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Michael Connelly (1) (1956–)

Author of The Lincoln Lawyer

For other authors named Michael Connelly, see the disambiguation page.

141+ Works 156,029 Members 4,105 Reviews 362 Favorited
There are 2 open discussions about this author. See now.

About the Author

Michael Connelly was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 21, 1956. He graduated from the University of Florida in 1980 where he majored in journalism and minored in creative writing. After graduation, he worked at newspapers in Daytona Beach and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, specializing in the show more crime beat. In 1986, he interviewed survivors of a plane crash with two other reporters and the magazine story subsequently written on the crash was on the short list for the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing. This story led to a job as a crime reporter for the Los Angeles Times. After three years there, he began writing his first novel. His first novel, The Black Echo, was published in 1992 and won the Edgar Award for best first novel. He is the author of the Harry Bosch series, the Jack McEvoy series, and the Mickey Haller series. He has won numerous awards including the Anthony Award, Macavity Award, Shamus Award, Dilys Award, Nero Award, Barry 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). (Bowker Author Biography) show less

Series

Works by Michael Connelly

The Lincoln Lawyer (2005) 8,116 copies, 223 reviews
The Black Echo (1992) 6,284 copies, 177 reviews
The Poet (1996) 5,755 copies, 128 reviews
The Closers (2005) 5,314 copies, 101 reviews
Echo Park (2006) 5,288 copies, 108 reviews
The Brass Verdict (2008) 5,273 copies, 170 reviews
The Narrows (2004) 5,106 copies, 85 reviews
City of Bones (2002) 4,967 copies, 89 reviews
Lost Light (2003) 4,793 copies, 94 reviews
A Darkness More Than Night (2001) 4,703 copies, 87 reviews
The Overlook (2007) 4,687 copies, 123 reviews
The Black Ice (1994) 4,675 copies, 126 reviews
The Concrete Blonde (1994) 4,624 copies, 126 reviews
Angels Flight (1999) 4,622 copies, 98 reviews
Trunk Music (1997) 4,311 copies, 80 reviews
The Last Coyote (1995) 4,270 copies, 109 reviews
Nine Dragons (2009) 4,209 copies, 143 reviews
Blood Work (1997) 4,196 copies, 71 reviews
The Scarecrow (2009) 4,124 copies, 104 reviews
The Reversal (2010) 4,101 copies, 132 reviews
The Fifth Witness (2011) 3,702 copies, 114 reviews
The Drop (2011) 3,663 copies, 116 reviews
Chasing the Dime (2002) 3,628 copies, 61 reviews
Void Moon (1999) 3,366 copies, 64 reviews
The Black Box (2012) 3,290 copies, 114 reviews
The Burning Room (2014) 2,991 copies, 100 reviews
The Gods of Guilt (2013) 2,982 copies, 97 reviews
The Crossing (2015) 2,911 copies, 104 reviews
The Wrong Side of Goodbye (2016) 2,821 copies, 105 reviews
The Late Show (2017) 2,797 copies, 119 reviews
Two Kinds of Truth (2017) 2,611 copies, 76 reviews
Dark Sacred Night (2018) 2,586 copies, 89 reviews
The Night Fire (2019) 2,310 copies, 83 reviews
The Law of Innocence (2020) 2,003 copies, 64 reviews
The Dark Hours (2021) 1,827 copies, 70 reviews
Fair Warning (2020) 1,798 copies, 52 reviews
Desert Star (2022) 1,557 copies, 51 reviews
Resurrection Walk (2023) 1,307 copies, 34 reviews
Crime Beat: A Decade of Covering Cops and Killers (2006) — Author — 1,151 copies, 25 reviews
The Waiting (2024) 1,109 copies, 30 reviews
Nightshade (2025) 923 copies, 37 reviews
The Proving Ground (2025) 687 copies, 28 reviews
Switchblade [short story] (2013) 315 copies, 15 reviews
Ironwood (2026) 277 copies, 11 reviews
The Best American Mystery Stories : 2003 (2003) — Editor — 236 copies, 2 reviews
In the Shadow of the Master: Classic Tales by Edgar Allan Poe (2009) — Editor; Contributor — 206 copies, 3 reviews
The Safe Man: A Ghost Story (2024) 204 copies, 7 reviews
Blue on Black (2016) 184 copies, 8 reviews
The Blue Religion: New Stories about Cops, Criminals, and the Chase (2008) — Editor; Introduction & Contributor — 173 copies, 7 reviews
Murder in Vegas (2005) — Editor — 124 copies
The Black Echo [and] The Black Ice (2004) 81 copies, 2 reviews
Hieronymus Bosch: A Mysterious Profile (2022) 42 copies, 3 reviews
Blood Work [abridged audio] (1998) 31 copies, 2 reviews
The Drop [first 11 chapters] (2011) 28 copies, 1 review
Measures of Poison (2002) 23 copies
Red Eye (2014) — Author — 20 copies
Two Bagger [and] Chickasaw Charlie Hoke (2007) 19 copies, 1 review
The Poet / Blood Work [abridged] (2011) 10 copies, 1 review
Harry Bosch, Books 1-10 (2015) 8 copies
The Hollow (2026) 6 copies
Cielo Azul [short story] (2005) 6 copies
[Title missing] 5 copies
The Poet / The Narrows (2020) 3 copies
Murder Worthy (2017) 3 copies, 1 review
Void Moon [abridged] 3 copies, 1 review
Harry Bosch, Books 1-20 (2008) 3 copies
Harry Bosch, Books 1-14 (2011) 3 copies
The Reversal, Part 2 of 2 (2012) 2 copies
Mickey Haller, Books 1-4 (1971) 2 copies
A Fine Mist of Blood 1 copy, 1 review
Echo Park, Part 1 of 2 (2010) 1 copy

