The Brass Verdict: A Novel (Mickey Haller)
by Michael Connelly
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Book Reviews of The Brass Verdict: A Novel (Mickey Haller)
Book Review: Michael Connelly Still Has It
Summary: 5 Stars
Bravo! While I wouldn't rank this as Michael Connelly's most intricately plotted novel, it is certainly one of the most satisfying. The ending hints of future collaborations between the Mickey Haller and Harry Bosch characters - I would love to see more of this! The verbal repartees between the two was really fun to read, both of them being really good at what they do. I loved his usual jabs at the deficiencies in our legal system and the media - Court TV with a celebrity expert witness to boot!
I guess you can call this an introductory novel that reveals the relationship between these two characters, and how being in opposite sides of the justice system can make for a very interesting and entertaining read. Now throw in Jack McEvoy (in the upcoming novel 'The Scarecrow') from the media side, and you have a triumvirate of the most unforgettable and exciting crime fiction characters ever created!
It is also a cleverly written novel; by keeping Bosch in the background and only showing how he can be such a pain on the side of Haller accomplishing his objectives, and giving him a one dimensional characterization - was the exact intent of the novel. Afterall, Bosch has had 13 other novels to his credit and is a pretty well developed character on his own. Fans and long time reader of the Michael Connelly knows he has a knack for subtly (or not so) inserting references in his novels to main or supporting characters from his previous novels (Cassie Black from 'Void Moon', Jack McEvoy and Rachel Walling from 'The Poet', Terry McCaleb from 'Blood Work', who I felt by the way, was killed off too soon).
Warning: If you haven't read the book, don't read any further.
My only complaint about this novel was the somewhat loose end he presented about the Elliot and Albrecht murders. I also think it was somewhat improbable that they were committed by the Rilzs. There were no indication whatsoever early on in the novel that Rilz's family was involved in any criminal activities, violent or otherwise. For them to have shipped or smuggled weapons to the U.S. indicates premeditation. They only found out about the defense intention to "drag Johan through the mud for a week" later on in the trial. The fact that they looked "angry and mean" and had menacing looks do not make them capable of a double murder. There weren't enough back story to explain why or how they could carry out the crime.
But overall an excellent and thoroughly enjoyable read!
Book Review: A masterful mystery
Summary: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (11/08)
When you start any of Michael Connelly's books, you better make sure that the rest of your schedule has been cleared for the day. Once you start, there is little - with the exception of a hurricane, fire or an earthquake - that will persuade you to put it down. From the first sentence to the last, the book pulls you like a strong undercurrent. The tension is palpable. You hold your breath till it hurts. Every sentence hits. Most of them hit hard. The story doesn't just move you, it sucks you in. The characters are brilliantly drawn. The situations - no matter how outrageous - are still believable. Every word matters. When a book is written by a master story teller, it shows.
Take these two short excerpts, which are very high on my list of totally brilliant lines:
"Everybody lies.
Cops lie. Lawyers lie. Witnesses lie. The victims lie.
A trial is a contest of lies."
"Everybody lies.
Cops lie. Lawyers lie. Clients lie. Even jurors lie."
There you have it in a nutshell. When you forget about all of the fantastic twists and turns - of which there truly are many - those five lines, those twenty-nine words condense the essence of the book better than any drawn-out description ever could. But if you are really curious about the story, I'll give you a brief description. Mickey Haller, a defense attorney, inherited all of his deceased colleague's cases. Jerry Vincent met an untimely demise, and the authorities, represented by detective Hieronymus Bosch, are pretty certain one of his clients had him killed. Mickey Haller, together with his investigator Cisco and office manager Lorna, tries to reconstruct Jerry's agenda, since some of his files as well as his laptop are missing. Mickey starts meeting the potential clients, of which the most famous - and maybe the riskiest one - is a movie mogul, Walter Elliot. Walter has been accused of killing his wife, Mitzi, and her lover, Johan Rilz; but he refuses to admit his guilt. The trial gets under way, and surprises never cease.
For those readers who have read any of the Michael Connelly's books featuring Mickey Haller or Hieronymus Bosch, "The Brass Verdict" brings in an extra bonus twist. Trust me, you will not be disappointed. If this is your first time "meeting" Michael Connelly, get ready for a superbly written mystery, with a tight and super swift plot, engaging characters and flawless language.
Book Review: Brilliant with Haller and Harry Bosch
Summary: 5 Stars
Michael Connelly's 'The Brass Verdict' is, in my opinion, an amazing feat. First, let me confess that I am not a huge fan of 'lawyer' novels. That aside, I read Connelly's 'The Lincoln Lawyer' last year and was completely bowled over. With super tight plotting and no obscure judicial rumblings, Connelly deftly sliced and diced his way through a gripping tale. Now with his new book, 'The Brass Verdict', I am standing up cheering for more... yeah, you heard right. And I'm the reader who doesn't like lawyer books!
His main character, Counselor Mickey Haller is twice divorced but not bitter; likable in a principled way but willing to bend the rules and finally, he's kind of a wuss when it comes down to violence and sometimes it does come down to violence. All the supporting characters like his ex-wives, his investigator friend and even his chauffeur read like real people who help drive the plot forward, not just clichés who hang like drapes in the background.
