by Michael Connelly
Mickey Haller is a defense attorney with 2 divorced wives. One, his true love, left him over his attitude to his job; the other looks after his books and conveys messages. His real office is his Lincoln that gets him to court and clients and through more than 500 riveting pages.
Connnelly has an intimate knowledge of the 'giant maw of the legal system'. His Haller is both, fodder and manipulator of the machine. Deals are made in court, often with an economy of truth and great selectivity. Having sent an innocent man to jail has scarred him. Tough. Such are the deals. Battling for the underdog without a fee tries for balance.
And then there is Louis Roulet, a Beverley Hills rich boy. On a visit to a prostitute he is knocked out. When he comes to, there is blood on his hand and a badly battered prostitute. All forensic evidence points to Roulet, who claims innocence and wants Haller to defend him. Haller jumps at it. Here is a client with deep pockets and a difficult case. Time consuming. This client is a 'franchise' – a lawyer's dream. That he also seems to be snow white innocent is beside the point.
That soon turns grey, and then pitch black. Being one step ahead of Haller, tricky Roulet confesses to be guilty; he even has murdered some. But by this time Haller is in his client's hand. He can't bow out. Roulet can destroy him, or kill his daughter. Though despising him as the lowest spill Haller defends Roulet successfully. And the reader nibbles nails.
Connelly's ear for dialogue is superb. From a little inflection he gets effects for which lesser writers need a murder. Throughout this book there is an immediacy and authenticity. It reads like a reportage. Connelly's style is artless, straight forward best journalism. He writes on magic paper.
Connnelly has an intimate knowledge of the 'giant maw of the legal system'. His Haller is both, fodder and manipulator of the machine. Deals are made in court, often with an economy of truth and great selectivity. Having sent an innocent man to jail has scarred him. Tough. Such are the deals. Battling for the underdog without a fee tries for balance.
And then there is Louis Roulet, a Beverley Hills rich boy. On a visit to a prostitute he is knocked out. When he comes to, there is blood on his hand and a badly battered prostitute. All forensic evidence points to Roulet, who claims innocence and wants Haller to defend him. Haller jumps at it. Here is a client with deep pockets and a difficult case. Time consuming. This client is a 'franchise' – a lawyer's dream. That he also seems to be snow white innocent is beside the point.
That soon turns grey, and then pitch black. Being one step ahead of Haller, tricky Roulet confesses to be guilty; he even has murdered some. But by this time Haller is in his client's hand. He can't bow out. Roulet can destroy him, or kill his daughter. Though despising him as the lowest spill Haller defends Roulet successfully. And the reader nibbles nails.
Connelly's ear for dialogue is superb. From a little inflection he gets effects for which lesser writers need a murder. Throughout this book there is an immediacy and authenticity. It reads like a reportage. Connelly's style is artless, straight forward best journalism. He writes on magic paper.
Reviewed by Klaus Jaritz
1 comment:
I read this book in almost a single sitting on a wet day in the Highlands of Scotland.
I found it on a shelf of abandoned books in the cottage we were renting and thus I held out very little hope for it.
I was delighted to be wrong.
It is my favourite among Connelly's books to date.
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