Associated Works

The Locked Room (1973) — Introduction, some editions — 1,263 copies, 35 reviews
Elevator Pitch (2019) 618 copies, 43 reviews
FaceOff (2014) — Contributor — 574 copies, 35 reviews
Half-Minute Horrors (2009) — Contributor — 317 copies, 21 reviews
In Sunlight or In Shadow: Stories Inspired by the Paintings of Edward Hopper (2016) — Contributor — 287 copies, 16 reviews
In the Company of Sherlock Holmes (2011) — Contributor — 266 copies, 14 reviews
Vengeance (2012) — Contributor — 191 copies, 17 reviews
The Best American Mystery Stories : 2008 (2008) — Contributor — 190 copies, 2 reviews
The Best American Mystery Stories : 2002 (2002) — Contributor — 174 copies
Los Angeles Noir (2007) — Contributor — 162 copies, 5 reviews
Dangerous Women (2005) — Contributor — 152 copies, 3 reviews
The Best American Mystery Stories : 2015 (2015) — Contributor — 129 copies, 3 reviews
The Best American Mystery Stories : 2009 (2009) — Contributor — 126 copies, 3 reviews
The Best American Mystery Stories : 2018 (2018) — Contributor — 125 copies, 4 reviews
The Best American Mystery Stories : 2013 (2013) — Contributor — 104 copies, 2 reviews
Double Exposure (2009) — Contributor, some editions — 98 copies, 4 reviews
USA Noir: Best of the Akashic Noir Series (2013) — Contributor — 97 copies, 11 reviews
The Rich and the Dead (2011) — Contributor — 78 copies
When a Stranger Comes to Town (2021) — Contributor — 72 copies, 6 reviews
P. S. Ich töte dich: 13 Zehn-Minuten-Thriller (2010) — Contributor — 67 copies, 1 review
Dead Man's Hand: Crime Fiction at the Poker Table (2007) — Contributor — 66 copies, 3 reviews
The Best Mystery Stories of the Year : 2022 (2022) — Contributor — 63 copies, 2 reviews
The Highway Kind: Tales of Fast Cars, Desperate Drivers, and Dark Roads (2016) — Contributor — 58 copies, 3 reviews
The Secret Society of Demolition Writers (2005) — Contributor — 51 copies, 1 review
Murderers' Row (2001) — Contributor — 47 copies, 1 review
Earthquake Weather (2004) — Introduction — 45 copies, 1 review
Six John Jordan Mysteries Volume 1 (2015) — Introduction, some editions — 44 copies, 1 review
Tampa Bay Noir (2020) — Contributor — 42 copies, 16 reviews
Reader's Digest Select Editions 2007 v02 #290 (2007) — Contributor — 24 copies
The Interrogator and Other Criminally Good Fiction (2012) — Contributor — 21 copies, 2 reviews
The Penguin Book of Crime Stories (2007) — Contributor — 20 copies, 1 review
Florida Gothic Stories (2010) — Afterword — 8 copies, 1 review
Reader's Digest Select Editions 2018 v05 #359 (2018) — Author — 3 copies
Three Killer Thrillers (2014) — Introduction — 3 copies
Reader's Digest Select Editions 2017 v05 #353 (2017) — Contributor — 2 copies
Best of Thrillers (2022) 1 copy

