The Lincoln Lawyer

I wouldn’t lie; I love legal thrillers. And Michael Connelly is a crime-writing genius. The book is titled The Lincoln Lawyer because Mickey Haller, a criminal lawyer, works out of the back seat of a chauffeur-driven Lincoln.

In this first book by Connelly featuring Mickey, he has raised the bar for all legal thrillers to come. He puts Mickey, the lawyer, at the centre of the story as someone who is hoodwinked into accepting a case that can destroy him. Mickey has to run with his arms tied behind his back. Talk about being stuck between the Devil and his… show more.

I agreed, perhaps a little foolishly, to subject myself to Criminal Mastermind, a spin-off of the popular Mastermind TV quiz, held at this year’s CrimeFest. My specialist subject was Michael Connelly’s Lincoln Lawyer series, meaning I had to go back and read them all again.

I hadn’t revisited The Lincoln Lawyer in almost twenty years and had almost forgotten just how good these courtroom thrillers are, and what a fantastic character Micky Haller is. The Lincoln Lawyer itself is a terrific read, but it is also a gateway to a tremendous series.

Reading them all back-to-back, I saw the character… show more.

Having worked as a police officer, process server, and private investigator, I find most books featuring characters with those occupations unrealistic and not entertaining. 

Michael Connelly spent time working for the L.A. Times as a crime reporter, so he knows reporters, cops, and lawyers.  He’s seen greater success with his Harry Bosch series, but The Lincoln Lawyer was the debut novel featuring defense attorney Mickey Haller, and it’s great. 

Not only does the plot keep you guessing, but the realistic grit of the Los Angeles courts gives this book an authenticity you rarely find.

This is the first title in a spinoff of Connelly’s popular Harry Bosch series.

Mickey Haller is Bosch’s half-brother and a very successful criminal defense lawyer. In this novel, Mickey goes up against his second ex-wife in court. His first ex-wife Lorna Taylor manages his practice. While it’s abundantly clear that Haller is a great attorney, it’s also apparent he made an awful husband twice over.

Despite less than amicable divorces, he has very endearing relationships with both Maggie McPherson, his daughter’s mother, and Taylor his practice manager. Haller is self-aware enough to realize that he may not be great… show more.

I like all of Connelly’s books, but the series that features the lawyer, Mickey Haller, is probably my favorite. Although I find the character somewhat unrealistic practicing law out of his vehicle, it is totally entertaining. The courtroom scenes have enough realism to make them worthwhile, and I want to see what the characters will do next. I could tell from the first book that there would be many stories, and there have been. His supporting cast is likeable as well as Mickey. It’s been many years since I was a defense lawyer, but I appreciate his style.

I always love thrillers that involve complex legalities and politics, especially when the author obviously has great experience and inside knowledge of how these things work. John Grisham is another example of a lawyer turned thriller writer, and I feel that both these writers genuinely know what they are talking about and are imparting fascinating information about how society's systems really operate. This adds so much authenticity to a book. I had to do a lot of research into the workings of Number Ten Downing Street in order to make my own thriller authentic. Fortunately I had the experience of… show more.

In the first of this six-book series, we're introduced to Mickey Haller. He's a struggling lawyer, reduced to using his Lincoln car as an office and taking the sort of cases others wouldn't touch, but there's more to this man than meets the eye. Haller is clever, experienced, devious, and kindhearted. What's more, he knows his way around the legal system. His clients may not be reputable, but they are grateful for his services, willing to repay the debt, and keen to keep their lawyer alive – even if it means breaking the law.

When a Beverly Hills rich boy… show more.