book review: The Last Coyote by Michael Connelly

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The backstory: The Last Coyote is the fourth Harry Bosch mystery by Michael Connelly. Read my reviews of the first three: The Black Echo, The Black Ice, and The Concrete Blonde.

 The basics: When LAPD detective Harry Bosch is placed on leave for hitting his lieutenant, he takes the time off work as his opportunity to try to solve the murder of his mother, which happened when he was eleven.

 My thoughts: It's no secret I've been loving (and quickly devouring) Michael Connelly's mysteries the past few months. After The Concrete Blonde revisited the most infamous case of Bosch's career, The Lost Coyote tackles the most infamous case of Bosch's life: the murder of his prostitute mother. Taken together, these two novels could easily serve as an ending of sorts for this series; instead, Connelly uses them as a end and a beginning.

It's not an uncommon trope to have an unsolved case in a detective's personal life (in any media.) It was a pleasant surprise to see this case be the focus of an entire novel, and Connelly masterfully uses it to dig even deeper into Bosch.

The verdict: In many ways, this novel could almost serve as the end of a series, as Bosch digs deep into his history and his mother's secrets. It's both a gripping mystery and an incredibly satisfying conclusion to a mystery that began with this series. Even more than usual, I can't wait to see what Connelly does with Bosch next.

 Rating: 5 out of 5
Length: 383 pages
Publication date: June 1, 1995 
Source: purchased

 Convinced? Treat yourself! Buy The Last Coyote from an independent bookstore, the Book Depository or Amazon (Kindle edition.)

 Want more? Visit Michael Connelly's website, like him on Facebook, and follow him on Twitter.

As an affiliate, I receive a small commission when you make a purchase through any of the above links. Thank you for helping to support my book habits that bring more content to this blog!

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