Michael Connelly’s Next Bosch Book Will Be The Most Tragic Storyline Yet

Published Sep 26, 2026, 7:13 PM EDT Dani Kessel Odom (they/them) is an autistic lead writer and TV critic who covers sci-fi shows like Doctor Who and Pluribus, fantasy shows like The Magicians and Percy Jackson, and horror of all kinds. They also cover Marvel and DC TV shows and movies, with a robust knowledge of comic books. Their TV reviews can be found on Rotten Tomatoes. Dani is also part of ScreenRant's books team, using their fiction writing and literature studies as the backbone for their book analyses. They have covered events, such as the Denver Fan Expo. Professionals in the field, such as Damien Leone and Lucy Hale, have shared their articles. Their review of Ponies was quoted in the show's TV trailer. In university, they majored in English Writing with a minor in psychology. They have always had a passion for analyzing TV and movies, even taking filmography and scriptwriting classes in university. They also studied and participated in onstage and onscreen acting extensively from the ages of 7 to 18. Aside from working at Screen Rant, Dani has worked as a freelance editor and writer over the past decade, often in a ghostwriting capacity. This article includes mentions of child abuse. Harry Bosch will have to dive back into a dark part of his past, making Michael Connelly's next Bosch book, The Hollow, his most tragic yet. Since the character debuted in the 1992 book The Black Echo, Bosch has faced many, many challenges that shook him. Connelly has a tendency to give his main characters a personal connection to their cases. The Lincoln Lawyer books feature parallels to an old case Mickey Haller successfully defended and, later, the murder of his former client Gloria Dayton. Investigative journalist Jack McEvoy tries to solve the case of his twin brother’s death. Nobody has it worse than Harry Bosch, though, when it comes to personal connections. The Bosch books include the murder of a Vietnam veteran that the titular character served with and Harry’s daughter’s kidnapping. The darkest Harry Bosch book so far is The Last Coyote (purchasable here), in which the titular character investigates the unsolved murder of his mom, Marjore Lowe. He had to face the fact that the police committed an injustice by completely dismissing the case, calling it “hopeless” because of her job as a sex worker. There’s no doubt that this 1995 book put the lovable main character through the wringer. However, The Hollow, which can be pre-ordered now, will up the ante. All the information available ahead of its October 27, 2026, release suggests that it will become his most tragic story yet. The Hollow Will Take Harry Bosch Back To His Childhood Abuse The description for Michael Connelly's upcoming Bosch book confirms that Harry Bosch will have to face his horrifying past in an abusive residential facility. After his mother’s death, he spent time at the notoriously abusive MacLaren’s Children’s Center. Now, Mickey Haller informs his half-brother that he’s entitled to around $400,000 due to a class action lawsuit related to child abuse at the facility. He declines. He never wanted to revisit his memories of the home, but it resurfaces a murder that occurred when he lived there. Bosch sets out to find the truth about his friend Chops’ death in the staff’s secret discipline place called “the hollow.” The murder was covered up by the school. His investigation is the prime example of “everybody counts or nobody counts.” The book will tie three deeply traumatic incidents into a single book. His mother dies right before he goes to MacLaren’s, so he’s grieving the loss. He is living in a place that doles out prolonged abuse and neglect. Then, his friend gets murdered in a closet where the staff abuse kids, and nobody cares to solve it. One of the biggest Harry Bosch changes is that his mother’s death is no longer hanging over him constantly, but this could bring some of those old feelings back up. The Hollow Will Have a Unique Format That Makes It More Intense Prime Video (via MovieStillsDb) According to early reviews of The Hollow, the book weaves together two primary timelines as well as a secondary third timeline. Bosch lives in an abusive environment as a teen, and he dives into an investigation in present day. They also give us glimpses into his early life as an officer, which could get readers excited about MGM+’s Bosch: Start of Watch prequel show. Though it draws on small details from the Bosch books, Bosch: Start of Watch will tell a completely original story, which Michael Connelly collaborated on. The multiple timelines in a single book isn’t a common Michael Connelly technique. Usually Michael Connelly’s Bosch books stick to a single timeline. The dual timeline writing gives readers of The Hollow a more personal, intimate look at the trauma. It’s not a distant memory Bosch is thinking back on. It’s an inside look for the readers. In comparison, The Last Coyote, the fourth book in the Bosch series, simply includes flashbacks, rather than an actual dual timeline. Ultimately, The Hollow could take readers to a deeper place than they’ve ever been before with Harry Bosch. Bosch TV Show(s) Bosch, Bosch: Legacy First TV Show Bosch Cast Titus Welliver, Jamie Hector, Amy Aquino, Lance Reddick, Madison Lintz, Mimi Rogers, Paul Calderon, Jason Gedrick, Sarah Clarke, Jeri Ryan Created by Eric Overmyer Latest TV Show Bosch: Legacy Upcoming TV Shows Ballard