Lost Light

Written by Michael Connelly

Narrated by David Soul

When he left the LAPD, Bosch took a file with him: the case of a production assistant murdered four years earlier during a film set robbery.

The LAPD thinks the stolen money was used to finance a terrorist training camp. Thoughts of the original murder victim were lost in the federal zeal, and when Bosch decides to re-investigate, he quickly falls fouls of both his old colleagues and the FBI.

When the investigation enables him to meet up with an old friend, shadows from his past come back to haunt him...

Read by David Soul

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hachette UK Audio
• Release date: Apr 6, 2006
• ISBN: 9780752876597

Michael Connelly

Michael Connelly is an American author of detective novels and other crime fiction, notably those featuring LAPD Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch and criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller. His books have been translated into 36 languages and have won many awards. He lives with his family in Florida.

Reviews for Lost Light

[spaceandsorcery · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

There is a number of changes in this ninth book from Connelly’s Harry Bosch series that mark a turning point from the past: the narrative surprisingly switches from the previously employed third person to first person, making the reader directly privy to Bosch’s inner thoughts; the former LAPD detective resigned from his job at the end of book 8 and now holds a P.I. license, but still has not taken any steps in that direction; for the first time since I began this series, the story was completely new to me, since it did not find its way into the TV show scripts, so I didn’t know what to expect; and at the end of this novel a major shift in Harry Bosch’s life comes to light - not a surprise for me, given my familiarity with the TV series, and one I was looking forward to, but certainly a huge one for the character. But I will get back to that in a while…Harry is still adjusting to his new civilian status, taking life at a slower pace, free of the encumbrance of rules and regulations, but still - by his own admission - something is missing, and after a while he understands what it is:I was living like a jazz musician waiting for a gig.It does not take long for the former cop to know how to fill that void: if before his resignation his work as a detective felt like a mission, that has not changed now that he does not wear a badge anymore:My mission remained intact. My job in this world, badge or no badge, was to stand for the dead.And in this case the dead is Angella Benton, the victim of a crime Harry investigated a few years previously and which was never solved: the young woman was found murdered on her own doorstep, in what looked like a sex crime - Bosch is haunted by the image of the victim’s corpse, whose hands stretched away from the body as if in prayer, pleading for justice. Angella worked in movie production and a couple of days after her murder the set where she was employed was the theater of the robbery of a huge sum of money that was never recovered: Bosch was on the location that day, collecting clues about the young woman’s murder, and was able to shoot one of the robbers, although they all managed to escape with the 2 millions in cash from the set. Convinced that the two crimes are somehow connected, Bosch starts his own investigation and - unsurprisingly - ends up locking horns not just with the police department and their unhappiness at his meddling, but also with the FBI: the case does intersect with an investigation on terrorism (the book is set two years after 9/11, so the country is still on high alert after the attack) and the mysterious disappearance of an agent who was tangentially involved with the stolen money.The main theme of Bosch’s new “mission” is indeed frustration: not just because of the now-cold trail of evidence, but mostly because his civilian status now bars many of the doors that once would have been wide open to him; this newfound freedom widens the range of his maneuverability, but also forces him to be more creative in situations where simply showing his badge would have granted unlimited access. This is particularly true in his dealings with the FBI: with the exception of his old acquaintance Roy Lindell (whom he met in Trunk Music), the other members of the Bureau view him with suspicion, or worse, offering to Michael Connelly the opportunity for thoughtful considerations on the “siege mentality” of those years and on the way some members of law enforcement stood on the thin line between their protective duty and a show of arrogant disregard for civilized rules. As usual, the author abstains from any form of commentary, leaving to his readers the freedom to draw their own conclusions, which is a choice I always appreciate.Back to Bosch, the present shift in perspective (and freedom of movement) offers the readers new facets of his personality together with a way to keep the character fresh and interesting: where he felt something of an outsider before - keeping to himself, often moving on different tracks - now he is indeed forced to be the loose cannon, paying the price for it with the lack of protection once afforded by the badge, and the subtle sense of insecurity that comes from it. Which does not however deter him from the mission, like a modern errant knight determined to right the wrongs he encounters on his path. What’s interesting is that the counterpoint to this isolation is given by the number of faces from the past that come to the fore in the course of the story, almost a sort of reunion - or maybe a long goodbye to the past: besides the already mentioned Lindell there are the LA Times journalist Keisha Russel, former colleague and protegé Kizmin Rider and, last but certainly not least, Bosch’s ex wife Eleanor, for whom he still harbors deep feelings which enhance his core of loneliness.There is an interesting thread concerning Rider here, because in more than one occasion Bosch is delighted to acknowledge he taught her well with something approaching paternal pride, a sentiment that on hindsight feels almost like foreshadowing because at the very end of the novel Harry discovers he is indeed a father when Eleanor introduces him to their four year old daughter Maddie. This was no surprise for me, given my familiarity with the televised story, and it was instead a development I was looking forward to because in the show the relationship between Bosch and his daughter - a teenager on screen - was one of my favorite features of the series. This fateful meeting, placed at the very end of the book, is both extremely poignant - we see Harry kneeling in front of the child as he holds her hands in amazed wonder - and also the high point of what I’ve come to see as a transitional book, one where changes in his career and personal life meet to open a new path. Where that path will lead will be a discovery for both the characters and the readers: this particular reader cannot wait to see what’s in store in the next books, my only certainty being that I now fully trust Michael Connelly to always deliver an intriguing, engrossing and emotionally satisfying story with each new novel in this series.

