Mickey Haller, the Lincoln Lawyer of the book's title, is a criminal defence attorney, so-called because he spends most of his time when not in court doing business from the back of his Lincoln car. The son of a famous lawyer, Haller himself is a reasonably successful operator, with a string of regular clients and two ex-wives with whom he is still friendly - but it's been years since he netted a really big client, a high-profile case known unofficially as a franchise because of the huge amounts of money it can potentially generate.
All of that changes when Haller meets Louis Roulet, pronounced Roo-lay, a Beverley Hills rich boy from a wealthy real estate family who has been accused of assaulting a woman in her own apartment. The case against him looks strong - he was found, semi-conscious, in the victim's home, with her blood on his hand and - even worse - the knife used to threaten her is incontrovertibly Roulet's property, right down to the initials engraved onto its handle.
Open and Shut Case?
Micky Haller is a good lawyer though, experienced and cunning, and investigations into the alleged victim's lifestyle and her actions before the assault suggest that she is not the innocent she presents herself to be. Could Haller have landed himself that most elusive of cases, the client who might actually be not guilty of the crimes of which he is accused? Even worse, might the case be dismissed from court before Haller gets the bumper payday he is hoping for?
Of course, the case is far more complex than early findings suggest. Louis Roulet is not the upstanding member of the community that his public face suggests, and Haller also has to cope with Roulet's overbearing mother and fiercely loyal family solicitor. As Haller's cases start to overlap and impact upon each other, a brutal murder finally makes it clear that he is caught up in something far bigger than he could have imagined.
Matthew McConaughey Plays The Lincoln Lawyer
The Lincoln Lawyer is an engaging novel, full of plot twists that will leave the reader guessing until the very last few pages. Although originally published in 2005, the novel is deservedly receiving new attention after the release of the film of the same name, in which Matthew McConaughey takes the role of the strangely likeable Micky Heller, a man who recognises the hatred directed at him by many members of society and yet tries to remain principled nonetheless. Connelly has managed to produce that rare thing - a detailed courtroom drama which will be enjoyed even by those who have no knowledge of the legal system.
Elizabeth Gregory - Liz graduated from Manchester University with a BA (Hons) in English Language & Literature, and also holds an MA in Literature from the ...
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