His villains have been done before but, but what villains haven't? At least they ring true in the context of the story and there are always a few clever red herrings or plot twists scattered throughout, plus a few classic OMGs at the end. However, in The Brass Verdict, there's another unique twist: Harry Bosch, Connelly's stalwart hero in a dozen previous books, shows up as the head detective investigating a studio mogul's wife's murder. What is unusual is that we see a completely new Harry Bosch through Haller's eyes, and believe me, it's not one we've seen before, what with the "flat, cold eyes" and a nasty bag of tricks he uses to try and trick Haller into betraying the hallowed lawyer/client privilege. Things get even edgier when Haller's little girl wants to know why he always trys to get the bad guys out of jail, something all of us sometimes wonder about defense attorneys. There are also subplots of FBI subterfuge, mafia involvement, surfer hijinks but thankfully, no gooey love story tagged on to appease the dewy-eyed reader.
Indeed, there are a lot of courtroom scenes in this book, but they dovetail nicely into the plot and Haller's superb first person narrative plants you firmly at the defense table with all the info you need to have a pleasant and not overly taxing read. I think the verdict's clearly in - grab The Lincoln Lawyer first, read it, then go out and buy The Brass Verdict. You won't regret it.
Book Review: A good legal thriller
Summary: 4 Stars
In this novel Connelly brings together his two most memorable characters: Detective Harry Bosch and Lawyer Mickey Haller. There are some surprises in store for fans of both characters. You will also find the usual good writing and storytelling by Michael Connelly. I don't find legal or police procedural details inherently fascinating, but Connelly includes just enough to make the story work, without overloading the reader or slowing the action.
I looked forward to this novel with great anticipation, and I will admit that it held my interest from the first page to the last. I finished the book in one day. Nevertheless, I found myself disappointed by the role of Harry Bosch.
Connelly lets you into Mickey Haller's mind. You read as he leaps or stumbles his way through a double murder case, sometimes sure of his instincts, other times confused. The main character is a believable man, a man who tries to do the right thing most of the time, although he has faults. He is not above some dishonesty, and he is comfortable with some of the unsavory aspects of his business. As a criminal defense lawyer, he may be quite representative of his species when he says: "A fair minded person is the last person I want on my jury... I want 12 lemmings in the box." If you have committed murder, and you want to beat the rap, Mickey Haller is your man. It would help if you have lots of money. Haller's daughter has some misgivings about this. I believe that this is an accurate representation of a morally conflicted character. Most of Connelly's characters are conflicted. These novels are highly realistic. There aren't any perfect, blameless heroes, yet they are all interesting. You care about them even though you don't always like them.
Harry Bosch, on the other hand, has a minor role to play in this book. You only see him through Haller's eyes, and you don't know what he is thinking. Having read other Harry Bosch novels, that was disappointing to me. Mickey Haller is the only protagonist, the only one that the author allows you to know intimately. I was hoping for more insight into Bosch, but he was a virtual stranger in this novel. That was the source of my disappointment. Nevertheless, the novel is very good. My assessment is that Connelly delivers the goods once again.
Book Review: A smart courtroom thriller
Summary: 4 Stars
I'm a big fan of Michael Connelly (as pretty much any reader of crime fiction is apt to be) and I thought Lincoln Lawyer was one of his best novels in years. I like the character of Mickey Haller and was looking forward to reading The Brass Verdict, the follow-up to LL. I wasn't disappointed. The Brass Verdict is a very entertaining legal thriller. The court room scenes are especially compelling. One of the things I always appreciate about Connelly is the factual accuracy of his novels. While I am not a lawyer and have no expertise in the law, I'm fully convinced that Connelly researched the ins and outs of the law and that he gets the details right.
Harry Bosch plays a small role in this novel. This is an issue that has irked some reviewers who wanted him to be center stage. Personally, I like it when an author crosses characters over, even in small roles and I always find it interesting to see familiar characters through a different set of eyes. That said, Harry's cameo doesn't add much to the novel and it seems that had it not been for a rather gratuitous twist at the end of the novel involving Haller and Bosch, there was no real reason to incorporate Harry into the novel. Harry's role in Brass Verdict could have been filled by any generic cop character.
The plot itself is standard fair and has the requisite twists and turns. As a regular reader of crime fiction, I can't say that I was surprised by any of the plot twists. I think most readers of the genre will predict well in advance who the killer(s) is/are. If this sounds critical, it shouldn't. The reality is, if you read enough crime fiction, it's pretty hard to create a plausible twist that can't be anticipated. There is a twist at the end that I didn't see coming that has nothing to do with the crimes. It explains why Connelly worked Bosch into Haller's story, and the twist feels a little gimmicky to me.
My verdict: This is solid Connelly. Well written and well researched as always. It's a smart novel that features great courtroom scenes and legal gamesmanship. Connelly is one of the best authors of police procedurals working today and with the Haller series, he is showing that he can rival vintage Grisham in the courtroom too.