THE LINCOLN LAWYER
By Michael Connely
Little, Brown and Company
Time Warner Book Group
1271 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
www.twbookmark.com
ISBN 0-316-73493-4
Hardback, 404 pages, $26.95
Genre: Mystery

Criminal defense lawyer Mickey Haller works out of the back seat of his Lincoln Town Car, driven by a client in exchange for his fee. One ex-wife books Haller's clients for him while his other ex-wife is a prosecuting attorney. When a bondsman recommends Haller to Louis Ross Roulet, a man accused of assaulting a prostitute, Haller is eager for the job. Roulet is what Haller thinks of as a franchise: a rich man whose defense will result in high fees. But Haller's investigation into the charges against Roulet lead him back to a former client, Jesus Menendez. Even though Menendez swore he was innocent, Haller convinced him to plead guilty and deal on a murder charge. As Haller's investigation deepens, he begins to think the one thing he has always feared has come to pass: that he helped put an innocent man in prison. And now, the real killer is playing games with Haller's life.

Michael Connelly has written an exceptional thriller here. Tight writing, a slithering plot, and filled with suspense. The reader will not be disappointed.