[jbreedlove_6 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Definitely the best Bosch yet. He hit all the points with story, character, dialogue, and a good pace. All in LA and with hard-boiled insights, metaphor, and an ending which introduces his daughter. Looking forward to th enext one.

[lbswiener · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Lost Light does not explain its title until the very end when a horrible murder was solved. As usual, the characters are all believable, the places are familiar to an Angelino and the story is well written. There is a beginning, middle and end where all of the cases are solved. This book has received five stars in this review because of all of the reasons listed above.

[andy_dimartino · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Love this guy!! Just started watching the TV series as well. After finishing book 9 now I want to get book 10

[tmph_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mr Bosch runs into some pretty unpleasant stuff here. A murder, $2 million heist, a cop shooting, close to the worst of Homeland Security; but then others run up against even more unpleasantries. And, then, a big strange surprise at the end.

[susandennis-139327 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

You can always count on Michael Connelly for a good read and Lost Light is no exception. It's another in the Bosch series and a good one. Bosch is trying out his new retirement from the LA PD but working on a cold case because he can't get it out of his mind. And he's making a lot of people unhappy. Connelly just seems to get everything right every time.

[emscape · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Harry has retired, but just can't quit the mission. An acquaintance cop who was shot while he and his partner were having lunch, resulting in the death of the partner and his own paralysis, may be the key to solving the cold case of a production assistant who was murdered and later linked to the theft of a million dollars from a movie set. Unfortunately, the FBI has also stepped in here and without a badge, Harry is about to be even more stymied by the feds than usual. At first everything seems a little coincidental, but eventually it all adds up to another stunning climax and resolution of the case for Harry Bosch. Michael Connelly is a master at plotting.

[waldhaus1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I think it is now more than twenty years since I began reading Michael Connelly’s books. A friend had told me about the pier saying it was one of the best he had ever read. I stopped at a Barnes and Nobles and ended up buying paper back copies of all the Harry Bosch books. I had vacation time and I binge read them. Although I currently live in Florida I had grown up in the Los Angeles area, the San Fernando Valley. The places being described such as the Angels flight railroads were familiar to me and the author brings me into Bosch’s mind making him quite real to me. I can’t say I have found one I haven’t enjoyed. This book drops back to the time Bosch’s first retired, making it clear he retired not because of loss of interest but out of frustration with bureaucracy. There are some interesting misdirections and some surprises. I am enough of a fan that a sceptic may wish to rely on other reviewers but a fan won’t be disappointed.

