Michael Connelly, renowned for his gripping crime fiction and detective tales, was born on July 21, 1956, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was his mother, Mary Connelly, an avid reader, who imbued him with a deep appreciation for literature. Her influence was profound, even serving as his first proofreader.
While the Connelly family originally hailed from Pennsylvania, their journey took them to Fort Lauderdale, Florida when Michael was 11. During his teen years at St. Thomas Aquinas High School, a chance encounter with a crime scene intensified Michael’s interest in the crime genre.
But, young Michael initially envisioned a career akin to his father, W. Michael Connelly, as a property developer. Enrolling at the University of Florida in Gainesville with this intent, it wasn’t until a movie — Robert Altman’s The Long Goodbye — that his true calling revealed itself. Captivated, Michael pivoted to journalism.
Upon completing his journalism degree, Michael joined the Daytona Beach News Journal in 1980 as a crime writer. His journey took him next to the Fort Lauderdale News and Sun-Sentinel.
There, during the tumultuous cocaine wars, his exceptional reporting on the 1985 Delta Plane crash earned him a Pulitzer Prize nomination. This accolade ushered him into the Los Angeles Times as a crime reporter in 1987.
While Michael dedicated years to crime reporting, his passion for writing novels simmered. In 1992, he introduced the world to Detective Harry Bosch in his debut novel, The Black Echo. Harry dives into a murder case that involves his former comrade, Billy Meadows.
This first book was a stellar entry into the Harry Bosch series and won the Edgar Award for best first novel. Such recognition marked the beginning of a new era in detective novels.
Since then, he’s authored 14 novels centered on Bosch, ventured into the Mickey Haller Series, and produced standalone titles.
To date, Michael Connelly’s storytelling prowess has graced us with books translated into 35 languages. His commitment to realism extends beyond thrilling narratives. His works highlight pivotal societal issues — from the essence of journalistic integrity to the implications of inadequate police procedures.
His novel The Drop is a testament to this, weaving contemporary concerns seamlessly with engaging mystery plots. Through characters like Harry Bosch, Connelly offers readers a mirror to our world, balancing intricate backstories with pressing modern challenges.
Currently residing in Florida with his family, Michael Connelly’s illustrious career is a testament to his unmatched storytelling craft, shedding light on both the enigmatic corners of crime and the broader societal canvas it unfolds within.
Michael Connelly, an American author, has not only carved a niche in the world of crime fiction but has also captured the hearts of readers and critics alike with his mesmerizing tales. With each book, he pulls us into the dark underbelly of crime, ensuring that we remain captivated from the first page to the last.
Order of Bosch Universe Books
After the introduction of Harry in Black Echo, books like Black Ice, Concrete Blonde, and Last Coyote followed. Stories like Echo Park and City of Bones deepened the lore, while Trunk Music and Angels Flight showed the complexities of Harry’s life.
The Black Echo -1992 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 544 Pages - 10/15/2013 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
The Black Ice -1993 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 464 Pages - 10/15/2013 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
The Concrete Blonde -1994 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- signed first edition of michael connelly's third harry bosch novel
- Hardcover Book
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 392 Pages - 06/01/1994 (Publication Date) - Little Brown (Publisher)
The Last Coyote -1995 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 544 Pages - 10/15/2013 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
The Poet -1996 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 656 Pages - 09/26/2017 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
Trunk Music -1997 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 544 Pages - 10/15/2013 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
Blood Work -1998 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 480 Pages - 03/26/2019 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
Angels Flight -1999 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Angels Flight
- Michael Connelly
- Little Brown and Company
- Fiction
- Harry Bosch Novel
Void Moon -1999 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 480 Pages - 01/01/2001 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
A Darkness More Than Night -2000 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 496 Pages - 04/29/2014 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
City of Bones -2002 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 416 Pages - 07/29/2014 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
Lost Light -2003 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 384 Pages - 09/30/2014 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
The Narrows -2004 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 432 Pages - 10/02/2006 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
The Closers -2005 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 496 Pages - 12/16/2014 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
The Lincoln Lawyer -2005 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 592 Pages - 06/28/2016 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
Echo Park -2006 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 448 Pages - 02/24/2015 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
The Overlook -2007 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 304 Pages - 04/28/2015 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
The Brass Verdict -2008 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Author: Connelly Michael. | Publisher: Little Brown and Company| Pages: 422| Publication Date: 2008-10-14| Edition: 1st| Binding: Hardcover| MSRP: 26.99| ISBN13: 9780316166294| ISBN: 0316166294| Other ISBN: 9780316040167| Other ISBN Binding: saleableprint| Language: en| Store Location: Drama Hardback|"Book cover image may be different than what appears on the actual book."
