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The Overlook: A Novel
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The Overlook: A Novel
Unavailable
The Overlook: A Novel
Audiobook6 hours

The Overlook: A Novel

Written by Richard Powers

Narrated by Len Cariou

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

In his first case since he left the LAPD's Open Unsolved Unit for the prestigious Homicide Special squad, Harry Bosch is called out to investigate a murder that may have chilling consequences for national security. A doctor with access to a dangerous radioactive substance is found murdered in the trunk of his car. Retracing his steps, Harry learns that a large quantity of radioactive cesium was stolen shortly before the doctor's death. With the cesium in unknown hands, Harry fears the murder could be part of a terrorist plot to poison a major American city. Soon, Bosch is in a race against time, not only against the culprits, but also against the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI (in the form of Harry's one-time lover Rachel Walling), who are convinced that this case is too important for the likes of the LAPD. It is Bosch's job to prove all of them wrong.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateMay 22, 2007
ISBN9781600240010
Unavailable
The Overlook: A Novel
Author

Richard Powers

Richard Powers is the author of thirteen novels. His most recent, The Overstory, won the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction. He is also the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship and the National Book Award, and he has been a four-time National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. He lives in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.

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Reviews for The Overlook

Rating: 3.6488033548387095 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

961 ratings58 reviews

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Just a quick snack of a book. Different but the same for Bosch.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Veteran Homicide Detective, Hieronymus ‘Harry’ Bosch, finds himself enmeshed in the war against terror in this novel. Unable to sleep, he is wide awake at home when a call comes through from LAPD’s Homicide Division, directing him to attend the scene of a murder on the Mulholland Overlook, which affords a glorious view (especially spectacular at night) across the whole city. Arriving there, Bosch finds the aftermath of what seems to have been a professional assassination. The victim is a medical physicist who has been killed by a close-range shot to the back of his head.While reviewing the scene and garnering whatever clues might be available, Bosch is approached by two FBI Special Agents, one of whom is Rachel Walling. Bosch and Walling have a lot of history, having worked on various investigations before, and had briefly been lovers. It emerges that the victim’s name had been flagged as being of interest to the FBI. After the usual Mexican stand-off between Bosch and anyone from any other law enforcement organisation, Walling explains that through his work, the victim had had access to various chemicals which might be of interest to a terrorist group that wanted to make (or at least be considered to represent a plausible risk of having made) a ‘dirty bomb’. Once his name had been put forward as the possible identity of the victim, the Bureau had become involved.Bosch and Walling go to check out the victim’s house where they discover that his wife had been the victim of a serious assault earlier that evening. Two masked assailants had entered the house, stripped her, and then bound her to her bed. They had then taken photographs which they emailed to her husband to ensure his cooperation. Further investigation shows that, shortly after receiving that email, he had gone to one of the hospitals where he supported radiation therapy work, and had removed a sizeable supply of caesium pellets in a quantity which could cause considerable mayhem in the wrong hands.As always, Connelly’s writing is immensely gripping, and he offers the reader a powerful blend of sharp dialogue, watertight plotting and immensely plausible characters. In this novel there is also a deftly-nuanced political subplot, with complicated trade-offs between the various law enforcement bodies, further complicated by deep power plays within LAPD itself. This book is up there with Connelly’s best work – I am impressed at how he manages to sustain the quality of this series, of which this is the fourteenth instalment.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Another fine audiobook featuring Harry Bosch. I really like them in spite of disliking the main character. He's arrogant and can be a real SOB, almost impossible to work with. As an example, he refuses to call his partner Iggy, even though asked often to do so by Ignasio, who much prefers Iggy. Now why would you not call someone by the name they prefer?This one is relatively short involving the theft of Cesium, ostensibly by terrorists to create a dirty bomb. The FBI and the LAPD's terrorism squad all get mixed up, but, as usual, only Bosch can see the truth.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The Overlook
    3.5 Stars

    Detective Harry Bosch is newly assigned to the elite Robbery-Homicide division when he is called in to what initially appears to be a routine case - a man has been found shot to death in the Hollywood Hills. Things soon take a disturbing turn when it is revealed that the victim had access to radioactive materials and that the motive may be terror related. As Bosch and FBI agent Rachel Walling race against time to locate the killers and the missing Cesium, they will have to trust their instincts and each other to uncover the truth.

