Cover Image: The Law of Innocence

The Law of Innocence

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Member Reviews

The Law of Innocence is another sure-fire hit for Michael Connelly, whose Lincoln Lawyer novels makes him the reigning master of legal thrillers. Even though the outcome of the case is never in doubt, Connelly holds the reader's interest and keeps the suspense going from page 1 clear through to the end. There are twists and turns, and even a role for Harry Bosch in this "can't put it down" novel. Please keep them coming, Mr. Connelly.

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My review for the Associated Press will be published on or close to the book’s publication date and cannot be made available until then.

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Recent novels from Connelly, the modern maestro of LA crime writing, have focused on the investigations of long-running hero Harry Bosch and/or Detective Renee Ballard, a fierce new protagonist seeking justice in Bosch’s old stomping grounds in LAPD Hollywood Division. Bosch’s half-brother, sly defense attorney Mickey Haller, has made guest appearances, but in The Law of Innocence ‘the Lincoln Lawyer’ has top billing.

And the stakes couldn’t be any higher: Haller finds himself charged with first-degree murder when the body of a former client, a conman who ripped off many including Haller, is discovered in the trunk of Haller’s car. The DA’s office has come out guns blazing to convict a man who’s thwarted them on so many occasions. There’s forensic evidence to back their case, and star prosecutor ‘Death Row’ Dana Berg is determined to put Haller behind bars for the rest of his life. Or keep him there – as thanks to a vindictive judge Haller has to prepare for the trial of his life while in custody. He’s made plenty of enemies over the years: did one set him up? Will others take their shots at him now?

Connelly delivers a rip-snorting legal thriller that offers plenty of courtroom parry and thrust, while also giving readers fascinating insights into trial preparation and strategy with action aplenty even before the jury hears opening statements. Connelly’s keen insights into the realities of a flawed criminal justice system, as well as the character relationships, elevate this novel and the whole series to the top of the legal thriller class.

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This novel featuring "Lincoln Lawyer" Mickey Haller is the prolific Michael Connelly's 31st published book. Similarly, to his previous works it incorporates his gifted sense of plot, and his ability to frame events in a manner that keeps his readers glued to the pages unable to put the book down until finished. Mickey has just successfully concluded a trial and has joined his staff and friends in a celebration of the win at a local club. He pays the tab and leaves by himself to drive home. On the trip home (in one of his three Lincolns of course) he is stopped by a police officer who checks his documents and then gets him to open the trunk of the car. In a totally unexpected occurrence, a body is found in the trunk; a man that has been shot to death. The police begin an investigation and proceed in charging Mickey with murder. The main part of the novel is devoted to the trial and Mickey's defense. For a good part of the time he is incarcerated when he is not in court and has to work with his associates with the disadvantage of not being able to meet during the evening or weekends.
The machinations of the prosecution working to convict Mickey are well documented as are the defense rebuttals and strategy. Mr. Connelly brings out the psychology of a trial, the attempts to color any evidence based on who is presenting it and on the other side who is in opposition to it. Mickey has elected to use his rights to demand a speedy trial. He knows that he not only must convince a jury to exonerate him but even more important has to get a clear not guilty verdict to forever remove any cloud accruing to him and clear his reputation as a defense attorney in order to continue trying cases.
As in any real life situation the court action is always accompanied by personal events occurring outside of the trial. In Mickey's case his daughter, a law student, comes to court to cheer her father on. His partner in his law firm experiences her father passing away and must leave to attend his funeral. One of his two ex-wives arrives to help out in the trial by taking over for his partner and Mickey finds that he still is in love with her.
Engrossing yes, an all nighter, of course. Only question is how soon can we have the pleasure of getting Mr. Connelly's next book.

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4+ stars (One of my favorite Connelly novels ~ I am just very stingy with handing out 5 Stars!)

Awww Mickey Haller and Harry Bosch ~ need I say any more?????
Story starts when Mickie is pulled over for not having a license plate on his Lincoln. He, of course, has no idea why his 6 letter plate “NT GLTY” is gone. While they are viewing the back of his “no plate” car, he, as well as, the Police Office sees blood running out of the truck. Inside is one of Haller’s former clients.
Mickey is arrested for murder and put in jail with a 5 million dollar bale!

I LOVE courtroom drama and this DOES NOT disappoint!
I also loved that the usual cast of characters appear, including Haller’s ex –wife Maggie McPherson AKA Maggie McFierce, their daughter Hayler now a law student at USC. Also Harry’s daughter (the cousins met and became friends while both attending Chapman University).

