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Internet, a tool for deviants (3.7*s)

Connelly, years ago, established the gritty Harry Bosch of the LAPD as one of the best characters in all of crime fiction; really, few others measure up. However, Jack McEvoy, a reporter for the LA Times on the cop beat, is not without his credentials in the world of dealing with lowlifes, as he was instrumental in the demise of a particularly ingenious criminal, the Poet, some ten years earlier. Nonetheless, given the rapid decline of the print media, his high profile and corresponding high salary have put him on the RIF - Reduction in Force - list; the Times has given him two weeks notice. And that only so he can train his replacement, Angela Cook.An unexpected phone call from the mother, or is that grandmother, of a sixteen-year-old gang member, who had the misfortune of stealing a car with a dead woman in the trunk, declaring the boy's innocence, gives McEvoy the thought to write one last great article, though rather vaguely conceived. Mostly through Cook's initiative, the details of the death scene are found to be eerily similar to a female's death in Las Vegas. The story has gotten bigger; it appears two innocents are in prison. Jack soon is on his way to visit the second person in a Nevada prison and enlists the unofficial support of LA FBI agent Rachael Walling, who was a part of the Poet case and, more significantly, had an intimate relationship with McEvoy. Little does he know what he will come to owe her. It quickly becomes evident to Walling and McEvoy that they are dealing with a truly sinister and highly intelligent serial killer(s). Jack finds that his Internet dealings have been penetrated: his e-mails deleted or constructed and falsely sent, bank and credit card accounts closed, phone contracts canceled, etc. Slowly, they dig deeper; they retrace their steps, especially Internet sites visited; and they see common connections to a data security firm. But can they hope to contend with a foe that seems to know their every move?This is not one of Connelly's more gripping tales. The suspense factor is down considerably as the perpetrator is identified on page one. The plot also revolves around some rather fortuitous interpretations of data. The bad guy(s) is/are a bit too crafty, yet remain largely a mystery. The interaction of Walling and McEvoy is overly strained, even taking into account the entire situation. The man vs. organization themes that are such a part of Bosch's dealings with the LAPD barely get off the ground despite McEvoy's sacking and Walling's temporary firing for freelancing. Connelly fans will undoubtedly enjoy this easy-reading book even though it lacks the intensity of some earlier efforts.