"The Brass Verdict has the sneaky metabolism of any Connelly book. It starts slowly, moves calmly, hides pertinent bits of information in plain sight and then abruptly ratchets up its energy for the denouement....In the midst of this new story, Mickey rebounds with a vengeance....Like Harry Bosch's mojo, Mickey Haller's is liable to work well for a long time."—Janet Maslin, New York Times
"Connelly is firing on all cylinders in this epic page-turner. The intriguing story line, the chance to view Bosch from another perspective, and Haller's reappearance as a main character add up to a fantastic read. One of the best thrillers of the year."—Jeff Ayers, Library Journal
"The answer to every Connelly fan's dream: Hieronymus Bosch meets the Lincoln Lawyer....By turns wary, competitive, complementary, cooperative and mutually predatory....Connelly brings his two sleuths together in a way that honors them both"—Kirkus Reviews
"Connelly once again hits it out of the park in the tightly written, fast-paced and sharply imagined The Brass Verdict....Connelly builds to some breathtaking twists before all comes to a close. And a more perfect end to the maze he has drawn is difficult to imagine."—Robin Vidimos, Denver Post
"If at first encounter Connelly seems primarily an exceptionally accomplished writer of crime novels, at closer examination he is also a mordant and knowing chronicler of the world in which crime takes place, i.e., our world....A terrific ride."—Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post
"A beautifully executed crime thriller....Bosch might have met his match in the wily Haller, and readers will delight in their sparring."—Publishers Weekly
"Connelly is firing on all cylinders in this epic page-turner. The intriguing story line, the chance to view Bosch from another perspective, and Haller's reappearance as a main character add up to a fantastic read. One of the best thrillers of the year."
— Library Journal
"If at first encounter Connelly seems primarily an exceptionally accomplished writer of crime novels, at closer examination he is also a mordant and knowing chronicler of the world in which crime takes place, i.e., our world....Aterrific ride."
— Washington Post
"Connelly once again hits it out of the park in the tightly written, fast-paced and sharply imagined The Brass Verdict....Connelly builds to some breathtaking twists before all comes to a close. And a more perfect end to the maze he has drawn is difficult to imagine."
— Denver Post
"The answer to every Connelly fan's dream: Hieronymus Bosch meets the Lincoln Lawyer....By turns wary, competitive, complementary, cooperative and mutually predatory....Connelly brings his two sleuths together in a way that honors them both"
"The Brass Verdict has the sneaky metabolism of any Connelly book. It starts slowly, moves calmly, hides pertinent bits of information in plain sight and then abruptly ratchets up its energy for the denouement....In the midst of this new story, Mickey rebounds with a vengeance....Like Harry Bosch's mojo, Mickey Haller's is liable to work well for a long time."
— New York Times
"A beautifully executed crime thriller....Bosch might have met his match in the wily Haller, and readers will delight in their sparring."
His main character, Counselor Mickey Haller is twice divorced but not bitter; likable in a principled way but willing to bend the rules and finally, he's kind of a wuss when it comes down to violence and sometimes it does come down to violence. All the supporting characters like his ex-wives, his investigator friend and even his chauffeur read like real people who help drive the plot forward, not just clichés who hang like drapes in the background.
His villains have been done before but, but what villains haven¿t? At least they ring true in the context of the story and there are always a few clever red herrings or plot twists scattered throughout, plus a few classic OMGs at the end. However, in The Brass Verdict, there's another unique twist: Harry Bosch, Connelly¿s stalwart hero in a dozen previous books, shows up as the head detective investigating a studio mogul's wife's murder. What is unusual is that we see a completely new Harry Bosch through Haller's eyes, and believe me, it's not one we've seen before, what with the "flat, cold eyes" and a nasty bag of tricks he uses to try and trick Haller into betraying the hallowed lawyer/client privilege. Things get even edgier when Haller¿s little girl wants to know why he always trys to get the bad guys out of jail, something all of us sometimes wonder about defense attorneys. There are also subplots of FBI subterfuge, mafia involvement, surfer hijinks but thankfully, no gooey love story tagged on to appease the dewy-eyed reader.
Indeed, there are a lot of courtroom scenes in this book, but they dovetail nicely into the plot and Haller's superb first person narrative plants you firmly at the defense table with all the info you need to have a pleasant and not overly taxing read. I think the verdict¿s clearly in - grab The Lincoln Lawyer first, read it, then go out and buy The Brass Verdict. You won¿t regret it.
Defense lawyer Mickey Haller inherits a dead colleague's law practice and with it what could be his biggest case ever. His client, Walter Elliot, wants the case to proceed quickly, so Haller is playing catchup. But is his client holding something back? The dead colleague, Jerry Vincent, was murdered and Detective Harry Bosch is on the case. Can Vincent's murder and Elliot's case be tied together? Haller and Bosch may have to put their heads together for this one. The ending was fantastic setting up what I hope will be many more books where both characters are featured.
Connelly's writing skillfully captures both courtroom and police investigation scenes and dialogue. The legal aspect is never dry and the investigation side always keeps you guessing. His characters are believable and human. The personal lives and relationships of the main and supporting characters greatly enhance the whole storyline. It was interesting to see Harry Bosch through Haller's eyes. It was a bit of a different Bosch than I have become accustomed to. But that too is part of Connelly's skill - keeping us on our toes and never, never letting us become bored of his writing!
I always anticipate starting a new book by one of my favourite authors and try to stretch it out and 'make it last'. But yet again it didn't work - I burned through this new release in just over a day. Sigh.....another year till the next one.
Little, Brown, & Co., 2008
ISBN: 9780316166294
Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for ReviewYourBook.com, 11/08
4 Stars
Mickey Haller and Harry Bosch together¿.
Michael Connelly brings two of his famous characters together in one powerful mystery. Mickey Haller is a defense lawyer working on the biggest case of his career. Harry Bosch is a LAPD Detective investigating the murder of Jerry Vincent. When the killer goes after Haller, the two men join forces to solve the case.
Mickey is a lovable sleaze, and Bosch is abrasive; when paired together they are a dynamic duo. I do not usually read lawyer books, but I made an exception this time. I am glad I did. Connelly gives his characters depth. Their personalities are strong. The plot is multifaceted and stimulating. It kept me on the edge of my seat. The ending had a surprise twist. Fans of courtroom drama will not want to miss The Brass Verdict.