Before becoming a full-time novelist, Michael Connelly was a crime reporter for the Los Angeles Times, a job that gave him a close-up look at the City of Angels’ dark side.
Since publishing his first novel in 1992, Connelly has written 36 novels and sold 80 million copies worldwide.
Nearly all of his books are set in Los Angeles, exploring crime scenes from upscale Beverly Hills to the seedy alleys of Hollywood Boulevard.
In this post, we’ve rounded up 10 of Connelly’s best crime thrillers that will keep you hooked until the very end.
Best Michael Connelly Books
Here are 10 of the best Michael Connelly books, according to Goodreads:
1. The Lincoln Lawyer
Mickey Haller is a criminal defense lawyer who operates out of the backseat of his Lincoln Town Car in Los Angeles. He defends everyone from con artists to drunk drivers and drug dealers.
When a Beverly Hills playboy is arrested for attacking a woman he picked up in a bar, he becomes Mickey’s first high-paying client in years.
As the evidence stacks up, Mickey starts to think this could be the easiest case of his career. But when someone close to him is murdered, Mickey realizes that the case has brought him face-to-face with pure evil.
2. The Concrete Blonde
Detective Harry Bosch was sure he’d shot the “Dollmaker,” a serial killer who stalks Los Angeles women and leaves a grisly calling card his victim’s faces.
But then the dead man’s widow sues Harry and the LAPD for killing the wrong man, and her accusations seem credible, especially since a new corpse with the Dollmaker’s signature has just been discovered.
Now, Harry must once again hunt down a ruthless killer before he claims another victim.
3. The Poet
Jack McEvoy is a reporter obsessed with his work writing about crime and death. But a serial killer of unprecedented savagery has brought McEvoy one story he never wanted to write: the death of his own brother.
The killer appears to be targeting homicide cops haunted by cases they couldn’t crack. His calling card is a quote from the works of Edgar Allen Poe, and it seems that McEvoy may be his next target.
4. The Black Echo
As the first book in the Bosch series, The Black Echo finds the LAPD homicide detective chasing the murderer of a man who fought side by side with Bosch in Vietnam.
When the victim’s body is found in the drainpipe at Mulholland Dam, Bosch sets off through a dangerous maze of blind alleys and is pitted against enemies inside his own department, forcing him to make the agonizing choice between justice and vengeance.
5. The Last Coyote
Harry Bosch’s earthquake-damaged home has been condemned. His girlfriend left him and he’s been drinking too much.
And since he’s been suspended for attacking his commanding officer, he’s got plenty of time on his hands—time he spends investigating an unsolved crime from 1961: the brutal murder of a prostitute, who happened to be his own mother.
Even after 30 years, Harry’s questions seem to make some of L.A.’s top politicos uneasy. And as the truth slowly emerges, it’s clear that someone wants to keep it buried.
6. The Brass Verdict
Book 2 of the Lincoln Lawyer series brings together Mickey Haller and Harry Bosch as they join forces to track down a killer.
After Hollywood lawyer Jerry Vincent is murdered, Mickey Haller inherits the defense of Walter Elliott, a studio executive accused of murdering his wife and her lover.
But as Mickey prepares for the case, he learns that Vincent’s killer could be coming for him next. Bosch isn’t afraid to use Mickey as bait, but as the stakes rise, the pair realize their only choice is to team up.
7. The Narrows
FBI agent Rachel Walling has never forgotten the serial killer who wove lines of poetry in his hideous crimes, and she’s just gotten the dreaded call that “the Poet” has resurfaced.
Former LAPD detective Harry Bosch also gets a call, from the widow of an old friend. Her husband’s death seems natural, but his ties to the Poet make Bosch dig deep.
In the California desert, where the feds are unearthing bodies, Bosch joins forces with Rachel. Now they’re both are at odds with the FBI as the Poet leads them on a wicked ride.
8. Trunk Music
Outside the Hollywood Bowl, the body of a Hollywood producer is found in the trunk of a Rolls Royce.
The apparent mafia hit sends Harry Bosch on a complex trail, following gambling debts to Las Vegas in a case that suddenly becomes personal.
9. Angels Flight
Angels Flight is an iconic trolley in Downtown Los Angeles, far from Harry Bosch’s Hollywood turf.
But when an activist attorney with numerous enemies inside the LAPD is killed on the funicular, it falls to Harry to solve the case.
His hunt for a killer leads Harry to another high-profile L.A. murder case, one in which every cop had a motive.
10. City of Bones
When a dog finds a bone in the Hollywood Hills, it unearths a 20-year-old murder. It’s a cold case, but one that stirs up memories of Detective Bosch’s childhood as an orphan.
Unable to let it go, Bosch’s investigation takes him deeper into the past, while a beautiful rookie cop brings him alive in the present.
But when a blown mission leaves Bosch in more trouble than ever, he’s forced to make an unimaginable decision.
Is Michael Connelly Writing Any More Bosch Books?
In November of 2022, a direct sequel to The Dark Hours will be released. The book does not yet have a title, but it will follow LAPD detective Renée Ballard and Harry Bosch as they work together to hunt a man responsible for the murder of an entire family.
If you’re a fan of Michael Connelly’s work, then you may also want to check out legal thrillers by David Baldacci or crime thrillers by Patricia Cornwell.
Do you have a favorite Michael Connelly book? Tell us about it in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- 11 of the Best Books by David Baldacci
- 10 Best Patricia Cornwell Books from the Kay Scarpetta Series
- 6 Detective Fiction Tropes We Can Do Without
- 16 Fictional Detectives We All Love
As a blog writer for TCK Publishing, Kaelyn loves crafting fun and helpful content for writers, readers, and creative minds alike. She has a degree in International Affairs with a minor in Italian Studies, but her true passion has always been writing. Working remotely allows her to do even more of the things she loves, like traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.
