Michael Connelly Popular Books

Michael Connelly Biography & Facts

Michael Joseph Connelly (born July 21, 1956) 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. Connelly is the bestselling author of 38 novels and one work of non-fiction, with over 74 million copies of his books sold worldwide and translated into 40 languages. His first novel, The Black Echo, won the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best First Novel in 1992. In 2002, Clint Eastwood directed and starred in the movie adaptation of Connelly's 1997 novel, Blood Work. In March 2011, the movie adaptation of Connelly's novel The Lincoln Lawyer starred Matthew McConaughey as Mickey Haller. Connelly was the President of the Mystery Writers of America from 2003 to 2004. Early life Connelly was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the second eldest child of W. Michael Connelly, a property developer, and Mary Connelly, a homemaker. He is of Irish ancestry. According to Connelly, his father was a frustrated artist who encouraged his children to want to succeed in life and was a risk taker who alternated between success and failure in his pursuit of a career. Connelly's mother was a fan of crime fiction and introduced her son to the world of mystery novels.At age 12, Connelly moved with his family from Philadelphia to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School. At age 16, Connelly's interest in crime and mystery escalated when, on his way home from his work as a hotel dishwasher, he witnessed a man throw an object into a hedge. Connelly decided to investigate and found that the object was a gun wrapped in a lumberjack shirt. After putting the gun back, he followed the man to a bar and then left to go home to tell his father. Later that night, Connelly brought the police down to the bar, but the man was already gone. This event introduced Connelly to the world of police officers and their lives, impressing him with the way they worked.Connelly had planned on following his father's early choice of career in building construction and started out at the University of Florida in Gainesville, at the Rinker School of Building Construction, studying construction management. After earning grades that were lower than expected, Connelly went to see Robert Altman's film The Long Goodbye (1973). The film, based on Raymond Chandler's eponymous 1953 novel, inspired Connelly to want to become a mystery writer. Connelly went home and read all of Chandler's works featuring Philip Marlowe, and decided to transfer to the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, major in journalism, and minor in creative writing. Early career After graduating from the University of Florida in 1980, Connelly got a job as a crime beat writer at the Daytona Beach News Journal, where he worked for almost two years until he went to the Fort Lauderdale News and Sun-Sentinel in 1981. There, he covered the crime beat during the South Florida cocaine wars. He stayed with the paper for a few years and in 1986, he and two other reporters spent several months interviewing survivors of the 1985 Delta Flight 191 plane crash, which story earned Connelly a place as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. The honor also brought Connelly a job as a crime reporter at the Los Angeles Times. He moved to California in 1987 with his wife Linda McCaleb, whom he met while in college and married in April 1984.After moving to Los Angeles, Connelly went to see High Tower Court where Raymond Chandler's character Philip Marlowe had lived (in his 1942 novel The High Window), and Robert Altman had used for his film The Long Goodbye (1973). Connelly got the manager of the building to promise to phone him if the apartment ever became available. Ten years later, the manager tracked Connelly down, and Connelly decided to rent the place. This apartment served as a place to write for several years.After three years at the Los Angeles Times, Connelly wrote his first published novel, The Black Echo (1992), after previously writing two unfinished novels that he did not attempt to get published. He sold The Black Echo to Little, Brown to be published in 1992 and won the Mystery Writers of America's Edgar Award for best first novel. The book is partly based on a true crime and is the first one featuring Connelly's primary recurring character, Los Angeles Police Department Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch, a man who, according to Connelly, shares few similarities with the author himself. Connelly named Bosch after the Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch, known for his paintings full of sin and redemption, such as the painting Hell, a copy of which hangs on the office wall behind Connelly's computer. Connelly describes his own work as a big canvas with all the characters of his books floating across it as currents on a painting. Sometimes they are bound to collide, creating cross currents. This is something that Connelly creates by bringing back characters from previous books and letting them play a part in books written five or six years after first being introduced.Connelly went on to write three more novels about Detective Bosch—The Black Ice (1993), The Concrete Blonde (1994), and The Last Coyote (1995)—before quitting his job as a reporter to write full-time. Full-time novelist Michael Connelly received a good deal of publicity in 1994, when President Bill Clinton came out of a bookstore carrying a copy of The Concrete Blonde in front of the waiting cameras. A meeting was set up between the two at Los Angeles International Airport.In 1996, Connelly wrote The Poet, his first book not to feature Bosch, instead the protagonist was reporter Jack McEvoy. The book was a success. In 1997, Connelly returned to Bosch in Trunk Music before writing another book, Blood Work (1997), about a different character, FBI agent Terry McCaleb. Blood Work was made into a film in 2002, directed by Clint Eastwood, who also played McCaleb, an agent with a transplanted heart, in pursuit of his donor's murderer. The book came together after one of Connelly's friends had a heart transplant and he saw what his friend was going through with survivor's guilt after the surgery. When asked if he had anything against the changes made to fit the big screen, Connelly simply replied: "If you take their money, it's their turn to tell the story".Connelly wrote another book featuring Bosch, Angels Flight (1999), before writing Void Moon (2000), a free-standing book about Las Vegas thief Cassie Black. In 2001, A Darkness More Than Night was published, in which Connelly united Bosch and McCaleb to solve a crime together, before releasing two books in 2002. The first, City of Bones, was the eighth Bosch novel, and the other, Chasing the Dime, was a non-series novel. In 2001, Connelly left California for Tampa Bay, Florida, together with his wife and daughter, so that both he and his wife could be closer to their fa.... Discover the Michael Connelly popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Michael Connelly books.

