The Reversal
Encyclopedia
The Reversal is the 22nd novel by American author Michael Connelly
and features the third starring appearance of Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Michael "Mickey" Haller
. Connelly introduced Haller in his bestselling 2005 novel The Lincoln Lawyer
and then paired him with LAPD
detective Harry Bosch, his half-brother, in 2008's The Brass Verdict
. In 2009's 9 Dragons
, Haller appears in a supporting role as Bosch's personal lawyer. The Reversal was released in the United States on October 5th, 2010.
The body of 12-year-old Melissa was discovered in 1986, discarded in a dumpster, only a few hours after she was reported missing. Unknown to the killer, her sister had been hiding in the garden and had witnessed her abduction. On the day of the murder, she identified Jason Jessup, a truck driver, as the man who snatched Melissa from the garden. DNA evidence has subsequently shown that semen stains on the dress Melissa was wearing came not from Jessup, but from the girls' stepfather Ken Landy. However, the evidence against Jessup includes strands of Melissa's hair, found in the seat of his truck.
Jessup's defense counsel, "clever" Clive Royce, mounts a media campaign in his client's favour, and it becomes clear that their main motivation is in obtaining a compensation payout from the state. Haller's response is to allow bail and have Jessup tailed by the police in the hope that he will return to his old ways and provide additional support for the prosecution case. Jessup is soon seen visiting various mountain trails in the Mulholland area, and on one occasion parks his car outside Bosch's house at night. Bosch and Haller, both concerned for their own teenage daughters, develop a theory that Jessup has killed before, but are unable to investigate fully for fear of blowing the police's cover.
Legal procedures require that the jury is kept ignorant of Jessup's history. Testimony given in the original trial, where the witness is no longer available because of death or informity, has to be read out by Harry Bosch. The defense attempts to undermine the testimony of Sarah Gleason, who has a history of drug use and prostitution in the years since her sister's murder, though she has now been entirely rehabilitated. Bosch traces Sarah's former lover, Eddie Roman, and finds that he is still living off prostitute's earnings. Locating the prostitute Sonia Reyes, Bosch persuades her to enter the courtroom at a crucial moment in Roman's testimony, which causes the witness to alter his testimony, effectively destroying the defense case.
While anticipating a plea bargain from the defense team, Bosch and Haller hear that Jessup has entered Royce's offices with a gun and has killed Royce, two of his team and a policeman who was on his tail. Jessup is now at large and the police surround him at a hideout under the pier which had been discovered by Bosch as a result of the police surveillance activities. Jessup's death ends the search for Melissa Landy's killer, but leaves the prosecution team with a host of unanswered moral questions.
Michael Connelly
Michael Connelly is an American author of detective novels and other crime fiction, notably those featuring LAPD Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch and criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller. His books, which have been translated into 36 languages, have garnered him many awards...
and features the third starring appearance of Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Michael "Mickey" Haller
Mickey Haller
Michael "Mickey" Haller, Junior is a fictional character created by Michael Connelly in the 2005 novel The Lincoln Lawyer. Haller, a Los Angeles-based defense attorney, is the paternal half-brother of Connelly's best-known character, LAPD Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch...
. Connelly introduced Haller in his bestselling 2005 novel The Lincoln Lawyer
The Lincoln Lawyer
The Lincoln Lawyer is a 2005 novel, and it is the 16th novel written by American crime writer Michael Connelly. It is the first featuring Los Angeles attorney Mickey Haller, half-brother of Connelly's mainstay detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch....
and then paired him with LAPD
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
detective Harry Bosch, his half-brother, in 2008's The Brass Verdict
The Brass Verdict
The Brass Verdict is the 19th novel by American author Michael Connelly and features the second appearance of Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Michael "Mickey" Haller...
. In 2009's 9 Dragons
9 Dragons (novel)
9 Dragons is the 14th novel in the Harry Bosch series and the 22nd book by American crime author Michael Connelly. It was released worldwide on October 13, 2009, although it had been released in the U.K. and Ireland on October 1....
, Haller appears in a supporting role as Bosch's personal lawyer. The Reversal was released in the United States on October 5th, 2010.
Plot summary
Mickey Haller, who has become increasingly frustrated in his role as a defense lawyer, agrees to undertake the prosecution role on behalf of the city of Los Angeles, in the retrial of a convicted killer which has been granted as a result of new DNA evidence. His one condition before accepting the task is that he is permitted to choose his own team; he chooses his ex-wife Maggie McPherson as his co-prosecutor, and his half-brother Harry Bosch as his investigator from the LAPD. The prosecution case rests largely on the testimony of Sarah Gleason, the elder sister of the victim, Melissa Landy.The body of 12-year-old Melissa was discovered in 1986, discarded in a dumpster, only a few hours after she was reported missing. Unknown to the killer, her sister had been hiding in the garden and had witnessed her abduction. On the day of the murder, she identified Jason Jessup, a truck driver, as the man who snatched Melissa from the garden. DNA evidence has subsequently shown that semen stains on the dress Melissa was wearing came not from Jessup, but from the girls' stepfather Ken Landy. However, the evidence against Jessup includes strands of Melissa's hair, found in the seat of his truck.
Jessup's defense counsel, "clever" Clive Royce, mounts a media campaign in his client's favour, and it becomes clear that their main motivation is in obtaining a compensation payout from the state. Haller's response is to allow bail and have Jessup tailed by the police in the hope that he will return to his old ways and provide additional support for the prosecution case. Jessup is soon seen visiting various mountain trails in the Mulholland area, and on one occasion parks his car outside Bosch's house at night. Bosch and Haller, both concerned for their own teenage daughters, develop a theory that Jessup has killed before, but are unable to investigate fully for fear of blowing the police's cover.
Legal procedures require that the jury is kept ignorant of Jessup's history. Testimony given in the original trial, where the witness is no longer available because of death or informity, has to be read out by Harry Bosch. The defense attempts to undermine the testimony of Sarah Gleason, who has a history of drug use and prostitution in the years since her sister's murder, though she has now been entirely rehabilitated. Bosch traces Sarah's former lover, Eddie Roman, and finds that he is still living off prostitute's earnings. Locating the prostitute Sonia Reyes, Bosch persuades her to enter the courtroom at a crucial moment in Roman's testimony, which causes the witness to alter his testimony, effectively destroying the defense case.
While anticipating a plea bargain from the defense team, Bosch and Haller hear that Jessup has entered Royce's offices with a gun and has killed Royce, two of his team and a policeman who was on his tail. Jessup is now at large and the police surround him at a hideout under the pier which had been discovered by Bosch as a result of the police surveillance activities. Jessup's death ends the search for Melissa Landy's killer, but leaves the prosecution team with a host of unanswered moral questions.