Michael Connelly’s multitude of fans knows how he loves to connect characters in the fictional world. Like when series star Harry Bosch tosses a friendly wave at a Hawaiian shirt-wearing detective (Robert Crais’ Elvis Cole) while driving through the Hollywood Hills. Or, more specifically, when Connelly’s FBI investigator Terry McCaleb from 1988′s stand-alone BLOOD WORK joined forces with Bosch in 2001′s A DARKNESS MORE THAN NIGHT. So it comes as no surprise that Connelly brings together Mickey Haller, the lead character from 2005′s THE LINCOLN LAWYER, with Bosch in THE BRASS VERDICT.
Be forewarned, however: This is a Mickey Haller novel, and not the even teaming of Bosch and Haller, as titillated by promotional material and even the dust jacket. But get past that, as the rewards are more than worth the effort. THE BRASS VERDICT, like the first Haller novel, is in many ways a legal thriller for those not fond of legal thrillers. And, like most everything Connelly writes, it’s a damned fine reading experience.
On a slow rebound from a gunshot that nearly killed him and a resulting addiction to painkilling drugs, defense attorney Haller has a bombshell dropped upon him: His former colleague, Jerry Vincent, has been murdered, and Haller has inherited Vincent’s entire caseload. At the top of the list is Walter Elliot, a successful and powerful movie producer accused of murdering his wife and her lover. Haller is taken aback at Elliot’s insistence that the trial continue without a moment’s delay. This urgency, along with Elliot’s attitude that the trial is nothing more than a time-consuming nuisance, causes Haller to wonder if there is more to the case than in the testimonies and evidence files.
After all, Haller’s guiding principle as a lawyer has always been: Everybody lies.
But adding to the pressure is the investigation of Vincent’s murder, headed up by LAPD’s Bosch. Knowing Bosch’s reputation and experiencing his determination firsthand, Haller agrees to cooperate with Bosch and even offer himself as bait to attract Vincent’s killer, especially when it becomes clear that the killer is now after him.
Connelly manages to lead readers through all the legal maneuvers of the Elliot case and several others on Haller’s docket without getting lost in lots of complex and confusing jargon. This is mostly due to his portrayal of Haller as a lawyer who knows the required protocol but is still, at heart, a rogue. Haller still works out of the backseat of his Lincoln Continental, rather than an office, and doesn’t allow questions of innocence to bog him down. So the pace is strong and constant, and the revelations about Elliot and murders are presented in a sequence that adds both unexpected complications and suspense to the story.
And, although he plays a secondary role, the presentation of Bosch is another fascinating feature of the novel. The perspective never changes from Haller’s first-person narration, so we see Bosch exclusively through Haller’s eyes. And rather than the driven, dedicated loner of his own novels, Bosch comes across here as a arrogant, manipulative pain in the ass. It’s a bit off-putting at first, especially after following and coming to know him after all those earlier books. But Haller eventually recognizes Bosch as an invaluable ally, and learns that their motives and methods have more in common than either care to admit. It’s a commonality that might run deeper than the dedication to their chosen fields, as Connelly reveals in the concluding chapters.
THE BRASS VERDICT seamlessly incorporates the best features of a legal thriller with that of a street-level murder mystery. There’s plenty of courtroom drama and attorney tactics, along with enough dark alley chases and violent close calls to keep things lively — and all coming from some of the most complicated, conflicted, yet appealing characters ever created in crime fiction. It’s another reminder that Connelly is one of the very best in the field today. So enjoy! —Alan Cranis
OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THIS AUTHOR:
• CRIME BEAT: A DECADE OF COVERING COPS & KILLERS by Michael Connelly
• ECHO PARK by Michael Connelly
• MURDER IN VEGAS: NEW CRIME TALES OF GAMBLING AND DESPERATION edited by Michael Connelly
• MYSTERY WRITERS OF AMERICA PRESENTS THE BLUE RELIGION: NEW STORIES ABOUT COPS, CRIMINALS, AND THE CHASE edited by Michael Connelly
• THE OVERLOOK by Michael Connelly
Related posts:
- The Overlook
- Echo Park
- Dead Man’s Hand: Crime Fiction at the Poker Table
- Murder in Vegas: New Crime Tales of Gambling and Desperation
- Brass Man
