Bosch undercover - yes, please. Harry infiltrates a Russian pill-mill after a local pharmacist and his son are killed in an apparent execution. While he is incognito, an old case of his pops up again, with a convict claiming that Harry planted evidence in the original investigation. Bosch bends the rules, but he is not one to plant evidence - he wants to put the bad men away by the book so they stay there. In retirement, Bosch finds more trouble than when he was on the job.

4 1/2 bones!!!!! ( )

Harry Bosch earned his pension after he was forced to retire three years earlier, having served approximately forty years in the LAPD. He stays busy volunteering part-time at the San Fernando Police Department, where he has cleared a number of cold cases. When a pair of shooters guns down a father and son, Jose Esquivel Sr. and Jr., both pharmacists, Anthony Valdez, Harry's chief at the SFPD, assigns the veteran homicide detective to help track down the killers.

"Two Kinds of Truth" demonstrates Michael Connelly's talent for creating fast-paced and involving dialogue, intricate and engrossing story lines, authentic forensic details, and intriguing characters. This high-octane police procedural deals with the horrendous toll taken by the opioid epidemic, and the huge amounts of money being made by those who acquire and sell highly addictive painkillers. In another subplot, lawyer Lance Cronyn represents Preston Borders, an inmate on San Quentin's death row who was convicted three decades earlier of raping and strangling an aspiring actress named Danielle Skyler. Cronyn wants his client freed because of recently discovered DNA evidence that points to a different perpetrator. In addition, Borders claims that Harry framed him by planting an incriminating object belonging to the victim in Borders' home.

Harry has his hands full navigating perilous political minefields and fending off negative media attention. Although, in the past, Bosch habitually chased down leads by himself, he decides to reach out to his former partner, Lucia Soto, his half-brother, Mickey Haller (the Lincoln Lawyer), and Dennis "Cisco" Wojciechowski, Haller's investigator, all of whom provide Harry with invaluable assistance. Harry employs brains and brawn--not too shabby for an old guy—to bring down villains on both sides of the law. Unlike the many self-serving liars he encounters, Bosch believes in one kind of truth—the kind based on facts, not fantasy—and he prioritizes justice over personal gain. "Two Kinds of Truth" is Bosch at his best, and fans of this iconic hero will be eager to join him on his latest thrilling adventure.
( )

BIBLIOGRAPHIC DETAILS:
(Print: 10/31/2017; 9780316225908; Little, Brown and Company; 416 pages.)
Audio: 10/31/2017; Hachette Book Group; 9781478996392; Duration 10:01:18; 9 parts.
(Digital: Yes.)
(Film/TV: I recognized this plot from the Amazon Prime Video Bosch series.)

SERIES:
Harry Bosch, Book 20 [depending on how you count] (31st novel by the author)

MAIN CHARACTERS:
Harry Bosch – Private Investigator / Part-time volunteer Detective at San Fernando Police Department
Mickey Haller – Defense attorney
Dennis (Cisco) Wojciechowski – Mickey Haller’s private investigator (this character is named after the author’s real-life investigator, according to Wikipedia. (I didn’t really need Wikipedia for this, except to learn exactly what the real Dennis was to Connelly. It was obvious he was named after a friend when he was in the “Thanks” section. He may have even had one of the books dedicated to him—can’t recall now.)
Captain Trevino – Captain at the San Fernando Police Department
Bella Lourdes – Detective in Crimes against persons unit--Partners-up with Bosch’s at the San Fernando Police Department
Danny Sisto – Detective at San Fernando Police Department
Anthony Valdez – Chief at San Fernando Police Department
Lucia Soto – Bosch’s former partner at LAPD
Jerry Edgar – Another of Bosch’s former partners. He’s moved on from the LAPD and may prove helpful in this most recent set of events.

SUMMARY/ EVALUATION:
Having watched all 6 seasons of the tv series—probably 2 or more times, and then it’s been a while since I read or watched the “episode” I confuse this with, but it’s similar to another one where a convict might be released. So, I thought I might know what would happen, but between confusing the episodes, and the tv plots not following the book plots in every detail, I didn’t always know.
I like the way the author always manages to have a couple (at least) of cases going at one time and usually manages to tie them together. There was one place though, where a tie-up of loose strings seemed to come out of left field. We were introduced to a case in the beginning of the book, and so much had happened with other cases since then that I’d forgotten about it. It felt like a new story was starting just when I thought it was winding down. I had to wrack my brain to remember the character and circumstances, but I finally put it together.

