the jazz-loving detective.
everybody counts or nobody counts. he investigates the people who fall through the cracks, get left behind.
it’s always interesting to hear about where characters come from, and what in the authors personal life leads them to create such a character.
3 stars
everybody counts or nobody counts. he investigates the people who fall through the cracks, get left behind.
it’s always interesting to hear about where characters come from, and what in the authors personal life leads them to create such a character.
3 stars
January 22, 2023
A little nugget from 2007, describing Connelly’s route to writing detective novels and how the character of Harry bosch emerged
January 30, 2023
4.8 stars. A biographical profile of Detective Harry Bosch and his evolution, a must-read for any Michael Connelly fans.
June 3, 2022
Just a short little book but I love the character, Hieronymus Bosch; so I enjoyed learning how Michael Connelly created him.
March 19, 2023
A magazine article, not much new here.
January 25, 2023
The orgin of Harry Bosch
In This short but sweet and interesting retrospective Author Michael Connelly gives us insight into his inspiration for his Harry Bosch series
In This short but sweet and interesting retrospective Author Michael Connelly gives us insight into his inspiration for his Harry Bosch series
September 19, 2023
Great Explanation
This was very enlightening to me. I really enjoyed finding out Mr. Connelly arrived at the name for his character! The way he made a history for Bosch was very interesting, especially how he tied all the diverse facts into a life! I like his explanation of his code! "Where everyone counts or no one counts"
This was very enlightening to me. I really enjoyed finding out Mr. Connelly arrived at the name for his character! The way he made a history for Bosch was very interesting, especially how he tied all the diverse facts into a life! I like his explanation of his code! "Where everyone counts or no one counts"
May 10, 2022
Don’t be fooled by this new very short book. While the package is new, it contains an essay on the origins of Harry Bosch by Michael Connelly which was originally written in 2007. It’s only 30 pages in its Kindle form (there is no print equivalent0 and it’s part of a new series of ebooks published by Mysterious Press featuring authors talking about their creations). Nonetheless, this is a fascinating read, with Connelly recounting how he came up with Bosch (originally named Pierce), and how his tunnel-rat past in Vietnam—featured in the first Bosch novel, The Black Echo—actually goes back to Connelly’s childhood and a drainage tunnel that ran under his street, a kind of rite of passage for neighborhood kids to scramble through. A good, quick read, but I’d love to see an extended look at each of the Bosch books by Connelly … kind of a series of “liner notes” about the origins of each story.
January 1, 2025
Hieronymus Bosch: A Mysterious Profile by Michael Connelly
informative inspiring reflective
Fast-paced
3.75 Stars
When I picked up this book (digital), I did not know what it was about. I didn't even know if it was Ficiton (actually what I thought it was) or Non-Fiction (which it turned out to be).
Hearing how the author, Michael Connelly created the character of Hieronymus Bosch, and the things that came to be...ane how he decided what to write and who his main character was going to be.
I've thought for many years about writing a book, but I think that ship has sailed (a long time ago). Now, it is for me to read the books of other people's imaginations.
I have read the entire Harry Bosch series at this point (up-to-date). He is still around and in the Renee Ballard series, which I will be reading soon, I hope. I'm thinking about going back and reading all the books that happened in between, so that when I am nearing the end, I will have read them all.
There's something about the way he writes. It just makes me want to keep reading, to find out the next clue, and to fight off another one of his demons. To fight for the people who cannot fight for themselves (those that have recently died, to those who just lost a loved one). Harry is our guy, and we root for him.
informative inspiring reflective
Fast-paced
3.75 Stars
When I picked up this book (digital), I did not know what it was about. I didn't even know if it was Ficiton (actually what I thought it was) or Non-Fiction (which it turned out to be).
Hearing how the author, Michael Connelly created the character of Hieronymus Bosch, and the things that came to be...ane how he decided what to write and who his main character was going to be.
I've thought for many years about writing a book, but I think that ship has sailed (a long time ago). Now, it is for me to read the books of other people's imaginations.
I have read the entire Harry Bosch series at this point (up-to-date). He is still around and in the Renee Ballard series, which I will be reading soon, I hope. I'm thinking about going back and reading all the books that happened in between, so that when I am nearing the end, I will have read them all.
There's something about the way he writes. It just makes me want to keep reading, to find out the next clue, and to fight off another one of his demons. To fight for the people who cannot fight for themselves (those that have recently died, to those who just lost a loved one). Harry is our guy, and we root for him.
