Michael Connelly was born on July 21, 1956. His desire to become a writer was born while he attended the University of Florida, where he first read the works of detective novelist Raymond Chandler. After earning a degree in journalism, Connelly worked as a crime reporter for various newspapers in South Florida. One story he co-authored was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, which helped Connelly earn a position as a crime reporter for the Los Angeles Times. After spending three years learning the ins and outs of the Los Angeles Police Department, Connelly began work on his first novel.

Connelly decided to write a crime novel featuring a Los Angeles Police Department detective as the main character. He named his detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch, after the renowned Renaissance painter, who is most famous for his grotesque depictions of sinners in Hell in his triptych The Garden of Earthly...