Product Description

When down-at-heel lawyer Mickey Haller gets the news that his old colleague Jerry Vincent has died, he also gets an unexpected windfall. Jerry had left instructions that Mickey should inherit all of his clients - putting Mickey's stalled career back on track at a stroke. Not only that, but Vincent was about to go to bat for Walter Elliott, the Hollywood mogul accused of brutally slaying his wife and her lover, in a trial that promises big fees and an even bigger place in the media spotlight. If Mickey could find the magic bullet and win that one against the odds, he'd really be back in the big leagues. The only problem is that Vincent was murdered, shot at close range in his office garage. And the detective handling the case - a certain Harry Bosch - is convinced the killer must be one of Vincent's clients. Suddenly Jerry Vincent's legacy is beginning to look more like a poisoned chalice, and Mickey is faced with the biggest challenge of his career: how to successfully defend a client who might just be planning to murder him.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #54126 in Books
• Published on: 2008-10-16
• Released on: 2008-10-16
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 432 pages

Review
'a superb legal thriller that manages three final twists ...The labyrinthine workings of LA law, bribery and the machinations of the FBI all play a part in a scenario that soon has Mickey in fear of his life. The first line of The Brass Verdict is 'everybody lies', so there are plenty of surprises. And, of course, as a writer of fiction, Connelly proves to be a brilliant liar.' (Mark Sanderson EVENING STANDARD )

'While the themes of Connelly's LA crime novels are familiar (power, envy, corruption), his plotting is anything but.' (ESQUIRE )

'If you're a Connelly fan you'll love this. Detective Hieronymus Bosch meets Lincoln Lawyer Mickey Haller. The clever plot kicks off when hard-up Haller gets a boost by inheriting his old mates clients. It's all going great until Bosch decides the killer is one of Mickey's wealthy new clients. Bah! A great ending from a great writer who hasn't disappointed in his previous 19 books.' (DAILY SPORT )

'One of Connelly's best ever books, this is an excellently plotted courtroom drama combined with a tense thriller' (MORNING STAR )

'a clever plot, full of twists, to make a first-rate legal thriller.' (Susanna Yager SUNDAY TELEGRAPH )

'Good to see that Michael Connelly, probably the best American crime writer of his generation, still knows how to raise his game.' (Henry Sutton THE MIRROR )

'Mickey's back in this equally accomplished sequel ... the interplay between Haller and Bosch is as sparky as one could wish for ... So who will [Connelly] feature in his next book: Haller or Bosch? Or both? Who cares if the writing is as energetic as it is here.' (Barry Forshaw DAILY EXPRESS )

'a riveting ride through the LA courthouse system.' (TIME OUT )

'a courtroom drama with only one verdict: Connelly + Bosch + Haller = genius.' (DAILY RECORD )

'Connelly has proved himself the king of US police procedurals, and now his legal books are the equal of John Grisham's.' (Mark Timlin INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY )

'Michael Connelly bring together two of his best-known characters, Mickey Haller and Harry Bosch, in a novel that can't be put down. ... It's a masterstroke to unite them, and Connelly cements his reputation as a master storyteller with a plot that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish.' (IRISH EXAMINER )

'Nothing makes my heart beat faster than a new crime novel from one of my A-list of what I call Old Dependables. These are the select band of writers who you just know are going to deliver every time. One such is Michael Connelly.' (Carla McKay DAILY MAIL )

'I love detective novels and Connelly never fails to deliver.' (Rankin (photographer) THE INDEPENDENT )

About the Author
A former police reporter for the LOS ANGELES TIMES, Michael Connelly is the author of thirteen acclaimed Harry Bosch thrillers and several other bestselling novels. He lives in Tampa, Florida, with his wife and daughter.

Customer Reviews

Mickeyand Harry - something of a dream team
Michael Connelly has created some of the most engaging characters in detective/legal fiction and his Bosch series has consistently been well above the general mass of the genre. He has also written several one-off novels, and the last of these, The Lincoln Lawyer" featured Mickey Haller, a defence lawyer with some very "interesting" approaches to his role in the legal system.

Well, Mickey is back, as I hoped he would be, because he had the promise that his character would stand the kind of development that was given to Harry Bosch. Connelly doesn't disappoint, as we learn more and more about Haller, how he came to be a lawyer and what drives him. I have a feeling this points the way towards another long running series, and the addition of Bosch provides some fascinating possibilities.

I can't really say too much about the storyline, because I don't want to give anything away for those that haven't read it - the only thing to keep in mind is the basic premise of the tale - everybody lies. Suffice to say that this well up to Connelly's high standards. There are the usual twists, turns and misdirections, with nothing quite as it seems until the final curtain, and that shocking ending. Once you have started it, I doubt you will want to put it down until it's finished.