Best Seller Michael Connelly Books of 2024

  • The Concrete Blonde synopsis, comments

    The Concrete Blonde

    Michael Connelly

    Detective Harry Bosch was sure he'd shot the serial killer responsible for a string of murders in LA . . . but now, a new crime makes him question his convictions. The Dollmaker w...

  • The Reversal synopsis, comments

    The Reversal

    Michael Connelly

    INSPIRATION FOR THE ORIGINAL SERIES THE LINCOLN LAWYER – THE #1 TV SHOW ON NETFLIXThe stakes have never been higher: when DNA evidence frees a sadistic killer, defense attorney Mic...

  • The Athena Project synopsis, comments

    The Athena Project

    Brad Thor

    From #1 New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author Brad Thor, four deadly women from the topsecret Athena Project join Delta Force as they undertake one of the na...

  • The Drop synopsis, comments

    The Drop

    Michael Connelly

    In his fierce search for a new case, Detective Harry Bosch discovers a killer hiding behind suspicious DNA evidence and a political conspiracy that could destroy the Los Angeles P...

  • Black List synopsis, comments

    Black List

    Brad Thor

    #1 New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author Brad Thor returns with his most explosive thriller ever. Somewhere deep inside the United States government is a clo...

  • Free Fall synopsis, comments

    Free Fall

    Brad Thor

    The prelude to Hidden Order, Brad Thor's riveting and pulsepounding Scot Harvath thriller.Experience the suspense and thrills only Brad Thor can write in Free Fall, the shocking pr...

  • American Assassin synopsis, comments

    American Assassin

    Vince Flynn

    In #1 New York Times bestselling author Vince Flynn’s explosive and “captivating” (Glenn Beck) thriller, witness the young Mitch Rapp as he takes on his first assignment.Mitch Rapp...

  • Foreign Agent synopsis, comments

    Foreign Agent

    Brad Thor

    “The best thriller of the year...an exciting and entertaining read.” The Washington Times“A topnotch thriller.” Bill O’ReillyFrom #1 New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bests...

  • The Late Show synopsis, comments

    The Late Show

    Michael Connelly

    In this first installment of the Renée Ballard series, #1 bestselling author Michael Connelly introduces a "complicated and driven" young detective fighting to prove herself on the...

  • Order to Kill synopsis, comments

    Order to Kill

    Vince Flynn & Kyle Mills

    In the next thrilling novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling Mitch Rapp series, the antiterrorism operative heads to Pakistan to confront a mortal threat he may not be prepared...

  • The Gods of Guilt synopsis, comments

    The Gods of Guilt

    Michael Connelly

    INSPIRATION FOR THE ORIGINAL SERIES THE LINCOLN LAWYER – THE #1 TV SHOW ON NETFLIXDefense attorney Mickey Haller is forced to bend the law until it breaks when he is hired to defen...

  • Memorial Day synopsis, comments

    Memorial Day

    Vince Flynn

    When the CIA receives word about an upcoming terrorist attack, they immediately look towards their superagent Mitch Rapp to do whatever it takes to protect American lives in this “...

  • Black Ice synopsis, comments

    Black Ice

    Brad Thor

    INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER“[A]nother instant classic.” The Real Book Spy “The undisputed master of blending geopolitics with spycraft…a thriller aficionado’s dream.” The ...

