This is one of my ancient (and most loved!) paperbacks. I first read this and finished on Mo 2/24/03 and then re-read and finished again on Tu 11/14/17.
It is not part of the 'Harry Bosch' series, but concerns his character, Jack McEvoy who is a writer for a mid-sized paper, Rocky Mountain News. Connelly says that this character is closest to him and shares many similarities to the author.
PREMISE:
Jack's twin is a detective and he committed suicide, yet later it's judged a murder. Jack was able to show how it was murder and he also was able to link several other police suicides to this same serial killer.
Also there is a child killer operating. This man was abused as a child and he also becomes a molester. However, he kills his victims on the theory that he cannot allow them to become like him.
CONCLUSION:
Jack is convinced that one of the FBI agents is the serial killer. Rachel Walling was the female agent that was assigned to watch Jack during the investigation. They have an affair and seem to be in love, but then Jack feels that all the clues point to her as the killer. However, the real killer is Rachel's boss, Robert Backus, Jr. This man's father was also with the FBI and his career was legendary.
In the final showdown, Backus has Jack cornered and hypnotized. Rachel breaks into the house and confronts Backus. She shoots him and he falls out of the window on the house located high in the Hollywood Hills. The body is found much later, deep in a canyon, but there is some doubt as to whether this is really Bob Backus.
From the book's page at Amazon:
"Death is reporter Jack McEvoy's beat: his calling, his obsession. But this time, death brings McEvoy the story he never wanted to write--and the mystery he desperately needs to solve. A serial killer of unprecedented savagery and cunning is at large. His targets: homicide cops, each haunted by a murder case he couldn't crack. The killer's calling card: a quotation from the works of Edgar Allan Poe. His latest victim is McEvoy's own brother. And his last...may be McEvoy himself."
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