The Reversal

Of the three novels I’ve read so far in this series this is my favorite, and considering that stories and characterizations have become increasingly better from book 1 to here, I’m certain that this trend is not going to cease any time soon.

The story for The Reversal focuses on the re-opening of the trial against Jason Jessup, who twenty-four years previously was convicted of the kidnapping and murder of a child, snatched from the lawn in front of her own house: DNA analysis of biological traces on the victim’s dress - which was not available at the time of the first investigation - seems to point toward a totally different perpetrator so that the California Supreme Court is asking for a retrial or the acquittal of Jessup. The show more District Attorney wants someone with no ties to his office for the prosecution, and therefore asks Mickey Haller to take up that role: the reversal in the title then does not refer only to the possible repeal of the previous sentence, but also to Haller having to take on a role that goes against what has been his life’s work so far.

Haller accepts on two conditions: that his second chair be filled by his ex wife Maggie McPherson (also known as Maggie McFierce in the DA office) and that the new investigation be led by none other than Detective Harry Bosch, who Haller knows will leave no stone unturned seeking for the truth. The trio is certain of Jessup’s guilt, DNA results notwithstanding, but they are fighting an uphill battle with evidence that is a quarter of a century old, with witnesses who are either dead or have forgotten a great deal, and with the dangerous political implications of a case that might make or break many careers.

One of the reasons I so enjoyed The Reversal comes from the interactions of these three very different people who manage to work together toward a common goal: with hindsight I realized that all three of them have to travel some uncharted and uncomfortable territory - Haller is tasked to confirm the man’s guilt and therefore the life sentence that was imposed 24 years before; McPherson must work with the man she divorced because, among other things, their views on justice were at polar opposites; and Bosch has to swim upriver, so to speak, because he needs to re-trace the evidence collected at the time of the first investigation. What really brings them together is the realization that they need to find justice for the innocent victim whose life was cut horribly short even before she truly started living it. This is very much a character driven story set in a solid narrative background in which police work and courtroom drama blend into a quite compelling narrative: it’s clear from the start that, despite some doubts to the contrary, Jessup is indeed guilty, but it’s the journey that takes the readers toward this inevitable conclusion that makes this book a proverbial page turner.

By having his two main characters working together, Michael Connelly creates an intriguing partnership between two men whose final goal is that of justice, although they usually move toward it on different paths, and the narrative choice employed here - Haller with first person POV and Bosch with third person - creates an interesting balance that works quite well despite the constant change in perspective. Another interesting angle comes from the fact that they are both fathers, each of them faced with the difficulties inherent in parenting: where Bosch is now raising his teenage daughter as a single parent, having to balance the needs of his work with those of young Maddie, Haller is something of an estranged father, both because of the divorce and of his recent past of addiction, so he’s trying to regain the lost ground and proceeding through trial and error.

These two halves of the story act as a mirror for the two narrative components, the courtroom sequences and the investigation, both of them influenced by the ever-present political pressures that here are further weighted down by those of the public opinion: Jessup’s defense team has launched a massive campaign to promote the man’s innocence, and of course the public is equally divided into two factions, with the media breathing fuel into the fire for its own advantage. Connelly inserts a few passing mentions to some real-life equally divisive trials of the time, imbuing the story with another layer of reality that makes it even more compelling.

If I have to find a flaw in this very engrossing story it’s in the end: to me it seemed somewhat abrupt if I consider the long, careful buildup that led to it, and I felt almost cheated of the conclusion that I had hoped for, but to be honest it’s a really small blemish in a totally engrossing canvas, and I’m once again certain that I will not be disappointed in any future reading choices from this author, who is now one of my go-to writers when I feel the need of an immersive story. show less

A Bosch/Haller team up, which is always a fragile prospect. Haller takes a special appointment as a prosecutor - a fox in the hen house set-up - for an old case where the convicted killer has had his conviction overturned. Bosch is put on the team to re-investigate the case in the hopes of securing another conviction based on new evidence. Even though Harry retreats to his old flame, Rachel Walling - unnecessarily, if you ask me - he manages to unearth new evidence that the killer actually committed a series of murders, not just the one for which he was originally convicted. The combination of Haller's near Greek-level ego and Harry's unrequited suspicion of everyone but himself provides for a wonderful read. The back story between show more these two's origins always hovers over them, a ghost they are both haunted by.