  • Full Black synopsis, comments

    Full Black

    Brad Thor

    #1 New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author Brad Thor brings his darkest and most intriguing thriller yeta terrifying story of espionage and betrayalbrilliantly...

  • The Narrows synopsis, comments

    The Narrows

    Michael Connelly

    In the depths of the Nevada desert, FBI agent Rachel Walling and former LAPD Detective Harry Bosch must confront The Poet, a terrifying serial killer who leads them down a dark and...

  • Near Dark synopsis, comments

    Near Dark

    Brad Thor

    INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES AND WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER“Fastpaced...pulsepounding...supremely entertaining…His best ever.” The Washington Times“This might be the single greate...

  • Foreign Influence synopsis, comments

    Foreign Influence

    Brad Thor

    Navy SEAL turned covert operative Scot Harvath is called to action once again in this pulsepounding political thriller from #1 New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling...

  • Executive Power synopsis, comments

    Executive Power

    Vince Flynn

    The New York Times bestselling Mitch Rapp series returns with this “fastpaced spy thriller” (People) following the country’s best assassin as he finds himself in the crossfire of A...

  • The Last Patriot synopsis, comments

    The Last Patriot

    Brad Thor

    Brad Thor, master of suspense and #1 New York Times bestselling author is back with his highestvoltage thriller to date in which Navy SEAL turned covert Homeland Security operative...

  • Separation of Power synopsis, comments

    Separation of Power

    Vince Flynn

    The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the electrifying Mitch Rapp series “knows how deliver action in his novels” (St. Paul Pioneer Press) and does so again with this thrilli...

  • The Closers synopsis, comments

    The Closers

    Michael Connelly

    In this #1 New York Times bestseller, Detective Harry Bosch joins LA's elite Open/Unsolved Unit to help piece together the mysterious death of a teenage girl.He walked away from th...

  • The First Commandment synopsis, comments

    The First Commandment

    Brad Thor

    From #1 New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author Brad Thor, the explosive international thriller featuring Navy SEAL turned Homeland Security operative Scot Har...

  • Lethal Agent synopsis, comments

    Lethal Agent

    Vince Flynn & Kyle Mills

    An unprecedented and terrifying bioterrorism plot threatens to kill millions in the midst of a divisive presidential election in this “gut punch of a tale that exploits our greates...

  • The Last Man synopsis, comments

    The Last Man

    Vince Flynn

    #1 New York Times bestselling author Vince Flynn “has never been better” (The Providence Journal) in this highoctane thriller following Mitch Rapp as he searches for a missing CIA ...

  • Spymaster synopsis, comments

    Spymaster

    Brad Thor

    Scot Harvath must do whatever it takes to prevent the United States from being dragged into a deadly war in this heartpounding thriller that is “timely, raw, and filled with enough...

  • Two Kinds of Truth synopsis, comments

    Two Kinds of Truth

    Michael Connelly

    Exiled from the LAPD, Harry Bosch must clear his name, uncover a ring of prescription drug abuse, and outwit a clever killer before it's too late.Harry Bosch, exiled from the LAPD,...

  • Kill Shot synopsis, comments

    Kill Shot

    Vince Flynn

    #1 internationally bestselling author Vince Flynn delivers the young, hungry, and lethal Mitch Rapp at the onset of his career as a CIA superagent.In the year since the CIA trained...

  • Term Limits synopsis, comments

    Term Limits

    Vince Flynn

    Politics and riveting suspense collide in this whiteknuckled thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of American Assassinsoon to be a major motion picture.In one blo...

  • A Darkness More Than Night synopsis, comments

    A Darkness More Than Night

    Michael Connelly

    LAPD Detective Harry Bosch crosses paths with FBI profiler Terry McCaleb while investigating the murder of a Hollywood actress.Harry Bosch is up to his neck in a case that has tran...

  • The Wrong Side of Goodbye synopsis, comments

    The Wrong Side of Goodbye

    Michael Connelly

    In this #1 New York Times bestseller, California's newest private investigator, Detective Harry Bosch, must track down a missing heir while helping a police department connect the ...

  • Angels Flight synopsis, comments

    Angels Flight

    Michael Connelly

    In this "superbly paced" New York Times bestseller (Esquire), LAPD detective Harry Bosch is trying to solve a highprofile lawyer's murder. But first he must face the public's suspi...