Tagged

audio (491) audiobook (894) Bosch (685) California (780) Connelly (439) crime (4,341) crime fiction (1,722) detective (1,664) ebook (1,321) fiction (8,738) hardcover (429) Harry Bosch (3,849) Kindle (992) legal thriller (432) Los Angeles (2,267) Michael Connelly (951) Mickey Haller (614) murder (1,007) mystery (10,127) mystery-thriller (514) novel (728) police (620) police procedural (1,041) policier (441) read (1,726) series (1,032) suspense (965) thriller (3,356) to-read (3,894) USA (647)

Common Knowledge

Canonical name
Connelly, Michael
Birthdate
1956-07-21
Gender
male
Education
University of Florida (BA|1980 - Journalism)
Occupations
journalist
author
writer
novelist
Organizations
Mystery Writers of America (President|2003 - 2004)
Los Angeles Times
Fort Lauderdale News and Sun-Sentinel
Daytona Beach News-Journal
Awards and honors
Edgar Award for Best First Novel (1992)
Anthony Award (1997, 2003, 2009)
Macavity Award (1999, 2006)
Los Angeles Times Best Mystery/Thriller Award (2006)
Shamus Award (2006)
Dilys Award (1996, 1997) (show all 18)
Nero Award (1997)
Barry Award (1998, 2003)
Audie Award (2004, 2007, 2011, 2017, 2021)
Ridley Award
Maltese Falcon Award (1995)(Japan)
.38 Caliber Award (France)
Grand Prix de Littérature Policière (1999)
Premio Bancarella Award (2000)
Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction Award (2022)
Cartier Diamond Dagger (2018)
RBA Prize for Crime Writing (2012)
Premi Pepe Carvalho (2009)
Agent
Philip Spitzer (Philip G. Spitzer Literary Agency)
Short biography
Michael Connelly is the bestselling author of over thirty novels and one work of nonfiction. With over seventy-four million copies of his books sold worldwide and translated into forty foreign languages, he is one of the most successful writers working today. A former newspaper reporter who worked the crime beat at the Los Angeles Times and the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, Connelly has won numerous awards for his journalism and his fiction. His very first novel, The Black Echo, won the prestigious Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best First Novel in 1992. In 2002, Clint Eastwood directed and starred in the movie adaptation of Connelly's 1998 novel, Blood Work. In March 2011, the movie adaptation of his #1 bestselling novel, The Lincoln Lawyer, hit theaters worldwide starring Matthew McConaughey as Mickey Haller. His most recent #1 New York Times bestsellers include Dark Sacred Night, The Late Show, Two Kinds Of Truth, The Late Show, The Wrong Side Of Goodbye, The Crossing, The Burning Room, The Gods of Guilt, The Black Box, and The Drop. Michael is the executive producer of BOSCH, an Amazon Studios original drama series based on his bestselling character Harry Bosch, starring Titus Welliver and streaming on Amazon Prime. He is also the executive producer of the documentary films, SOUND OF REDEMPTION: The Frank Morgan Story and Tales Of the American. He spends his time in California and Florida.
Nationality
USA
Birthplace
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Places of residence
Gainesville, Florida, USA
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
Los Angeles, California, USA
Tampa Bay, Florida, USA
Map Location
Estats Units
Associated Place (for map)
Florida, USA

Members

Discussions

For fellow Michael Connelly Fans - Who should I turn to next? in Crime, Thriller & Mystery (April 23)
Chat in Book Discussion : Blood Work by Michael Connelly (September 2025)
Chat in Book Discussion : Trunk Music by Michael Connelly (November 2024)
Chat in Book Discussion : The Poet by Michael Connelly (January 2024)
Let’s Meet the Author in Book Discussion : The Last Coyote by Michael Connelly (March 2023)
Chat in Book Discussion : The Last Coyote by Michael Connelly (March 2023)
Chat in Book Discussion : The Concrete Blonde by Michael Connelly (July 2020)
Chat in Book Discussion : The Black Ice by Michael Connelly (May 2020)
Chat in Book Discussion : The Black Echo by Michael Connelly (August 2019)

