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The Lincoln Lawyer #1
The Lincoln Lawyer
A New York Times Bestselling Author
New York Times bestselling author Michael Connelly delivers his first legal thriller - an incendiary tale about a cynical defense attorney whose remaining spark of integrity may cost him his life.
New York Times bestselling author Michael Connelly delivers his first legal thriller - an incendiary tale about a cynical defense attorney whose remaining spark of integrity may cost him his life.
432 pages, Paperback
First published October 3, 2005
11769 people are currently reading
76714 people want to read
About the author
Michael Connelly
381 books34.8k followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads' database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Michael Connelly decided to become a writer after discovering the books of Raymond Chandler while attending the University of Florida. Once he decided on this direction he chose a major in journalism and a minor in creative writing — a curriculum in which one of his teachers was novelist Harry Crews.
After graduating in 1980, Connelly worked at newspapers in Daytona Beach and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, primarily specializing in the crime beat. In Fort Lauderdale he wrote about police and crime during the height of the murder and violence wave that rolled over South Florida during the so-called cocaine wars. In 1986, he and two other reporters spent several months interviewing survivors of a major airline crash. They wrote a magazine story on the crash and the survivors which was later short-listed for the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing. The magazine story also moved Connelly into the upper levels of journalism, landing him a job as a crime reporter for the Los Angeles Times, one of the largest papers in the country, and bringing him to the city of which his literary hero, Chandler, had written.
After three years on the crime beat in L.A., Connelly began writing his first novel to feature LAPD Detective Hieronymus Bosch. The novel, The Black Echo, based in part on a true crime that had occurred in Los Angeles, was published in 1992 and won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel by the Mystery Writers of America. Connelly has followed that up with over 30 more novels.
Over eighty million copies of Connelly’s books have sold worldwide and he has been translated into forty-five foreign languages. He has won the Edgar Award, Anthony Award, Macavity Award, Los Angeles Times Best Mystery/Thriller Award, Shamus Award, Dilys Award, Nero Award, Barry Award, Audie Award, Ridley Award, Maltese Falcon Award (Japan), .38 Caliber Award (France), Grand Prix Award (France), Premio Bancarella Award (Italy), and the Pepe Carvalho award (Spain) .
Michael was the President of the Mystery Writers of America organization in 2003 and 2004. In addition to his literary work, Michael is one of the producers and writers of the TV show, “Bosch,” which is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Michael lives with his family in Los Angeles and Tampa, Florida.
Michael Connelly decided to become a writer after discovering the books of Raymond Chandler while attending the University of Florida. Once he decided on this direction he chose a major in journalism and a minor in creative writing — a curriculum in which one of his teachers was novelist Harry Crews.
After graduating in 1980, Connelly worked at newspapers in Daytona Beach and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, primarily specializing in the crime beat. In Fort Lauderdale he wrote about police and crime during the height of the murder and violence wave that rolled over South Florida during the so-called cocaine wars. In 1986, he and two other reporters spent several months interviewing survivors of a major airline crash. They wrote a magazine story on the crash and the survivors which was later short-listed for the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing. The magazine story also moved Connelly into the upper levels of journalism, landing him a job as a crime reporter for the Los Angeles Times, one of the largest papers in the country, and bringing him to the city of which his literary hero, Chandler, had written.
After three years on the crime beat in L.A., Connelly began writing his first novel to feature LAPD Detective Hieronymus Bosch. The novel, The Black Echo, based in part on a true crime that had occurred in Los Angeles, was published in 1992 and won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel by the Mystery Writers of America. Connelly has followed that up with over 30 more novels.
Over eighty million copies of Connelly’s books have sold worldwide and he has been translated into forty-five foreign languages. He has won the Edgar Award, Anthony Award, Macavity Award, Los Angeles Times Best Mystery/Thriller Award, Shamus Award, Dilys Award, Nero Award, Barry Award, Audie Award, Ridley Award, Maltese Falcon Award (Japan), .38 Caliber Award (France), Grand Prix Award (France), Premio Bancarella Award (Italy), and the Pepe Carvalho award (Spain) .
Michael was the President of the Mystery Writers of America organization in 2003 and 2004. In addition to his literary work, Michael is one of the producers and writers of the TV show, “Bosch,” which is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Michael lives with his family in Los Angeles and Tampa, Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 8,168 reviews
March 30, 2018
This is the book in which Michael Connelly introduced Michael Haller, a lawyer who works out of an "office" in the back seat of his Lincoln Town Car as he navigates the various courtrooms that dot Los Angeles County. Connelly got the idea for the character in a chance meeting at a Dodgers baseball game when he sat next to an attorney who did exactly that.
Mickey Haller is a bright guy who works all of the angles. Mostly he represents drug dealers, prostitutes and other low-lifes, but except for the very occasional pro bono case, he takes only those clients who can afford the price of his services. And like all criminal attorneys, he has his eye out for the "franchise" case--the one that can pay him humongous fees.
He believes he's found such a case when he's asked to defend Louis Roulet, the son of a wealthy family and of a mother who will do anything--and pay anything--to save her son from jail. Roulet is accused of assaulting a woman he met at a bar. Like all of Mickey's clients, he claims to be innocent. Specifically, he claims that the victim hit him over the head, beat herself up (or had someone else do it) and then planted evidence that would point the finger at Roulet so that after the criminal trial she could sue him for big bucks in civil court.
The case quickly turns into something much more complicated and sinister than it originally appeared. Haller suddenly understands that genuine evil is present in this case, and he finds himself in an impossible situation. Watching him confront the case and attempt to produce a satisfactory conclusion is great fun. Haller, who has two ex-wives and a small daughter, all of whom still love him, is a very appealing character, which is doubtless why Connelly has turned him into a series character and why Hollywood jumped at the chance to make a movie of the book. Connelly proves himself to be as adept at writing legal thrillers as he is at writing more traditional crime fiction, and it's hard to imagine that any reader who likes either would not enjoy this book.
*SPOILER ALERT* Do not read beyond this point if you want to read the book or see the movie without knowing the ending in advance.
I first read this book several years ago when it was initially released, and I wanted to read it again before seeing the movie. Although Matthew McConaughey does not look remotely like the Mickey Haller I imagined in the book, he's very good in the role and after watching the movie for forty-five minutes or so, I readily accepted him as Mickey Haller. In fact, everyone in the movie is very good, particularly Marisa Tomei who plays one of Haller's ex-wives. The movie is as much fun as the book. I don't remember my initial reaction to the book's ending but while it's very exciting, both in the book and on the screen, it's hopelessly implausible and really makes no sense at all.
Essentially what has happened is that Haller discovers that his client, Roulet, is actually guilty of the murder of a woman who was killed some years earlier. Haller defended the man accused of the murder and the evidence was stacked so heavily against him that Haller convinced the client to plead guilty to the crime as a way of getting a life sentence instead of the death penalty. Haller is furious when he discovers the truth and rigs the situation so that he gets Roulet acquitted on the assault charge but sets him up to be arrested for the original murder, thus freeing the former client from San Quentin.
How he manages to do this makes great theater, but in the real world it couldn't possibly happen. The fact is that the police and the D.A. have a killer in prison who has confessed to the murder and who had a mountain of evidence that proved his guilt. The thought that they would ignore all of that and arrest and prosecute Roulet for the crime is laughable, especially based upon the flimsy evidence against Roulet that Haller has uncovered. One wishes that the justice system would work that fairly--that in a case like this the police and prosecutors would recognize their mistake and repair it--but sadly that's not the way the world works.
All too often you read about some poor schmuck who's been railroaded into prison for a crime he probably did not commit--as often as not after a coerced confession--and then later someone else comes along and actually confesses to the crime. Even in such an extreme case, it practically takes an act of God to get the first guy exonerated, and often it doesn't ever happen. The thought that the police and D.A. would turn on a dime and act as they do at the end of this book and movie makes you shake your head.
Some other equally implausible things happen at the end of the book and especially at the end of the movie, but still, if you can suspend disbelief, both are fun rides. I've enjoyed the subsequent Mickey Haller books, and I would happily see another Mickey Haller movie if it were done as well as this one.
Mickey Haller is a bright guy who works all of the angles. Mostly he represents drug dealers, prostitutes and other low-lifes, but except for the very occasional pro bono case, he takes only those clients who can afford the price of his services. And like all criminal attorneys, he has his eye out for the "franchise" case--the one that can pay him humongous fees.
