From Connelly's first career as a prizewinning crime reporter--the true stories that inspired and informed his novels. Covering the homicide beat in Florida and Los Angeles in vivid, hard-hitting articles, Connelly leads the reader past the yellow police tape as he follows the investigators, the victims, their families and friends--and, of course, the killers--to tell the real stories of murder and its aftermath. Connelly's firsthand observations would lend inspiration to his novels, from The Black Echo, which was drawn from a real-life bank heist, to Trunk Music, based on an unsolved case of a man found in the trunk of his Rolls Royce. And the vital details of his best-known characters, both heroes and villains, would be drawn from the cops and killers he reported on: from loner detective Harry Bosch to the manipulative serial killer the Poet.--From publisher description.

The cops -- The call -- The open territory -- Crossing the line -- Cops accused -- Death squad -- Killed by a kid -- The killers -- Killer on the run -- Dark disguise -- The stalker -- America's most wanted -- Wife killer -- The gang that couldn't shoot straight -- Evil until he dies -- The cases -- Nameless grave -- Double life -- Death of an heiress -- Hollywood homicide -- The family -- High time -- Lying in wait -- Trunk music -- Open-unsolved.