[buffalogr · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Another great detective Bosch book! In this novel it may seem a tad slow at the beginning since he is retired and working on a case that is 4 years old. Michael Connelly has always been very strong on continuity,

[eyejaybee · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This novel marks a new departure in the Hieronymus Bosch canon. For a start, it is the first of the Bosch books to be recounted in the first person, rather than by an omniscient narrator, which works very effectively. More significantly, at the end of the previous book in the series, City of Bones, a disconsolate Harry had handed in his badge and gun, and decided to ‘pull the pin’ and retire, having already racked up sufficient years to qualify for the maximum pension. Of course, this is a regular occurrence with maverick, misfit detectives such as Harry Bosch, Harry Callaghan and John Rebus, so I had assumed that it would simply be a hollow threat and that the next novel would find Detective Bosch still in harness and causing as much disciplinary angst to his senior officers as ever.Not so. The novel opens with Harry having been retired for eight months, and starting to find time hanging on his hands. The threat of boredom had driven him to look over some of his older and unresolved cases, and in particular to the murder four years previously of a young woman working as a production assistant for a film company. She had been murdered outside her home, and despite the best efforts of Bosch and his team, no progress had been made towards identifying the perpetrator. A few days after her murder, the film company that she worked for had been the scene of an audacious crime when two million dollars had been stolen from the set, despite elaborate security measures.Michael Connelly has always been very strong on continuity, which augments the strong verisimilitude of his books. Even those stories which don’t directly feature Harry Bosch will often refer tangentially to incidents in which he has been involved.That trait is reversed here, with the film for which the money was required being clearly based upon the exploits of Cassie Black in the standalone novel, ‘Void Moon’.Harry pursues his investigations revisiting the murder of the production assistant and the subsequent robbery, but before he has made any significant progress he is called by Kiz Rider, one of his former partners who is now working in the office of the Chief of Police. Kiz Rider tells Harry that his private investigation has already caused ructions within the upper echelons of the police and hints that other bodies would also like hi to desist, in case he compromises more wide-ranging and high-level operations. True to form, this merely pricks Bosch’s obstinacy, and he refuses to stand down without knowing which organisations are involved.Bosch’s investingations proceed, and start to extend ever more widely, encompassing several other old cases, including both the shooting three years ago of two LAPD detectives which left one of them dead and the other paralysed for life, and the disappearance at the same time of an experienced FBI Special Agent.As ever, Connelly maintains the suspense throughout, and while the plot is very intricate, it always remains wholly plausible. The first person narration lends a new urgency to the unfolding of the story. It is almost as if Connelly is experimenting with different formats to keep the series fresh for himself, as well as for the reader, and it certainly seems to work.

[lauren2013_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Lost Light
4 Stars

Having left the LAPD, Harry Bosch turns his hand to private investigation and looks into a cold case involving the death of a young production assistant whose murder is linked to the theft of 2 million dollars from a movie set, and the subsequent disappearance of an FBI agent.

This series is really beginning to hit its stride for me and getting Harry's first person perspective added some much needed insight into his personality. Len Cariou's narration of the audiobook is very immersive and the hours just flew by.

The mystery is very compelling, especially due to the nature of the victims (an innocent young girl and a dedicated agent) and the diabolical motivations behind the crimes. Moreover, the pacing is much faster than in previous installments, which adds to the intensity and suspense of the story.

There is also some great character development as Harry reconnects with people from his past and several interesting revelations come to light. While Harry's relationship with Eleanor Wish has become rather tedious, the inclusion of Roy Lindell is much more enjoyable as his character has always been very appealing.

All in all, an intriguing mystery with an action packed and very satisfying resolution.