  • The Survivor synopsis, comments

    The Survivor

    Vince Flynn & Kyle Mills

    The #1 New York Times bestselling novel that picks up where the “tight, right, and dynamite” (Star Tribune, Minneapolis) The Last Man left off, The Survivor is a noholdsbarred race...

  • The Lions of Lucerne synopsis, comments

    The Lions of Lucerne

    Brad Thor

    In his daring and chilling first novel, #1 New York Times bestselling author Brad Thor draws us into a sinister labyrinth of political intrigue and international terrorism, serving...

  • Backlash synopsis, comments

    Backlash

    Brad Thor

    “Raw emotion, nonstop action, and relentless pacing makes Backlash another onenight read from Brad Thor.” The Real Book Spy#1 New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling ...

  • Blowback synopsis, comments

    Blowback

    Brad Thor

    From #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and #1 Publishers Weekly bestselling author, Brad Thor, comes Blowback.Scot Harvath’s counterterrorism career has just crashed and b...

  • Rising Tiger synopsis, comments

    Rising Tiger

    Brad Thor

    INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER #1 WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLERDeadly operative Scot Harvath faces down the country’s most powerful enemy in #1 New York Times and #1 Wall Stree...

  • The Lincoln Lawyer synopsis, comments

    The Lincoln Lawyer

    Michael Connelly

    INSPIRATION FOR THE ORIGINAL SERIES THE LINCOLN LAWYER – THE #1 TV SHOW ON NETFLIXThe bestselling legal thriller has charismatic defense attorney Mickey Haller taking on a slamdunk...

  • Code of Conduct synopsis, comments

    Code of Conduct

    Brad Thor

    “Thor tops himself again and again.” Bookreporter “Feels like the TV show 24 on the page.” Associated Press #1 New York Times bestselling author Brad Thor presents his greatest thr...

  • Nine Dragons synopsis, comments

    Nine Dragons

    Michael Connelly

    After what seems like a routine murder investigation, LAPD Detective Harry Bosch finds himself in Hong Kong facing the higheststakes case of his life: bringing his kidnapped daught...

  • Takedown synopsis, comments

    Takedown

    Brad Thor

    From #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and #1 Publishers Weekly bestselling author, Brad Thor, comes Takedown.July 4th weekend, New York City: As thousands of holiday trav...

  • Extreme Measures synopsis, comments

    Extreme Measures

    Vince Flynn

    #1 New York Times bestselling phenomenon Vince Flynn delivers a whiteknuckled rollercoaster ride of a novel featuring “the best hero the thriller genre has to offer” (The Real Book...

  • Path of the Assassin synopsis, comments

    Path of the Assassin

    Brad Thor

    The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Scot Harvath series and “heir to Tom Clancy and Robert Ludlum” (Chicago Tribune) returns with this unputdownable, whiteknuckled thri...

  • Transfer of Power synopsis, comments

    Transfer of Power

    Vince Flynn

    This “rollercoaster, edgeofyourseat thriller” (StarTribune, Minneapolis) in the #1 New York Times bestselling Mitch Rapp series follows the CIA’s top operative as he must stop a ma...

  • State of the Union synopsis, comments

    State of the Union

    Brad Thor

    “The perfect allAmerican hero” (Nelson DeMille, #1 New York Times bestselling author) Scot Harvath is on the hunt for a dangerous killer bent on world domination in this whiteknuck...

  • Oath of Loyalty synopsis, comments

    Oath of Loyalty

    Vince Flynn & Kyle Mills

    Named the Best Thriller of 2022 by The Real Book SpyMitch Rapp confronts a very different kind of killer in this explosive “and entertaining from the first page to the last” (The P...

  • Act of War synopsis, comments

    Act of War

    Brad Thor

    The #1 New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author Brad Thor delivers his most frightening and pulsepounding thriller ever!After a CIA agent mysteriously dies over...

  • Hidden Order synopsis, comments

    Hidden Order

    Brad Thor

    #1 New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author Brad Thor returns with his hottest and most actionpacked thriller yet!The most secretive organization in America ope...

  • Pursuit of Honor synopsis, comments

    Pursuit of Honor

    Vince Flynn

    Mitch Rappthe “mainstay of the modern technothriller” (New York Journal of Books)returns in this exhilarating political thriller as he fights for the sake of his country and the pu...

  • Trunk Music synopsis, comments

    Trunk Music

    Michael Connelly

    Back on the job after an involuntary leave of absence, LAPD homicide detective Harry Bosch is ready for a challenge but a murderous Las Vegas crime ring might prove to be more tha...