The Brass Verdict

A Novel

De: Michael Connelly

Narrado por: Peter Giles

In this action-packed legal thriller, Defense attorney Mickey Haller and Detective Harry Bosch must either work together—or die—as they investigate a Hollywood lawyer's murder. Inspiration for the #1 Netflix series The Lincoln Lawyer.

Things are finally looking up for defense attorney Mickey Haller. After two years of wrong turns, Haller is back in the courtroom. When Hollywood lawyer Jerry Vincent is murdered, Haller inherits his biggest case yet: the defense of Walter Elliott, a prominent studio executive accused of murdering his wife and her lover. But as Haller prepares for the case that could launch him into the big time, he learns that Vincent's killer may be coming for him next. Enter Harry Bosch. Determined to find Vincent's killer, he is not opposed to using Haller as bait. But as danger mounts and the stakes rise, these two loners realize their only choice is to work together.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"The Brass Verdict has the sneaky metabolism of any Connelly book. It starts slowly, moves calmly, hides pertinent bits of information in plain sight and then abruptly ratchets up its energy for the denouement....In the midst of this new story, Mickey rebounds with a vengeance....Like Harry Bosch's mojo, Mickey Haller's is liable to work well for a long time."—Janet Maslin, New York Times

"Connelly is firing on all cylinders in this epic page-turner. The intriguing story line, the chance to view Bosch from another perspective, and Haller's reappearance as a main character add up to a fantastic read. One of the best thrillers of the year."—Jeff Ayers, Library Journal

"The answer to every Connelly fan's dream: Hieronymus Bosch meets the Lincoln Lawyer....By turns wary, competitive, complementary, cooperative and mutually predatory....Connelly brings his two sleuths together in a way that honors them both"—Kirkus Reviews

"Connelly once again hits it out of the park in the tightly written, fast-paced and sharply imagined The Brass Verdict....Connelly builds to some breathtaking twists before all comes to a close. And a more perfect end to the maze he has drawn is difficult to imagine."—Robin Vidimos, Denver Post

"If at first encounter Connelly seems primarily an exceptionally accomplished writer of crime novels, at closer examination he is also a mordant and knowing chronicler of the world in which crime takes place, i.e., our world....Aterrific ride."—Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post

"A beautifully executed crime thriller....Bosch might have met his match in the wily Haller, and readers will delight in their sparring."—Publishers Weekly

Five Star Book; Three Star Narration

If you're a Connelly fan, you won't be disappointed -- he brings Haller and Bosch together in a completely believable way. Seeing Bosch through Haller's eyes (which shows him to be deceptive and rude) is a treat, and reminds you that character is in the eye of the beholder.

However, for me Giles' narration was a bit of a disappointment. First, Adam Grupper did a great job with Haller in the Lincoln Lawyer, and should have been brought back. Second, after you've heard Len Cariou or Dick Hill do Bosch, it's a bit strange to hear Giles' thin take on the character. Same for Jack McEvoy, who plays a bit part: Giles makes him sound like some cub reporter for the Daily Planet.

Still a very credit-worthy book, though, with a great payoff at the end.

When Legends Meet

Audible dangled a tempting “First in a Series” reduced rate book for “The Lincoln Lawyer”, the first in Michael Connelly’s Mickey Haller series. Haller is a criminal defense attorney in Los Angeles county, my stomping grounds as a civil litigator. I don’t end up in the same courtrooms that the fictional Haller does, but I frequently end up in the same courthouses. I really like Los Angeles fiction (Walter Mosley‘s Easy Rawlins series, set in Los Angeles in the fifties and sixties is a favorite), so I thought I would give it a try.

I liked “The Lincoln Lawyer” so much that I immediately went onto “The Brass Verdict”, ignoring several other books I had waiting. In this second-in-the-series, Haller’s taken a sabbatical to sober up after an unfortunate detour into Hillbilly Heroin (oxycontin). The presiding judge of the Los Angeles Criminal Courts calls him in to take over the caseload of a murdered colleague, Jerry Vincent. Haller inherits a first degree murder case, and his new client insists the case must be tried in three weeks. No continuances. Cases like this make Monster Energy Drinks an attorney’s best friend.

While he’s preparing for trial, Haller needs to cooperate with Los Angeles Detective Harry Bosch, who is investigating Vincent’s unsolved murder. Over the years, I’ve read at least half of Connelly’s Bosch series. I like the Bosch character, but I haven‘t followed it closely.

Bosch and Haller have to carefully navigate Bosch’s need to find Vincent’s killer, while Haller has to protect his clients’ confidentiality - even though Bosch strongly suspects one of those clients is Vincent’s killer. The relationship between Bosch and Haller is tightly drawn and tense as Haller learns to trust Bosch and Bosch’s instincts. Bosch never quite trusts Haller, and for good reason - Haller still skirts legal ethics in an endless quest for paying clients.

Although “The Brass Verdict” is listed in both the Bosch and Haller series, it is written entirely from Haller’s point of view.

I like the descriptions of the procedures and rhythm of a trial, because Connelly describes them as a storyteller. Connelly makes routine work interesting, and discusses the reasoning behind Haller’s strategic and tactical decisions.

I’m still stuck a bit by some operational issues I noticed in “The Lincoln Lawyer”. This time, it’s the Court hours. In Los Angeles County, courtrooms are open from 8:30 to noon, and 1:30 to 4:30. Having different hours is a major issue because of bailiff and clerk union rules. So, Haller talking about noon appearances or starting at 1 in the afternoon is jarring for a Los Angeles litigator, but for someone who hasn’t been frustrated by having to stop in the middle of jury voir dire because it‘s 4:30 pm, its not an issue.

I liked Peter Giles narration of “The Brass Verdict” much more than Adam Grupper’s narration of “The Lincoln Lawyer”. Grupper’s Haller would stand out as an outsider in Southern California, but Giles’ Haller would blend right in. Both narrators had the same story telling rhythm, so the transition worked.

“The Brass Verdict” sealed my fate on the series: I immediately purchased the rest of the (too short) series, and listened on. This is my Mickey Haller review, 2 of 4.

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Good Story but..

As usual, Michael Connelly has written an interesting tale. He nicely engages two of his primary characters from prior books into one story. I had two particular problems with this book: (1) there is a lot of it that you can skip and miss nothing (2) the narrator of the audiobook has a gravelly voice that I found a little irritating.

A New Dream Team is Born

Brass Verdict is an unabashed winner. Putting Bosch and Haller together was a true stroke of genius. As with every Connelly offering, the action starts on page one and never quits. The personality of all of our favorite Lincoln Lawyer characters jumps through the words and off the page, triggering the emotional juices that made it impossible to quit listening. Giles offers a great depiction of Mickey Haller, but only a fair and somewhat disappointing rendition of Harry Bosch. Vocal stylings didn't alter enough from one character to another, and consequently, at times it was difficult to know who was speaking. That does not however diminish the engaging story telling and adventure.

I am a Michael Heller and Harry Bosch Fan, so....

I only have good things to say about this attention-getting and interest-holding novel. Heller and Bosch are together, but it is Heller's story with lots of twists and turns. We learn a little more about the half-brother's relationship. Narrator is okay but not as good as Dick Hill.