Witness Number Five?

The Fifth Witness
by Michael Connelly

I love a good legal thriller, and Michael Connelly has produced a ripper with this one. We meet Mickey Haller, the Lincoln Lawyer, again as he ploughs through a new world of legal practice, the humdrum but topical world of mortgage foreclosures. Happily we don’t spend the book rummaging through deeds and banks and loans – there’s a murder case popped up, one which will grab our hero by the nuts and turn him right around.

Apart from Mickey, the book is full of unique characters, a real Los Angeles cast. The way they interact together keeps us entertained and guessing right to the end – there’s a twist or two, and not just Mickey’s testicles.

The courtroom drama itself had me gripped. Each side kept pulling rabbits out of the hat and it was touch and go at every chapter. Connelly has done his homework on this one, and we learn a bit about current legal trends along the rollercoaster ride.

Continuing development with Mickey Haller, reflecting Harry Bosch’s progress in the parallel novel stream. It’s a pleasure to see the wheels turn, not just on matters of law, but questions of ethics and philosophy. Looking forward to reading future instalments.