Book Review: The Crossing by Michael Connelly

The Crossing

Author: Michael Connelly

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Date of Publication: November 13, 2015

Pages: 400

    The Crossing is the twentieth installment in Michael Connelly's always entertaining Harry Bosch series.  Mickey Haller, the "Lincoln Lawyer" of Connelly's other character driven series also is involved.  The story opens with Bosch becoming bored in his state of forced retirement.  Enter half-brother Mickey who entices Harry to "look into" a perplexing case.  Haller is defending a former gang member accused of a brutal rape-murder of a prominent L.A. public servant.  Haller is convinced his client is innocent despite overwhelming evidence and eventually so is Bosch.

     Bosch begins by exploring some inconsistencies in the case and evidence and is slowly drawn into a full blown investigation.  He has difficulty "crossing over" to the defense side and suffers the scorn of his former colleagues for his actions.  He is driven, however, by his compulsive need to know the truth.

     Bosch uncovers a complex sinister plot and cover up involving a plastic surgeon with a gambling problem, fenced stolen goods, prostitution and two rogue cops.  Although the actual main perpetrators are known early on in the story it is intriguing to see how all of the disparate parts of this complex story come together.  

     What sets Michael Connelly's books above the usual police procedurals is the care that he takes to explore the main character's emotions and struggles.  Bosch feels he is betraying his true nature by helping his half-brother on the defense side of things while he also struggles with his age, his change of work status and the impending departure of his only daughter for college.

    The sum of all of these parts adds up to a great story which moves along quickly and entertains.  There are no real major surprises contained in the plot, but the twists and turns will satisfy even the most jaded mystery reader.  I enjoyed it and look forward to installment #21.

Book Review: Mr. Fox by Helen Oyeyemi

Mr. Fox

Author: Helen Oyeyemi

Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group

Date of Publication: November 6, 2012

Pages: 336

A 19th Century illustration of Bluebeard and his wife by Gustave Dore (Wikipedia)

     Bluebeard is a French folk tale, believe to be based on a 15th century Breton nobleman named Gilles de Rais, a confessed serial killer or on the early Breton king Conomor the Accursed and his wife Typhine.   The legend involves multiple disappearing (and presumed murdered) wives, a forbidden basement room containing dismembered corpses and a suspicious new wife.  The Bluebeard legend has even been immortalized at Disney's Haunted Mansion:

Legend of Bluebeard at Disney's Haunted Mansion (Photo from Wikipedia)

   Helen Oyeyemi has reimagined the Bluebeard tale in her compulsively readable Mr. Fox.  The main character is an eccentric writer named Mr. Fox who is poorly matched with his wife Daphne.  Mr. and Mrs. Fox are very different and even seem totally incompatible at times.  Enter Mary Foxe, a character existing totally in Mr. Fox's imagination.  Mr. Fox becomes totally enamored with his imaginary friend as he writes his stories which are filled with gruesome and sometimes creative murders.  Mary Foxe becomes quite the distraction as Mr. Fox creates in her all of the traits he feels missing from his wife.  Daphne, noting changes in behavior in Mr. Fox assumes infidelity.

     Mr. Fox has all of the components of the Bluebeard fable, the suspicions and accusations and even the forbidden room (in this case, Mr. Fox's study).  The story line (such as it is) is not linear and is very confusing at times.  The fact that all of the main characters have more or less the same surname makes following the choppy story difficult.  The real star of Mr. Fox, however, is the writing which is pristine and unique and is what keeps the reader turning the pages.

     This is a book which I would not ordinarily have read.  It came as part of a Book Riot Quarterly Box and fulfilled the Book Riot 2015 Reading Challenge # 15:  Read a re-imagining of a classic tale.  I enjoyed it more than I thought I would and would recommend it for anyone who enjoys crisp writing.