August 4, 2022
Fascinating origin of a favorite character
It's nice to get a view into the thought process that created one of the most intriguing characters to ever grace the literary world. I've always wondered exactly how Connelly came up with his fan favorite Harry Bosch and it's nice to find that it was a very personal creation which makes the feelings stirred by these titles genuine. I'm all in with Harry, even if I disagree with the current iteration of this character, I wear my "everyone counts or nobody counts" t-shirt with pride just to have the opportunity to connect with other fans of Connelly's work. This also gives a closer look behind what motivated a man like Harry, a peek into brain of the man we all wish every cop could be. I appreciate the care which these novels have been crafted and fervently hope to continue to enjoy a character that has become a dear friend over the many decades I've been pleased to know.
It's nice to get a view into the thought process that created one of the most intriguing characters to ever grace the literary world. I've always wondered exactly how Connelly came up with his fan favorite Harry Bosch and it's nice to find that it was a very personal creation which makes the feelings stirred by these titles genuine. I'm all in with Harry, even if I disagree with the current iteration of this character, I wear my "everyone counts or nobody counts" t-shirt with pride just to have the opportunity to connect with other fans of Connelly's work. This also gives a closer look behind what motivated a man like Harry, a peek into brain of the man we all wish every cop could be. I appreciate the care which these novels have been crafted and fervently hope to continue to enjoy a character that has become a dear friend over the many decades I've been pleased to know.
December 28, 2023
This was of interest to me because of my obsession with Connelly's books. I read The Black Echo when it was first released. That was when I waited patiently for book number 2. I was completely hooked.
I now have every one of his books as 1st editions (except the most recent due to circumstances I won't detail) on a shelf, and I allow no one to borrow them. Selfish, I know. I cherish them.
This short story told me a lot about Harry Bosch. (which I always wondered about). I just wish he had further written about Bosch's sense of humor, which is a very endearing part of his character to me. I imagine that is the real part of Michael Connelly himself that sneaks in and allows us to see him.
Again, I regret I did not read this years ago. However, for New Years, I plan to re-read The Black Echo with a new perspective.
P. S. I have never watched the Bosch TV series because I have an "image" both physical & mental of Harry Bosch that I don't want spoiled by an actor...sorry.
I now have every one of his books as 1st editions (except the most recent due to circumstances I won't detail) on a shelf, and I allow no one to borrow them. Selfish, I know. I cherish them.
This short story told me a lot about Harry Bosch. (which I always wondered about). I just wish he had further written about Bosch's sense of humor, which is a very endearing part of his character to me. I imagine that is the real part of Michael Connelly himself that sneaks in and allows us to see him.
Again, I regret I did not read this years ago. However, for New Years, I plan to re-read The Black Echo with a new perspective.
P. S. I have never watched the Bosch TV series because I have an "image" both physical & mental of Harry Bosch that I don't want spoiled by an actor...sorry.
September 19, 2023
Thanks, Mr. Connolly
Thanks, Mr. Connolly
It is rare to get the chance to have the author of an enduring character give insights into the origin and development of that character. How generous of Michael Connolly to do so.
Harry Bosch is my favorite detective out of a large group of detectives created in the mysteries I have read.
The insights are not surprising. , The willingness of the author to share what went into the creation of Harry Bosch is a gift I and other readers will treasure.
So, thanks, Michael Connolly, for Harry, for sharing the mystery of his creation and for keeping him alive.
Thanks, Mr. Connolly
It is rare to get the chance to have the author of an enduring character give insights into the origin and development of that character. How generous of Michael Connolly to do so.
Harry Bosch is my favorite detective out of a large group of detectives created in the mysteries I have read.
The insights are not surprising. , The willingness of the author to share what went into the creation of Harry Bosch is a gift I and other readers will treasure.
So, thanks, Michael Connolly, for Harry, for sharing the mystery of his creation and for keeping him alive.
May 10, 2022
Eye opening insight
Finally, I found the key to why I enjoy Michael Connelly's well thought out Harry Bosch novels.
In reading this brief synopsis of Boschs' development, I realized that every day dreams are not to be dismissed like a fading siren of a police car.
I highly recommend this book to those Harry Bosch fans. The ones who have read about all of his adventures good and bad. The ones who read that last sentence and close the book cover and then just sit there in wonder.
Get out your LP's and put on some Coltrane... 😉
Finally, I found the key to why I enjoy Michael Connelly's well thought out Harry Bosch novels.
In reading this brief synopsis of Boschs' development, I realized that every day dreams are not to be dismissed like a fading siren of a police car.
I highly recommend this book to those Harry Bosch fans. The ones who have read about all of his adventures good and bad. The ones who read that last sentence and close the book cover and then just sit there in wonder.
Get out your LP's and put on some Coltrane... 😉
May 18, 2022
While this was interesting background information, it represents a commercial rip-off of the first order! This tiny little "book" took about ten minutes to read and cost 99 cents. At that rate, a complete Kindle book would cost about 30 dollars! This was similar to a very short magazine article with only one subject: how did Michael Connelly come up with the Harry Bosch character? I see that there are lots of other "books" in this Mysterious Profiles series - once bitten, twice shy - I will be avoiding them like the plague!
