Michael Connelly's novel The Reversal (released in 2010), marks the third appearance of one of his most popular characters: defense attorney Mickey Haller. Fundamentally, the novel follows Haller, who is recruited to prosecute the retrial of a person who is accused of a brutally murdering a child. New DNA evidence, however, puts alleged killer Jason Jessup's guilt into question. Working with detective Harry Bosch, who Haller chooses as his investigator, the duo become convinced that Jessup is guilty of the murder. Jessup is ultimately released as a result of his defense attorney's manipulation, and the Haller and Bosch race to ensure that a violent and sadistic killer is put back in jail before he is able to kill an innocent person again.
When released, The Reversal received very positive reviews from critics and audiences alike. In his review of the novel, Jonathan Shapiro of The Los Angeles Times wrote that “The Reversal, Connelly’s new novel, might be his best: a crackling-good read, smart and emotionally satisfying. It manages to condense decades of time and reams of information into a compelling narrative that adeptly explores various elements of L.A.’s own version of what passes as a criminal justice system.”