[davewilde-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Lost Light is the ninth in the series. Bosch, at this point, has retired from the LAPD. He had abruptly retired and his former partner, Kizz Ryder is angry at him for leaving her hanging without notice. If Bosch simply retired and went to a beach in Costa Rica, there wouldn't be much of a story, but then again, knowing Harry, there would be a story. Bosch can't stay retired and he starts delving into an old case that he had only for a few days before it got transferred from him.

Bosch has no badge and doesn't carry a piece anymore and simply has no standing or authorization to do anything. Step buy step, Bosch follows up the old leads, but, in between he butts heads with the FBI and with the Terrorism Squad and can't figure out what is going on or why such a coverup seems to exist.

This book is action-packed. It shows a good knowledge of the ins and outs of Los Angeles and is classic vintage Bosch. A fun read that is highly recommended.

[mm_jones · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Always enjoy reading the Harry Bosch crime novels. Presents good color & interesting characters. Seems there is always a moral question to consider. Great read.

[zack_anthony-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The vision has haunted him for four years--a young woman lying crumpled in death, her hand outstretched in silent supplication. Harry Bosch was taken off the Angella Benton murder case when the production assistant's death was linked with the violent theft of two million dollars from a movie set. Both files were never closed. Now retired from the L.A.P.D., Bosch is determined to find justice for Angella. Without a badge to open doors and strike fear into the guilty, he's on his own. And even in the face of an opponent more powerful and ruthless than any he's ever encountered, Bosch is not backing down. Harry must also deal with the torturous relationship with his ex-wife Elanor Wish who reveals a stunning 4 yr old secret to Harry which both enrages him and engulfs him in love and wonder.

[delta61 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Poor Bosch. Now a retired policeman, he finds what it is like to be one of us. This is a story that moves along at a fast clip with a surprise ending. Even retired, he can't put down the hammer. I liked the story line. It even had a bit of humanity at the end. Could bring a tear to your eye.

[kenzen-2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great book, nice wrap-up. But I'm not sure how I feel about the ending.

[judithdcollins · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Harry Bosh series rocks! (does he every sleep)? Even though I have read his newer works, missed a few in the series so catching up. Finally the disclosure of his daughter...always wondered when this would occur!

Again, Harry is haunted by a vision of a young woman lying crumpled in death, her hand outstretched in silent supplication. Harry was taken off the Angella Benton murder case when the production assistant's death was linked with the violent theft of two million dollars from a movie set. Both files were never closed. Now retired from the L.A.P.D., Bosch is determined to find justice for Angella. Without a badge to open doors and strike fear into the guilty, he's on his own. And even in the face of an opponent more powerful and ruthless than any he's ever encountered, Bosch is not backing down

[dinoreader · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My new favorite Michael Connelly novel. I thought Connelly writing in first person was much better than his usual approach. The story went better and the skill he used to illuminate motivations without resorting to revelations of internal thinking was excellent. I was more impressed with Connelly's writing skills than anything else of his I've read. I have not read The Poet, which I understand is also in first person, but plan to do so in the near future. For this book, it is the writing not the story. The story seemed a little obvious to me but the writing was a joy to read.

[skinglist · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An interesting change from the typical Bosch. No longer Detective Bosch, he's working one of those cases that haunts cops. Unfortunately, the case had too many fingers and I don't believe the book tied them all up well. I was glad to see Lindell back, and of course Eleanor. Her last reveal was a little surprising - and a little sad. I wondered when she'd show up given the age in the Lincoln Lawyer series, but I'm sad as I know how Eleanor ends.I loved Law, and I'm sad he didn't work out to be the hero he was initially painted as. I'm curious how Lindell will continue to be a part of the series and how Harry ultimately returns to being Det. Bosch.

[sberson_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Another solid effort by Connelly- one of the better Bosch novels.

[pmaurer_11 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Read prior to joining LT. Lot of time spent with cop disabled in line of fire. While I usually enjoy stories about Harry Bosh, this one was really depressing.

