True confession: I’m a recoveringย book snob. ย The situation peaked during undergrad, when half theย people in my English classes wore gauzyย scarves and prattled insufferablyย about reading Dante in their leisure time. ย I played along with Jane Austen movie adaptations,ย post-modernism, and poetry collections from the basement of Half-Price Books. ย And, okay, I did lookย down my nose at my mom’s Dick Francis and John Grisham novels. But by the time I got to grad school, I had embraced my true identity as a literary omnivore. I maintainedย subscriptions to both The New Yorker and US Weekly and binged on The Biggest Loser, rather than The Sundance Channel.
And, thank goodness I am no longer suffering from Literaryย Elitismย because during my snobby period, I never – NEVER – would have downloadedย Michael Connelly’s The Lincoln Lawyer,ย which I recently found to be both enormously pleasurable and smartly plotted. I devouredย this as an audiobook, narrated by Adam Grupper, and it was a perfect companion for chore completion and commuting.
The Story:ย This is the genesis of Connelly’s Lincoln Lawyer series, so named for the protagonist Mickey Haller, a criminal defense attorneyย who offices in the backseat of a Town Car. ย Haller is a lovable screw-up – twice divorced and always just on the verge of trouble with the California Bar Association, but with a host of adoring fans, including his two ex-wives, a crack investigator, and a slightly sideways bail bondsman. ย Haller stumbles into what he’s sure will be a “franchise case” (read: mega moneymaker) in Louis Roulet, a fancy real estate broker who has been charged with attempted murder. ย Innocence is relative for Haller, but he thinks maybe he’s finally found a guy who actually didn’t do the thing he’s charged with. ย The plot holds, even through severalย satisfying twists, and the Roulet caseย serves to help redefine Haller’s calling, which I assume he refinesย in subsequent novels.
The Writing:ย Smooth, convincing and relatable. Connelly knows how to set up a cliffhanger, and each chapter felt cohesive. ย It’s a legal thriller, andย we do encounter some stock characters (the ex-con driver who can procure a gun on short notice; a drugged-up prostitute on her umpteenth bust). ย I liked them all, though, even in 2D.
The Recording:ย Adam Grupper provides an engaging narration with variations in voice for each character. ย These are believable, consistent, and not overwrought. ย Rather, they helpedย develop each player, highlighting their emotional responses to the events of the story. ย Grupper does the frequent dialogue well – attaining a familiar, rapid-fire style between Haller and his associates. ย The only aspect I didn’t enjoy was the seemingly random use of “suspenseful music” at the end of chapters. ย It wasn’t necessary, and in fact seemed to undermine the actual suspense that Connelly skillfully builds.
The Bottom Line:ย I really liked this a lot. ย I’m not racing out for the next in the Lincoln Lawyer series, but I’m certain I’ll return to it from time to time. ย I think it’s about 3.5 stars.
And you? ย Are you a series person? ย Follow Mickey Haller? ย If so, which volume should I listen to next?
