Crime Fiction
Michael Connelly Books in Order
by Michael Connelly
Michael Connelly's Los Angeles crime universe — anchored by detective Harry Bosch, defense attorney Mickey Haller, and detective Renée Ballard — is the most critically acclaimed crime series of the past thirty years. Gritty, psychologically deep, meticulous in its procedural detail.
About the series
Michael Connelly is the preeminent American crime writer of his generation, best known for creating LAPD Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch — the anchor of a sprawling Los Angeles universe that has expanded to include defense attorney Mickey Haller (the Lincoln Lawyer), LAPD Detective Renée Ballard, and journalist Jack McEvoy. The Bosch TV series and The Lincoln Lawyer Netflix show have introduced millions of new readers to Connelly's meticulously detailed procedurals.
Recommended reading order
Publication order is strongly recommended for Bosch, as cases and personal history carry forward across decades. The Black Echo (1992) is the natural starting point. Mickey Haller's Lincoln Lawyer books can be read as a separate sequence (start with The Lincoln Lawyer, 2005) or interleaved with Bosch since the characters cross over. Renée Ballard debuted in The Late Show (2017) and frequently partners with Bosch; read at least through The Wrong Side of Goodbye before starting the Ballard books for full effect. The Jack McEvoy series (beginning with The Poet, 1996) is largely standalone.
Reading order
38 books · Ongoing