The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly is his twentieth book and I have read them all. This book brings together Connelly's two famous characters: Dete..Show More »ctive Harry Bosch and attorney Mickey Haller. Haller returns to the courtroom after a long absence to take on the case of a Hollywood mogul accused of murder. The mogul's first attorney turns up dead, and Haller is assigned to the case. But it gets a bit sticky when it looks like the killer is now after Haller, and Det. Bosch shows up to "protect" Haller, even if it means botching up his case. I've never read any of Connelly's books before, and I'm not normally a fan of this type of fiction, but Connelly sucked me in from the first page with his masterful dialogue and action scenes. Haller is a compelling character full of hard-won wisdom and surrounded by intriguing characters. Bosch is a bit of a jerk, to say the least, but I couldn't help liking him as well. Connelly creates terrific scenes with tightly plotted suspense.

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Connelley's newest brings his two most well known characters together in a masterfully crafted story of legal gamesmanship and investigatory prowess v..Show More »ery much in the style of Law and Order that is more heavily written as a Mickey Haller courtroom procedural than a police thriller. Harry Bosch plays a significant role, maybe as much as 40% of the story --and provides much of the action in the book, but it is the interaction of the two that adds some real personal interest. The half brothers are getting to know each other a little as are their daughters and these relationships promise avenues for some terrific storytelling in the future.

I think what impressed me the most about how Connelly executed this work was what he didn't do. There were at least half a dozen times in the book where he'd left the opportunity open for fairly obvious plot devices that authors over use to manipulate the reader or force a dramatic turn of events. Connelly's skill is in understanding that jaded readers expect these things and cynically predict them as we're reading. Just as we get to the point where we expect to turn the page to find the predictable forced plot twist, the story resolves in beautiful simplicity that feels far more real than any contrived t.v. show style drama. Bravo to Connelly for resisting the obvious. That said, there were some missed opportunities here that I think hint at future stories. For example, I look forward to some adventures that feature the newly acquainted cousins. I gave this one 4 out of 5 stars. It was a good story and well executed, but may have left a little too much of the sub plot on the editing room floor.


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I have listened to every Michael Connelly book and love the way he writes and choses excellent narrators. I enjoyed most of this book but it all got a..Show More » bit predictable and I knew the ending well before the book finished. The narrator did an excellent job whcih really added to the book.

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