[ecw0647 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I read (or listen) to everything Michael Connelly writes, and he never disappoints. This is the ninth novel featuring Hieronymus (Harry) Bosch, who remains dedicated to uncovering the truth no matter where it might lead. Harry has retired from the LAPD, disillusioned by his countless battles with police bureaucracy and hypocrisy, but he remains haunted by the sight of a murdered victim's hands that were arranged by the killer in almost a supplication. He decides to track down a few leads to see if he might get somewhere. The case involved the death of Angela Benton, who had worked for a bank that loaned $2 million in cash to a movie company to be used as part of a set during a movie. The cash was taken during a robbery on the set.

In a seemingly unrelated case, Harry has been called to visit a cop who had been paralyzed during a shooting in which his partner had been killed. Harry learns that an FBI agent had been killed in a seemingly separate case, but before she died she had discovered an anomaly in the list of serial numbers of the $100 bills heisted from the movie set. Harry wonders if there might possibly be a connection between the three cases and begins to investigate.

Suddenly he's confronted by stone walls and official FBI and police notice that he stay as far away from the case as possible. After he tries to borrow some files from the paralyzed cop, he's unceremoniously taken by FBI, to facilities they use to keep suspected terrorists under wraps. He learns that the elite Homeland Security Team is involved in the case and is using its dictatorial authority and secret powers to maintain control of the case.
That's when the book gets really interesting, because Harry captures on videotape the FBI manhandling the paralyzed cop. He had originally installed the equipment to check on the cop's wife, who the cop claims has been abusive to him. He uses the video to extort information from the FBI and to retrieve information about the original murders that no one would provide. It's really fun to watch them get manipulated so masterfully.

[daftboy1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is one of the early Harry Bosch novels. Harry is investigating an old cold case were a woman was called 5 years before. He is now a private investigator. The death of the woman who worked as a production assistant on a movie is linked to the disappearence of $2 million. Harry uncovers the link and upsets some of his old Police chums and the FBI along the way. There are a few twists along the way. In the final chapter we find out the Harry has a daughter with his ex wife. He finally gets to meet her she is 4 years old her name is Madeline.

[terrybfla · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

SLIGHT SPOILER: This was may favorite Harry Bosch book so far (reading them in order) based on the story alone, but Connelly was wonderfully oblique when he paid a homage to another of my favorite authors/characters in this genre. At one point in the book, Harry notices "a vintage yellow Corvette waiting...I knew the driver.. He was a private-eye who lived on the other side of the ridge from me." Robert Crais fans know who he saw! Love it!

[emigre_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Intense thriller featuring Harry Bosch (#9 in series), retired from the LAPD, he investigates an old case that always haunted him. The first-person narrative was different but still effective. Quite a few surprises, the biggest was one featuring Bosch's personal life.

[claude_lambert_10 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I read Connelly because he is a great author, he is consistent, and I am never disappointed. He also is consistently gloomy, never as much as in this book. I don't like gloomy, I stopped reading Martha Grimes because of it, and her style is better than Connelly's. Lost Light is unforgettable because of two characters: a policeman who has been shot and is paralyzed, and his wife. Harry Bosch is here retired and longing to track down one last killer: it pitches him against his own department and against the FBI. One of his best books. But oh, so much gloom again! I was glad to finish it.

[raizel_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What is there about murder mysteries that they can be called "warm cozies"? Maybe that we're pretty sure that everything will be solved and resolved. No loose ends, just tidy endings. The quote (see below, I hope) that Harry's job in life is to speak for the dead reminds me of Orson Scott Card's book, Speaker for the Dead.

[suedutton_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have a love-hate relationship with Michael Connelly's thrillers. I love Connelly's writing, but I'm not a big fan of the character Harry Bosch. This was a Bosch book, but it was a good one.

[navyjoe98 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great ending. I do wish that Harry was still an detective. I did not like this book in the series as well as some of the others because Harry is now retired/PI.

[debavp · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another great Bosch. Connelly's definitely not keeping Bosch still these days. Great story development and another didn't see it coming ending.