When it comes to crime thrillers and mysteries, there are few who do it better than Michael Connelly. Connelly is an American author who specializes in crime fiction and detective stories. His stories are notable for their level of detail and realism, hallmarks that can be traced back to the author's early days working as a crime-beat writer for the Daytona Beach News-Journal, South Florida Sun Sentinel, and The Los Angeles Times. During his journalism days, Connelly was named a 1987 Pulitzer Prize finalist for his work reconstructing the 1979 crash of American Airlines Flight 191.
But it was his first novel, released in 1992, that earned Michael Connelly widespread recognition. The Black Echo won the Mystery Writers of America's Edgar Award for Best First Novel and launched the successful Harry Bosch series. Since then, Connelly has gone on to write 38 novels, selling more than 74 million copies worldwide—and counting.
Though Connelly does write standalone crime novels, he is most popular for his series, known for their gripping plots and compelling characters such as Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch and defense attorney Mickey Haller. His novels have also inspired multiple major adaptations, including Clint Eastwood's Blood Work (2002), The Lincoln Lawyer (2011) starring Matthew McConaughey, Prime Video's Bosch, and Netflix's The Lincoln Lawyer series.
If you're looking to wade into the thrilling world of Michael Connelly but aren't sure where to begin, these are the listens you'll want to check out to get started.
The Black Echo introduced the world to one of Michael Connelly's most popular and complicated characters. Harry Bosch is a Vietnam War veteran turned LAPD homicide detective who is not afraid of fighting against the establishment to get the truth. Based in part on a real-life case, this novel starts with a body discovered in a drainpipe at Mulholland Dam. But for Detective Bosch, this is more than a random murder to be solved. The victim was a fellow Vietnam "tunnel rat," and his death is forcing Bosch to relive the worst days of his combat experience. This exciting crime thriller, with twists and turns you won't see coming, has Bosch confronting old demons as he seeks out the killer. This special edition is narrated by Titus Welliver, star of Prime Video's Bosch series, and features an exclusive bonus interview between the author and the actor.
The Lincoln Lawyer introduces a new series and a new Michael Connelly hero, Mickey Haller, a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney whose office is the backseat of his Lincoln Town Car. Fans of Bosch will be excited to know that Mickey is Harry's much younger half-brother. As a defense attorney, Mickey is used to representing all kinds of clients, from con artists to drug dealers and everyone in between. When a Beverly Hills playboy is arrested for attacking a woman, Mickey Haller is called upon to represent him. It's the first high-paying client Haller has had in years, and at first, he is convinced it will be an easy case. But when someone close to Mickey is murdered, it becomes personal. The first book in the Lincoln Lawyer series is narrated by Adam Grupper, a bestselling author as well as an award-winning actor. His first-rate performance adds nuance and emotion to Mickey Haller's first-person narrative.
The Late Show introduced a new character into the existing world of Harry Bosch, and with it, a new, exciting crime thriller series. Renée Ballard is an LAPD detective who works "the late show," or the night shift, in Hollywood. At night, she begins investigations, and in the morning, she hands them over to the day shift detectives so they can finish them. This isn't the beat Renée hoped for. In fact, she was given this job as a punishment after she filed a sexual harassment complaint against her supervisor. One night, she's confronted with two cases she doesn't want to give up on. So, Ballard secretly keeps working on the cases the next day and beyond, against her department's orders and her partner's wishes. The Late Show marks the audiobook debut of narrator Katherine Moennig, a gifted actor listeners might recognize from her work on TV's The L-Word.
The Poet is the first book in Michael Connelly's Jack McEvoy series. According to the author, Jack McEvoy is perhaps the most autobiographically inspired character he's ever written. Like Connelly, McEvoy is a journalist turned novelist. In this novel, he's following the case of a serial killer who targets homicide cops haunted by unsolved murder cases. After every murder, the killer leaves behind a quotation from Edgar Allan Poe. His most recent murder? Jack's own brother. Buck Schirner's narration brings the story to life and ramps up the tension with dynamic voices for each and every character.
Blood Work follows former FBI agent and criminal profiler Terrell McCaleb, who's recuperating from a heart transplant when Graciella Rivers steps into his life and onto his boat. Terry is supposed to be avoiding any high-stress activities while he recovers, but when Graciella tells him that her sister was murdered—and how—Terry knows he has no choice but to come out of retirement. This novel is Terry McCaleb's first appearance in Connelly's works, but you can also catch him in two Harry Bosch novels: 2001's A Darkness More Than Night and 2004's The Narrows. Blood Work is read by Audie Award-winning narrator Dick Hill, whom AudioFile praised for his "robust, smooth" voice "with just enough grit to make it interesting."
In this Audible Original podcast, Michael Connelly returns to his journalistic roots, examining the notorious Wonderland Murders. Though Los Angeles is a city known for its seedy past, this mass murder was a gruesome standout in the long history of Hollywood crime. This is more than just a story about the brutal murders that happened in Laurel Canyon. It's the story of a city, the myth of the American Dream, and the realities of the justice system. This podcast, hosted by Connelly himself, blows the case wide open, featuring never-before-revealed records and exclusive interviews with investigators, prosecutors, and even a notorious "missing" witness.
A standalone memoir harkening back to Michael Connelly's time working as a crime reporter, Crime Beat presents the author's firsthand reports of the actual murders that went on to inspire his novels. Connelly takes listeners behind the yellow tape to meet the investigators who inspired some of the most iconic crime thriller characters. He also offers a closer look at the victims, their families and friends, the killers, and the aftermath of terrible crimes. Multiple narrators—Len Cariou, Nancy McKeon, and Carl Franklin—voice these riveting real-life stories, each adding their own style of tension and intrigue.
Void Moon is Michael Connelly's standalone novel about Cassie Black, a woman who's just done six years in prison and is now riding her Porsche right back into her old life, planning the perfect heist to take down a money man in Las Vegas. But as soon as the job starts, everything goes wrong. Suddenly, Cassie is on the run, chased by a Vegas "fixer" tasked with killing everyone who knows about the job. This twisty novel has surprises waiting around every turn. With expert narration from L. J. Ganser, a voice actor who is no stranger to suspenseful crime thrillers, you won't be able to stop listening to this propulsive story.
Another unforgettable standalone thriller from Michael Connelly, Chasing the Dime is narrated by the inimitable Jonathan Davis, a 16-time nominee and three-time recipient of the Audie Award. After his girlfriend throws him out, Henry Pierce is looking to start his life over. But when he turns on his brand new phone, he's met with several unexpected messages that are meant for someone named Lilly. The messages are strange and unsettling—he can't get them out of his head. Determined to investigate, he soon becomes obsessed with tracking down a mysterious woman and total stranger. Before he knows what he's gotten himself into, Pierce is the target of unspeakable acts of violence and the chief suspect in a murder investigation.