January 27, 2023
Is The Mystery Solved?
Totally unexpected. What did I expect? I think a rounding out of the novels and/or films. Certainly did not expect an open, honest of how Bosch came to be. Perhaps why as well. It is seldom an author shares his creative process. Perhaps he/she doesn’t really know, and that ignorance stops the sharing. Perhaps the author thinks his gift may be lost if it is shared. MMichael Connelly seems not to worry. He seems to want his readers to know in case they missed it
Totally unexpected. What did I expect? I think a rounding out of the novels and/or films. Certainly did not expect an open, honest of how Bosch came to be. Perhaps why as well. It is seldom an author shares his creative process. Perhaps he/she doesn’t really know, and that ignorance stops the sharing. Perhaps the author thinks his gift may be lost if it is shared. MMichael Connelly seems not to worry. He seems to want his readers to know in case they missed it
February 21, 2023
Hieronymous
Every Novel. I’ve read each and every Michael Connelly novel. Having now read his Harry Bosch profile, I understand something more of what has so drawn me in. One can feel the moments, some dreadful, most also fortuitous, that inspire (even now) Harry’s origin and evolution.
He, Connelly is masterful.
P.S. If you’re curious you can Google search 321 Highland Ave to see it’s recent state in 360 view. You can of course obtain Frank Morgan’s Lullaby. And, you can obtain a copy of The Tunnels of Cub Chi.
Every Novel. I’ve read each and every Michael Connelly novel. Having now read his Harry Bosch profile, I understand something more of what has so drawn me in. One can feel the moments, some dreadful, most also fortuitous, that inspire (even now) Harry’s origin and evolution.
He, Connelly is masterful.
P.S. If you’re curious you can Google search 321 Highland Ave to see it’s recent state in 360 view. You can of course obtain Frank Morgan’s Lullaby. And, you can obtain a copy of The Tunnels of Cub Chi.
March 18, 2023
I was, in a lot of ways, really disappointed by this book. I expected it to be a sort of biography of Harry Bosch the character. What is was was Connelly the writer talking about how he came to create Bosch. While learning about that was interesting, this short book provided little insight into Bosch's life.
We did learn about Connelly's inspiration, for not only Bosch's name, but his character. Much of what I learned was interesting, a it was information I didn't know. Overall, I just felt let down that this was mostly just Connelly talking about how he came to create Bosch.
We did learn about Connelly's inspiration, for not only Bosch's name, but his character. Much of what I learned was interesting, a it was information I didn't know. Overall, I just felt let down that this was mostly just Connelly talking about how he came to create Bosch.
May 12, 2024
I had some Amazon digital credits that were about to expire so I bought both this and the Mickey Haller version for Kindle, thinking that they were fictional biographies of the characters; ie, Harry Bosch went to Long Beach High School and dropped out before graduating and was drafted, etc. But they are actually essays about how Michael Connelly came up with Harry and Mickey. They were much more interesting than expected (usually artists' descriptions of their processes are deadly dull), and worth reading for Connelly fans.
October 8, 2024
Fascinating! My husband and I personally met and heard Michael Connelly talk about his writing years ago at the LAPD Historic Society. He talked a lot about how he created the Bosch series, and his experience on the police beat for the LA Times. This short little read is in far more depth than what we experienced and was quite a good little read. My husband retired from LAPD in 2010...he loves Connelly's writing and the Bosch TV series because Connelly is so accurate about the LAPD experience and overall environment. Love Connelly's writings, Bosch and the Lincoln Lawyer especially!
September 5, 2025
As a longtime fan of Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch, I was delighted to discover this short but informative book about this character and how Connelly’s own childhood set him up to write so many novels with him as the protagonist. Sometimes life just falls in place to lead you exactly where it is you need to go and in Connelly’s case, it’s also where he wanted to be; in a chair, listening to jazz, writing novels that spoke to all of us who believe in justice, in truth, and that everybody counts or nobody counts.
May 12, 2022
Hieronymus Bosch
This is a short biography of Hieronymus Bosch. A very short book that gives you a condensed look at how Michael Connelly created the character Harry Bosch for his book and television series. I liked this short origin story. That is it. Feel free to resume your every day activities. It says to continue typing. Feel free to hang up the phone. Oh add more filler here.
This is a short biography of Hieronymus Bosch. A very short book that gives you a condensed look at how Michael Connelly created the character Harry Bosch for his book and television series. I liked this short origin story. That is it. Feel free to resume your every day activities. It says to continue typing. Feel free to hang up the phone. Oh add more filler here.
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