    Unlike several of the other books in the series, this installment is shorter and tighter both in terms of pacing and plotting as Connelly gets to the point very quickly without much of the internal musings and angst that define his main character. There are also numerous twists and turns to keep the reader guessing although some are more obvious than others.

    Harry's interactions with the FBI in general, and Rachel Walling in particular, is very realistic. The animosity between local law enforcement and the bureau is not unheard of, and it is always interesting to see the lengths to which Harry will go in order to stay involved in a case and attain justice for the victim.

    The ultimate explanation of the crime is not surprising as there are hints early on that things are not as they seem. Nevertheless, the final action scenes are exciting, and the resolution is apropos.

    The inclusion of Rachel Walling is another highlight of the story. Writing female characters and romance are not Connelly's forte, but he is on the right path with the intriguing dynamics between Harry and Rachel. On the one hand, they are a good fit for one another on a personal level, but the recklessness that she sees in Harry's professional life constitutes an obstacle to any future relationship. It will be interesting to see where Connelly takes this.

    All in all, an entertaining story even if it is somewhat predictable. Looking forward to reading The Lincoln Lawyer next and getting some insights into Harry's younger sibling.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5


    A little predictable but still enjoyed it.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Harry Bosch is called to the scene of a murder on the "Overlook" a high location in LA which offers stunning views of the city of angels. It soon becomes apparent that renowned physicist Dr. Stanley Kent was shot twice in the back of the head, all the marks of a professional killing. Very quickly the FBI are involved in the form of Bosch's on/off lover Rachel Walling. It would appear that not only is this a murder scene but a hazardous radioactive element "cesium" remains unaccounted for presumably stolen when the physicist was executed. What at first was thought to be a simple homicide has evolved into a serious security issue and both the FBI and the LAPD must rush to contain an emerging national emergency. If there is one thing that angers Bosch it is having to share an investigation with other government agencies. As a maverick investigator he views with suspicion the actions of others and questions why not only the FBI but Homeland Security should "muscle" in on his turf!As a long time admirer of the writings of Michael Connelly I must admit to be disappointed in this the 13th outing of our irascible hero Harry Bosch. He is much more comfortable (and so is the reader) when he is examining incidents peculiar to LA. Once the FBI and Homeland Security takes charge of this possible major chemical contamination, Harry is always playing catch up. Nevertheless, and almost unbelievably, it is Harry who from a single piece of evidence is able to resolve the matter by simply acting on his own intuition. What is the significance of Dr. Kent's wife? Why has a small yet potentially dangerous amount of the chemical been stolen? Is there an ulterior motive behind the theft?This is a relatively short novel and even though I never felt comfortable with the storyline Connelly's writing, descriptions and his knowledge of this diverse colourful city always makes for enjoyable reading. There are some great secondary characters; Harry's new partner Ignacio (Iggy) Ferras who Harry refuses to call by his preferred name..."See you there, Ignacio Bosch said. Harry, Ferras said, I told you. Call me Iggy. Everybody does" Then there is the comical figure of Captain Don Hadley, affectionately know to his fellow cops as Captain Done Badly, who sees himself as a type of John Wayne figurehead.."The rest of you warriors mount up! We're going in." And lets not forget those wonderful descriptions...."Past the dam the city spread out in a blanket of a million lights, which shimmered in the cool evening air like floating dreams."........"The gray had not yet chased all of the brown out of his hair but it was getting close to victory."....."We are all circling the drain, he thought. Some are closer to the black hole than others; some will see it coming and some will have no clue when the undertow grabs them and pulls them down into the darkness forever."....
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is one of the shorter Bosch novels, weighing in at only 240 pages, about half the length of many of the other Bosch books such as the 442- page Echo Park novel. In this book, Bosch is partnered with the young, green Ignacio Ferras, although that partnership is in name only and throughout this book, his real partnership is with Rachel Walling, the FBI profiler who he had dated six months earlier. All of the action in this book takes place chronologically within a day and it is a fast-pace to it more so than other Bosch novels. The title comes from the spot where the murder victim is found, an overlook on Mulholland Drive, the ribbon of highway that twists and turns above the city lights. Bosch is called to the scene and, almost immediately, Rachel Walling and the FBI move in on the case. It seems that the victim, Stanley Kent, is a doctor involved in the use of radioactive cesium in cancer treatment and there are concerns that an international terrorist group is after the radioactive materials. Much of the book focuses on the antagonism and conflict between Bosch and members of the FBI. There is a lot of action here and a lot of rushing between crime scenes. Although the final conspiracy analysis is a little far-fetched, it remains a great read. All in all, another fine book from Mr. Connelly.