The Brass Verdict: A Novel (Mickey Haller)
by Michael Connelly
|
List Price: Our Price: $1.95 You Save: $25.04 (93%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of The Brass Verdict: A Novel (Mickey Haller)
Book Review: When Harry met Mickey
Summary: 4 Stars
Connelly's last episode of the Harry Bosch series was a bit lame. I recommended that Connelly should phase out good old Harry, who didn't seem to find new cases for himself any more, just repetitions of the same old. I suggested to follow up on the Lincoln Lawyer, the hero of the stand alone book of the same title, defense attorney Mickey Haller.
That's what Connelly has done. He does listen to advice! But being also a little stubborn, Harry shows up in the story, which is told by Mickey.
Mickey has been out of work for a year, a 'sabbatical' following drug (pain killer) addiction and rehab and family disintegration. Now he feels ready to go back, and right away he has a windfall: a colleague has been murdered and Mickey inherits his cases. Harry is the investigating cop on the case of the murdered lawyer.
Biggest case among the inheritance is a great double murder with a Hollywood producer as defendant. Mickey jumps into action, the biggest challenge being that his 'predecessor's' computer and calendar were stolen by the killer.
Though the case against his client looks strong, Mickey manages to find the 'magic bullet' and create reasonable doubt. All seems to be set for a great comeback by the Lincoln Lawyer...
The novel is great entertainment, if you like cop stories and court stories. Here you have two for the price of one.
The book has four main suspense drivers: the murder case of the lawyer whose cases M takes over; the murder case where M is the defense lawyer; his hunt for the magic bullet (ie the tool that cracks the prosecution's solid case); and our growing suspicion that somehow things are quite different in the end.
The magic bullet thing is a bit of a cheap trick by Connelly. The narrator keeps us in the dark for several chapters. That is unfair as narrative device.
The book descriptions here and on the cover of the book make much about the Haller/Bosch relation. I would say: overstated. Just a normal distrustful cooperation, nothing special.
And by the way, Johan Rilz is absolutely not a normal German name. Neither is Malcolm Pepin a normal French name.
Book Review: The Verdict is - Excellent!
Summary: 5 Stars
I loved the Lincoln Lawyer and although you don't need to have read that one first to follow this storyline, I would still recommend doing so, just so you get a better appreciation of this book's man character Mickey Haller. I say that because there are a fair few people out there who are only interested in Harry Bosch novels and won't touch Connelly's great standalone storylines (hence the Lincoln Lawyer) so if you are one of those people, you may be a bit disappointed as 90% of this novel is through the eyes of Mickey Haller, Bosch isn't a just a cameo appearance by any means, but he's definitely a side character in this one. But you will learn something major about him in the final pages. Haller is a great character though and you're missing out if you're not getting into him as well!
This is the second Haller novel. In this book Haller is summoned by the chief judge of the Los Angeles Superior Court which is weird as he hasn't been practicing law for some time now. Not wanting to be in contempt he goes before her and is told his friend and former colleague Jerry Vincent was murdered and named him as beneficiary for his law practice. Haller knows this is true as he has the quid pro quo agreement for his practice to go to Vincent and both lawyers names appear somewhere in each clients documents. Haller had planned on getting back into the game but Vincent had the client of the year, Walter Elliot, a rich movie studio owner on trial for murdering his wife and her lover. This along with his numerous other clientele, mean Haller will be coming back in the deep end. Still he'll make a lot of money off of the Elliot gravy train, and the publicity will get him even more clients, assuming he doesn't walk his contract to another lawyer. So Haller decides to get back in the game and as the pages turn we get to read him in action at the same great pace he was at in the Lincoln Lawyer. Throw in Harry Bosch who was taking advantage of no one stopping him at the crime scene to go through Vincent's client files in order to find his killer and we've got a duel between Connelly's two biggest characters to lift the book to whole another level.
Book Review: Okay, but rather skimpy and predictable (3.5 *s)
Summary: 3 Stars
This book has some elements of what Connelly fans are used to. There is the street-smart insight that "Everybody lies. Cops lie. Lawyers lie. Witnesses lie. The victims lie. A trail is a contest of lies." When the legal system does not or cannot deliver justice, deadly street justice or, a "brass verdict," can well be the result. And there is the appearance of the familiar characters like long-time favorite detective Harry Bosch and recent addition Mickey Haller, the so-called Lincoln lawyer. The story line is really quite simple. Haller is assigned the entire case load of fellow lawyer Jerry Vincent when he is found murdered in his car, which includes the case of Hollywood mogul Walter Elliot, who apparently shot his wife and her lover at their Malibu beach home.
