Harry Bosch has been given three years before he must retire from the LAPD, and he wants cases more fiercely than ever. In one morning, he gets two.
DNA from a 1989 rape and murder matches a 29-year-old convicted rapist. Was he an eight-year-old killer or has something gone terribly wrong in the new Regional Crime Lab? The latter possibility could compromise all of the lab's DNA cases currently in court.
Then Bosch and his partner are called to a death scene fraught with internal politics. Councilman Irvin Irving's son jumped or was pushed from a window at the Chateau Marmont. Irving, Bosch's longtime nemesis, has demanded that Harry handle the investigation.
Relentlessly pursuing both cases, Bosch makes two chilling discoveries: a killer operating unknown in the city for as many as three decades, and a political conspiracy that goes back into the dark history of the police department.
42 Chapters
Character List (view spoiler)[ Harry Bosch: Homicide detective now reassigned from Homicide Special back to the Open-Unsolved (OU) Unit. His application for DROP (Delayed Retirement Option Plan) was approved for 39 more months. It's for cops who want to forestall their retirement. Madeline (Maddie) Bosch: Harry Bosch's 15-year old daughter. David Chu: Harry's partner. He was formerly a detective with the Los Angeles Asian Gang Unit (AGU). Marty: Chief of police. Gail Duvall: Lieutenant and head of the Open-Unsolved Unit. Tim Marcia: Detective Three and OU squad whip, handling mostly supervisory and fill-in duties. Larry Gandle: Robbery-Homicide Division (RHD) captain. Kizmin (Kiz) Rider: Harry's former partner, a Lieutenant now assigned to the OCP (Office of the Chief of Police). Jerry Edgar: Bosch's former partner. Rick Jackson: Detective in the OU Unit. Teddy Baker: Detective in the OU Unit. Greg Kehoe: Detective in the OU Unit. Teddy's partner. Ross Schuler: Detective in the Open-Unsolved Unit Adriana Dolan: Ross Schuler's partner. Gabriel Van Atta: Crime scene tech from the coroner's office. Jerry Solomon: Original detective assigned to George Irving's death investigation. He and his partner, Glanville, are known as Crate and Barrel because of their size. Glanville: Solomon's partner. Irvin Irving: Councilman, and nemesis of Harry Bosch. Former deputy chief of police George Thomas Irving: Councilman Irving's son, married to Deborah. They have one son, Chad. Deborah Irving: Irvin's daughter in law, George's wife. Chad Irving: George's son who just left for college. Dana Rosen: George Irving's office manager. Dr. Hannah Stone: Psychologist working with sex offenders in a half-way house. Clayton S. Pell: Sex offender whose DNA is linked to a 1989 death. He lives at the halfway house and is one of Hannah's clients. Chilton (Chill) Aaron Hardy Jr.: Clayton's mother's former boyfriend. Chilton Hardy, Sr.: Chill's father. Hooch Rollins: Cab driver for B & W Taxi. Mark McQuillen: Cab dispatcher for B & W Taxi. He's a former cop. Robert (Bobby) Mason: Patrol officer and a good friend of George Irving. Johnny: Name Clayton Pell used to refer to his abuser. Lily Price: Nineteen-year old cold case victim from 1989. She was raped and murdered near Venice beach. Mrs. Price: Lily's mother. Bill Price: Lily's father. Emily Gomez-Gonzmart: Reporter for the Los Angeles Times. Dr. Borja Toron Antons: Doctor who performed George Irving's autopsy Richard Hadlow: Special Master assigned on George Irving's office warranty Heath Witcomb: Patrol sergeant in the Hollywood Division and Harry Bosch's old smoking pal. Alberto Galvin: Deskman at the Chateau Marmont. Manuel: Delivery and pickup coordinator for ReadyAire. Thomas Rapport: Writer who checked into the hotel soon after George Irving. Ashlyn: Maddie's friend. Oscar Benitez: Filing deputy in the DA's office. Irfan Khan: Apartment building manager. (hide spoiler)]
Spoiler Info (view spoiler)[ George Irving committed suicide. His wife was leaving him.
The whole investigation was set up to implicate Irvin Irving in a contract fixing scheme. It was set up by the Chief with Kiz's help because Irving was putting the squeeze on the LAPD as a councilman (no overtime, etc.).
David Chu leaked info to Emily, the LA Times reporter. Harry was going to dump him but he came through on both cases.