He believes he's found such a case when he's asked to defend Louis Roulet, the son of a wealthy family and of a mother who will do anything--and pay anything--to save her son from jail. Roulet is accused of assaulting a woman he met at a bar. Like all of Mickey's clients, he claims to be innocent. Specifically, he claims that the victim hit him over the head, beat herself up (or had someone else do it) and then planted evidence that would point the finger at Roulet so that after the criminal trial she could sue him for big bucks in civil court.
The case quickly turns into something much more complicated and sinister than it originally appeared. Haller suddenly understands that genuine evil is present in this case, and he finds himself in an impossible situation. Watching him confront the case and attempt to produce a satisfactory conclusion is great fun. Haller, who has two ex-wives and a small daughter, all of whom still love him, is a very appealing character, which is doubtless why Connelly has turned him into a series character and why Hollywood jumped at the chance to make a movie of the book. Connelly proves himself to be as adept at writing legal thrillers as he is at writing more traditional crime fiction, and it's hard to imagine that any reader who likes either would not enjoy this book.
*SPOILER ALERT* Do not read beyond this point if you want to read the book or see the movie without knowing the ending in advance.
I first read this book several years ago when it was initially released, and I wanted to read it again before seeing the movie. Although Matthew McConaughey does not look remotely like the Mickey Haller I imagined in the book, he's very good in the role and after watching the movie for forty-five minutes or so, I readily accepted him as Mickey Haller. In fact, everyone in the movie is very good, particularly Marisa Tomei who plays one of Haller's ex-wives. The movie is as much fun as the book. I don't remember my initial reaction to the book's ending but while it's very exciting, both in the book and on the screen, it's hopelessly implausible and really makes no sense at all.
Essentially what has happened is that Haller discovers that his client, Roulet, is actually guilty of the murder of a woman who was killed some years earlier. Haller defended the man accused of the murder and the evidence was stacked so heavily against him that Haller convinced the client to plead guilty to the crime as a way of getting a life sentence instead of the death penalty. Haller is furious when he discovers the truth and rigs the situation so that he gets Roulet acquitted on the assault charge but sets him up to be arrested for the original murder, thus freeing the former client from San Quentin.
How he manages to do this makes great theater, but in the real world it couldn't possibly happen. The fact is that the police and the D.A. have a killer in prison who has confessed to the murder and who had a mountain of evidence that proved his guilt. The thought that they would ignore all of that and arrest and prosecute Roulet for the crime is laughable, especially based upon the flimsy evidence against Roulet that Haller has uncovered. One wishes that the justice system would work that fairly--that in a case like this the police and prosecutors would recognize their mistake and repair it--but sadly that's not the way the world works.
All too often you read about some poor schmuck who's been railroaded into prison for a crime he probably did not commit--as often as not after a coerced confession--and then later someone else comes along and actually confesses to the crime. Even in such an extreme case, it practically takes an act of God to get the first guy exonerated, and often it doesn't ever happen. The thought that the police and D.A. would turn on a dime and act as they do at the end of this book and movie makes you shake your head.
Some other equally implausible things happen at the end of the book and especially at the end of the movie, but still, if you can suspend disbelief, both are fun rides. I've enjoyed the subsequent Mickey Haller books, and I would happily see another Mickey Haller movie if it were done as well as this one.
December 26, 2019
A compulsively readable legal thriller about a cynical defense attorney who works out of his Lincoln town car (hence the title) and begins to believe he has finally found that most dreaded and improbable of all clients, an innocent man.
Although this novel has its share of darkness, it is much lighter in tone than Connelly's equally absorbing Harry Bosch detective novels. I found Mickey Haller's brash personality and breezy delivery an unexpected--and welcome--change.
January 26, 2015
I don't know where I will go or what cases will be mine. I just know I will be healed and ready to stand once again in the world without truth.
This is my very first 5-star rating of 2015. I've finally found a novel(in 2015) that entertained me throughout the novel. No slow moments anywhere, and the ending was superb. Characters were really likable and fully developed in the end. Mickey Haller is my favorite attorney, in novels at least.
This was my very first legal-crime novel, and I am ashamed to say that. Medicine and law are my favorite professions. I am currently taking up premed, but I chose between premed and prelaw in my senior year in high school. I ended up choosing medicine, but I'm still very much interested in law. Everything about those two keeps my interest no matter what I'm reading or watching. I've seen House M.D, Miami Medical(Not known well), Suits, How To Get Away With Murder, Law & Order, NCIS, and many more. All of those include at least medicine or law related plots, and all of those are among my favorite tv shows. To talk about novels though, I've only read a lot of Patterson and some Crichton novels. I haven't ventured enough to be able to say that this is the best legal-crime novel that I've read. Clearly I've yet to try hundreds more (special mention to Grisham). For now though, I have to say that this novel was fucking amazing.
Mickey Haller was completely immersing. His motherfucker-I'm-an-asshole attitude was really entertaining. Lawyers are most of the time perceived like that, and I was introduced to the asshole kind years ago. I don't want to read about a saint of a lawyer, because that would be devastatingly boring. When it comes to the law genre, the asshole is needed. He proved to be a genuine asshole, and not the pretentious trying hard kind. He knew how the system worked, and manipulation was the key. And now to talk briefly of the other characters. Roulet was the accused in this novel, and he appeared weak and loser like in the beginning, but he changed throughout the novel. He was a bit annoying, but that was necessary for the novel. To be honest I actually liked the judge a lot. She was not even a major character, but I enjoyed the scenes in the near end.
Before reading this I thought that plot would be predictable and boring, but boy was I wrong. Speculations were going haywire inside my head, but none of them happened. The ending caught me completely off guard and my heartbeat was a bit faster in the last 30 pages. I was even expecting a bad ending (because I've been reading a few lately), but the ending here was amazing. Complete closure from the novel, even though this is the first book of a series. Some authors would gimmick-ly write a huge cliffhanger for the readers to continue on with the series, but Connelly didn't do that. I commend him for that, because as awesome as this first book was, there would be no problem with the continuing on with the series problem that most authors blindly give to the readers.
All I can say is that get your expectations straight. This is a legal-crime novel. Don't expect to read about something else other than what the author promised. For courtroom drama fans, this would appeal to you guys. I'll repeat my statement that this was my very first legal-crime novel, so I didn't find this one predictable and reused in terms of plot. I obviously haven't read a plot similar to this before, so the result was complete satisfaction.
5/5 stars. Truly deserving and I will continue on with the series soon. Courtroom drama is amazing as long as executed correctly.
January 8, 2023
I had so much fun with this one. Haven’t read any books by Connelly before so I was happy because it means I have found another series I know I will like! There is action and a smart plot that kept me invested.
December 24, 2025
I'm shocked at how much I enjoyed this.
And I'm not a fan of legal thrillers. <--or at least, I never thought I was a fan of legal thrillers?
Well, I'm a fan of this legal thriller, at any rate.
There were some nice twists and turns in this one that I wasn't expecting. And I really liked all of the characters in this. I don't mean that they were all good, just that they were written really well. The main characters were realistically decent and flawed, and the side characters all had the potential to be more than just side characters. Like, you feel as though there was a real person under that throwaway character just waiting to come out and star in their own book.
Ok.
Mickey Haller is a defense attorney in LA County who shares custody of his young daughter with his ex-wife, a state prosecutor. And while they have an amicable relationship, the fact that he's defending the people she's trying to put away is a bone of contention between them.
His father was a famous lawyer, but Mickey isn't there yet. Most of his time is spent in his Lincoln, hustling to pay the bills and taking on low-rent repeat offenders. And while he may want his money up front, he does everything in his power to get his clients the best deal he can.
So when a rich fish seemingly bites his hook accidentally, he works double time to reel him in and get that big payday.
As Mickey listens to his client profess his complete blamelessness and outrage at the charges of attempted murder, he starts to believe he might have stumbled onto a unicorn known as an innocent client.
Now from there, things go tits up in a spoilery way. I'm not going to ruin it for anyone, but I enjoyed the hell out of the whole thing so much that as soon as I was done with this book, I put the next one in the series on hold at my library.
Highly Recommended.
And I'm not a fan of legal thrillers. <--or at least, I never thought I was a fan of legal thrillers?
Well, I'm a fan of this legal thriller, at any rate.
There were some nice twists and turns in this one that I wasn't expecting. And I really liked all of the characters in this. I don't mean that they were all good, just that they were written really well. The main characters were realistically decent and flawed, and the side characters all had the potential to be more than just side characters. Like, you feel as though there was a real person under that throwaway character just waiting to come out and star in their own book.
