The Reversal
By Michael Connelly
Little, Brown and Company
$27.99, hard cover, 389 pages, 978-0-316-06948-9 (2010)
This novel features two of Connelly’s favorite characters teaming up together: defense attorney Mickey Haller and his half-brother LAPD detective Harry Bosch. Connelly has written over a dozen Harry Bosch mystery novels from The Black Echo in 1992 up to Nine Dragons published in 2009. This is his third legal thriller featuring Mickey Haller, the first two being The Lincoln Lawyer and The Brass Verdict.
I’ve read quite a few Connelly novels and, not surprisingly, prefer the books that feature the courtroom over the police station. The previously mentioned two Haller novels were filled with imaginative plot twists, engaging characters, believable courtroom scenes, and edge-of-your-seat tension.
Not so with The Reversal. In this book, Mickey Haller, the underdog defense attorney in the previous novels, has switched sides and becomes a special prosecutor. His job is to retry Jason Jessup, a convicted child killer who, because of new DNA evidence, is now free for the first time in twenty-four years.
And that’s the problem with this book right there in a nutshell. Despite Haller being the same witty, intelligent, impassioned and likable guy in earlier books; and even though he gets to work with the hard-nosed and dedicated Bosch as his investigator; never mind even that he convinces his ex-wife to be his second chair – the basic plot problem still exists: Haller is the prosecutor.
Despite how engaging he is as the book’s central character and how evil the convicted child killer is portrayed, it’s difficult to root for the prosecutor. Most legal thrillers have the defense attorney as the lead character because we all love to cheer on the underdog. On the other side of the aisle, the prosecutor is the Goliath that’s supposed to win. It’s tough to generate interest for the heavy favorite.
But Connelly never fails to make it engaging. He describes the first meeting of the main characters while giving insight into their personalities.
The door opened and Bosch turned. Mickey Haller steps into the room. Bosch did a double take. Not because he didn't recognize Haller. They were half brothers and he easily knew him on sight. But seeing Haller in the DAs office was one of those images that didn't quite make sense. Heller was a criminal defense attorney. He fit in at the DAs office about as well as a cat did at the dog pound.
"I know," Haller said. "You're thinking, what in the hell is this?"
Smiling, Haller moved to McPherson's side of the table and started pulling out a chair. Then Bosch remembered how he knew McPherson's name.
"You two…," Bosch said. "You were married, right?"
"That's right," Haller said. "Eight wonderful years."
"And what, she's prosecuting Jessup and you're defending him? Isn't that a conflict of interest?"
Haller's smile became a broad grin.
"It would only be a conflict if we were opposing each other, Harry. But we're not. We're prosecuting him. Together. I'm first chair. Maggie's second. And we want you to be our investigator."
Bosch was completely confused.
"Wait a minute. You're not a prosecutor. This doesn't –"
"I am not an appointed independent prosecutor, Harry. It's all legit. I wouldn't be sitting here if it weren't. We're going after Jessup and we want you to help us."
Bosh pulled out a chair and slowly sat down.
“From what I heard, this case is beyond help. Unless you're telling me Jessup rigged the DNA test."
"No, we're not telling you that," McPherson said. "We did our own testing and matching. His results were correct. It wasn't his DNA on the victim’s dress."
"But that doesn't mean we've lost the case," Haller quickly added.
Bosch looked from McPherson to Haller and then back again. He was clearly missing something.
"Then whose DNA was it?" he asked.
McPherson glanced sideways at Haller before answering.
"Her stepfather's," she said. "He's dead now but we believe there is an explanation for why his semen was found on his stepdaughter’s dress."
Haller leaned urgently across the table.
"An explanation that still leaves room to reconvict Jessup of the girl's murder."
Bosch thought for a moment and the image of his own daughter flashed in his mind. He knew there were certain kinds of evil in the world that had to be contained, no matter the hardship. A child killer was at the top of that list.
"Okay," he said. "I'm in."
Despite the major plot premise shortcoming of having Haller become a single-case prosecutor, the novel is skillfully written and full of insightful trial tactics and engaging courtroom skirmishes. And while it may not be the best legal thriller you’ve ever read, it’s still better than anything you’ll watch on television.
Buy it on Amazon here.
