The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

25.6 – Lisa MD's Task: The Harry Bosch Universe

Autumn is my favorite season! I enjoy the crisp cool air, the scent of burning leaves, and curling up in a blanket in front of a fire with a good book. Fall also has me anticipating the publication of the newest Michael Connelly book (due out in October), whether it is a Harry Bosch detective mystery (my favorite series), a Mickey Haller, Lincoln Lawyer series legal thriller, a new book in the Renee Ballard detective series, or a Jack McEvoy crime reporter series story. These four series all make up a part of the Harry Bosch Universe. Michael Connelly, one of my favorite authors, has created a world of rich characters, that I frequently recommend to other readers. These characters and series have also been adapted to the big screen and developed into TV series. There are 40 primary works and 44 total works in the Harry Bosch Universe Series.

For this task, I welcome you to enter the Universe of Harry Bosch.

Read 2 books, one from 2 different options.
No childrens, sequential art, graphic novels, or comics.
Required: State which options you chose.

Use this link for options 1 & 2 below. Harry Bosch Universe

Option 1:
Read any primary work (whole number, not half number) from the “Harry Bosch Universe Series.”

Option 2: Read a book whose title contains a matching title word from any of the total works of the “Harry Bosch Universe Series,” except for the words: “the, a, of, and on.” You may read one of the primary works listed even if you read one for option 1.
Required: State which title and word you used.

Option 3:
Read a book by a single author whose first and last initial can be found in one of the main characters' name: “Harry Bosch,” “Mickey Haller,” “Renee Ballard,” or “Jack McEvoy.”
Required: State which character you used.

Option 4:
Read a book from any series with at least 3 primary works that has an MPG of Mystery, Thriller, Crime, Legal Thriller or Detective which has been adapted to the big screen or developed into a TV series or movie.
You can verify the movie/series is listed here https://www.imdb.com/?ref_=nv_home by entering in the title you chose.
Required: Series name must appear on Goodreads page. Provide a link to movie or TV adaptation.

Case Closed: approved

Option 4:
Any book in a series works for big screen or TV adaptation. While some books are closely followed in their adaptation, others are more loosely followed. I'm choosing to allow any book in the series because it was inspired by the characters and series.

Thursday Murder Club Series Books 1 - 5

Open Unsolved Cases: not approved for lack of evidence

The Harry Bosch Universe:
40 primary works / 44 total works

Book 1: The Black Echo
Book 2: The Black Ice
Book 3: The Concrete Blonde
Book 4: The Last Coyote
Book 5: The Poet
Book 6: Trunk Music
Book 7: Blood Work
Book 8: Angels Flight
Book 9: Void Moon
Book 10: A Darkness More Than Night
Book 11: City of Bones
Book 12: Chasing the Dime
Book 13: Lost Light
Book 14: The Narrows
Book 15: The Closers
Book 16: The Lincoln Lawyer
Book 17: Echo Park
Book 18: The Overlook
Book 19: The Brass Verdict
Book 20: The Scarecrow
Book 21: Nine Dragons
Book 21.5: Blue on Black
Book 22: The Reversal
Book 23: The Fifth Witness
Book 23.4: Suicide Run
Book 23.5: Angle of Investigation
Book 24: The Drop
Book 25: The Black Box
Book 26: The Gods of Guilt
Book 26.5: Switchblade
Book 27: The Burning Room
Book 28: The Crossing
Book 29: The Wrong Side of Goodbye
Book 30: The Late Show
Book 31: Two Kinds of Truth
Book 32: Dark Sacred Night
Book 33: The Night Fire
Book 34: Fair Warning
Book 35: The Law of Innocence
Book 36: The Dark Hours
Book 37: Desert Star
Book 38: Resurrection Walk
Book 39: The Waiting
Book 40: The Proving Ground - Expected pub date: Oct 21, 2025

For Option 4, just confirming that any book from a series that has been on TV/in a movie works even if that one hasn't been shown. Example - The Thursday Murder Club based on the first book has just come out on Netflix but we could read any books from that series, is that right?

out of curiosity - since i've only read the first Harry Bosch book - can I read the renee ballard series without the Bosch background or is it needed? my library doesn't have the second one in audio (HOW DARE THEY??) so i'm trying to figure out my plan

Robin P wrote: "For Option 4, just confirming that any book from a series that has been on TV/in a movie works even if that one hasn't been shown. Example - The Thursday Murder Club based on the fi..."

Yes, any book from the series works.

Dee wrote: "out of curiosity - since i've only read the first Harry Bosch book - can I read the renee ballard series without the Bosch background or is it needed? my library doesn't have the second one in audi..."

You can read the Renee Ballard books without having read the Bosch series. You get enough of his background in the related series to understand him.

I also highly recommend, The Poet, which is a Jack McEvoy novel. It was the first Connelly book I read and the first of the McEvoy series. It was the hook that reeled me in.

Just making sure I've got this right - I can read any book in Agatha Christie's Poirot or Miss Marple series since both have been made into TV series?

Sue wrote: "Just making sure I've got this right - I can read any book in Agatha Christie's Poirot or Miss Marple series since both have been made into TV series?"

That's correct.

hi Lisa - I have a book where the authors name and pseudonym are both listed in the author part - can you approve its use? Mods told me to ask:

A Match Made in Spain - Rochelle Merrill - according to the RLMerrill website - they are the same person - https://www.rlmerrillauthor.com/books/ (its about halfway down the page)

Dee wrote: "hi Lisa - I have a book where the authors name and pseudonym are both listed in the author part - can you approve its use? Mods told me to ask:

A Match Made in Spain - [author:Roch..."

Approved.

Lisa wrote: "Dee wrote: "hi Lisa - I have a book where the authors name and pseudonym are both listed in the author part - can you approve its use? Mods told me to ask:

A Match Made in Spain - ..."

thank you :)