Ok.
Mickey Haller is a defense attorney in LA County who shares custody of his young daughter with his ex-wife, a state prosecutor. And while they have an amicable relationship, the fact that he's defending the people she's trying to put away is a bone of contention between them.
His father was a famous lawyer, but Mickey isn't there yet. Most of his time is spent in his Lincoln, hustling to pay the bills and taking on low-rent repeat offenders. And while he may want his money up front, he does everything in his power to get his clients the best deal he can.
So when a rich fish seemingly bites his hook accidentally, he works double time to reel him in and get that big payday.
As Mickey listens to his client profess his complete blamelessness and outrage at the charges of attempted murder, he starts to believe he might have stumbled onto a unicorn known as an innocent client.
Now from there, things go tits up in a spoilery way. I'm not going to ruin it for anyone, but I enjoyed the hell out of the whole thing so much that as soon as I was done with this book, I put the next one in the series on hold at my library.
Highly Recommended.
December 8, 2017
Damn this was a great book.
Michael Connelly’s 2005 introduction for veteran criminal defense lawyer Mickey Haller is a first page winner. Connelly’s ability to write and this character’s natural charisma were on full display from cover to cover.
The movie tagline and the hook to draw readers in is Haller’s use of a Lincoln to drive from courthouse to courthouse in and around Los Angeles, he basically works from his backseat. But this is only a groundbreaker to set the stage. Haller is a player, a criminal defense attorney who knows how to work the system, good and bad, to get results.
What stayed with me the most was Haller’s use of the metaphor of a Machine as the judicial system. Haller describes himself as a mechanic, a gifted technician who knows how to operate the Machine to accomplish what he wants. This cynical allegory for our courts plays into Connelly’s illustration of who Haller is and the world where he finds himself.
But Haller is complex – he can fearlessly and skillfully deal with motorcycle gangs and prosecutors alike, but he is haunted by an earlier deal that left a possibly innocent man in prison.
Mickey gets a “franchise client” – a high dollar retainer all the way through to trial in the unlikely guise of a LA real estate playboy accused of brutally attacking a high priced call girl. But things are not as they seem and Haller finds himself in a complicated mess early on. Connelly plays the reader like an experienced cross-examiner, using an eye for detail and an ability to spin a great mystery into a very enjoyable novel.
Reviewer Lyn likes it, what does lawyer Lyn say? I liked it. Being a small town lawyer, a lot of the big city dog-eat-dog machinations were lost on me, but it was fun to read. I can appreciate needing to hustle for fees and being one step away from disaster all the time, working through clients’ problems daily.
While my dealings with the DAs is more collegial than how Connelly describes the LA county bar, I can appreciate his realistic design. The only problem I have with some prosecutors is an “us and them” attitude, like there is a distinct line between good guys and bad guys. And while I concede that there are some really bad folks out there, I’m simply an US guy.
At the end of the day, Connelly tells a great story and plays it straight – the good, the bad and the ugly. Haller is a complex character, with flaws and failings and makes mistakes. Connelly shows that money wins, sad but true; time, energy and resources are needed for these kinds of cases and the writer tells that like it is. But he also sheds some light on lesser victories and a moral compass amidst a turbulent world. I’ll most definitely read more from Connelly.
Michael Connelly’s 2005 introduction for veteran criminal defense lawyer Mickey Haller is a first page winner. Connelly’s ability to write and this character’s natural charisma were on full display from cover to cover.
The movie tagline and the hook to draw readers in is Haller’s use of a Lincoln to drive from courthouse to courthouse in and around Los Angeles, he basically works from his backseat. But this is only a groundbreaker to set the stage. Haller is a player, a criminal defense attorney who knows how to work the system, good and bad, to get results.
What stayed with me the most was Haller’s use of the metaphor of a Machine as the judicial system. Haller describes himself as a mechanic, a gifted technician who knows how to operate the Machine to accomplish what he wants. This cynical allegory for our courts plays into Connelly’s illustration of who Haller is and the world where he finds himself.
But Haller is complex – he can fearlessly and skillfully deal with motorcycle gangs and prosecutors alike, but he is haunted by an earlier deal that left a possibly innocent man in prison.
Mickey gets a “franchise client” – a high dollar retainer all the way through to trial in the unlikely guise of a LA real estate playboy accused of brutally attacking a high priced call girl. But things are not as they seem and Haller finds himself in a complicated mess early on. Connelly plays the reader like an experienced cross-examiner, using an eye for detail and an ability to spin a great mystery into a very enjoyable novel.
Reviewer Lyn likes it, what does lawyer Lyn say? I liked it. Being a small town lawyer, a lot of the big city dog-eat-dog machinations were lost on me, but it was fun to read. I can appreciate needing to hustle for fees and being one step away from disaster all the time, working through clients’ problems daily.
While my dealings with the DAs is more collegial than how Connelly describes the LA county bar, I can appreciate his realistic design. The only problem I have with some prosecutors is an “us and them” attitude, like there is a distinct line between good guys and bad guys. And while I concede that there are some really bad folks out there, I’m simply an US guy.
At the end of the day, Connelly tells a great story and plays it straight – the good, the bad and the ugly. Haller is a complex character, with flaws and failings and makes mistakes. Connelly shows that money wins, sad but true; time, energy and resources are needed for these kinds of cases and the writer tells that like it is. But he also sheds some light on lesser victories and a moral compass amidst a turbulent world. I’ll most definitely read more from Connelly.
November 14, 2024
The Lincoln Lawyer, #1; Harry Bosch Universe, #16: "The scariest client a (criminal defence) lawyer will ever have is an innocent client....". Mickey Haller tries to make some kind of living as criminal defence lawyer for criminal classes and/or the disenfranchised, often using semi-legal or even illegal means to get to the truth and/or to get his clients a break or a deal. Mick is juggling multiple cases, mostly from his Lincoln, when it appears that he has not one, but two innocent clients!
This series was an integral addition to the Bosch universe with its realistic take on the case juggling of a criminal defence lawyer and the multiple funding streams they have to create around each client! Tightly plotted, (very) well written, with a superbly and legally ruthless leading character, only Bosch himself can compete with this creation. A 9 out of 12, Four Star jam.
2024 read
This series was an integral addition to the Bosch universe with its realistic take on the case juggling of a criminal defence lawyer and the multiple funding streams they have to create around each client! Tightly plotted, (very) well written, with a superbly and legally ruthless leading character, only Bosch himself can compete with this creation. A 9 out of 12, Four Star jam.
2024 read
April 20, 2017
Michael "Mickey" Haller is a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney with the type of clients you'd rather see him lose for in the courtroom. When he lands a "franchise" case representing Louis Roulet, a wealthy realtor, Haller feels like he's truly in the money and on the path towards more like-walleted clients.
What is remarkable about this story is how vivid a picture we're given of Mickey Haller. On the surface, he's a slick, oily attorney representing the underbelly of the city. Beneath that veneer you'll find a conflicted man who's a very good lawyer who also manages to be well liked by his two ex-wives. His courtroom strategies are pretty ingenious and when his money case takes an awful turn, we get the opportunity to see Haller turn inward, getting a glimpse of the man's soul.
This is an excellent start to what should be an interesting series. I wasn't all that interested in this character before reading this book and now am extremely intrigued. I'm also looking forward to seeing Haller intersect with Harry Bosch. 4.5 stars
What is remarkable about this story is how vivid a picture we're given of Mickey Haller. On the surface, he's a slick, oily attorney representing the underbelly of the city. Beneath that veneer you'll find a conflicted man who's a very good lawyer who also manages to be well liked by his two ex-wives. His courtroom strategies are pretty ingenious and when his money case takes an awful turn, we get the opportunity to see Haller turn inward, getting a glimpse of the man's soul.
This is an excellent start to what should be an interesting series. I wasn't all that interested in this character before reading this book and now am extremely intrigued. I'm also looking forward to seeing Haller intersect with Harry Bosch. 4.5 stars
June 21, 2022
This is my first Connelly novel, so late to the party I guess. After enjoying the series on Netflix this seemed like a good place to start. Usually I prefer to read the book first, but many times now I find the series & movies I enjoy the most are based on books. The characters in the series were quite well defined so I did picture the actors while reading. It was pleasant, escapist, police procedural. A little break from all the true crime stories.
July 28, 2011
The book proved to be equally as exciting as the novel, though reading it was partially spoiled by seeing the movie, as I could predict where things were headed.