AUTHOR:
Michael Connelly (7/21/56). This time, info is from his website—Born in Philadelphia, AP. Moved to Florida at the age of 12 (so that’d be 1968?) Inspired by the books of Raymond Chandler while attending the University of Florida. Chose the major of journalism with a minor in creative writing. One of his teachers was novelist Harry Crews. Graduated in 1980. Worked at newspapers in Daytona and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, specializing mostly in the crime beat. A magazine article he co-wrote elevated his stature for the likes of the Los Angeles Times, which brought him here to California.
I don’t think any other writer rises to the height for me that Connelly does in creating characters, creating plots, bringing characters together, tying cases together, and strewing everything with data, facts, current events, and true police and court procedure. His primary characters have heart and morals (and a few, but not many, flaws) and he doesn’t feel the need to fill dialog with vulgarity. Oh yes, and I love the sprinkling of Jazz info.
I’m glad Connelly is such a prolific writer as I am now getting close to having caught up on everything (novel-wise) that he has written. But I confess, we’ve been binge-listening to these for a good while now and having to wait an entire year between stories is going to be tough.

NARRATOR:
Titus Welliver (3/12/1962)
The most comprehensive biography page I have seen on Titus so far is “Rotten Tomatoes. Be advised though that the leading sentence begins with “Titus Welliver was an American Actor . . .” as though he no longer exists. This is not the case. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/titus_welliver
I'm curious about the other narrations Welliver has done--mostly the chronology-like, were the Robert Parker novels he narrated before or after the first Bosch book he narrated, because I still stand by my sense that the first book he did in this series had very little voice variation, but the subsequent books have had really great vocal characterizations. I'd have to listen to that first one again to be sure, and to see if the story just didn't lend itself to much variation.

GENRE:
Mystery, fiction, suspense, thriller

LOCATIONS:
Los Angeles, San Fernando, Orange, California desert near the Salton Sea

SUBJECTS:
Murder, Police Procedure, Addicts, Drug Cartels, Undercover, DEA

SAMPLE QUOTATION:
From Chapter 1
"‘Actually, we talked to your Captain Trevino, and he says we can use the war room over in the detective bureau,’ Tapscott said. ‘It will be more comfortable. Do you mind?’
‘I don’t mind if the captain doesn’t mind,’ Bosch said. ‘What’s this about anyway?’
‘Preston Borders,’ Soto said.
Bosch was walking toward the open door cell. The name put a slight pause in his step.
‘Let’s wait until we’re in the war room,’ Kennedy said quickly. ‘Then we can talk.’
Soto gave Bosch a look that seemed to impart the message that she was under the D.A.’s thumb on this case. He grabbed his keys and the padlock off the desk, stepped out of the cell, and then slid the metal door closed with a heavy clang. The key to the cell had disappeared long ago and Bosch wrapped a bicycle chain around the bars and secured the door with the padlock.
They left the old jail and walked through the Public Works equipment yard out to First Street. While waiting for traffic to pass, Bosch casually pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked for messages. He had received nothing from Soto or anyone else prior to the arrival of the party from downtown. He kept the recording going and put the phone back in his Pocket.
Soto spoke, but not about the case that had brought her up to San Fernando.
‘Is that really your office, Harry?’ she asked. ‘I mean, they put you in a jail cell?’
‘Yep,’ Bosch said. “That was the drunk tank and sometimes I think I can still smell the puke when I open it up in the morning. Supposedly five or six guys hung themselves in there over the years. Supposed to be haunted. But it’s where they keep the cold case files, so it’s where I do my work. They store old evidence boxes in the other two cells, so easy access all around. And usually nobody to bother me.’"

RATING:
I gave this book 5 stars. It's another great story ( )

Detective

I have abandoned a lot of series over the year. It is amazing to me how fresh and wonderful the Harry Bosch books are. I am also a big fan of how he has aged through the series. He has become an old friend and I am always a little sad when I finish a book and no it will be awhile before I see him again. ( )