Reviews

4,377 reviews
This is classic Bosch, the lone wolf (though Coyote is more appropriate), scouring the past - his own and the victim's. A dog uncovers a set of bones in Laurel Canyon which turn out to be human. Evidence on the body points at least two decades back. The victim engaged in a high-risk lifestyle, largely due to a fractured home life. Bosch sees himself in the victim, both aiding the investigation and sending Bosch back to his own fractured youth. Along the way, Bosch gets involved with a rookie show more and, like most Bosch personal relationships, it ends badly - the specific ending of the relationship is the only detail that largely stretches the bounds of credibility. But it's a failing easily forgiven, as this is one of the standouts in the series so far.

5 bones!!!!!
Highly recommended
show less
Eleanor Wish is one of my favorite recurring characters, so I was terribly happy to find her doing well, even if she's kept the birth of her daughter a secret from Bosch. Was it the danger of exposing Maddie to Bosch the reason for the secret? Or the danger of exposing herself to Bosch behind the choice? Either way, infusing Bosch's life with a child was a great choice for Connelly, as it forces the issue on Bosch's path to the light. And it sets Bosch up for some difficult decisions, not show more all he'll get right.

This is the first story for Bosch in his retirement work as a private dick. And he goes to an old, unsolved one from his early days in the LAPD - some of the best novels so far are ones that require Bosch to peer back into his past at mistakes and missed opportunities. But it also highlights his investigative acumen in resurrecting these cold cases. This one features the murder of a Hollywood production assistant, a armored car heist, and a harrowing shooting that leaves one detective dead and another permanently disabled.

Occasionally, Connelly forces us into Bosch's dark interior world with a first person narrative - it's not a place all the books could, or should, live. But the occasional visit gives us a better understanding of the demons that live there in his mind.

5 bones!!!!!
show less
Michael Connelly’s “The Lincoln Lawyer” is probably the most convincing legal thriller I’ve ever read. Mickey Haller’s world comes alive on the pages - his “office” the back seat of a Lincoln, his (sometimes questionable) clients, and his approach which is an exquisite mix of street-smart savvy, courtroom elegance, and hard-earned cynicism.

Each twist lands, every setback ratchets up the tension, and Mickey’s voice carries the narrative with wit, weariness, and surprising show more vulnerability. He is far from the “white-knight” lawyer - constantly dancing on the edge between pragmatism and principle - but it is the flashes of conscience and dry humour that give Haller real depth.

»My greatest fear had been realized, realized for two years but I hadn’t known it. Not until now. I had been presented with innocence but I had not seen it or grasped it. Instead, I had thrown it into the maw of the machine like everything else. Now it was a cold, gray innocence, as dead as gravel and hidden in a fortress of stone and steel. And I had to live with it.«

Connelly’s supporting cast is just as convincing - whether it is the investigator, Raul, the ex-wives (especially Maggie!), or the primary client here whose story is never quite what it seems, each adds momentum to the story.

Perhaps most impressive is the way Connelly melds hardboiled crime, legal manoeuvring, and a thoughtful exploration of justice and morality - without sacrificing entertainment. “The Lincoln Lawyer” brims with energy, depth, and an appeal which makes for compulsive reading.

Whether you are new to courtroom thrillers or a seasoned crime fiction reader, for me, this was an absolute page-turner and a remarkably strong series opener.

Compared to Connelly’s Harry Bosch, Mickey Haller is - at least in this first instalment - less gritty and slightly more “glossy”. I greatly enjoyed it.

Five stars out of five.

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Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam
show less
I have been eagerly awaiting the fourth book - The Dark Hours - in Michael Connelly's Ballard and Bosch novels. And IMO, this is the best one yet!
It's New Year's Eve and Renée is again working the night shift - by choice. By tradition, revelers shoot their guns into the air at midnight in Los Angeles. Sounds like a recipe for disaster doesn't it? Uh huh, it results in one of the first homicides of the new year. Here's the thing - the bullet may be tied to an unsolved case - one worked by show more Harry Bosch. Now retired, Bosch has become a mentor and a sometime off the books partner of Renée.