5 bones!!!!!
Highly Recommended!!!!! show less

Defense attorney Mickey Haller is approached to take on a new case -- as a prosecutor. Twenty-four years ago Jason Jessup was convicted of kidnapping and murdering a 12-year old girl, but his conviction is overturned when DNA testing of the semen found on the girl's dress turns out to belong to the stepfather. Since the DNA was only a small part of the evidence against him, the District Attorney's office is determined to try him again (and attempt to avoid a costly lawsuit at the same time), and they need someone independent to prosecute Jessup. Mickey agrees to take the case and appoints his ex-wife Maggie "Mcfierce" McPherson as co-council and his world-weary half-brother Harry Bosch as investigator. While Jessup is allowed out on show more bail, Harry makes sure he is kept under surveillance. During the day Jessup plays to the cameras, but at night he takes mysterious forays into the local public parks, sitting at picnic tables and burning candles. The first half of the book has Haller reviewing evidence of the first investigation and the testimony of the original trial, while Bosch interviews old witnesses and tries to find anything overlooked in the first investigation. The second half of the book covers the second trial.

While this wasn't perhaps your typical "page-turner" where you have to find out what happens next, the plot is expertly put together, and by the end you feel as if you've lived through an actual trial. And the ending is shocking and unexpected. My only complaint is that not everything was neatly tied up and resolved at the end. While this may be realistic, it was not very satisfying. show less

Connelly was, at one time, one of my favorite crime fiction writers. He wrote great police procedurals that were not only well-written but also exquisitely plotted and researched. That's not the case any more, as it appears he's now 'mailing it in'. It's not quite the disappointment as 9 Dragons, but as someone who has followed his career since the beginning, I know he can do a lot better.

This one places two of his best characters, Harry Bosch the cop and Mickey Haller the defense lawyer, together in a story about a killer who is being re-tried for his crime, the murder of a little girl. It's neither a police procedural nor a courtroom drama. That's not necessarily a bad thing, and the story is pretty interesting and moves at a good show more pace. The problem I have is with the number of logical holes, unlikely events, and the manner in which the conclusion comes about. I don't want to spoil the story, but it was all pretty unbelievable. I did like the tension between Bosch and Haller, but the fact the story was split between them sort of watered down their impact.

For someone just starting out with this author, if you liked this one you'll love his early work. If you didn't care much for The Reversal, still give his earlier stuff a chance. show less

The Reversal is Connelly's third book in the Lincoln Lawyer series about LA attorney Mickey Haller. The other books in the series are The Lincoln Lawyer, The Brass Verdict, the Fifth Witness, and the Gods of Guilt. Haller, in these books, is a fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants criminal defense lawyer who does not normally maintain an office like a normal lawyer, but instead works out of the back of his Lincoln which is driven by a former client who does that in order to work off his legal bills. Connelly is a former crime reporter both in Miami and for the LA Times and his familiarity with his beat is evident in his writing. His familiarity with the Los Angeles courtrooms is so good that it is surprising that he never practiced. These books, show more like Connelly's Harry Bosch novels, are good, easy reading that flow from page one to the end generally with a speed approaching that of the cars in the Indy 500.

While it is obvious Connelly had fun writing this book and combining his most popular characters Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller (and also appearing are Maggie McFierce and Rachel Waller), the overall scenario of a defense lawyer being appointed a special prosecutor is simply not realistic and would never happen. Nor would he have been paired with his ex-wife as second chair. The talent of Connelly as a writer is that the reader can accept such an unrealistic scenario and get on with the story without having that jarring the reader from the story. There were also a few other points that did not ring true like the prosecution being worried about a motion to keep the key prosecution witness from testifying based on allegations about her credibility, which would be an issue for the jury to consider, not a point that would legitimately keep a witness from testifying. Also, the reference to the Ninth District rather than the Ninth Circuit at one point was a little jarring.

But it is a good story and one that was hard to put down and that is perhaps the most important point, besides what might seem to be nitpicking. Haller in this book is a prosecutor retrying a man whose conviction for the murder of a twelve-year-old abducted from her front lawn was overturned on appeal twenty-four years after trial. To make the story more interesting (although not realistic), the defendant is released on his own recognizance and is up to something in his late night jaunts around town. Connelly writes well and takes the reader through the investigation and the trial testimony to the startling conclusion to this story. Well done and highly recommended. show less

This was a muddled, unsatisfying work from the basic premise: that the Los Angeles D.A. asks defense lawyer Misckey Haller to become a special prosecutor on a high-profile case. Haller's a bit like a fish out of water, but he's assisted by his ex-wife and Harry Bosch, Connolly's popular L.A. detective. The problem lies in not quite knowing what's at the core of the book: a police procedural? A courtroom drama? To resolve the lack of focus, Connolly tries to make it both,and he does not pull it off. There is little action on the detective side, and much time in the courtroom (with a discussion of legal strategies). Suspensse? Nope. Connolly tried, as the cliche puts it to "have his cake and eat it," but I think it gave him, and his show more readers, a sour stomach. show less