THE LAW OF INNOCENCE

 5 stars out of 5

With the end of a mostly shut-in year looming, I've managed to read about 120 books - far exceeding the goal I set at the beginning of the year. All but a few earned high marks - with several coming from authors I'd not even heard of - and that's satisfying and a real treat. Still, I have to say that opening one from a long-established author - one of my favorites - brings a special level of excitement. And when it's really, really good, as this one is, I'm over the top (and, I hasten to add, more than a little sad when I've finished).

This one puts investigation and courtroom drama to the test, and both passed with flying colors. This time, though, it's Lincoln Lawyer Mickey Haller who's his own client; it seems he was pulled over for a license plate violation - after which the officer found a dead body in the trunk. Because of the contentious relationship Mickey had with the victim - and because evidence was found at Mickey's home suggesting the man was killed there - the hot-shot defense attorney suddenly finds himself behind bars and facing a trial that could keep him there for the rest of his life.

Needless to say, Mickey knows he didn't do it, but he's also acutely aware of the so-called law of innocence, to-wit: "For every man not guilty of a crime, there is a man out there who is." To this end, he and his team, which includes characters from previous books including his half-brother Harry Bosch, must figure out who the killer really is - and then prove it beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury.

How that plays out - and the goings-on in the trial itself - are the substance of the book. It's a great story, made even better by references to the onslaught of the Coronavirus and not-so-sneaky references to the lay of the national political land (which, depending on their perspectives, is likely to either delight readers like me or make them grind their teeth). Terrific book - highly recommended!

The Law of Innocence by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown and Co., November 2020); 433 pp.

TWO KINDS OF TRUTH

5 stars out of 5


Harry Bosch isn't getting any younger, and signs that he's even more fed up than usual with his life in general - and the Los Angeles Police Department in particular - are everywhere in this, the latest installment in one of my favorite series. A big part of his discomfort stems from learning that one of his LAPD cases is coming back not only to bring into serious question all his other cases, but to threaten his future as a volunteer who now helps solve cold cases at the San Fernando Police Department.

On the whole, I'd say this one is not my pick of the litter - it falls a little bit short of making my heart go thump-thump. But on the other hand, just when I was feeling just a bit disappointed, along comes Mickey Haller - the "Lincoln Lawyer" of the author's other popular series who's also Harry's half-brother. They've made crossover appearances in other books, but this time, the interaction seemed to last longer and boosted my interest right back to the top of the scale once again.

This one begins as Harry is starting to work on an SFPD cold case of a woman who disappeared 15 years ago, leaving behind an infant. She was never found, and because of the baby, it's assumed she was the victim of foul play. Just then, he gets a visit from LAPD representatives, including his former partner Lucia Soto. As he expects, the news isn't good; Preston Borders, who's been on death row for 30 years, has come up with "evidence" he insists will clear his name and get him released from jail. That evidence also implicates Harry, who handled the case way back then - and it's damning enough that his enemies at the LAPD are determined to reopen the file and investigate.

Meanwhile, back at the SFPD, a new case comes in; father-and-son pharmacists are shot to death in their mall store, with all the characteristics of a mob hit rather than a robbery gone terribly wrong. Immediately, Harry gets deeply involved in this case as well, taking on a role unlike any he's ever played before. As all this is going down, the LAPD investigation that calls Harry's actions on that long-ago case into question starts to heat up, he ups and calls Mickey - who's more than ready to put his sometimes out-of-the-mainstream (and always fun to read about) investigative and courtroom skills to work. But Mickey's methods almost always leave a bit to be desired on the ethics side, and let's just say that adds tension to the already somewhat strained relationship between the two.

In the end, everything comes out in the wash, although not everything ends up spotless. That's just fodder, I'm thinking, for the next go-round. Woo hoo - bring it on!

Two Kinds of Truth by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown and Co., October 2017); 417 pp.

THE CROSSING

4 stars out of 5

The trouble with Harry is that he's agreed to work with his "Lincoln Lawyer" half-brother. I love both characters (Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller ), but if I'm honest, I'd have to say I wasn't as thrilled to see them working together as I thought I'd be. I'm not exactly why, except that while both share center stage as they go about their respective business, some of the shine (for want of a better word) that puts the uniqueness in their personalities just seemed a bit dull around the edges.

The story begins as the Mickster is defending a former gang member who's been charged with the brutal murder of a woman - according to the cops and prosecutor, an open-and-shut case. Haller, though, is convinced his guy has been set up; but to prove it, he needs a better-than-good investigator. Enter Bosch, who retired from the Los Angeles Police Department and in theory is available. Problem is, he doesn't want anything to do with Haller or his blustery, sometimes shady tactics; signing on with the defense would be tantamount to thumbing his nose at his former LAPD family.

Eventually, Haller wears down Bosch's defenses, convincing him to view the job as if he were doing his cop thing by finding the real culprit rather than helping to get a low-life killer out of jail (like beauty, intent apparently is in the eye of the beholder). And as he starts sniffing around, Bosch finds several holes in the investigation that make him think the case may be more open than shut - and his old cop instincts really do start kicking in.

So does the action, which includes a hit-and-run, scantily clad "businesswomen," more murders and the potential for blowback that could put the LAPD in the eye of a hurricane. As he gets deeper into the investigation, Bosch seeks help, and gets it, from a few former colleagues like former partner Lucia Soto even as he butts heads with a few other department cronies who are less than thrilled that he's joined the dark side.

All things considered, this book is very good, but not great. I look at it this way: After more than seven decades of eating, I still get a little antsy when different foods on my plate touch each other; similarly, I prefer that my characters lead separate lives (and books).

The Crossing by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown and Co., November 2015); 401 pp.

THE GODS OF GUILT

5 stars out of 5

I've lost count of the books I've read by the prolific Michael Connelly - from the Harry Bosch series to this series featuring "Lincoln Lawyer" Mickey Haller. Likewise, I don't remember the last time I read one that was anything other than really, really good. To be sure, this one continues that fine tradition.

It helps that I've always had an affinity for the legal profession; many, many years ago, I landed a job as a legal secretary -- the first job I had when I returned to work after taking time out to be a stay-at-home mommy until our younger child started kindergarten. The attorneys I worked for didn't provide the best of physical surroundings (there was no such thing as a file cabinet; instead, cases were kept in manila folders stacked on tables, chairs and floors, sometimes reaching almost to the ceiling, yet any one of the lawyers knew exactly which case was where at any given moment). It was fast-paced, demanding and, given the opportunity, an environment I'd be happy to return to any day of the week should someone ask me to.

Virtually living out of his car and operating by the seat of his pants, Mickey Haller always reminds me of those days. In this book, he's still suffering the ill effects of losing a bid for the district attorney spot and agrees to defend a former client's pimp who's incarcerated after being accused of murdering one of his girls - one who's had previous dealings with Haller as a confidential informant and friend. As he digs in, Haller starts to believe that the pimp is innocent, putting his life and those of his cohorts in danger and pitting him against powers-that-be ranging from a corrupt DEA agent to a powerful cartel drug lord.

Bottom line? Chalk up another winner!

The Gods of Guilt by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown and Co., December 2013); 401 pp.