Echo Park by Michael Connelly

Some cases get under a detective's skin.  For Harry Bosch, one of those was the disappearance thirteen years ago of Marie Gesto.  All signs pointed to her being killed but her body has never been located so her parents and the case are left in limbo.  Harry believed that the culprit was the son of a local wealthy businessman but the lawyers representing him kept Bosch from getting a confession.  But he has never forgotten the case and still reviews it periodically, hoping to see something he missed.

But crime goes on.  The latest case making the news was the Echo Park Bagman.  This was a young man who was pulled over one night in his van, only to have the police find the remains of two women in bags in the back.  There's no doubt this is a serial killer and he is going away for good.  But Bosch is amazed when the word filters down that the man has confessed to the murder of Marie Gesto as well as other victims.

As part of a plea deal to avoid the death penalty, the man agrees to lead detectives to Marie's body.  Harry and his partner are in the accompanying team, along with forensic investigators, the DA and other policemen.  The man leads them to a location and all indications are that there is a body buried there.  But on the way back to custody, the man breaks free, killing two officers and wounding Bosch's partner.  Now he is on the loose and Bosch is having doubts about his confession.  Can he find the man before he kills again and can he finally find the truth about Marie's case?

This is the twelfth Harry Bosch novel.  In this one, Bosch's partner is Kiz Rider, a young woman who is partnering with Bosch in the Open/Unsolved Unit.  Readers of the series know how close Bosch is to his partners as they literally depend on each other to come home safely at night.  The mystery is satisfying and the machinations of Bosch's mind as he puts the clues together is fascinating.  This book is recommended for mystery readers.