Michael, nicknamed ‘Mickey’ Haller Junior is the protagonist of Michael Connelly’s The Lincoln Lawyer series. It follows a defense lawyer, based in LA who endures various personal and career-related struggles.
These crime novels center around this protagonist but also feature Mickey’s half-brother, LAPD detective, Harry Bosch. Bosch has his own series written by Connelly, which is made up of 24 books.
Connelly has a habit of creating series off the bat of more minor characters and has two additional series focusing on Renée Ballard and Jack McEvoy respectively. These four characters crop up sporadically throughout Connelly’s works and weave in and out of each other’s lives frequently.
Other characters with continual appearances include Rachel Walling, Terry McCaleb, Cassie Black, and Henry Pierce. If you’ve read some of Connelly’s work and take a liking to a specific character, head over to Michael Connelly’s website where you can find a list of books that feature that person.
You’ll notice that many of the titles overlap each other. Connelly interestingly organizes his writing by character, so you’ll find the same novel creeping up in different places depending on how central the character is in that novel.
Michael Connelly is a fantastic writer and has received a variety of reputable awards including Edgar, Barry, Anthony, Macavity, and Audie awards for his crime and legal fiction.
This article will give you a thorough run-down of all Mickey Haller books and will provide insight as to what order is best to read them but will also provide chronological lists of his other series.
However, first, let’s learn a little more about the brilliant Michael Connelly.
About the Author
Michael Joseph Connelly was born in July 1956, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Having spent most of his childhood there, Connelly and his family moved to Florida when he was 12, and there, he attended the University of Florida.
Connelly claims that his interest in crime began in childhood. At the age of 16, he witnessed a stranger dump a mysterious object into a hedge and decided to investigate himself. He found a gun wrapped in a shirt and decided to follow the culprit to a bar before quickly telling his father shortly after. He then called the police down to the bar, but the man was gone. Although this was only a minor incident, it allowed Connelly an insight into police work, which he would later use as inspiration for his investigative plot lines.
At university, Connelly studied construction management, with the intention of following his father’s career in construction. However, Connelly’s grades weren’t up to scratch and after watching Robert Altman’s 1973 film The Long Goodbye, he decided to follow in the footsteps of Raymond Chandler and become a mystery writer.
After that, he transferred to the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, majoring in journalism and pursuing a minor in creative writing.
Following his graduation in 1980, Connelly was employed in Fort Lauderdale where he worked with newspapers, reporting police and crime stories during the ‘cocaine wars’ in South Florida.
His first breakthrough came with the publication of a magazine article about the survivors of the Delta Flight 191 plane crash. The story was shortlisted for the Pulitzer Prize and despite its joint authorship, it propelled Connelly through the journalism rankings, a platform that allowed him to work as a crime reporter for the Los Angeles Times.
During his time in Los Angeles, Connelly tracked down High Tower Court, the home of Philip Marlowe, Raymond Chandler’s famous protagonist. After ten years, Connelly decided to rent the space and there, he wrote some of his most successful novels.
Connelly wrote his first novel The Black Echo in 1992, just three years into his job with Los Angeles Times. This novel won the Edgar Award for best first novel and received a huge amount of praise, which earned Connelly the status needed to keep writing.
Although he already had some popularity, his real breakthrough came when Bill Clinton was pictured carrying a copy of one of his books in 1994.
Connelly continued to experiment with new characters and plot lines, all of which received a great amount of praise, which is likely why so many of his books feature the random appearances of sub-characters.
After over a decade’s worth of successful publications and awards, Clint Eastwood announced that he would be adapting Connelly’s 1998 book, Blood Work into a film. 2011 saw the famous Matthew McConaughey play Mickey Haller in the film adaptation of The Lincoln Lawyer, Connelly’s bestselling novel.
Today, Connelly is the author of 37 different novels and one non-fiction work. He has sold over 80 million copies of his crime novels, which have been sold worldwide and translated into 44 different languages.
He continues to work with film and TV series-makers to create adaptations of his brilliant work and now lives between Tampa and LA and dedicates much of his time to his wife and daughter.
All 6 Mickey Haller Books in Order
The Lincoln Lawyer Series
The Lincoln Lawyer (2005)
The Lincoln Lawyerintroduces us to criminal defense attorney, Michael Haller, who drives a Lincoln Town car (where the title originates) and encounters all types of clients. Regardless of innocence, Mickey will ensure that all his clients walk free and will go to extremes to make sure it happens.
When a rich client comes along heaps of evidence will help him prove his innocence but with the murder of someone close, Mickey soon realizes he’s been tricked this whole time and he could be next on his client’s hitlist.
Connelly is known for his unexpected twists and this one is rammed full of them. The first book in the series is fast-paced, character-driven, and packed with interesting nuances that prove Connelly’s expertise in the LA legal system.
The Brass Verdict (2008)
After two years, Mickey’s work is finally on the up. Following the murder of Hollywood lawyer, Jerry Vincent, Mickey is given his most exciting case yet. He is defending Walter Elliott, who stands accused of the murder of his wife and her alleged lover.