This was my first Connelly book, but will not be my last. A great mix of Grisham and some quirky Cannell, I was pulled in by the second chapters. I love legal thrillers, especially when the main character can be a little off centre in his life and tactics. Connelly laid out both believable and potential scenes as he works with a very spineless defendant. Mick must do both his job and yet keep his own morals on the high ground, which he is able to do, but with some challenges along the way.
Anyone wanting a great page turner need look no further than this book. I am hooked on Connelly and hope the rest of the collection is as powerful!
This was my first Connelly book, but will not be my last. A great mix of Grisham and some quirky Cannell, I was pulled in by the second chapters. I love legal thrillers, especially when the main character can be a little off centre in his life and tactics. Connelly laid out both believable and potential scenes as he works with a very spineless defendant. Mick must do both his job and yet keep his own morals on the high ground, which he is able to do, but with some challenges along the way.
Anyone wanting a great page turner need look no further than this book. I am hooked on Connelly and hope the rest of the collection is as powerful!
August 5, 2009
this is my michael connelly tally so far: i have read two harry bosch and two mickey haller. i barely remember the harry bosch. the mickey haller dug a hole in my mind. this is not how things should be. harry bosch is michael connelly's hero. harry and i, though, do not connect; mickey and i are two peas in a pod. if he were real, i would very much like to be friends with mickey, though i doubt he'd want to be friends with me -- not because he wouldn't like me, but because he's the loner type and doesn't seem to like to hang out, unless it's for work, and i would have nothing to offer him. unless i were a client, which i most definitely would not want to be (it would involve either being a criminal or being someone who's unjustly accused of being one).
the mickey haller legal thrillers read more like hardboiled noir than legal procedurals. even the courtroom scenes are hardboiled. hardboiled feature number one: even though he's exceedingly successful as a criminal defense lawyer, mickey is considered a sleazeball, even by himself. as he tells us repeatedly, the cops don't like him and he has incurred the wrath of judges and of the california bar more than once. we, however, see nothing of this. in the novels, mickey seems ethical to a fault. the air of bad boy lingers constantly around him and we all smell it, even if we don't know where it comes from.
hardboiled feature number two: he defends shady characters and his investigative work is a key part of the action, even though in both books he farms it out to proper investigators. mickey haller may be a lawyer, but for most of the book he plays private eye.
hardboiled feature number three: he's a terrible father and he apparently seriously pissed off his first wife and mother of his daughter, even though, just like in hardboiled feature number one, we have no idea what he could possibly have done to piss her off.
well, we do have some idea. because, hardboiled feature number four, mickey is entirely his own guy: he does what he thinks he should be doing regardless of hours and time and social obligations. like a true hardboiled sociopath, he's solely focused on his work. i suppose that would make him an asshole if you were married to him. he'd be the husband you never see, who stands you up, who comes home at 3 AM but cannot tell you where he was.
also: mickey likes to drink alone. he drinks in bars and only when life is so sucky that you really have to. he drinks a lot of coffee and has breakfasts in cafes and sandwiches in his car. and here's the clincher: mickey doesn't have an office. he spends his workdays in the back of a lincoln driven by one of his deadbeat clients who is paying off a debt by being mickey's driver, or having meetings with clients in prisons, restaurants, bars, and, rarely, homes. never his.
mickey is intensely about the money. his one and only reason to practice the law is to make money. unfortunately, he's remarkably unsuccessful at it because he's, you know, nice. and ethical. and his own man.
i find mickey haller one of the most simpatico characters i have encountered in mystery fiction. i never remember what simpatico means in english but in italian it means charming and fetching and cool. likeable. i like that mickey has all these theories about the law and the practice of the law and the conduct of the lawyer and, of course, life and people in general, but at the end of the day it's also a lot of facade and the guy is always treading the thin path between the "what is right" and the "what i would like to be the case." he's a big teddy bear who likes to talk big and make himself look cool, but he can take it on the chin when things go wrong and turn his failures into jokes (though he knows how to be pathetic, too, and feel sorry for himself). i like that he is so blustery and self-assured and cocky while knowing all along that he's also a big fat loser. i like that being a big fat loser and knowing it doesn't put the slightest dent in his cockiness and self-assuredness. that's the way it should be.
the mickey haller legal thrillers read more like hardboiled noir than legal procedurals. even the courtroom scenes are hardboiled. hardboiled feature number one: even though he's exceedingly successful as a criminal defense lawyer, mickey is considered a sleazeball, even by himself. as he tells us repeatedly, the cops don't like him and he has incurred the wrath of judges and of the california bar more than once. we, however, see nothing of this. in the novels, mickey seems ethical to a fault. the air of bad boy lingers constantly around him and we all smell it, even if we don't know where it comes from.
hardboiled feature number two: he defends shady characters and his investigative work is a key part of the action, even though in both books he farms it out to proper investigators. mickey haller may be a lawyer, but for most of the book he plays private eye.
hardboiled feature number three: he's a terrible father and he apparently seriously pissed off his first wife and mother of his daughter, even though, just like in hardboiled feature number one, we have no idea what he could possibly have done to piss her off.
well, we do have some idea. because, hardboiled feature number four, mickey is entirely his own guy: he does what he thinks he should be doing regardless of hours and time and social obligations. like a true hardboiled sociopath, he's solely focused on his work. i suppose that would make him an asshole if you were married to him. he'd be the husband you never see, who stands you up, who comes home at 3 AM but cannot tell you where he was.
also: mickey likes to drink alone. he drinks in bars and only when life is so sucky that you really have to. he drinks a lot of coffee and has breakfasts in cafes and sandwiches in his car. and here's the clincher: mickey doesn't have an office. he spends his workdays in the back of a lincoln driven by one of his deadbeat clients who is paying off a debt by being mickey's driver, or having meetings with clients in prisons, restaurants, bars, and, rarely, homes. never his.
mickey is intensely about the money. his one and only reason to practice the law is to make money. unfortunately, he's remarkably unsuccessful at it because he's, you know, nice. and ethical. and his own man.
i find mickey haller one of the most simpatico characters i have encountered in mystery fiction. i never remember what simpatico means in english but in italian it means charming and fetching and cool. likeable. i like that mickey has all these theories about the law and the practice of the law and the conduct of the lawyer and, of course, life and people in general, but at the end of the day it's also a lot of facade and the guy is always treading the thin path between the "what is right" and the "what i would like to be the case." he's a big teddy bear who likes to talk big and make himself look cool, but he can take it on the chin when things go wrong and turn his failures into jokes (though he knows how to be pathetic, too, and feel sorry for himself). i like that he is so blustery and self-assured and cocky while knowing all along that he's also a big fat loser. i like that being a big fat loser and knowing it doesn't put the slightest dent in his cockiness and self-assuredness. that's the way it should be.
January 29, 2025
I read this long before it became a successful Netflix series. And Season 2 is just about to be released on July 6 (Part 1) and Part 2 is coming August 3. So, those who have been fans, will also love Netflix’s interpretation, as well.
I am now bringing my review to Goodreads.
Believe it or not, this is Michael Connelly’s first legal thriller. And of course, he would choose to create a cynical defense attorney as his defining character and lead protagonist.
Mickey Haller has spent his professional life afraid that he would not recognize innocence. He is a pro at defending criminals – out of the backseat of his Lincoln Town Car. And he doesn’t have many friends in cops, prosecutors, or even clients, at times.
From bikers, to con artist to drunk drivers or even drug dealers, Mickey Haller doesn’t care – this is his client list. But one day he accepts a rich Beverly Hills bad boy as his client. This could be the paycheck he has been waiting for – especially when he believes this new client is innocent of the crime of brutally beating a woman.
But an investigator is murdered when he gets too close to the truth, and Haller is realizing something isn’t quite right with this justice system.
Even though Haller is handling some very shady characters, there is something about his character that we can appreciate as readers - he has an interest in coming to an honorable resolution that respects and upholds both the law and his morals.
I also felt I was given good insight into the legal system with some behind the scenes information and how the justice system works and can be manipulated.
I also love courtroom drama. So, I felt the courtroom scenes were very compelling showcasing some excellent legal strategy without being tedious.
As is typical with any Connelly book, there were many twists, turns, surprises and tension.
The action was fast paced and it captivated my attention throughout.
I loved the character development and the plot flowed with steady builds.
And, once pulled in it really was hard to put this one down.
