In what I would consider a masterclass of writing, Connelly examines the gulf that exists between everyday natural justice and the rules that apply when dealing with the legal process. This is the kind of fare we might expect from John Grisham but Connelly handles his characters expertly like chess pieces and builds the suspense in a must-turn-the-page fashion. What follows is, for the most part, set inside the courtroom. One of Hallier’s ‘foreclosure’ clients, Lisa Trammel, is accused of killing the mortgage broker who is in the process of repossessing her house. Haller (half brother to Connelly’s better known hero, Harry Bosch) is forced, because of the poor economic situation, to move from criminal defence work to the less glamorous chore of defending people facing foreclosure of their homes – something we’ve become all too familiar with in this country. I enjoy courtroom dramas on screen and TV, not so much in book form, but Connelly has the knack of bringing his courtroom proceedings alive and gripping on the pages with consummate skill and total believability. I waited for the paperback edition of Michael Connelly’s 2nd novel featuring Mickey Hallier, the defence attorney we first met in ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’. The Fifth Witness – Michael Connelly – My take.
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