Tuesday, August 17, 2010

The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly

Title: The Brass Verdict
Author: Michael Connelly
ISBN: 9780316166294
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company, 2008
Hardcover, 432 pages
Genre: Legal Thriller, #2 Mickey Haller
Rating: A
Source: Paperback Swap

First Line: Everybody lies.

Mickey Haller is just about to make his courtroom conduct when fellow defense attorney and friend Jerry Vincent is murdered. Vincent names Haller as the attorney he wants to take over any open cases he may have, and Vincent has one case that could put Mickey on Easy Street: the defense of Walter Elliott, a Hollywood studio head accused of murdering his wife and her lover.

As Haller prepares for this case, he learns that certain facts aren't adding up, and Vincent's killer may be after him, too. The person determined to find Vincent's killer is one LAPD Detective Harry Bosch, who has to fight his natural distrust of lawyers when dealing with Mickey. Bosch thinks nothing of using Haller as bait, but it doesn't take long for the two of them to realize that they are going to have to work together.

That's my job, to forge the blade. To sharpen it. To use it without mercy or conscience. To be the truth in a place where everybody lies.

Haller's belief that "everybody lies" has the same ring to it as Bosch's "Everybody counts, or nobody counts." For years Haller has wanted just one thing: to defend a client who is really innocent. Walter Elliott may be that innocent client.

I enjoyed Connelly's intricate plotting of the book, of the way Haller took over a dead man's cases, made sense of everything, and began putting together his defense for his new clients. His handling of the egomaniacal studio head was classic at times, since Elliott was used to being the one who called all the shots. Haller didn't let him get away with anything.

I always have been-- and always will be-- a Harry Bosch fan, and there just wasn't enough of Harry in this book. He seemed to be brought in more for the shock value at the end than anything else. But setting aside the insufficient time with one of my favorite characters, The Brass Verdict is a smooth, brilliant legal thriller that shouldn't be missed.


9 comments:

  1. Cathy - I'm so glad you liked this book as much as you did : ). Like you, I'm a Bosch fan, and ideally, there'd have been more of him here. But I really like Mickey Haller, too, and this is an exciting, believable thriller. Thanks for profiling it : ).

    ReplyDelete
  2. The only Connelly I've ever read is the first Mickey Haller book, so I bet I'd love this. I wouldn't miss a character I don't really know.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I know everybody loves Michael Connelly, but this is one of the cases when I know I have read one book (which I don´t remember), and when I see that he has written twenty, I just feel overwhelmed and decide to pass him by.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I've only read a couple of Connelly's books, but both my hubby and I are fans. This sounds like another winner!

    ReplyDelete
  5. This was the first Harry Bosch I read...and there was just enough to get me reading more. He's definitely one of my favorites.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm a Mickey Haller and Harry Bosch fan so this one will please me. It sounds terrific. Thanks for telling me about it.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Margot-- You're welcome. I suppose everything does not have to go the way I want it to in order for me to like the book ultimately.

    Beth-- You should love this, and I will NOT say what I'd love to say about Harry Bosch! LOL

    Dorte-- I can understand that. Fortunately I've been with Connelly since book one in the early 90s.

    Kathy-- It is!

    Tina-- It's always nice to meet another fan of Harry!

    Margot P-- You're very welcome!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I really liked this one too, Cathy. Great review!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to make a comment. I really appreciate it!