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A wild ride.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I love the way Len Cariou does the voice for Harry Bosch but I have to say that he can't do women's voices very well. Since Harry was essentially teamed up with FBI agent Rachel Walling for this case there were quite a few times he had to voice a woman. However, if you can get over that this is a fast-moving tale that involves murder, terrorism and fine detection.Harry has just started in a new job with the Robbery Homicide Division of the LAPD. He has a new partner, Ignacio, who is quite young and not as eager to bend the rules as Harry but he comes through when it counts. Harry receives a late night call that there has been a murder on the Overlook in the Hollywood Hills which looks like it might be gang related. Harry gets to the Overlook before his partner and is brought up to speed. A man who is probably Dr. Kent, a radiation physicist who works with many area hospitals calculating doses for radiation treatment of cancer, has been shot twice in the back of his head. His name rings bells in the FBI and agent Rachel Walling arrives at the crime scene soon after Harry. She had met Dr. Kent and his wife a number of months before in order to advise them on security. Rachel and Harry go to the victim's house and find his wife, Alicia, tied up and unconscious in the master bedroom. The FBI are convinced that this crime was committed by terrorists to get a quantity of radioactive cesium to be used in a dirty bomb. Harry is determined to treat the case as a homicide and he figures if he can find the killer he will find the cesium. He is certainly in the minority but he continues to solve the case his way.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    a great read
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Connelly is one of the authors I turn to when I don't want to think to hard. His plotting is good, his characters are consistent. Not cosy murder mysteries, but while away the time stuff.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Another awesome Harry Bosch book - Rachel walling and Harry look for terrorists and a murderer
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Detectives Harry Bosch and Ignacio Ferras was call to an execution-style shooting of Dr. Stanley Kent at the Overlook near Mulhalland Drive. Bosch had to work with FBI Special Agent Rachel Walling to find Cesium that is dangerous radioactive substance that hospital to treat cancer or dirty bomb. The more Bosch works the murder the FBI wanted to find the cesium and try to push Bosch out of the case.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Fast-paced thriller about a murder with nuclear crisis implications. Amazing twist at the end, classic Connelly.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Not normally the type of book that I read but it was there and it was entertaining. It is always fun to figure out the plot and see if you can get to the correct ending.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A Suspense Filled Mystery, but a bit short. I enjoyed this novel. Michael Connelly has a unique writing style that is both interesting and satisfying. I thought the number of pages (225) was about 90 pages short which would have improved the development of the characters and plot. The plot is fairly simple and I didn't have a hard time following the clues in each chapter. With more pages the story and the characters would have been flushed out more. Still Mr. Connelly was able to pack everything into this mini novel and it kept me reading page after page.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    One of the faster-paced Bosch books. For some reason, I'd figured out from the start who was responsible for the murder, but it was still put together well. A quick listen and pretty good - typical Bosch stuff.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A good solid Harry Bosch story - not one of the best, but still enough there for both existing Bosch fans and anybody reading their first book of the series.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Harry Bosch's case starts in the Hills of LA with their victim found shot by his car. When they run the plates and find it belows to a nuclear engineer who works with cancer doctors, the FBI swarms onto the scene believing the murdered man was involved in theft of materials for a dirty bomb. Harry refuses to be shut out of the case and puts himself and everyone else in jeopardy with his stubbornness. The ending was a surprise but shouldn't have been because it is a Harry Bosch novel, after all.