If it seemed like it was too tidy of an ending – (let’s shoot up the bad guys kinda deal) – maybe that is what was needed, to get to the truth. I am not one for looking for revenge as the best outcome, but I do like lawyers with a heart of gold, and Mickey Haller is one.
I am now bringing my review to Goodreads.
Believe it or not, this is Michael Connelly’s first legal thriller. And of course, he would choose to create a cynical defense attorney as his defining character and lead protagonist.
Mickey Haller has spent his professional life afraid that he would not recognize innocence. He is a pro at defending criminals – out of the backseat of his Lincoln Town Car. And he doesn’t have many friends in cops, prosecutors, or even clients, at times.
From bikers, to con artist to drunk drivers or even drug dealers, Mickey Haller doesn’t care – this is his client list. But one day he accepts a rich Beverly Hills bad boy as his client. This could be the paycheck he has been waiting for – especially when he believes this new client is innocent of the crime of brutally beating a woman.
But an investigator is murdered when he gets too close to the truth, and Haller is realizing something isn’t quite right with this justice system.
Even though Haller is handling some very shady characters, there is something about his character that we can appreciate as readers - he has an interest in coming to an honorable resolution that respects and upholds both the law and his morals.
I also felt I was given good insight into the legal system with some behind the scenes information and how the justice system works and can be manipulated.
I also love courtroom drama. So, I felt the courtroom scenes were very compelling showcasing some excellent legal strategy without being tedious.
As is typical with any Connelly book, there were many twists, turns, surprises and tension.
The action was fast paced and it captivated my attention throughout.
I loved the character development and the plot flowed with steady builds.
And, once pulled in it really was hard to put this one down.
If it seemed like it was too tidy of an ending – (let’s shoot up the bad guys kinda deal) – maybe that is what was needed, to get to the truth. I am not one for looking for revenge as the best outcome, but I do like lawyers with a heart of gold, and Mickey Haller is one.
July 13, 2015
I postponed reading The Lincoln Lawyer because I thought it was going to be a courtroom drama with excessive infodumps and tedious pacing. Boy was I ever wrong. Fortunately, my wife had the foresight to spring it on me as part of our annual must-read agreement for 2015.
The law was a large, rusting machine that sucked up people and lives and money. I was just a mechanic. I had become expert at going into the machine and fixing things and extracting what I needed from it in return.
Don’t misunderstand, though. This is a legal thriller, for the most part, but it also doubles quite deftly as a mystery / suspense novel. A gripping one, at that.
Much of society thought of me as the devil but they were wrong. I was a greasy angel.
The immediacy of first person narrative seemed to suit this story better than most. The protagonist comes across as either a sleazy defense lawyer or a loveable rogue (depending on the events being depicted at the time), but there is an enormous amount of character development as he starts questioning his own morality and reasons for doing what he does - the catalyst, of course, being the specific case that this novel deals with…
It seemed so far-fetched that it might actually be true. And that bothered me.
…and it is a layered one.
The Lincoln Lawyer is a pretty twisty novel. It has a few curveballs up its sleeve, for each time when you finally think you know where the story is headed. It’s easy to see why this was made into a film (which, at the time of writing this review, I haven’t seen yet).
A cold shiver of fear pierced my chest.
This one genuinely had my stomach knotted with tension a few times. It probably won’t change the way I look at the world, but it was nigh impossible to put down and scratched that thriller itch just fine.
“He’s telling us that the devil did it.”
Recommended – an easy 4 and a half, without prejudice
Read as part of “have-to-read” agreement with my wife – 2015
The law was a large, rusting machine that sucked up people and lives and money. I was just a mechanic. I had become expert at going into the machine and fixing things and extracting what I needed from it in return.
Don’t misunderstand, though. This is a legal thriller, for the most part, but it also doubles quite deftly as a mystery / suspense novel. A gripping one, at that.
Much of society thought of me as the devil but they were wrong. I was a greasy angel.
The immediacy of first person narrative seemed to suit this story better than most. The protagonist comes across as either a sleazy defense lawyer or a loveable rogue (depending on the events being depicted at the time), but there is an enormous amount of character development as he starts questioning his own morality and reasons for doing what he does - the catalyst, of course, being the specific case that this novel deals with…
It seemed so far-fetched that it might actually be true. And that bothered me.
…and it is a layered one.
The Lincoln Lawyer is a pretty twisty novel. It has a few curveballs up its sleeve, for each time when you finally think you know where the story is headed. It’s easy to see why this was made into a film (which, at the time of writing this review, I haven’t seen yet).
A cold shiver of fear pierced my chest.
This one genuinely had my stomach knotted with tension a few times. It probably won’t change the way I look at the world, but it was nigh impossible to put down and scratched that thriller itch just fine.
“He’s telling us that the devil did it.”
Recommended – an easy 4 and a half, without prejudice
Read as part of “have-to-read” agreement with my wife – 2015
May 5, 2013
Ova knjiga me je oduševila dok sam je čitala još u rukopisu... Bolja mi je od Hari Boš serijala... :) A i film nije loš :)
April 19, 2021
For over a year now a lot of us have been working from home, and now I feel like a real rube because what I should have done was get a Lincoln and have somebody drive me around all day while I did my job.
Mick Haller is a defense attorney who uses his car as an office as he shuttles between courts and jails seeing various clients. While not not completely crooked, Mick is certainly bent, and he has no problem using every trick he knows to keep his clients out of prison. When a wealthy young man is accused of brutally assualting a woman during an attempted rape, he hires Haller and insists that he’s innocent despite the evidence. At first, Mick sees this new client as nothing more than a big pay day, but as new things come to light Mick finds himself personally involved in ways he could never have dreamed of.
I’ve got a weird thing going with Michael Connelly. He’s an incredibly popular crime writer, and I’m a guy who loves crime fiction. His ideas and characters seem like they should be right in my wheelhouse, and this is another example of that. Yet, despite having several of my reading buddies cite Connelly as a favorite of theirs I remain mostly immune to his charms. Which is weird because I like plenty of other books that are similar in tone and concepts to what Connelly does. I guess it’s just like J.K. Simmons said in Whiplash, it’s not quite my tempo.
So while I enjoyed this one and found the character of Mick Haller intriguing, I just kind of wish that there was something MORE to the book, even if I couldn’t tell you exactly what it is I found lacking. I guess one point was that I was more into the angles that Haller played in the early part of the book than I was once the main plot got rolling. In fairness, the whole last act does hinge on Haller pulling off an unorthodox courtroom stunt so it’s not like Connelly just forgot that Haller was a lawyer. It’s more like he got more interested in the crime plot than the character, and so I wished Mick was a little bit less of a standard male lead in a thriller and more sleazy lawyer in the last act.
Still, I got no major complaints, and it’s got some aspects I really liked.
Mick Haller is a defense attorney who uses his car as an office as he shuttles between courts and jails seeing various clients. While not not completely crooked, Mick is certainly bent, and he has no problem using every trick he knows to keep his clients out of prison. When a wealthy young man is accused of brutally assualting a woman during an attempted rape, he hires Haller and insists that he’s innocent despite the evidence. At first, Mick sees this new client as nothing more than a big pay day, but as new things come to light Mick finds himself personally involved in ways he could never have dreamed of.
I’ve got a weird thing going with Michael Connelly. He’s an incredibly popular crime writer, and I’m a guy who loves crime fiction. His ideas and characters seem like they should be right in my wheelhouse, and this is another example of that. Yet, despite having several of my reading buddies cite Connelly as a favorite of theirs I remain mostly immune to his charms. Which is weird because I like plenty of other books that are similar in tone and concepts to what Connelly does. I guess it’s just like J.K. Simmons said in Whiplash, it’s not quite my tempo.
So while I enjoyed this one and found the character of Mick Haller intriguing, I just kind of wish that there was something MORE to the book, even if I couldn’t tell you exactly what it is I found lacking. I guess one point was that I was more into the angles that Haller played in the early part of the book than I was once the main plot got rolling. In fairness, the whole last act does hinge on Haller pulling off an unorthodox courtroom stunt so it’s not like Connelly just forgot that Haller was a lawyer. It’s more like he got more interested in the crime plot than the character, and so I wished Mick was a little bit less of a standard male lead in a thriller and more sleazy lawyer in the last act.
Still, I got no major complaints, and it’s got some aspects I really liked.