The story hardly comes charging out of the box. Because Vincent's laptop was stolen, Haller spends a great of time reconstructing case details and representing clients guilty of a series of petty infractions. Bosch comes on the scene because, unbeknownst to Haller, Vincent has been under scrutiny because of possible shading dealings including the Elliot case. The interactions between Bosch and Haller are bizarrely brief, antagonistic, and awkward, including a scene where Bosch attempts to intimidate Haller with an attempted break-in. Bosch does not come across as the crusty, cool guy that fans are used to. The book is best at watching Haller, step-by-step, undermine seemingly slam-dunk evidence in the Elliot trail.
The most interesting character angle is Haller's return from a year's hiatus due to recovery from a gunshot wound and subsequent addiction to painkillers. The plot has a couple of nice twists and one or two improbabilities, but over all is not overly complex. Interestingly, Haller gets taken by the lies that he knows always exist. It's likely that most will be aware well before the end of the book of the person orchestrating the crime behind the crime. The book is nice enough but does suffer from the aforementioned minimalist, if not strange, depiction of characters and not particularly inspired plot.
Book Review: This is a good novel, but not enough Bosch
Summary: 3 Stars
THE BRASS VERDICT is Michael Connelly's latest novel. The plot summary promises a thrilling ride featuring Mickey Haller from THE LINCOLN LAWYER and Connelly's great Harry Bosch. What you actually get is a Mickey Haller novel in which Bosch plays a minor roll. If it were a movie, Bosch would be on the screen about a fifth of the time. While I love Connelly's writing and Haller is a great character, I was disappointed to not see more Bosch.
Mickey Haller works alone. He and Jerry Vincent were friends and used each other as stand-ins and for referrals. When Jerry Vincent is murdered, Haller discovers that he will inherit all of Vincent's cases. The big case is Walter Elliot. Elliot is a big shot Hollywood producer being accused of killing his wife and her lover. Haller sees this as a big pay day and a chance to make a name for himself. Bosch enters the scene trying to find out who killed Vincent. Haller doesn't want to be too helpful, as is the nature of the relationship between detectives and defense lawyers. The story continues with Haller trying to figure out what really happened with Walter Elliot, and what Vincent may have been involved in that got him killed.
Overall, THE BRASS VERDICT disappointed me. I think that is because my expectations are so high for a Connelly novel. As far as the pros go, this is a great legal novel told entirely from Haller's point of view. Haller, and his ex-wife/assistant and his investigator Cisco are all interesting. Patrick the chauffer adds to the novel as well. I was disappointed in the role Bosch had in the book, and not just because he wasn't in much of it. As you read the novel, you'll see there is a lot more going on on Bosch's side than is written about. I felt Bosch fans were teased by this. Haller and Bosch's relationship and shared past is also revealed and handled well.
Connelly is one of the best authors out there, so it is easy for me to say it is a great novel, one of the best, and yet still disappointing for Connelly fans. Definitely a must read though, and I can't wait for the next Bosch-centered novel.
Book Review: THE VERDICT IS IN AND WE HAVE A WINNER
Summary: 4 Stars
In THE BRASS VERDICT, author Connelly has brought together two of his signature characters, LAPD Detective Harry Bosch and Lincoln Lawyer, Mickey Haller in another flawless tale that combines the investigative talents of Harry Bosch and the courtroom audacity of legal eagle Mickey Haller. Although apparent adversaries, the truth of the matter is that these two men compliment each other like Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings.
Like Willie Nelson, Haller has taken one of his three Lincolns from the garage and is on the road again. Having taken a year off from his mobile law practice to recuperate from life threatening injuries (both physical and mental) suffered at the hands of a previous client, his plan is to slowly ease back into his practice, but the fates have a little plan of their own in store for Mr. Haller.
The untimely and mysterious death of a fellow lawyer, Jerry Vincent, finds Mickey being summoned to the offices of L.A. Superior Court Judge Mary Townes Holder who announces Vincent has named Mickey as the person to take over his cases should he become incapacitated (and death is definitely incapacitating). Among the thirty or so cases being turned over to Mickey is that of an independent movie accused of murdering his wife and her lover at their Malibu beach house. This new client is a self-made man who likes to dominate every situation and challenges Mickey at every turn.
Meanwhile, Bosch continues to investigate the death of lawyer Vincent. He feels that to solution of his case lies hidden somewhere in the dead lawyers case files but is thwarted in his attempts to access said files by Haller who refuses to relinquish the information citing "lawyer-client privilege". Slowly these two learn to "play nice" and form an alliance of sorts.
Once again, Michael Connelly has concocted a scenario that keeps his readers entertained with his one-two punch of fascinating characters, and a plotline that is multi-faceted and engrossing, not to mention the unexpected surprises contained in a knockout finale.