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The book should be called "Redundancy". 27 "I don't believe we have met before, have we." pg. pg. 26 "I had never met Judge holder before" pg. 46 "I was sure I had never met the man before." Who proof reads these books. I may or may not go on to page 47.
Unnecessarily long, the last 100+ pages use a 'voice-over' narration like bad movies by Haller in order to explain the plot's solution and bring this over-rated book to a close. Having loved "The Lincoln Lawyer", I was excitedly awaiting the follow-up, but this book is a light-weight effort by Connelly. Harry Bosch is less than a supporting character and where is the Mickey Haller with wife, girlfriend, daughter and complicated relationships with all three. Where is the Connelly from the Black Echo, Ice trilogy or even The Poet. Like The Narrows, Connelly is living off of his reputation.
The problem is that Vincent was found murdered in his office garage and the detective handling the case, Harry Bosch, believes that the murderer must be one of Vincent's clients.The Lincoln Lawyer was my first Connelly novel, and I was delighted that this one also features Mickey Haller. When LA lawyer Mickey Haller gets the news that his old colleague Jerry Vincent has been murdered, he also inherits all of his clients, including Walter Elliot, a Hollywood studio boss.Elliot has been accused of murdering his wife and her lover. There's plenty of court and police action in this novel and while Harry Bosch and Jack McEvoy both appear, it is Mickey's novel. This is going to be a high profile trial, with big fees and plenty of media coverage. If Mickey can win this one, his career will be firmly back on track. I found the presence of Harry a distraction, and was irritated by aspects of his involvement in the story. Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Into the mix add Harry Bosch, the sharpest detective on the LA force, Jack McEvoy, investigative reporter, and the always jumping LA setting, and you've got a foolproof recipe for first rate American crime fiction. He's still a razor sharp defense attorney, but now he's a defense attorney with scruples, and he's begun to realize what's important in life.
One of my favorites was the Church of England series by Susan Howatch (as far from stodgy as it's possible to get), and now, with The Brass Verdict, Michael Connelly promises to do the same with a skillful interweaving of characters from earlier novels. Only a few of my favorite authors produce stories in which their series characters intermingle.
He was pretty brash and arrogant at first, but after a year in rehab, with time to contemplate his victories and losses, Mickey has grown, psychologically. This is not an easy task, but Connelly is more than up to it.
Mickey Haller is back, following his introductory outing in The Lincoln Lawyer. Now he takes issue with anyone who tries to bamboozle him.
The Brass Verdict, edgy and topical, full of surprises, does not disappoint.
His character in this book was unecessary and added nothing to the story line. Holler developes a plan to remove the juror thus rationlizing to himself that he's "honest"). Usually I love Michael Connelly, but this book was a 2nd rate effort. My dislike for him was second only to my distaste for the main character, the lawyer, Haller. I would have given it one star but even good writers like Connelly write a bad once in awhile. I found the premise ridiculous, Haller's ex-wife is not only his assistant but is marrying his chief investigator and his client, whose hands tested positive for gun powder, supposedly picked up the powder from the back seat of the police vehicle he sat in. he knows one jury member is planted but doesn't let the judge know.
That's the reality of the American justice system. Besides being a slow read, I didn't understand the need to have Bosch in the novel. It reminded me that whomever has the most money to pay for the best (deceptive) attorney will most probably get off. I found the defendant, a studio mogul, an irratating, arrogant character. I found him a slight of hand, card trick playing lawyer ,whose defense was barely legal, if legal at all.(ex. I only finished the book because I don't give up on anything, even when it's not very good. Hopefully Connelly will return to his usual entertaining style after cranking out this stinker.
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