This is my 18th Connelly novel and I believe my favorite!

Want to thank NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for this early release granted in exchange for an honest professional review. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for November 10, 2020

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I’m generally a big Michael Connelly fan, with the newer series featuring Renee Ballard (sometimes partnered with Harry Bosch) probably being my favorite, but I’m also a Lincoln Lawyer fan (which I read with an image of Matthew McConaghey etched in my brain). So I was especially happy to get an ARC of The Law of Innocence from Little, Brown and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

In this latest courtroom drama (among my favorite genres, when done well), LA attorney Mickey Haller violates the well-worn rule about the person who serves as their own lawyer having a fool for a client. As he leaves a post-verdict celebratory party at a bar, Mickey is behind the wheel of one of his Lincolns (first surprise -- where is his driver?) when he is pulled over by an aggressive LAPD patrolman who finds a body in the trunk. Mickey is charged with murder and goes to jail rather than post a $5M bond (he really shouldn’t have pissed off that judge!).

As if having the LAPD and the judge against him isn't enough, Micky soon has the staff at the jail against him as a result of his exposure of jailhouse corruption . Fortunately for Mickey, he knows a first-rate police detective (his half-brother Harry Bosch) who has time on his hands following his retirement from the LAPD.

Mickey’s goal isn’t just exoneration on the murder charge. He is well aware of the unwritten “law of innocence.” Similar to the physical law that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, the law of innocence is that for every person found not guilty of a crime, there is someone out there who actually IS guilty of that crime. So Mickey sets out to expose the true murderer. I loved this book. It’s Connelly in fine form. I didn’t even miss Renee :) Five stars.

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Loved this latest book by Michael Connelly! From the first page until the last, I could not put it down. Have read many Connelly books, and The Law of Innocence may be my very favorite. Highly recommend!
Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

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Another winner by Michael Connelly. He is probably the most knowledgeable legal author around. I love his books! This one does not disappoint as the protagonist Haller is the defendent himself. Wonderful twists and reveals. Couldn't put it down.

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There really is no one as exciting to read as Connelly and this latest rocked! What a marvelous read, and so interesting to have the whole book be Haller, and in prison to represent himself. I loved it, and also appreciate the up to the minute pandemic details. The book is another sure fire hit, from one of the best.

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Michael Connelly is one of my favorite authors - I’m a fan of each of his main characters. This is the first time we’ve heard from Micky Haller in a while (although he’s made appearances in others of MC’s series). This time, he’s in quite a fix. He’s pulled over for a traffic stop and a body is found in the trunk of his car. He’s obviously being framed, but by whom?
The book moves at a super swift pace. With Connelly, you never know where he’s going to take you. It’s never a straight line to the finish. And even as he hones in on who may be to blame, how will he prove it? Because let’s face it, just because he’s innocent won’t mean he couldn’t be found guilty. “The only way to prove I didn’t do it is to prove who did...that’s the law of innocence.”
Harry Bosch even makes an appearance, investigating angles to help his half brother.
There’s lots of legal meat here in addition to the mystery aspect. It worked perfectly to keep my interest (no mean feat these days). I tore through this book in less than two days. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an engrossing legal thriller.
In an interesting turn, this is the first fiction I’ve read that incorporates the Corona-19 Virus. It makes me wonder how many more will as time goes on.
My thanks to netgalley and Little, Brown for an advance copy of this book.

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A new Michael Connelly title always causes celebration for fans, and this latest Lincoln Lawyer offering will delight Mickey Haller followers. Stopped for a traffic violation and slapped into prison after a corpse is found in his trunk, Mickey Haller has been framed! With his team of friend- investigators, he must search for answers from an LA prison cell while trying to stay alive and prove the determined prosecutor wrong. Some emotional complications from a lost love along with family dynamics round out an exciting installment in the series.

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I just finished The Law of Innocence by Michael Connelly. This is the the new book in the Lincoln Lawyer series and in my opinion the best yet. In this book Haller himself is on trial and I think that adds an interesting twist to the story line. I also found it interesting the way Connelly pulled in the COVID pandemic and many of the things everyone is experiencing today. This is the first book that I have read to incorporate the virus in the story line. If you are a fan of the Lincoln Lawyer series, you don’t want to miss this one.

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I loved this book. I’m admittedly biased; Connelly is one of my favorites. This one is a “Lincoln Lawyer” book which means it features Attorney Mickey Haller. Mickey has to win the biggest case of his career when he is forced to defend himself in court after being framed for murder. There’s a lot of legal action in this one. Bosch appears in this book but in more of a supporting role. Five stars! Thank you to Little, Brown and Company for providing an early copy of this book to me in exchange for an honest review.

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I read this book in two days because I HAD to find out what happens when Mickey Haller, the Lincoln Lawyer, fights for his freedom after being arrested and jailed for the murder of a former client.

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Mickey Haller is back but this time he's on the other side - he needs to defend himself for being accused of a murder. His brother Bosch is back and so are Maggie, his daughter and current girlfriend. Connelly worked this story well by making COVID part of the story - good job! The story doesn't unravel until the very last few pages but...will Maggie & Mickey get back together?!

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Be on the lookout for the return of The Lincoln Lawyer! The Law of Innocence by Michael Connelly finds Micky Haller arrested for murder of a conman whose body is found in Haller’s Cadillac. Haller brings in his half-brother Harry Bosch to his team to help solve the case and prove that Haller is not guilty, as innocence is not a legal term, and that he was framed.

Thwarted at every turn by a die-hard prosecutor, Haller, free on bond, gets creative as he acts as his own council. Haller and his team stay at least one step ahead of the prosecutor who drags him back in court and gets him returned to jail.

Lincoln Lawyer fans will not want to miss this latest adventure that includes the beloved Harry Bosch.

After Michael Connelly spent three years covering crime in Los Angeles, he wrote his first novel featuring LAPD Detective Harry Bosch (The Black Echo) which he based partly on a true crime. He is the man behind the series “Bosch” on Amazon Prime.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting September 17, 2020.

I’d like to thank Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

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I have read all of Michael Connelly's books and can say this was the best yet! I was hooked from the first page. Loved the next installment in the Mickey Haller/Lincoln Lawyer series. Such a great telling of the story...made me feel like I was right there in the courtroom. Cannot wait to recommend this book! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

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Lincoln lawyer Mickey Haller is back in this terrific thriller and this time he is under arrest for the murder of a client,This tense thriller drew me right in kept me reading late into the night.There are recurring characters but can be read as a stand-alone..
The courtroom scenes are so tense so compelling a prosecutor who infuriated me a book so good another Michael Connery five star read,#netgalley#littlebrown

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Thank you Michael Connelly. Thank you Netgalley. This was, without a doubt, one of the best books I’ve read this year. During these stressful months, concentration and focus, are sometimes difficult. This book came along at exactly the right time, which proves I am still capable of being totally engaged.

Michael Haller, the Lincoln lawyer, is arrested for murder and we are lucky enough to join him and watch the trial. This book is perfect. The plot drew me in from start to finish. Yes, there were recurring characters but it works perfectly fine as a stand-alone. I was breathlessly involved with Haller and literally loathed the prosecutor. Boo, hiss! That’s great writing!

Honestly, this is the reason that Connelly is so loved by fans like me. I could not have asked for a better gift than this terrific novel.

Truly grateful for this ARC and I urge Connelly fans to sink into this book.

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Author Michael Connelly gifts us with a second book in this pandemic year and I, for one, am deeply appreciative. THE LAW OF INNOCENCE, features Mickey Haller, of Lincoln Lawyer fame, boxed into such a tight frame-up that it’s difficult to imagine how he will get himself out. He starts the book celebrating a courtroom win and in no time finds himself tangled up in a case defending himself on trumped up charges that escalate over time. At first blush, he can’t even figure out who’s out to get him, although the list seems expansive.

For Connelly fans, Bosch (Haller’s half-brother) plays an active role in the case and it’s a pleasure to have the retired detective involved. There is something bittersweet about author Connelly’s choice to have his characters age appropriately throughout his books. Many authors leave their characters alone, forever frozen in time as iconic cutouts, unchanging and in stasis. Here we have Mickey Haller as an older character, with a daughter in law school and a previously ended relationship that lasted longer than both of his marriages combined. That makes sense time-wise since ‘his’ last book but is a big jump in his life as we knew it in that last book. This method answers questions readers may have about the characters but, well, life passes quickly and we can sense the change all the more when our favorite characters age.

This is predominately a courtroom drama, and as such is taut and dynamic. I could not put it down and read the book straight through in one long arc. I loved it. Yes, I pictured the characters as their movie/TV actors. That made it more fun, oddly enough. There are twists and turns in the tale and red herrings galore. We’ve waited awhile for a Mickey Haller-centric book and it was worth the wait. This was a joy to read. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

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