The LAPD - a book I wouldn't normally read

 My daughter kindly gave me two paperbacks for my birthday and I have just got round to reading, and finishing, one of them - Michael Connelly's The Night Fire.

Orion Fiction paperback - 2020

I'd never heard of Connelly - not surprising really as I rarely read Detective Fiction, particularly any set in America. I remember watching Raymond Burr as Perry Mason, many years ago, but got increasingly annoyed when he never lost a case (he did, actually, lose three - but I never saw them!); similarly, Peter Falk's Columbo irritated me almost from the start. He fastened on to suspects within minutes and was always correct. Nonsense!

Before I started Connelly's novel, I read the snappy comments of other respected sources on the inside cover: The pre-eminent detective novelist of his generation - Ian Rankin; A superb natural storyteller - Lee Child; A master - Stephen King; Crime thriller writing of the highest order - Guardian. Not bad write-ups. This is Connelly's thirty-third novel; his books have sold more than 74 million copies worldwide. Pretty good going. The inside of the back cover shows the previous 32 books' covers with two further reviews: Genuine Modern Classics - Independent on Sunday; and Novels of exceptional quality - The Times. I couldn't wait to get reading!

Actually, the praise was not overblown.  Two seemingly disparate murders are eventually 'joined' by dogged detective work and the third - a 'cold case' - is also wrapped up. I think the linking of the retired 'old hand', Harry Bosch, with the young Renée Ballard (working on the LAPD's notorious graveyard shift) does work. Micky Haller, who fronts Connelly's The Lincoln Lawyer series, has not much more than an early walk-on part. Bosch, the 'hero' of over a score of Connell's previous books, had worked with Ballard before in Dark Sacred Night. The gelling works for them and for the reader.

I learned one word - intoed! It's another name for pigeon-toed. I looked it up, to check Connelly wasn't making it up. Sure enough: Some children’s feet turn in when they walk. This is called intoeing or ‘pigeon toe’ and is very common in young children. It is one of the most common normal variants in children and is usually seen in both feet but may be just one. It was, perhaps, the most important clue in tracking the (female) assassin down - she who drew the two cases together - only one of whose feet intoed. I won't give away any more of the story, except to say that Connelly is good at sketching in a character and he clearly knows the ins and outs of the LAPD and its procedures. Yes, I enjoyed a book I wouldn't normally have chosen. Thank you daughter!

I will be starting the second book soon - Bernard Cornwell's Sword of Kings - and will write another Blog.