October 21, 2023
Michael Connelly has created quite a universe of interesting characters in his Harry Bosch series. Mickey Haller, the main character in The Lincoln Lawyer series, is one of them. Mickey is the half-brother of Harry Bosch. In this book, the first in the Lincoln Lawyer series, he is a well-developed, complex character. I found him to be a more likable and interesting character than Bosch. Mickey and Harry do interact in a few of the books although not in this one.
Mickey is a defense lawyer with a creed that everyone deserves legal representation at a trial. You learn his thoughts on the law and the legal system—both the good and the bad. He is not above bending the rules for the good of his clients.
He is presented with a “franchise” case meaning a client who can afford his top rate. It is a complicated case where he will confront both innocence and evil. He quotes his father who said “There is no client as scary as an innocent man.” He shows off his talents in the courtroom dealing with this dilemma. The ending is both plausible and satisfying.
It is always a pleasure to read the first book in an exciting series knowing there are more books to come. The series currently has six books with another— Resurrection Walk —due to be released in November, 2023.
Mickey is a defense lawyer with a creed that everyone deserves legal representation at a trial. You learn his thoughts on the law and the legal system—both the good and the bad. He is not above bending the rules for the good of his clients.
He is presented with a “franchise” case meaning a client who can afford his top rate. It is a complicated case where he will confront both innocence and evil. He quotes his father who said “There is no client as scary as an innocent man.” He shows off his talents in the courtroom dealing with this dilemma. The ending is both plausible and satisfying.
It is always a pleasure to read the first book in an exciting series knowing there are more books to come. The series currently has six books with another— Resurrection Walk —due to be released in November, 2023.
February 5, 2015
It's extra exciting when you read a book you enjoy and know that there's plenty more from whence it came (read: it's part of a series). Thus, I'm pretty darn pleased to have made the acquaintance of the eponymous Lincoln-riding lawyer,
Mickey Haller.
Haller is a defense attorney of the “Better Call Saul” variety. Criminals need lawyers, and if their money's green… He's a likable guy—so likable, in fact, that neither of his ex-wives (prosecutor/baby mama Maggie McFierce, and super secretary Lorna Taylor ) treat him with the contempt typically associated with broken marriages. Heck, they're downright helpful.
The case at hand involves wealthy Los Angelean and potential “franchise”/big money client, Louis Roulet (rhymes with Robert Goulet). Roulet is on the hook for the assault of a working girl, and, of course, he's innocent. Right? It's hard to describe much without risking spoiler-ing (the first four paragraphs of James' review do a damn fine job of it).
Since there's an overbearing mother, and a switchblade involved, and because I'm oh so predictable, I'll leave you with this.
Haller is a defense attorney of the “Better Call Saul” variety. Criminals need lawyers, and if their money's green… He's a likable guy—so likable, in fact, that neither of his ex-wives (prosecutor/baby mama Maggie McFierce, and super secretary Lorna Taylor ) treat him with the contempt typically associated with broken marriages. Heck, they're downright helpful.
The case at hand involves wealthy Los Angelean and potential “franchise”/big money client, Louis Roulet (rhymes with Robert Goulet). Roulet is on the hook for the assault of a working girl, and, of course, he's innocent. Right? It's hard to describe much without risking spoiler-ing (the first four paragraphs of James' review do a damn fine job of it).
Since there's an overbearing mother, and a switchblade involved, and because I'm oh so predictable, I'll leave you with this.
October 8, 2015
Mickey Haller is a defence attorney that basically works out of his car. Mickey doesn't particularly care if his client is innocent or guilty. He cares more about the money and fame a trial can bring him. This changes when he takes on Louis Roulet's case.
I found the story a bit slow to get into. At first I was often wondering when things would pick up. The beginning mainly introduces a lot of cases Haller has worked on and doesn't begin to get more interesting until about a third of the way through when a twist is thrown in. Towards the end, I found it difficult to put down; the ending took me by surprise!
At times I found parts of the story a bit confusing. This may be to do with all the different cases talked about and how some of them sort of related to each other. There is also one aspect of the story that I am still a bit confused about, though I won't say what that is because it would be a spoiler!
I really liked Mickey, despite disagreeing with his values. I also liked his relationship with his ex-wives and other characters in the novel. I think they were all developed quite well.
This wasn't a bad story, but I didn't think it was awesome. Even though it was just ok I will read the next one because I would like to see how Mickey's character develops.
I found the story a bit slow to get into. At first I was often wondering when things would pick up. The beginning mainly introduces a lot of cases Haller has worked on and doesn't begin to get more interesting until about a third of the way through when a twist is thrown in. Towards the end, I found it difficult to put down; the ending took me by surprise!
At times I found parts of the story a bit confusing. This may be to do with all the different cases talked about and how some of them sort of related to each other. There is also one aspect of the story that I am still a bit confused about, though I won't say what that is because it would be a spoiler!
I really liked Mickey, despite disagreeing with his values. I also liked his relationship with his ex-wives and other characters in the novel. I think they were all developed quite well.
This wasn't a bad story, but I didn't think it was awesome. Even though it was just ok I will read the next one because I would like to see how Mickey's character develops.
February 3, 2018
I'm afraid the movie stole a lot of his thunder for me. Still, it's a good read!
March 25, 2024
Grisham, Baldacci, Tannenbaum - look out! Connelly's here!
Criminal defense attorney, Mickey Haller, is thrilled to find himself in the position of defending Louis Ross Roulet against a charge of attempted rape and aggravated sexual assault with grievous bodily injury for his alleged attack of Reggie Campeau, a hooker with a past. Roulet is what experienced attorneys call a "franchise" client - he's willing to be billed full schedule A top dollar legal fare, he's got the money to pay and he wants to go the distance in his own defense. But Roulet's compelling intensity and the story he tells disturbs and frightens Haller because, despite his rock solid prohibition against asking his client whether he did it or not, Haller becomes convinced of his client's innocence. He recalls his deceased father's advice to other lawyers, "The scariest client a lawyer will ever have is an innocent client." Haller knows that mistakes could result in a lethal injection and the execution of an innocent man.
It's only when Haller recognizes the startling similarities in appearance between the victim, Campeau, and Martha Rentoria, the victim of Jesus Menendez, one of Haller's former clients (who is now cooling his heels for life in San Quentin for that particular murder) that Haller begins to scratch his head and investigate Roulet's case more deeply. All is not as it seems as Haller not only wrestles with legal ethical dilemmas but even finds himself in the disturbing position of being investigated as a suspect for the very assault for which he is defending Roulet. Even his family has been threatened and Haller must take action to protect his daughter and ex-wife, to resolve his ethical legal dilemmas, to clear his own name as a suspect, to free Menendez from what he now knows is an unjust conviction and, in the bargain, to snag the mastermind behind the whole twisted mess! A tall order indeed but Connelly has proven that he is up to the task. He's also tossed in a beautiful plot twist at the very point where a reader would be convinced all was in hand.
It's difficult to expect much more out of any crackerjack suspense novel.
Characters are marvelously developed - the baddie in the piece is portrayed as truly evil and abhorrent (in fact, you can almost feel the shivers going up and down your back when Haller recoils from his simple touch); Fernando Valenzuela, the bail bondsman, and Raul Levin, Haller's crack investigator, are wonderfully down to earth and realistic; Maggie McPherson, Haller's ex-wife, is portrayed as a skilled competent prosecutor but also frequently lapses into a man's stereotypical bitchy ex-wife. Even Teddy Vogel, a top lieutenant in the Road Saints motorcycle gang is colourfully portrayed and jumps completely alive off the page! Dialogue is realistic and credible. Connelly's expertise in the legal field is obvious as he gives us an extraordinary insider's look at the procedural machinations of both the defense and prosecution sides of the law system as well as the official police and unofficial defense investigation of a crime.
Grisham, Baldacci, Tannenbaum - look to your laurels! There is a new star in the firmament of legal thrillers and his name is Michael Connelly. It will be a sad day indeed if Connelly doesn't reach the decision to bring Haller and his team back again for our enjoyment.
Paul Weiss
Criminal defense attorney, Mickey Haller, is thrilled to find himself in the position of defending Louis Ross Roulet against a charge of attempted rape and aggravated sexual assault with grievous bodily injury for his alleged attack of Reggie Campeau, a hooker with a past. Roulet is what experienced attorneys call a "franchise" client - he's willing to be billed full schedule A top dollar legal fare, he's got the money to pay and he wants to go the distance in his own defense. But Roulet's compelling intensity and the story he tells disturbs and frightens Haller because, despite his rock solid prohibition against asking his client whether he did it or not, Haller becomes convinced of his client's innocence. He recalls his deceased father's advice to other lawyers, "The scariest client a lawyer will ever have is an innocent client." Haller knows that mistakes could result in a lethal injection and the execution of an innocent man.