Chill Hardy turned out to be a serial killer with over 30 murders. (hide spoiler)]
DNA from a 1989 rape and murder matches a 29-year-old convicted rapist. Was he an eight-year-old killer or has something gone terribly wrong in the new Regional Crime Lab? The latter possibility could compromise all of the lab's DNA cases currently in court.
Then Bosch and his partner are called to a death scene fraught with internal politics. Councilman Irvin Irving's son jumped or was pushed from a window at the Chateau Marmont. Irving, Bosch's longtime nemesis, has demanded that Harry handle the investigation.
Relentlessly pursuing both cases, Bosch makes two chilling discoveries: a killer operating unknown in the city for as many as three decades, and a political conspiracy that goes back into the dark history of the police department.
42 Chapters
Character List
(view spoiler)[
Harry Bosch: Homicide detective now reassigned from Homicide Special back to the Open-Unsolved (OU) Unit. His application for DROP (Delayed Retirement Option Plan) was approved for 39 more months. It's for cops who want to forestall their retirement.
Madeline (Maddie) Bosch: Harry Bosch's 15-year old daughter.
David Chu: Harry's partner. He was formerly a detective with the Los Angeles Asian Gang Unit (AGU).
Marty: Chief of police.
Gail Duvall: Lieutenant and head of the Open-Unsolved Unit.
Tim Marcia: Detective Three and OU squad whip, handling mostly supervisory and fill-in duties.
Larry Gandle: Robbery-Homicide Division (RHD) captain.
Kizmin (Kiz) Rider: Harry's former partner, a Lieutenant now assigned to the OCP (Office of the Chief of Police).
Jerry Edgar: Bosch's former partner.
Rick Jackson: Detective in the OU Unit.
Teddy Baker: Detective in the OU Unit.
Greg Kehoe: Detective in the OU Unit. Teddy's partner.
Ross Schuler: Detective in the Open-Unsolved Unit
Adriana Dolan: Ross Schuler's partner.
Gabriel Van Atta: Crime scene tech from the coroner's office.
Jerry Solomon: Original detective assigned to George Irving's death investigation. He and his partner, Glanville, are known as Crate and Barrel because of their size.
Glanville: Solomon's partner.
Irvin Irving: Councilman, and nemesis of Harry Bosch. Former deputy chief of police
George Thomas Irving: Councilman Irving's son, married to Deborah. They have one son, Chad.
Deborah Irving: Irvin's daughter in law, George's wife.
Chad Irving: George's son who just left for college.
Dana Rosen: George Irving's office manager.
Dr. Hannah Stone: Psychologist working with sex offenders in a half-way house.
Clayton S. Pell: Sex offender whose DNA is linked to a 1989 death. He lives at the halfway house and is one of Hannah's clients.
Chilton (Chill) Aaron Hardy Jr.: Clayton's mother's former boyfriend.
Chilton Hardy, Sr.: Chill's father.
Hooch Rollins: Cab driver for B & W Taxi.
Mark McQuillen: Cab dispatcher for B & W Taxi. He's a former cop.
Robert (Bobby) Mason: Patrol officer and a good friend of George Irving.
Johnny: Name Clayton Pell used to refer to his abuser.
Lily Price: Nineteen-year old cold case victim from 1989. She was raped and murdered near Venice beach.
Mrs. Price: Lily's mother.
Bill Price: Lily's father.
Emily Gomez-Gonzmart: Reporter for the Los Angeles Times.
Dr. Borja Toron Antons: Doctor who performed George Irving's autopsy
Richard Hadlow: Special Master assigned on George Irving's office warranty
Heath Witcomb: Patrol sergeant in the Hollywood Division and Harry Bosch's old smoking pal.
Alberto Galvin: Deskman at the Chateau Marmont.
Manuel: Delivery and pickup coordinator for ReadyAire.
Thomas Rapport: Writer who checked into the hotel soon after George Irving.
Ashlyn: Maddie's friend.
Oscar Benitez: Filing deputy in the DA's office.
Irfan Khan: Apartment building manager.
(hide spoiler)]
Spoiler Info
(view spoiler)[
George Irving committed suicide. His wife was leaving him.
The whole investigation was set up to implicate Irvin Irving in a contract fixing scheme. It was set up by the Chief with Kiz's help because Irving was putting the squeeze on the LAPD as a councilman (no overtime, etc.).
David Chu leaked info to Emily, the LA Times reporter. Harry was going to dump him but he came through on both cases.
Chill Hardy turned out to be a serial killer with over 30 murders. (hide spoiler)]