I must have been in the mood for a clearly written, good mystery with lots of twists and turns, and characters I could care about, because I found this book to be excellent, a real page turner. A bonus is the insight you get into the legal system and jury selection and the motivations of defense lawyers. Michael Connelly is a step way above the usual best-seller thriller genre. ( )

Things are finally looking up for defense attorney Mickey Haller. After two years of wrong turns, Haller is back in the courtroom. When Hollywood lawyer Jerry Vincent is murdered, Haller inherits his biggest case yet: the defense of Walter Elliott, a prominent studio executive accused of murdering his wife and her lover. But as Haller prepares for the case that could launch him into the big time, he learns that Vincent's killer may be coming for him next.

Enter Harry Bosch. Determined to find Vincent's killer, he is not opposed to using Haller as bait. But as danger mounts and the stakes rise, these two loners realize their only choice is to work together. ( )

Michael Connelly doesn't only write brilliant procedurals (starring Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch, who is in a supporting role in this book), but he also writes really good courtroom dramas with Mickey Haller, the "Lincoln Lawyer" (no office, just three Lincolns, off whose backseats he does his cases). This book keeps you on the edge, is very entertaining and has some nice twists! ( )

Michael Connelly writes a great mystery. I don't know how he manages to do it, but he delivers every single time. His primary series character, Detective Bosch, hooks up with his newest character, Mickey Haller from The Lincoln Lawyer in his latest book.

Like all of Connelly's books the writing is uncomplicated & well-paced with an emphasis on both plot AND character. I suspect it's this that makes his books so enjoyable. This one is less a police procedural & more a courtroom drama & as such the trial sequences are the strongest part of the book.

Some may think that Bosch has too small a role here, but the intersection is believable & successfully sets up these two men (& their underlying connection) for future interaction.

I also appreciate the fact that Connelly writes L.A. so well. Often writers pay lip service to their setting, but Connelly obviously considers his setting to be a player in the story in much the same way that James Lee Burke writes south Louisiana (although Burke is the master of this). For a fun, quick read you can't get much better than this. It's refreshing to read a writer of a mystery series who doesn't seem to be running out of steam. Can't wait for the next one! ( )

After two years recuperating from a gunshot wound and subsequent addiction to pain pills, defense attorney Mickey Haller thinks he’s ready for work, although he intends to take things slow and easy. When his colleague Jerry Vincent is murdered, Haller, as Vincent’s surrogate, inherits his active cases, one of which is garnering much media attention. Hollywood producer Walter Elliott has been accused of murdering his wife and her lover, and his trial’s coming up within days. Elliott refuses to allow a continuance and Haller’s scrambling to prepare for trial while butting heads with Harry Bosch, the detective investigating Vincent’s murder. As the case moves forward, Haller delves deeper into the case file, revealing secrets that will place his own life in danger and forever change his views of the judicial system.

The Brass Verdict, the second in the Mickey Haller series, pits Haller against Connelly’s popular series character, Harry Bosch. The two, although antagonistic toward one another, are more alike than not and make for an interesting combination. Connelly gives the reader a good mystery to solve, surrounded by characters supportive of Haller who look out for him. The plot moves at a fast pace and readers will enjoy “seeing” Bosch through another character’s eyes. ( )