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Not one of Michael Connelly's best works, but well worth a read all the same. Detective Harry Bosch investigates a murder case tied to the disappearance of radioactive material believed to be targeted for making a dirty bomb. The FBI and Department of Homeland Security come into the picture along with the expected inter agency rivalry and reek havoc on Harry's investigation. Harry once again teams up with his ex-lover, FBI Agent Rachel Walling to bring the case to a close. About half the length of a typical Connelly story, its a fast paced and fun read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    this site tells me i have read this before but i remember nothing. ah well, i enjoyed it. a good mystery, well plotted.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Very easy read, but very light weight. Great for reading on a long flight!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    In his first case since he left the LAPDs Open Unsolved Unit for the prestigious Homicide Special squad, Harry Bosch is called out to investigate a murder that may have chilling consequences for national security. A doctor with access to a dangerous radioactive substance is found murdered in the trunk of his car. Retracing his steps, Harry learns that a large quantity of radioactive cesium was stolen shortly before the doctors death. With the cesium in unknown hands, Harry fears the murder could be part of a terrorist plot to poison a major American city. Soon, Bosch is in a race against time, not only against the culprits, but also against the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI (in the form of Harry's one-time lover Rachel Walling), who are convinced that this case is too important for the likes of the LAPD. It is Boschs job to prove all of them wrong.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I didn't think this was one of Connelly's best mysteries. The story, at first, seemed very predictable, just another post-9/11 terrorist plot with radioactive materials stolen. It took me a while to get into it because of that, but I'll give the author props for the surprise ending. It was a nice twist on an otherwise uninspired mystery.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Another good Harry Bosch case. Murder and a little terrorism and the theft of nuclear material thrown in to the mix. FBI agent Rachel Walling returns and a new partner all make Harry's case more complicated. The character of Harry Bosch continues to grow....!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A typical Michael Connelly mystery. A fast read, and perfect for long flights or days on the beach when it's raining outside.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A Bosch light. Very nice to see Harry Bosch back in top form. The story is short but very tight and and flow of the story is great.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    In this story Harry has been transferred to Homicide Special, following the incidents described in Echo Park and is assigned an apparent execution style killing with strong terrorist overtones, which excites the interest of the FBI and old flame Rachel Walling. Despite the close attention of the FBI Harry decides to concentrate on the murder itself, dragging his new partner into his usual confrontations with senior authority and the FBI.An original take on the contemporary terrorism plot which keeps you guessing. As always strong characterisation and excellent dialogue.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    If I needed it, the ease and speed with which I read THE OVERLOOK is really confirmation that crime fiction, police procedural bordering on thriller is absolutely my genre of preference.Harry Bosch has recently moved from LAPD's Open Unsolved Unit to the prestigious Homicide Special squad. He has a new partner, a youngster Ignacio Ferras, who regards him as a bit of a dinosaur, and this is their first case. A body has been found at the overlook above the Mulholland Dam, and it's rather obviously a murder. The victim is a medical physicist who supplies a radio active substance called cesium for use in medical procedures that use radioactive therapy.Alarm bells go off for Harry when FBI agent Rachel Walling turns up at the scene of the crime. Rachel is attached to one of the FBI's Homeland Security operations called the Tactical Intelligence Unit. The body is easily identified and once the fact that a large quantity of cesium is found to be missing, the case becomes a tussle between the LAPD and the FBI. The FBI are saying this is a possible terrorist killing.For Harry, the involvement of Rachel is fraught with all sorts of hurdles, given a previous relationship. The FBI involvement spell danger for Harry in a number of other ways, including some he can't forsee. His new partner Iggy Farras causes other problems for Harry, not the least because Harry likes to be the alpha dog, works on hunches, rarely discusses anything, and doesn't do partnerships at all well.THE OVERLOOK was originally serialised in The New York Times Sunday Magazine, and Connelly says this gave him a chance to re-visit the book prior to publication as a book, although he did not make substantial changes.I haven't read all of the Harry Bosch series, 13 books since BLACK ECHO in 1992, but I have enjoyed all that I have read. This one was no exception.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    An interesting story with a terrorist twist with a twist. Bosch is Bosch, but again it is St. George against the Homeland Security dragon. I prefer the local stories.