The Lincoln Lawyer

I will fully admit that I picked this book up on account of the movie of the same name. I'm always nervous about doing so since movies rarely live up to novels, but I'm glad I did in this case.

Connelly's The Lincoln Lawyer is a solid read. Well written and well paced, Connelly did an excellent job of throwing just enough legalese into the narrative to make it authentic, yet not so much as to make it inaccessible. Is this Pulitzer worthy? In my opinion, no. Is it a piece of great literature? Again, in my opinion, no. I do, however, look forward to reading more books by Michael Connelly.

The Lincoln Lawyer introduces us to Mickey Haller, a defense attorney working the L.A. area. Some might consider him shady, but he's just a guy making a living, always looking for his “franchise client”. And he thinks he's got one - Louis Ross Roulet. But being a franchisee isn't as easy or great as it may seem. Roulet proves to be quite the successful killer and equally skilled at covering his tracks. Filled with manipulation and one-upsmanship, Haller's tale keeps the reader on his/her toes. One has to pay attention to keep up, but this novel does not fall into the trap of pitching twists for twists' sake. The revelations feel natural and, at times, catch the characters off guard. Their ability to react drives the narrative.

Connelly explores a number of themes here. Of course, we see the sleazy defense attorney stumble onto a conscience. Haller's principle conflict is whether he'll recognize innocence. When it dawns on him that he once missed it, his senses sharpen as Haller more clearly sees evil. Family is another theme that gets its fair share. Haller's love for his ex-wife and daughter create a modern-day, non-traditional family that endures as much as any relationship in the novel. Loyalty is the other prominent theme, as we see it in Haller and Levin's friendship, Haller's repeat clients in the Road Saints (as well as his trust in them), etc.

As usual, the book outshines the movie, though both are well done. Connelly gets a lot of billing as a “man's author” in magazines such as Esquire. Maybe so. I sure enjoyed his writing.