As to whether you can enjoy this if you haven't read the previous books, difficult to say because I have - so try to read at least "The Lincoln Lawyer" and "The Last Coyote" first so you can enjoy this to the full - you won't regret it

Courtroom Thriller with Harry Bosch Portrayed as He Is Seen by Others
Do not read this review or this book unless you have at least read The Lincoln Lawyer and The Last Coyote. If you have read both of those, you'll probably think The Brass Verdict is a four-star book. If you've read The Lincoln Lawyer and all of the previous Harry Bosch novels, you will probably think The Brass Verdict is a very interesting five-star character study buried in a series of intriguing mysteries.

Characters, to me, are what make or break mysteries. If I like a character or find the character to be interesting, I look forward to each book teaching me something new about the character. In the best mysteries, the characters grow into something more than before which makes the progression interesting to contemplate.

The best writers save some things to surprise readers. Most such surprises are like a little firecracker going off. There's big bang for a second, but it doesn't mean much after a few minutes. Michael Connelly has the ability to set off what seems like a little firecracker that makes you see the whole world differently. It's a great gift, and he employs it in The Brass Verdict. But you need background from the earlier novels to appreciate the beauty of what he does.

I have a problem in reviewing this book. I can't tell you about the two most interesting aspects (what the title means and revelations about the two leading characters in The Brass Verdict). But I can tell you that these aspects will pique your interest and leave you with many fascinating things to think about after you finish the book.

Here's what I can tell you. Mickey Haller is a sadder and a little wiser version of the man who was the hero of The Lincoln Lawyer. He has had a serious run-in with drugs, and he doesn't have his empathy back yet. As a result, he can think clearly about legal issues . . . but human relations are difficult for him. The emotional environment for him is flat . . . which makes reading the book a little flat . . . but that's part of the Connelly's plan.

Michael Connelly also puts Harry Bosch in the background of this story. That's something that you should know before you decide whether or not you want to read the book. There's a good reason for doing this that you won't understand until you finish the book. But you should appreciate that you'll gain new insights into Harry's methods and effectiveness by getting a sense of what it's like to be on the receiving end of one of his investigations.

As the book's blurb reveals, Mickey Haller hasn't been doing criminal defense work since The Lincoln Lawyer events for about two years. When a fellow solo practitioner is executed in his parking garage, Mickey inherits Jerry Vincent's cases . . . including a multiple six-figure defense of a Hollywood mogul who is accused of killing his wife and her lover. Mickey's life is shaken to the core, but he decides he wants to get back in the saddle.

There's only one problem with being a criminal defense attorney . . . you are usually defending guilty people who did the crimes. You have to watch out that you don't get in their way . . . or you may become a victim as well.

Wanting to help with the Jerry Vincent investigation, Mickey Haller provides what information and cooperation he can to Harry Bosch. Bosch isn't too impressed, and soon Mickey finds Bosch putting on unnecessary pressure as well.

Can Mickey hold it all together? Will he become a victim, too?

Ultimately, Mickey has to face up to a question that his daughter asks: Why can't he do what mommy does, and prosecute bad guys?

It's gritty and exciting and filled with many mysteries. It's a keeper.

Haller and Bosch together in the perfect legal thriller
Two years ago I read a book by Michael Connelly called THE LINCOLN LAWYER which introduced a new character named Mickey Haller - a lawyer from LA. This was one of the best legal thrillers I had ever read, giving even John Grisham's THE FIRM and THE RUNAWAY JURY a run for their money. So when I heard that a second novel, THE BRASS VERDICT was coming out I just couldn't wait to read it. To add more to my excitement, Connelly's other main character from his most known series, Harry Bosch is also a main character in this story as well as Jack McEvoy (from his other series) who makes a couple of small appearances.

The story begins when a lawyer is murdered which means that Haller has to take over the firm and all of his active cases. The biggest case of them all is a high profile murder trial where movie producer Walter Elliott has been accused of shooting his wife and her lover after catching them together at their Malibu home. Haller believes that the murder of his fellow lawyer may well be linked to this case and Bosch is the lead investigator but for some reason is holding information back which could put Haller's life in danger.

From the opening chapter I just got so addicted to this book, literally not being able to put it down as I was so engrossed in Connelly's fluid style of writing and gripping storyline. Haller is a fantastic character that is not just interesting but very likeable - he knows that a majority of his clients are guilty but has to ignore this and the corrupt US legal system and try to do what he has to do. Also being a big fan of the Bosch books and have read them all, I found it really good how we got to see him from someone else's' point of view for a change. There are so many twists throughout the story too and many surprises that I didn't see coming at all right up until the last chapter.

This is without a doubt one of the best books Connelly has written and I loved how he has done a cross-over of his three main series (something he has done with other characters before when he had his Terry McClab series) again as this seems to work really well with Haller and Bosch and hope they team up again in the future.