The Lincoln Lawyer

I recently read an intriguing novel called “The Lincoln Lawyer”, written by Michael Connelly in 2005. The novel is catalogued as Crime fiction, and Mystery. My favorite genre of books has always been Mystery. However, even if a person doesn’t like Mystery this book will interest them. Michael Connelly is a prominent writer with several amazing novels, and he even produces a TV-series based on his other novels. “The Lincoln Lawyer” is rated a # New York Times Bestseller. USA Today also said, “One of the best novels Connelly has written, if not the best.” But wait. It gets even better. If you enjoy this novel, there is an entire series of books to read based around the main character, Mickey Haller. The novel is an easy read with just enough

Mickey uses the Lincoln as his office and is driven by a former client trying to pay off his legal fees. On his way to court, a bail bondsman named Fernando Valenzuela called him about a potential client. Valenzuela’s office, called Liberty Bail Bonds, is located on Van Nuys Boulevard a block away from two courthouses and the Van Nuys jail. He provides Mickey with work, and Mickey reciprocates Valenzuela’s help by putting him on his Christmas list. People on Mickey’s “Christmas list” get a gift at the end of the year. Mickey sends people cash in empty cans of salted nuts. Valenzuela was calling Mickey about a wealthy client who was arrested for; “ag-assault, GBI and attempted rape…(Connelly, 5)” The client’s family claimed that the girl who was supposedly assaulted is in it for the money. Louis Ross Roulet, the man being charged, had a family lawyer from Century City named Cecil C. Dobbs. Louis personally requested Mickey Haller, because of one of Mickey’s cases that was in a newspaper. Mickey decided to take his chances with the case, especially since he could make a large sum of money. Finally, Mickey arrived to court for his current case with a client named Harold

He set up a date to meet with her. Then he realized that Casey’s motorcycle gang was following him. He exited the freeway and had a conversation with their boss, a previous client of his, and took his $10,000 cash payment. Finally, he was on his way to the bank then the Van Nuys courthouse for Roulete’s case. Mickey’s first ex-wife, Margaret McPherson, was the deputy district attorney assigned to Roulete’s case. They called her Margaret McFierce, because she was so tough. Here is an interesting quote I found from this part: “After fifteen years of practicing law I had come to think of it in very simple terms. The law was a large, rusting machine that sucked up people and lives and money. I was just a mechanic. I had become expert at going into the machine and fixing things and extracting what I needed from it in return. (Connelly, 30/31)” This quote was very interesting to me because of the comparison Mickey made. He compared the law to a rusting machine. I believe that this symbolizes the corruption and business that goes on in the novel. For example, Mickey pays Valenzuela money in return for clients, he lies to clients to make money, and he does anything necessary to stay ahead of the