It's only when Haller recognizes the startling similarities in appearance between the victim, Campeau, and Martha Rentoria, the victim of Jesus Menendez, one of Haller's former clients (who is now cooling his heels for life in San Quentin for that particular murder) that Haller begins to scratch his head and investigate Roulet's case more deeply. All is not as it seems as Haller not only wrestles with legal ethical dilemmas but even finds himself in the disturbing position of being investigated as a suspect for the very assault for which he is defending Roulet. Even his family has been threatened and Haller must take action to protect his daughter and ex-wife, to resolve his ethical legal dilemmas, to clear his own name as a suspect, to free Menendez from what he now knows is an unjust conviction and, in the bargain, to snag the mastermind behind the whole twisted mess! A tall order indeed but Connelly has proven that he is up to the task. He's also tossed in a beautiful plot twist at the very point where a reader would be convinced all was in hand.
It's difficult to expect much more out of any crackerjack suspense novel.
Characters are marvelously developed - the baddie in the piece is portrayed as truly evil and abhorrent (in fact, you can almost feel the shivers going up and down your back when Haller recoils from his simple touch); Fernando Valenzuela, the bail bondsman, and Raul Levin, Haller's crack investigator, are wonderfully down to earth and realistic; Maggie McPherson, Haller's ex-wife, is portrayed as a skilled competent prosecutor but also frequently lapses into a man's stereotypical bitchy ex-wife. Even Teddy Vogel, a top lieutenant in the Road Saints motorcycle gang is colourfully portrayed and jumps completely alive off the page! Dialogue is realistic and credible. Connelly's expertise in the legal field is obvious as he gives us an extraordinary insider's look at the procedural machinations of both the defense and prosecution sides of the law system as well as the official police and unofficial defense investigation of a crime.
Grisham, Baldacci, Tannenbaum - look to your laurels! There is a new star in the firmament of legal thrillers and his name is Michael Connelly. It will be a sad day indeed if Connelly doesn't reach the decision to bring Haller and his team back again for our enjoyment.
Paul Weiss
November 6, 2018
5 stars. 🇺🇸🤙
July 23, 2025
Here’s an oldie but a goodie: What’s the difference between a catfish and a lawyer? One is a slimy, scum-sucking bottom dweller, and the other is a fish.
That joke never gets old, and Michael Connelly repeats it several times throughout his 2005 novel “The Lincoln Lawyer”, the first book to feature his smarmy-but-good-natured ambulance-chasing defense attorney Mickey Haller.
Haller is kind of a bottom dweller, as he hangs out in jails and drunk tanks with drug dealers, prostitutes, and thugs. He’s always on the lookout for his next client. They have to have money, and they have to be desperate. It’s very rare that he hits a jackpot.
Then, along comes Louis Roulet (pronounced “Rue-lay”), a rich kid accused of beating up a hooker. Roulet is a money tree for Haller. All he has to do is get him acquitted. No problem.
But this case starts off bad and gets worse. The evidence, first of all, looks bad for Roulet. Then, Haller’s friend and lead investigator, Raul Levin, is murdered. Not only that, but the weapon used was Haller’s gun. Thankfully, it’s missing, but Haller knows that Roulet has it, and he’s using it as leverage.
To top it all off, Haller is trying hard to be more of a presence in his 8-year-old daughter’s life, and his ex-wife, Maggie, is showing signs that she may actually want to try getting back together. Timing couldn’t be worse.
All of this makes for a fast-paced, suspenseful thriller, the kind that only Connelly can write.
I remember seeing the movie based on this, starring Matthew McConaughey, and liking it. I still liked the book better, of course.
I read this as a audiobook on CD, narrated by Adam Grupper.
That joke never gets old, and Michael Connelly repeats it several times throughout his 2005 novel “The Lincoln Lawyer”, the first book to feature his smarmy-but-good-natured ambulance-chasing defense attorney Mickey Haller.
Haller is kind of a bottom dweller, as he hangs out in jails and drunk tanks with drug dealers, prostitutes, and thugs. He’s always on the lookout for his next client. They have to have money, and they have to be desperate. It’s very rare that he hits a jackpot.
Then, along comes Louis Roulet (pronounced “Rue-lay”), a rich kid accused of beating up a hooker. Roulet is a money tree for Haller. All he has to do is get him acquitted. No problem.
But this case starts off bad and gets worse. The evidence, first of all, looks bad for Roulet. Then, Haller’s friend and lead investigator, Raul Levin, is murdered. Not only that, but the weapon used was Haller’s gun. Thankfully, it’s missing, but Haller knows that Roulet has it, and he’s using it as leverage.
To top it all off, Haller is trying hard to be more of a presence in his 8-year-old daughter’s life, and his ex-wife, Maggie, is showing signs that she may actually want to try getting back together. Timing couldn’t be worse.
All of this makes for a fast-paced, suspenseful thriller, the kind that only Connelly can write.
I remember seeing the movie based on this, starring Matthew McConaughey, and liking it. I still liked the book better, of course.
I read this as a audiobook on CD, narrated by Adam Grupper.
July 1, 2017
This book started out slow, but man it turned out to be very good, will definitely read more books from this author....EXCELLENT RECOMMEND IT TO EVERYONE.
July 20, 2022
I confess - I watched the show on Netflix, then realized it was a book so backtracked to read. Better than the tv series and I thought the tv series was really good!!
October 22, 2025
No wonder here why they made this high drama novel into a movie.
April 23, 2017
Defense Attorney Mickey Haller is busy interviewing clients and appearing at hearings. Instead of an office, he works out of his fleet of Lincoln Town Cars. He feels very lucky when he gets a call about Louis Roulet, a rich Real Estate Broker accused of assault. Mickey sees this as a "franchise" case, a big case that will last months where he'll be able to maximize his billable hours. But his luck isn't holding out. When a friend helping him with the case is murdered, Mickey is conflicted by his ethics and conscience.
This is the first book in Michael Connelly's Mickey Haller series. I liked the way Mickey was always thinking of an angle to get his clients off the hook. We got to meet several of his clients early in the book. At first I thought these short introductions were just taking us away from the real story, but they do end up playing into the overall mystery. I look forward to reading more books in this series. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
This is the first book in Michael Connelly's Mickey Haller series. I liked the way Mickey was always thinking of an angle to get his clients off the hook. We got to meet several of his clients early in the book. At first I thought these short introductions were just taking us away from the real story, but they do end up playing into the overall mystery. I look forward to reading more books in this series. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
December 12, 2021
Mickey Haller is a defense attorney who operates out of the back of his Lincoln Town car. His enthusiasm for the job is waning but he is still obsessed with the idea of an innocent client. His latest case is one that appears to be just that—an innocent man, but things aren’t as simple as they at first seem. Connelly is always worth reading, and a good 'go to' when you are beginning to suffer from reader’s block. Good but it didn’t grab me as much as much of his other work. Solid!
December 7, 2019
** Starting my read and review of Michael Connelly’s Mickey Haller books **
Connelly’s 16th book and first outing with Mickey Haller - “The Lincoln Lawyer” - was first published back in 2005. Mickey is the son of Michael Haller, a famous defense attorney in the Los Angeles area back in the sixties and seventies. Mickey himself is a somewhat successful criminal defense attorney operating in Los Angeles County. Unlike his father, his office is a Lincoln Town Car, and his clients are primarily drug dealers, gang members, and gangsters. Mickey’s first ex-wife, Margaret “McFierce” McPherson, is a prosecuting attorney and mother of his daughter, Hayley. His second wife, Lorna Taylor, is his case manager and front-line defense to his clients. Mickey is also the younger half-brother of Detective Harry Bosch, Connelly’s long-running detective series.
When “The Lincoln Lawyer” starts Harry is handling multiple clients, including representing a motorcycle gang member, Harold Casey, in court on charges of cultivating a marijuana firm for sale and distribution. As Harry bounces around between appointments, he receives a call to represent a new client - a rich real estate agent named Louis Roulet, accused of sexual assault and attempted murder. His bail has been set at half a million dollars.
