The Reversal

Harry Bosch, Book 16 (Mickey Haller, Book 3)

By: Michael Connelly

Narrated by: Peter Giles

In this bestselling thriller, after DNA evidence frees a sadistic killer, defense attorney Mickey Haller and LAPD Detective Harry Bosch must put him behind bars before he strikes again. Inspiration for the #1 Netflix series The Lincoln Lawyer.​

Longtime defense attorney Mickey Haller is recruited to change stripes and prosecute the high-profile retrial of a brutal child murder. After twenty-four years in prison, convicted killer Jason Jessup has been exonerated by new DNA evidence. Haller is convinced Jessup is guilty, and he takes the case on the condition that he gets to choose his investigator, LAPD Detective Harry Bosch.

Together, Bosch and Haller set off on a case fraught with political and personal danger. Opposing them is Jessup, now out on bail, a defense attorney who excels at manipulating the media, and a runaway eyewitness reluctant to testify after so many years.

With the odds and the evidence against them, Bosch and Haller must nail a sadistic killer once and for all. If Bosch is sure of anything, it is that Jason Jessup plans to kill again.

Strangely Unsatisfying Ending BUT Recommended

Okay, it's a spell binder. I had total trouble turning it off. Normally I listen at the gym. This one I snuck into a Sunday afternoon. The characters work well together (although I wondered occasionaly about the tension between the half brothers. It seemed to intrude without useful purpose). Regardless, the plotting is swift, strong, and oozes energy. Clever how Connelly melds this ensemble with twin protagonists. From a very personal standpoint, I'd wished for another ending. But... but... it still works with effortless power. I recommend this experience. It was enjoyable.

Bosch 5, Haller 3, Narrator 2

The title of this review pretty much sums it up. I love Harry Bosch and he never disappoints. The new angle on Harry as a full time father of a teenaged girl is just one more great insight into the life of the genre's most fascinating character, and I can't wait for more of this. (I hope it takes Maddie a long time to grow up and out of Harry's life.) Haller's part was OK, but seemed to be more full of courtroom/legal cliches then most of Connelly's books; I think MC does police procedural better than legal thriller. He just knows it better. The only problem I had with the book was the narrator. After the all-around excellence of Dick Hill's voicings and the gruff brilliance that Len Cariou brought to Bosch, Peter GIles just didn't have it. I hope this isn't a new trend in the Bosch series. Bring back Hill or Cariou and let Giles handle John Grisham. If you love Bosch, you will like this book, but if you're new to the series, this isn't the one to start with; and if you're new to Connelly, start with The Poet, then read 3 or 4 Bosch books to understand his character (The Last Coyote, The Concrete Blond, Trunk Music and Angels Flight) and then go to The Narrows. By then, you'll be hooked.

Connelly was good before the show...

This is the Connelly I like. The one before the show. Since the show he has become terrible.

Solid read by Giles.

Connelly Rocks

I listened to all of the books by Michael Connelly. I cannot get enough of them. This is one of his great courtroom dramas with a interesting twist at the end. I only wish that Dick Hill was reading this one.

The Reversal

Any additional comments?

I’ve been a fan of the Harry Bosch character for many years, since his introduction in The Black Echo in 2008. When Connelly made the decision to create stories around another character, Mickey Haller, I was disappointed. I was so loyal to and a fan of the sad-sack-drinks-too-much-go-to-detective that I rebelled. I wouldn’t listen to anything about this new guy. I then read The Lincoln Lawyer, featuring Mickey. I still preferred Harry, but Haller was okay. In this his novel, The Reversal, Harry and Mickey work together to bring down a killer, released on his own recognizance for a re-trial, after spending a decade in jail for the murder of a child. Thus is the crux of The Reversal. There are a few thousand reviews, so I can’t add much, other than to say I enjoyed the listen. It’s police procedural crossed with court room drama crossed with cold-case mystery.

It took me a while to get used to the narration by Peter Giles, although I’ve listened to his readings before. He has a very low, somewhat gravely voice. But, eventually, the cadence went well with the story.

A good listen, recommended.