This book marks the third legal thriller I've read this year, and the first Michael Connelly book I've ever read. Though I enjoyed the first two legal thrillers, by Randy Singer and John Grisham, I have to say that this is the best, most believable, well-written, most suspenseful of the three.
Since it is a thriller/mystery, I don't like to go into too much plot detail. Briefly put, the story is a first person account of defense laywer Mickey Haller, aka- The Lincoln Lawyers. Traveling in his Lincoln through Los Angeles' rougher neighborhoods to meet with various clients who are criminals and convicts, Mickey is a shrewd lawyer and businessman. Like most defense lawyers, Mickey spends most of his time either working out suitable plea deals, or trying to expose the cracks and flaws of the prosecutions case against his clients.
Connelly does well to lead the reader to have uncomfortable feelings about, what many would consider, a sleazy defense lawyer, while still drawing the reader into wanting him to succeed.
As a defense lawyer for some of the worst criminals in southern California, Mickey realizes the vast majority of his clients are guilty as charged - but he's not concerned with that.
What scares Mickey the most, and where the plot thickens, is the possibility of representing an innocent client and losing the case.
There were a few weak spots in the plot such as Mickey's amicable relationship with his two ex-wives, who work as prosecutors.
What made me pull the trigger and buy this book was the high reviews on amazon, many of them claiming, "Connelly's book puts Grisham to shame when it comes to writing legal thrillers."
I think I agree with that sentiment, and if you read this book you may as well.
