The Brass Verdict

The Brass Verdict, by Michael Connelly, is an account of corruption and hypocrisy. Featuring both Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller, it is, to some extent, reminiscent of Personal Injuries, by Scott Turow. The name refers to the brass jacket of rounds shot from a German-made Mauser gun.

I have read all of the fiction books by Michael Connelly, and this seems to be the best so far. Before that, I read the Hot Mahogany, the latest Stone Barrington novel, by Stuart Woods. (Ironically, I have read almost all previous books featuring this character, but in reverse order. Can you believe it?) Stuart Woods is certainly a great author, but, in my opinion, Michael Connelly is a lot better. More and more, he succeeds in polishing and advancing the genre of noir detective fiction.

The overwhelming cliché in Harry Bosch novels is the corrupt police. The idea behind the Lincoln Lawyer was a true villain, a real and heinous evil being. Though I hate to write spoilers, suffice it to say that this new one is about corruption on another level of authority. My point is that this book refers to a very relevant topic considering the actual state of our society. I did relish this novel and I do recommend it to all readers interested in crime fiction.