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Since his first appearance in 2005’s The Lincoln Lawyer, defense attorney Michael “Mickey” Haller has occasionally crossed paths with his older half-brother, LAPD Detective Hieronymous “Harry” Bosch. But in Michael Connelly’s The Reversal, the strained siblings find themselves on the same side of the courtroom, working together to convict a killer.
Twenty-four years ago, Jason Jessup was convicted of killing 12-year-old Melissa Landy. But now his case has been reversed, due to DNA evidence. District Attorney Gabriel Williams is determined to send Jessup back to prison, but with the DA’s office under attack for failing the first time, he looks to Haller for help.
Intrigued by the opportunity to be one of the good guys for a change, Mickey takes the case—but only if he can work with a team he trusts: his ex-wife, prosecutor Maggie McPherson, and his half-brother, lead investigator Harry Bosch.
As Haller and McPherson work together to build their case, Bosch begins searching for new witnesses. But when the surveillance team catches Jessup in some unusual behavior, Bosch becomes just as concerned about Jessup’s future crimes as the one in his past.
Though Bosch has appeared in Haller’s novels before (like 2008’s The Brass Verdict) and Haller has appeared in Bosch’s (like 2009’s 9 Dragons), this time, they share the spotlight, working together to battle a media-savvy defense attorney and his calculating client.
While Haller takes the lead (with chapters written from the first person point of view), Bosch often sets out on his own to handle the investigation his way. This is no small feat for Connelly, since Haller and Bosch are both strong (and well-loved) characters—Haller the slick defense attorney and Bosch the wise old investigator. By putting two such strong personalities together, Connelly risked weakening one or both of his characters—or turning the story into a long, drawn-out power play. Instead, he weaves together two storylines that are both connected and separate, allowing the characters to do their own thing while still working as a team. Harry gets to do his investigating, tracking criminals and gathering important witnesses while Mickey carefully plots his case. And the result is a fascinating novel with a Law & Order kind of twist; instead of seeing just one small part of the case—either the investigation or the trial—readers get to see both.
The story is brilliantly crafted—though that’s really no surprise, coming from a sure-fire crime novelist like Connelly. He easily holds readers in suspense, taunting them with hints and tidbits while holding back important details, waiting for the perfect moment to reveal them. With a dangerous criminal on the loose and a conviction hanging in the balance, anything could happen at any moment—though you’ll never predict the story’s surprising finale.
The Reversal is another gripping thriller from one of the most consistent crime novelists out there. It’s sharp and suspenseful, with a solid storyline that’s sure to satisfy fans of both Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller.
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