The circumstantial and physical evidence against Roulet is strong, but he insists to Haller that he is innocent and has been set-up by the woman claiming to be his victim. There’s just something about him that strikes Mickey as being naively credible. Seeing Roulet as a “franchise” paying client, Mickey goes to work, preparing to defend Roulet, and sending his personal investigator, Raul Levin, into action. Levin discovers the supposed victim, Reggie Campo, is actually a prostitute, who although beaten pretty bad, has returned to work just days following the attack.
As the case starts to turn in their favor, Mickey discovers that Roulet has lied to him. It was just a small detail that seemed unimportant, but that is one thing that Haller does not accept from his clients. They must tell him the truth or he’s out. Then other things come up and Roulet’s behavior seems to change. Mickey begins to doubt the truthfulness of his client, whom he is ethically required to defend. Until now, the law has not really been about guilt or innocence to Mickey, but rather about negotiation and manipulation of the rules. Now Mickey is facing the reality of what justice is really all about, as well as the real threat of losing his life.
I have been reading my way through Connelly’s books from the beginning, so I have been knee-deep in the life of Detective Harry Bosch, and other protagonists like Jack McEvoy (newspaper writer), Terry McCaleb (FBI profiler), and Rachel Walling (FBI agent). Now Connelly has added another multi-dimensional, anti-hero in Mickey Haller, a flawed individual who is not afraid in work in the gray areas of the law.
Mickey Haller is not the opposite of Bosch, but he is definitely different, and in many ways, just as interesting. Although not explored in much detail yet, Mickey’s background and upbringing were less stark and dramatic than Harry’s. Mickey also handles his professional business differently, as well as his close relationships. Where Harry focuses on overcoming a past that lacked parental influence, Mickey struggles with being in the shadow of the legacy of his father’s success. One of the things that I found interesting was rather than Harry’s love and influence for blues music, Mickey finds rhythm and motivation from hard-core rap artists like Tupac. Could you imagine Mickey sharing one of his favorite works - “To Live and Die in LA” - with Harry?
“The Lincoln Lawyer” reminds me of how well Connelly writes, regardless of which protagonist he is working with. If I had to use one word it would be “polished”. He uses his proven writing experience to lay out a complex legal thriller and multiple secondary character relationships in a connected, interweaving use of plot and pacing to share an awesome page-turning experience rather than a story. I would say that it reminded me of John Grisham at his best, but it was a fresh and original take that had Connelly written all over it. If there was anything similar, it was the great way that Connelly used the greater Los Angeles area as setting to strengthen and amplify his strong plotting (just like Grisham uses various settings in the South).
Connelly provides you a front-seat reading experience. For example, I felt like I was standing next to Mickey yelling – “What are you thinking, man?” as he gave away his key pieces of evidence to the shifty prosecutor, Ted Minton. The narrative flowed effortlessly from one scene to another, one conversation to the next, and one twist to another until the multiple climaxes paid off and I could breathe a sigh of relief. There was no extra verbiage or unnecessary descriptions taking away from the story’s focus.
Overall, this book was an absolute joy to immerse myself in. Mickey Haller is a complex character with a few real strengths, many poignant weaknesses, and internal demons driving him to become a lawyer who believes in and seeks for justice. His background and unique quirks make him an interesting addition and balance to the hard-driven passion of Harry Bosch. Connelly has created another winner and I look forward to reading his next book.
Connelly’s 16th book and first outing with Mickey Haller - “The Lincoln Lawyer” - was first published back in 2005. Mickey is the son of Michael Haller, a famous defense attorney in the Los Angeles area back in the sixties and seventies. Mickey himself is a somewhat successful criminal defense attorney operating in Los Angeles County. Unlike his father, his office is a Lincoln Town Car, and his clients are primarily drug dealers, gang members, and gangsters. Mickey’s first ex-wife, Margaret “McFierce” McPherson, is a prosecuting attorney and mother of his daughter, Hayley. His second wife, Lorna Taylor, is his case manager and front-line defense to his clients. Mickey is also the younger half-brother of Detective Harry Bosch, Connelly’s long-running detective series.
When “The Lincoln Lawyer” starts Harry is handling multiple clients, including representing a motorcycle gang member, Harold Casey, in court on charges of cultivating a marijuana firm for sale and distribution. As Harry bounces around between appointments, he receives a call to represent a new client - a rich real estate agent named Louis Roulet, accused of sexual assault and attempted murder. His bail has been set at half a million dollars.
The circumstantial and physical evidence against Roulet is strong, but he insists to Haller that he is innocent and has been set-up by the woman claiming to be his victim. There’s just something about him that strikes Mickey as being naively credible. Seeing Roulet as a “franchise” paying client, Mickey goes to work, preparing to defend Roulet, and sending his personal investigator, Raul Levin, into action. Levin discovers the supposed victim, Reggie Campo, is actually a prostitute, who although beaten pretty bad, has returned to work just days following the attack.
As the case starts to turn in their favor, Mickey discovers that Roulet has lied to him. It was just a small detail that seemed unimportant, but that is one thing that Haller does not accept from his clients. They must tell him the truth or he’s out. Then other things come up and Roulet’s behavior seems to change. Mickey begins to doubt the truthfulness of his client, whom he is ethically required to defend. Until now, the law has not really been about guilt or innocence to Mickey, but rather about negotiation and manipulation of the rules. Now Mickey is facing the reality of what justice is really all about, as well as the real threat of losing his life.
I have been reading my way through Connelly’s books from the beginning, so I have been knee-deep in the life of Detective Harry Bosch, and other protagonists like Jack McEvoy (newspaper writer), Terry McCaleb (FBI profiler), and Rachel Walling (FBI agent). Now Connelly has added another multi-dimensional, anti-hero in Mickey Haller, a flawed individual who is not afraid in work in the gray areas of the law.
Mickey Haller is not the opposite of Bosch, but he is definitely different, and in many ways, just as interesting. Although not explored in much detail yet, Mickey’s background and upbringing were less stark and dramatic than Harry’s. Mickey also handles his professional business differently, as well as his close relationships. Where Harry focuses on overcoming a past that lacked parental influence, Mickey struggles with being in the shadow of the legacy of his father’s success. One of the things that I found interesting was rather than Harry’s love and influence for blues music, Mickey finds rhythm and motivation from hard-core rap artists like Tupac. Could you imagine Mickey sharing one of his favorite works - “To Live and Die in LA” - with Harry?
“The Lincoln Lawyer” reminds me of how well Connelly writes, regardless of which protagonist he is working with. If I had to use one word it would be “polished”. He uses his proven writing experience to lay out a complex legal thriller and multiple secondary character relationships in a connected, interweaving use of plot and pacing to share an awesome page-turning experience rather than a story. I would say that it reminded me of John Grisham at his best, but it was a fresh and original take that had Connelly written all over it. If there was anything similar, it was the great way that Connelly used the greater Los Angeles area as setting to strengthen and amplify his strong plotting (just like Grisham uses various settings in the South).
Connelly provides you a front-seat reading experience. For example, I felt like I was standing next to Mickey yelling – “What are you thinking, man?” as he gave away his key pieces of evidence to the shifty prosecutor, Ted Minton. The narrative flowed effortlessly from one scene to another, one conversation to the next, and one twist to another until the multiple climaxes paid off and I could breathe a sigh of relief. There was no extra verbiage or unnecessary descriptions taking away from the story’s focus.
Overall, this book was an absolute joy to immerse myself in. Mickey Haller is a complex character with a few real strengths, many poignant weaknesses, and internal demons driving him to become a lawyer who believes in and seeks for justice. His background and unique quirks make him an interesting addition and balance to the hard-driven passion of Harry Bosch. Connelly has created another winner and I look forward to reading his next book.
November 14, 2021
5 Stars. Mickey Haller grows on you - with two former wives, Maggie and Lorna, both who love him and an adoring eight-year-old daughter who can't get enough of him. He practices criminal law from his Lincoln Town Car, of which he has several. As an aside, don't lose track of those cars. It's not that he's rich, far from it, but he has considered going into business ferrying celebrities around LA if the local bar association expels him for questionable tactics. More like when. We follow the story in the first person singular through Mickey himself. For him, Louis Roulet is a dream client. Rich. Mickey could play the billings for years! The realtor playboy is charged with viciously attacking a woman, and nearly killing her. It looks to be relatively easy, but Mickey is eventually confronted with a very serious legal dilemma. One that stretches his training, tactics and ethics to the limit, and threatens his career and the lives of his family. It includes a former client coming back into Haller's field of view with adamant claims of innocence, and someone close to him getting shot. Matthew McConaughey played our hero to perfection on the big screen. (August 2019)
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