The Brass Verdictfollows as Haller prepares for a huge day in court. But as the stakes rise, Mickey realizes that Elliott’s next target could be directed at him. He enlists the help of Harry Bosch, to protect each other and solve the mystery before either of them wind up dead.
This novel has been praised for its complex plot and unexpected ending. The book also features Jack McEvoy briefly and includes some of the most intense investigative work you will have read in a long while.
The Reversal (2001)
After spending 24 years incarcerated, Jason Jessup, a convicted child murderer, may have just been proven innocent with new DNA evidence. Haller is adamant that Jessup is the guilty party and will stop at nothing to see him behind bars once again.
The Reversalfeatures the joint investigative work of Mickey Haller and Harry Bosch as they dodge public humiliation and personal danger. The odds are stacked against them and with a manipulative defense attorney on the opposition, things aren’t looking great.
But Haller and Bosch are determined to win the trial and prevent the inevitable deaths that will follow if Jessup is released.
The Fifth Witness (2011)
The Fifth Witnessdives deeper into Mickey’s personal life and takes a close look at his moral code. When one of his clients, Lisa Trammel, is accused of murder, Mickey has an inkling that she may be guilty. But nevertheless, he must try and prove her innocence, despite the pile of evidence that is slowly growing against her.
Haller is placed in direct danger and even suffers an assault during this case but that doesn’t stop him from creating the most persuasive defense his career has ever seen.
Again, overflowing with twists and turns, this 4th novel will keep you hooked until the very end. Make sure you have the 5th book ready to go, you’ll want to read it straight after you’ve finished this one!
The Gods of Guilt (2013)
Mickey Haller is put under pressure as a new murder case falls into his hands. The victim is an old client, making this a personal and difficult case to pursue but nevertheless, Mickey wants justice.
The victim was a prostitute and having taken advice from Mickey, found herself in trouble. Haller soon realizes that he may have been the one to position her in such danger. Fuelled by guilt, Mickey puts his heart and soul into the trial, which makes for some of the most emotionally-motivated writing Connelly has written yet.
The Gods of Guiltis suspenseful and fascinating, diving even further into his beloved protagonist.
The Law of Innocence (2020)
This pulse-pounding thriller is the last accessible novel in this series and arguably the most gripping. The Law of Innocencehas a different flavor and puts Mickey on trial after police find the body of an old client in his car.
Mickey is instantly accused of murder and has no way of paying the $5 million bail to secure his freedom. Now left defending himself, Mickey must prove that he’s been framed. But just as he’s preparing his most important case yet, Mickey uncovers a corruption plot within the jail. Conflicted and confused, Haller must pull out all the stops to combat the mounds of evidence piled against him.
Resurrection Walk (Expected November 2023)
Mickey and Harry team up once again to help a woman prove her innocence when accused of murdering her husband. This novel is highly anticipated and is expected to knock the socks off Connelly’s loyal fans.
The Harry Bosch Series
The Black Echo (1992)
The Black Ice (1993)
The Concrete Blonde (1994)
The Last Coyote (1995)
Trunk Music (1997)
Angels Flight (1999)
A Darkness More Than Night (2001)
City of Bones (2002)
Lost Light (2003)
The Narrows (2004)
The Closers (2005)
Echo Park (2006)
The Overlook (2007)
Nine Dragons (2009)
The Drop (2011)
The Black Box (2012)
The Burning Room (2014)
The Crossing (2015)
The Wrong Side of Goodbye (2016)
Two Kinds of Truth (2017)
Dark Sacred Night (2018)
The Night Fire (2019)
The Dark Hours (2021)
Desert Star (2022)
The Renée Ballard Series
The Late Show (2017)
Dark Sacred Night (2018)
The Night Fire (2019)
The Dark Hours (2021)
Desert Star (2022)
The Jack McEvoy Series
The Poet (1996)
A Darkness More Than Night (2018)
The Brass Verdict (2008)
The Scarecrow (2009)
Fair Warning (2020)
Final Thoughts
Michael Connelly’s repertoire is wide-ranging and provides endless amounts of entertainment. His The Lincoln Lawyer series is among the favorites, having made it into New York Times bestseller lists and nominations for many awards. Although Connelly’s plot lines are compelling and unpredictable, his characters drive the novels and help to captivate readers from the first installment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to read the Mickey Haller books in order?
It is recommended that you read this series chronologically, which also matches the publication order. This is because the protagonist goes through several life changes throughout and his character develops significantly.
Is there a new Lincoln Lawyer book coming out?
The new installment of TheLincoln Lawyer series, Resurrection Walk is due in November of this year.
How old is Michael Connelly?
Connelly is currently 66 years old.
Has Michael Connelly only written crime fiction?
No, in fact, Connelly has one non-fiction work, Crime Beat, in his repertoire, however, the subject matter is still crime and law-oriented.
Is the Harry Bosch series worth reading?
If you have the patience for 24 books, we highly recommend reading the Harry Bosch novels. They are similar in style to the Mickey Haller books and you’ll find that this character crops up in this series too.
Based in Ontario, Canada, Colton is an avid writer who enjoys learning while he writes. With years of writing experience, Colton has covered topics varying from books to business, travel, tourism, and video games. When he is not writing, you may find him hiking, reading, or on some road trip!
