They're called Lincoln Lawyers: the bottom of the legal food chain, the criminal defence attorneys who operate out of the back of a Lincoln car, travelling between the courthouses of Los Angeles county to take whatever cases the system throws in their path.

Mickey Haller has been in the business a long time, and when a Beverly Hills rich boy is arrested for brutally beating a woman, he gets his first high-paying client in years. The evidence begins to mount on the defence's side and things look as if they can't go wrong.

But as Haller knows, criminal cases can turn on a dime; when his case starts to fall apart and neither the suspect nor the victim are quite who they seem, Haller quickly discovers that when you swim with the sharks, it's easy to wind up as prey.

This story contains strong language

Connelly is writing the best detective fiction out there'
- Spectator

Michael Connelly is one of the best fiction writers in the business, hands down. He retains the title again with The Lincoln Lawyer. Connelly takes a break from his Harry Bosch cop series to explore the other side of the legal fence. Criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller just landed a “franchise client” and an astronomical payday. Louis Roulet is a high-end real-estate agent accused of attempted murder. Haller, son of well-known legal legend, performs his job well by poking holes in the prosecution’s case every step of the way. The story gets more complex when Mickey finds trouble with the victim’s story, his client’s case, and in his personal life as well. Connelly, being the exceptional writer he is, blends the developments nicely to create a fantastic legal thriller that’s impossible to put down. Haller, as The Lincoln Lawyer (named for the car in which is conducts most of his business), is realistically flawed, repulsive and likable at the same time. Connelly successfully tells the tale from a criminal defense lawyer’s point of view. This review is intentionally empty of plot description and full of praise, in order to maximize enjoyment of the book. The Lincoln Lawyer is a superb legal thriller that shouldn’t be missed.