Trunk Music
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Founder | Michael Connelly |
| Products | Crime novel |
Trunk Music marks the sixth installment by American crime novelist Michael Connelly and is the fifth to feature Los Angeles detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch.
Plot
Following his transfer to Homicide, Bosch tackles his inaugural case involving a corpse discovered inside the trunk of a Rolls-Royce near the Hollywood Bowl. The victim’s ties to the Mafia lead Bosch to pursue the investigation all the way to Las Vegas. With authorization from both the Fire Chief and Medical Examiner, Bosch arranges for the vehicle and body to be transported to an LAPD facility for thorough examination. After identifying the deceased, Bosch conducts interviews with his spouse and examines his modest office at a studio complex. Surveillance footage uncovers a break-in during which phone bugs were removed; further inquiry reveals these bugs had been installed by an unauthorized LAPD division.
Bosch travels to Las Vegas to follow up on the victim’s associations and movements. While reviewing footage from a poker game, he spots Eleanor Wish, a former FBI agent and ex-lover. Collaborating with the Las Vegas police chief, Bosch reconnects with Wish, spends time with her overnight, and subsequently helps clear her name when she becomes a suspect. Fingerprints found on the victim’s leather jacket correspond to Luke "Lucky" Goshen, chief lieutenant to mob leader Joseph "Marks" Marconi. A search of Goshen’s residence uncovers a concealed firearm identified as the murder weapon.
After Wish is abducted by the crime syndicate, Bosch locates and rescues her. He arranges for Goshen’s extradition but discovers upon arrival in Los Angeles that Goshen was actually an undercover FBI operative named Roy Lindell. Subsequently, the FBI suspects Bosch of planting the gun found at Lindell’s home, escalating the investigation considerably.