The Hollow

 

The Hollow By Michael Connelly
10/27/26; 352 pages
Little, Brown and Company
Harry Bosch Series #26 

The Hollow By Michael Connelly is a very highly recommended investigative thriller. This can readily be enjoyed as a standalone despite the fact that it is the 26th novel featuring retired LAPD detective Harry Bosch.

Still recovering from knee replacement surgery 4 weeks earlier, Harry Bosch visits the grave of murder victim Jennifer Talbot whose case was never solved. He is leaving a vase of flowers on it when her ex-husband Gregory Talbot shows up. The two exchange words, Bosch leaves and Talbot takes the vase of flowers to give to his current wife, not knowing that the flowers were bugged and everything he says is being recorded by Renee Ballard and her team. They record him and his wife confessing to the murder. Now they need to file the charges.

When he returns home, defense attorney Mickey Haller is there to inform Bosch that the class action civil suit against MacLaren Children's Center, which was decades in the making, has been settled and he along with many others are entitled to an award for damages of $350,000. Over sixty years ago Bosch became a ward of the state and sent to the notorious MacLaren after his mother died. The news pulls Bosch back in time to 1963 when he first met his good friend Charlie Lamb "Chops" who was killed at MacLaren in 1965. At the time Chops death was barely investigated. Now Bosch wants to see the discovery papers from the class action suit and hopefully find clues about who killed Chops. He has his suspicions. Bosch's investigation leads him right into another, much larger, investigation involving the FBI.

It was a sheer pleasure to read this well-written, fast-paced, un-put-downable novel featuring compelling investigations covering decades. The writing is clear and concise while following the clues in the investigations and it will hold your complete attention. He manages to follow clues and piece together information that others have missed. The deep dive into events from the past, along with Bosch's memories, added a depth to the current discoveries. He doesn't want the payout, in fact he's going to donate it, what he wants is justice.

Bosch may be feeling his age now, but his mind is still as sharp as ever and he continues to put himself into harms way. Honestly, there were times when I wanted to caution him, "Be careful. You've just had a knee replacement and you are 75." I understand that he would ignore me and continue to do things his way. The final denouement, implemented in Bosch's immutable style, was absolutely perfectly.

The Hollow is an excellent choice for those who enjoy investigative thrillers and fans of Michael Connelly's novel. Thanks to Little, Brown and Company for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.