The REVERSAL, Michael Connelly

The REVERSAL, Michael Connelly

This book may be the most disappointing book I have ever read. In fact, without hesitation, I would say it definitely is the worst of Connelly’s Lincoln Lawyer books, and I have read more than half a dozen now.

Synopsis
The storyline is a good one. New evidence suggests a convicted killer may have been found guilty erroneously.

The plot is the development of the case to prove that convicted killer, Jason Jessup, was found guilty erroneously, over 20 years before. Mickey Haller, the Lincoln Lawyer, is normally a defense attorney, but he has been asked by the California state prosecutor, Gabriel Williams, to be the lead prosecutor in the retrial of Jessup.

Connelly unfolds the story in a polished, suspenseful way. The courtroom scenes and dialogue build that suspense. As the trial proceeds, Haller appears to be on the way to a reconviction. His first time as a prosecuting attorney, and he is doing a dynamite job.

Then the court proceedings take a turn south.

Richard says:
The story is great, right up to the last couple of chapters where it takes a devastating turn south. To say what takes place is disappointing is an overwhelming understatement.

Haller is doing a superb job developing a case against Jessup. The court presentations seem to go extremely well for him. Seconded on the prosecution by his ex-wife, Maggie McPherson, and assisted by his chief investigator, Cisco, a Hell’s Angels type who rides a big Harley, Haller’s work looks like it is heading in the direction of success.

As the investigation unfolds, the intrigue, suspense and reader engagement build. The book draws the reader in deeper and deeper. What’s next? What’s happening next? What’s going to take place now? The suspense builds wonderfully.

And then things go south. The story takes a drastic turn; unexpected things begin to happen and the story detours to a less appealing and more disappointing route. But the story still grabs and holds the reader as the expectation is that our protagonist, our hero, Haller, will win in the end.

Connelly throws a monkey wrench into the story. Then, to add insult to injury, he throws in a few more, so many that the book closes with one of the most disappointing endings I have ever read.

At risk of belabouring my point, Connelly’s final monkey wrench is so strong, so surprising and so disappointing, I ended up slapping the book down with the words….”the most disappointing book I have ever read.”