Rating: 
Summary: not a masterpiece, but a good fun introduction to Bosch
Review: This is the first and one of the best of a fine series of books written by Connelly. Bosch, a detective on the outs with his LA police department, stumbles into a mystery surrounding the death of an old Vietnam mate. This story unfolds many layers of complex plotting that does not feel contrived or pander to the sensational Hollywood over the top sensationalism... well not too much anyways. Instead, Connelly weaves a tale that harks back to the sensibilities of Hammett and places this into a mid 80's mindset that works pretty well.
I would like to have had this story delve into the character of Bosch a little more, either through conversation or thought. It was a little on the cardboard side of character development. Instead, Connelly holds the reader with his nifty plot. That is why I am marking this book down a bit as far as my review goes. If you read the entire series, Bosch starts to develop, and as a reader you will enjoy the plots that blossom in one novel and take fruition in another. This series is definitely worth reading if you are looking for one, and I would give it five stars as a whole. It might be that only Hillerman and Block (Scudder) have better serials that this.
Rating: 
Summary: Enter Harry Bosch
Review: An absolutely terrific first novel in the superb Hironymous Bosch series, introduces us to Michael Connelly's enigmatic and troubled LA detective. Harry Bosch lives for his job, and the cost to his personal life and relationships is troubling.When we meet Harry, he has already been, in essence, demoted by being kicked off of the elite Robbery/Homicide squad and stuck in Homicide in the Hollywood division. But Harry is a pure detective, and will work every case with the same single-minded tenacity that gets results while alienating him from his fellows and irritating his bosses. A throw-away death of a junkie found in a drainage pipe would have gone unnoticed if anyone but Harry Bosch had caught the call. But Bosch, while having a lousy personal life IS a superb detective, and he sees what many would miss. Not only that, but the victim is someone from Harry's past which further prompts him to look deeper. Harry's investigation causes him to cross paths with the FBI and his conflicts become even more personal when he becomes romantically involved with a female FBI agent. The story unfolds with many surprises and the meticulous detail that we will come to expect from Connelly in the series. First rate all the way. A great beginning.
Rating:
Summary: Great First Book In A Series
Review: Most first books in a series have segments which are tedious while the author is trying to establish the character, then the plot. But this is a great first book, everything moved smoothly, and Mr. Connelly showed great skill in weaving a mystery for us!! Excellent read!!
Rating: 
Summary: Did I miss something??
Review: Why does everyone love this book? It's received such great reviews, I don't understand.
I read "The Poet" and found it to be quite enjoyable and engaging. So I eagerly wanted to visit more of Connelly's works so I started at the beginning with "The Black Echo", however this book never captured me. I found myself screaming "Would something PLEASE happen!" Perhaps I was more interested in the serial killer plotline of "The Poet," but it was a real chore to finish this one. Maybe it's the Harry Bosch character, or the slow plotting, but I'm hesitant to visit any other Connelly books now.
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