Mickey Haller, otherwise known as the Lincoln Lawyer because he works out of the back of a Lincoln Town car, is chasing demons of the past in this new novel called The Gods of Guilt.  It all starts with a text message, notifying him that there has been a murder, which would be a big case IF he can land the case and the client can pay!

What Haller didn’t anticipate was that the victim was someone he knew-a prostitute that he had helped a long time ago. After getting Gloria out of trouble and into rehab numerous times, Haller thought he had finally helped her get out of the business once and for all.  But Gloria, evidently, was still in it and it killed her.  Now Andre, Gloria’s pimp, wants to hire Haller to represent him and he can pay, in solid gold bullion.

As Haller tries to sort out what happened, and who killed Gloria he begins to suspect that Andre is not guilty and that there is something much more sinister at work. But Haller, still reeling from the fallout of defending someone successfully, who then killed a mother and daughter, is off his game and feels the eyes of judgement, “the gods of guilt,” watching his every move, and has difficulty trusting his instincts in this case.  One of the “gods of guilt” is his daughter who knew the girl who was killed.  Appalled and disturbed that her father was involved in letting the man go free, she has refused to have any contact with her father and the rejection and loss makes Haller second guess his life, and profession.

Connelly, one of my favorite authors for both this series and for his Bosch series does not disappoint, as he builds on the the foundation of the preceding books which gives Haller a sense of reality that is firmly anchored in time and place. In fact, Haller, in this book bemoans the fact that although he has become more recognizable since the release of the movie of his life, starring Matthew McConaughey, the fame did not translate into any long term financial stability, a reference that is not only humorous, but becomes another anchor to reality. Connelly gives the gritty legal procedural a literary twist with his great writing and his focus on strong characters who wrestle with real questions of existential identity and the impact their choices have on their relationships, which makes this a great read. If you have not read these books before, drop everything and begin now!

Brenda’s Rating: ****1/2 (4 1/2 Stars out of 5)

Recommend this book to: Sharon, Marian, Keith and Ken

Book Study Worthy? Yes

Read in ebook format.