The Reversal

February 7, 2011
Connelly's new thriller features two of his series heroes—the wily defense attorney Mickey Haller and his half-brother, LAPD detective Harry Bosch. This time Haller is working the other side of the courtroom, as a special independent prosecutor trying to keep a very nasty child molester and killer behind bars, with Bosch doing his legwork. As we've seen in The Brass Verdict, the author has Haller narrating his chapters, while the Bosch-centered sections are told in the third person. For the former, Peter Giles has developed a breezy, fast-paced vocal approach, while the detective's process is presented in a tougher, no frills manner. Additional characters are provided their own unique voices, including the smooth-talking district attorney, the arrogant villain, Haller's icy-but-melting former wife, and a brave but wavering witness to the crime. Not only is the production highly entertaining, the package is particularly generous, offering an additional two CDs containing unabridged MP3-format versions of The Reversal and the previous Haller-Bosch match, The Brass Verdict, also read by Giles. A Little, Brown hardcover.

Michael Connelly's latest legal thriller brings together his major characters on the same team: Defense attorney Mickey Haller shifts sides and takes on a 24-year-old murder case as a prosecutor. His main assistant is his first ex-wife, Maggie McPherson (known as Maggie "McFierce"), and the investigator is Harry Bosch. Peter Giles's narration is decent for the women and better for the men. His best character portrayals are Bosch, whose almost-tired Clint Eastwood-like voice is consistent throughout, and "Clever" Clive Royce, the defense attorney, whose British accent never wavers. Connelly's procedural has enough details for listeners to understand the legal process and enough action to keep the plot moving. M.B. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine