The Lincoln Lawyer: Michael Connelly, January 13—18, 2012 My rating: ♦♦♦♦♦
In the prequel to The Brass Verdict, defence lawyer Mickey Haller must represent a man accused of brutally attacking a woman in her home. As the cover tells us, neither victim nor accused are as they seem.
From the outset we are sucked into Haller’s intense life, hardly stopping for breath between cases. We meet both his ex-wives: his first, a prosecutor, and his second, his case manager. Both are complex relationships that add real depth to the character, even if a little cliché.
Connelly educates us as we race through the book, explaining tactics and giving us insight into the workings (and failings) of the criminal justice system.
Haller is a flawed protagonist, easy to sympathise with and reaches a crisis of confidence that makes him an incredibly interesting lead actor who lives permanently in shades of grey. The colourful supporting cast are distinct, adding flourishes of colour to the palette.
Connelly never drops the ball, and the plot has enough surprise twists to keep you going right to the end. There’s an abundance of subplots, some relevant to the main story and others important to Haller, and they all add a richness to the story that leaves you constantly engaged.
In short, every expectation is met and exceeded in this rollercoaster journey. A tight plot, believable and three-dimensional characters, excellent writer’s craft and intriguing analysis into the court system makes this more than worthy of five full stars. You won’t be disappointed.