I'm always so happy to see Harry again. He's like an old war horse that just keeps riding into battle. His experience, (usually) calm demeanor and drive for answers and justice keep him going. "Everybody counts or nobody counts" Renée is fearless and has that same drive for justice. Her determination has not endeared her to her fellow cops. Connelly has woven current events and happenings and the turbulent state of policing and politics into the narrative. While others do just the bare minimum, Renée never lets up. In addition to the New Year's Eve case, she's also trying to find a pair of serial rapists who've been labeled as The Midnight Men. A lot goes on on the late show....

Connelly's crime novels are second to none. The characters, the settings, the details, the plotting - all of it makes for fantastic reading. And yes, lots of action.

The dynamic between these two really works. In the final pages, I thought I saw where the Ballard and Bosch books might be headed in the fifth book, but Connelly throws in an alternative. I can't wait to see which way things end up.

Highly recommended!
show less

Lists

Awards

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Associated Authors

Robert Pépin Translator, Traduction
Otto Penzler Series Editor
Elmore Leonard Contributor
Titus Welliver Narrator, Reader
Dick Hill Narrator, Reader
Len Cariou Narrator
Laurie R. King Contributor
Lawrence Block Contributor
Buck Schirner Narrator
Jeffrey Deaver Contributor
Lisa Scottoline Contributor
Edward D. Hoch Contributor
Nelson DeMille Contributor
Sara Paretsky Contributor
S. J. Rozan Contributor
Doug Allyn Contributor
Walter Mosley Contributor
John Peyton Cooke Contributor
Joyce Carol Oates Contributor
Mike Doogan Contributor
Christopher Cook Contributor
Robert McKee Contributor
Hannah Tinti Contributor
Monica Wood Contributor
Scott Wolven Contributor
O'Neil De Noux Contributor
Scott Phillips Contributor
Tyler Dilts Contributor
Brendan DuBois Contributor
Daniel Stashower Contributor
Pete Dexter Contributor
James Crumley Contributor
Sue Grafton Contributor
Harry Clarke Illustrator
Stephen King Contributor
Joseph Wambaugh Contributor
Laura Lippman Contributor
Tess Gerritsen Cover artist
P. J. Parrish Contributor
Thomas H. Cook Contributor
Jan Burke Contributor
Bev Vincent Contributor
John Buentello Contributor
Polly Nelson Contributor
Leslie Glass Contributor
John Harvey Contributor
Paul Guyot Contributor
James O. Born Contributor
Jack Fredrickson Contributor
Persia Walker Contributor
Jon L. Breen Contributor
Diana Hansen-Young Contributor
Paula L. Woods Contributor
Peter Robinson Contributor
Greg Rucka Contributor
Alafair Burke Contributor
Gay Toltl Kinman Contributor
Linda Kerslake Contributor
Michael Collins Contributor
Ronnie Klaskin Contributor
James Swain Contributor
Ruth Cavin Contributor
A.B. Robbins Contributor
Micki Marz Contributor
K. J. A. Wishnia Contributor
Jeremiah Healy Contributor
Lise McClendon Contributor
Fischer Hellmann Contributor
John Wessel Contributor
Edward Wellen Contributor
Wendy Hornsby Contributor
Rick Mofina Contributor
Joan Richter Contributor
T.P. Keating Contributor
Tom Savage Contributor
J. Madison Davis Contributor
Sue Pike Contributor
Dan Cashman Narrator
Lee Horsley Narrator
Gianni Montanari Translator
Peter Giles Narrator, Reader
Jean Esch Translator
Eva Larsson Translator
Robert Pépin Traduction
Sepp Leeb Übersetzer
Adam Grupper Narrator
Nicholas Verhoeven Cover artist
Amedeo Romeo Translator
Javier Guerrero Translator
Hans Kooijman Translator
Anna Rusconi Translator
Marc Lobato Narrator
Gianna Lonza Translator
Lauren Harms Cover designer
Zach Villa Narrator
Mario J. Pulice Cover designer
Madison Lintz Narrator
Alfredo Colitto Translator
John Lee Reader
Alan Sklar Reader
Natalie Ross Narrator
Phil Gigante Narrator

Statistics

Works
141
Also by
102
Members
156,029
Popularity
#39
Rating
3.9
Reviews
4,105
ISBNs
3,509
Languages
29
Favorited
362

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