The Scarecrow

The Scarecrow
by Michael Connelly

The Scarecrow
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Book Summary Information

Author: Michael Connelly
Reader: Peter Giles
Edition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2010-02-01
ISBN: 044640120X
Number of pages: 576
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Product features:
  • #1 New York Times Bestseller
  • Author of The Poet

Book Reviews of The Scarecrow

Book Review: -30-
Summary: 4 Stars

Michael Connelly is a former journalist who saw his first book - "The Black Echo" - published while still working for The Los Angeles Times. Although it won The Edgar Award for Best First Novel, Connelly continued with his day job for a few years - his fifth book, "The Poet", was his first as a full-time author. "The Poet" also introduced a new character - Jack McEvoy, a journalist based in Denver. In that book, Jack played a central part in the hunt for a very devious serial killer. Although the killer in question lived to fight another day, the case made McEvoy's name. It also provided him with both a bestseller and a lucrative move to the Los Angeles Times. "The Scarecrow" gives Jack his first lead role since then...it might also be his last.

With more people now reading their news online, and with the sales of physical newspapers dwindling, the newspaper is struggling to make ends meet. Jack's former place of work, the Rocky Mountain News, has folded and job cuts have arrived at the LA Times. Unfortunately Jack, as a big earner, provided a big target. When we first meet him, he's just been handed his cards and given two weeks to train his replacement - a glamourous (and cheap) recent graduate called Angela Cook. It's just the latest in a long line of kicks : his marraige to Keisha Russell (a one-time favourite of Harry Bosch) ended in divorce and his book on the Poet has been out of print for five years. He knows the redundancy has essentially spelt the end of his career - thanks to the changes the internet has brought to the industry, he knows he's little more than an expensive dinosaur. Jack therefore decides to sign off with a two-fingered salute - by writing a Pulitzer Prize winning story and then sauntering out the door.

Jack's choice of topic comes by chance, when he gets a call from Wanda Sessums about a story he'd written. Wanda's grandson, Alonzo, has been charged with murder, and the information coming out of the Police Department seemed to indicate the verdict was in little doubt. Although still a juvenile, he's a known dealer and the victim was a long standing user. Nobody seemed to care too much, and the story Jack had written was fairly cursory...but Sessums, convinced of her grandson's innocence, wasn't happy with the tone of the article. Jack decides to write about Alonzo, and tells Wanda that - in return for total cooperation - he'll look into disproving the charges. In reality, however, he expects Alonzo to be guilty and plans to use the information to write an entirely different type of story. However, quicker than you can say "Special Agent Rachel Walling", Jack realises Alonzo is innocent and that he's on the tail of a second serial killer. Unfortunately for Jack and Angela, the serial killer in question - Jack Carver - is alerted very quickly to the investigation...and he's ready.

The book sees a return for Rachel Walling, an FBI Agent who Jack worked with in "The Poet". With the pair reunited, it felt (to me, at least) more like a sequel to "The Poet" than "The Narrows" ever did. (In fairness, though, I thought Rachel's presence here was a little too convenient). It's also a little unusual for a Michael Connelly book, in that we know who the 'bad guy' is right from the off - but it works well. As with "The Poet", the sections of the book that focus on Jack are told by him - "I went back to the bar and decided to get serious..." - while the sections that focus on Carver are told ablout him - "Carver's lip twitched. He liked this girl." A strong, very enjoyable book overall.

Summary of The Scarecrow

The instant #1 bestseller from author Michael Connelly--"the best mystery writer in the world" (GQ)--brings back the hero of The Poet in a terrifying new thriller.

Forced out of the Los Angeles Times amid the latest budget cuts, newspaperman Jack McEvoy decides to go out with a bang, using his final days at the paper to write the definitive murder story of his career.

He focuses on Alonzo Winslow, a 16-year-old drug dealer in jail after confessing to a brutal murder. But as he delves into the story, Jack realizes that Winslow's so-called confession is bogus. The kid might actually be innocent.

Jack is soon running with his biggest story since The Poet made his career years ago. He is tracking a killer who operates completely below police radar--and with perfect knowledge of any move against him. Including Jack's.
Book Description
Forced out of the Los Angeles Times amid the latest budget cuts, newspaperman Jack McEvoy decides to go out with a bang, using his final days at the paper to write the definitive murder story of his career.

He focuses on Alonzo Winslow, a 16-year-old drug dealer in jail after confessing to a brutal murder. But as he delves into the story, Jack realizes that Winslow's so-called confession is bogus. The kid might actually be innocent.

Jack is soon running with his biggest story since The Poet made his career years ago. He is tracking a killer who operates completely below police radar--and with perfect knowledge of any move against him. Including Jack's.


Michael Connelly and Janet Evanovich: Author One-to-One
In this Amazon exclusive, we brought together blockbuster authors Michael Connelly and Janet Evanovich and asked them to interview each other. Find out what two of the top authors of their genres have to say about their characters, writing process, and more. Janet Evanovich is the bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum novels, including Finger Lickin' Fifteen, twelve romance novels, the Alexandra Barnaby novels, and How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author. Read on to see Janet Evanovich's questions for Michael Connelly, or turn the tables to see what Connelly asked Evanovich.

Janet EvanovichEvanovich: So dude,... Okay, you're back in Florida. Do you ever get to the beach? And when and if you get to the beach...is Harry Bosch with you? And what kind of beachwear are you guys sporting? Flip-flops? Crocs? Speedo? Board shorts?

Connelly: I go to the beach often on weekends. Board shorts are required and I wear flip-flops with the built in bottle opener. Comes in handy. In Florida we rarely have waves, unless there is a hurricane in the Gulf. So I have taken up paddle-boarding, which essentially involves a big surfboard that you stand on and paddle. Still a balancing act, but easier than surfing, and you don't need waves.

Evanovich: What will a bookstore look like in 2020? Will we all be downloading?

Connelly: Good question. Since it is only eleven years from now, I think there will still be a solid population of "old school" readers who need the book in their hands. The question is, will they get it at a bookstore or will we have a Kindle 9.0 device that manufactures a book for you at home, complete with photo of author in a bomber jacket.

Evanovich: If everybody is downloading in 2020 what the heck will we be signing on book tour? Body parts? Kindle cases?

Connelly: I signed two Kindles yesterday. One person asked me to leave room for signatures from you and Dennis Lehane. So next time you're in Seattle she'll be in your line.

Evanovich: Do you eat when you write? Beer nuts? M&Ms? Just coffee? What keeps you from falling out of the chair in a narcoleptic stupor?

Connelly: Have you ever seen what eating Cheetos can do to a keyboard? I have to say I am addicted to Coke. I always have a glass of it nearby. I eat a lot of candy, too. Keeps me going. Smarties are a great writing tool. I often need to raid my daughter's stash and then there is trouble on the home front.

Evanovich: Are you a messy guy or a neat guy? Do you keep clutter on your desk? In your head? Are there soda cans and crumpled fast food wrappers rolling around on the floor of your car?

Connelly: I keep a clean car but a desk that gets progressively messier as I write a book. When I am finished with the book, I clean up the desk?and eat all the stray Smarties found under the paperwork. The clean desk then promotes the start of the next book.

Evanovich: The new book, The Scarecrow sounds terrific, and I know it's followed by Harry Bosch in Nine Dragons in the fall. Does your publisher prefer one series over another? And do you find one series to be more commercially viable than another?

Connelly: They let me do what I want. I like writing about Harry Bosch and he's pretty popular, but usually when I write a standalone it widens the audience a bit.

Evanovich: Want to meet me in a bar in Ft. Myers? Is that halfway?

Connelly: Name the place.


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