- Hardcover Book
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 432 Pages - 10/14/2008 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
The Scarecrow -2009 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 576 Pages - 09/25/2018 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
Nine Dragons -2009 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 480 Pages - 08/01/2010 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
Blue on Black -2010 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 19 Pages - 09/06/2016 (Publication Date) - Mulholland Books (Publisher)
The Reversal -2010 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 464 Pages - 08/30/2016 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
Angle of Investigation -2011 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 94 Pages - 11/01/2011 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
The Fifth Witness -2011 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 496 Pages - 09/27/2016 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
Suicide Run -2011 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 97 Pages - 10/01/2011 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
The Drop -2011 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Author: Connelly, Michael.
- Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
- Pages: 496
- Publication Date: 2012
- Edition: Reprint
The Black Box -2012 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 480 Pages - 10/15/2013 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
The Gods of Guilt -2013 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Defense attorney Mickey Haller returns with a haunting case in the gripping new thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Connelly.
- Hardcover Book
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 400 Pages - 12/02/2013 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
Switchblade -2014 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 44 Pages - 01/14/2014 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
The Burning Room -2014 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 512 Pages - 10/27/2015 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
The Crossing -2015 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 400 Pages - 10/25/2016 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
The Wrong Side of Goodbye -2016 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Detective mystery
- Hardcover Book
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 400 Pages - 11/01/2016 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
The Late Show -2017 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- The Late Show Hardcover – July 18, 2017
- Hardcover Book
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 448 Pages - 07/18/2017 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
Two Kinds of Truth -2017 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Two Kinds of Truth (A Harry Bosch Novel) Hardcover – October 31, 2017 by Michael Connelly (Author)
- Hardcover Book
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 416 Pages - 10/31/2017 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
Dark Sacred Night -2018 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 496 Pages - 10/08/2019 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
The Night Fire -2019 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Hardcover Book
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 416 Pages - 10/22/2019 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
Fair Warning -2020 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 466 Pages - 02/02/2021 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
The Law of Innocence -2020 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Novel
- Hardcover Book
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 432 Pages - 11/10/2020 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
The Dark Hours -2021 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 401 Pages - 11/09/2021 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
Desert Star -2022 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Hardcover Book
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 400 Pages - 11/08/2022 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
Resurrection Walk -2023 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 418 Pages - 11/07/2023 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
Main Characters and Series
Beyond the Harry Bosch novels, Michael Connelly has introduced several memorable characters. Jack McEvoy, a crime reporter, makes his appearance in books like The Poet, dealing with a serial killer case. Defense attorney Mickey Haller, the main character of the Lincoln Lawyer series, debuted with Matthew McConaughey portraying him in the eponymous film adaptation.
Other remarkable characters from Michael Connelly’s books include Terry McCaleb from Blood Work (adapted into a film starring Clint Eastwood) and Cassie Black from Void Moon.
To enjoy the full essence of Michael Connelly novels, diving into them in chronological order might be the right thing to do.
Order of Mickey Haller Books
The Lincoln Lawyer -2005 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 592 Pages - 06/28/2016 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
The Brass Verdict -2008 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Author: Connelly Michael. | Publisher: Little Brown and Company| Pages: 422| Publication Date: 2008-10-14| Edition: 1st| Binding: Hardcover| MSRP: 26.99| ISBN13: 9780316166294| ISBN: 0316166294| Other ISBN: 9780316040167| Other ISBN Binding: saleableprint| Language: en| Store Location: Drama Hardback|"Book cover image may be different than what appears on the actual book."
- Hardcover Book
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 432 Pages - 10/14/2008 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
The Reversal -2010 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Hardcover Book
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 389 Pages - 10/05/2010 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
The Fifth Witness -2011 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 496 Pages - 09/27/2016 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
The Gods of Guilt -2013 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Defense attorney Mickey Haller returns with a haunting case in the gripping new thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Connelly.
- Hardcover Book
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 400 Pages - 12/02/2013 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
The Law of Innocence -2020 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Novel
- Hardcover Book
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 432 Pages - 11/10/2020 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
Resurrection Walk -2023 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 418 Pages - 11/07/2023 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
Order of Renée Ballard Books
The Late Show -2017 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- The Late Show Hardcover – July 18, 2017
- Hardcover Book
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 448 Pages - 07/18/2017 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
Dark Sacred Night -2018 —– Buy Now From Amazon
The Night Fire -2019 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Hardcover Book
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 416 Pages - 10/22/2019 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
The Dark Hours -2021 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 401 Pages - 11/09/2021 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
Desert Star -2022 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Hardcover Book
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 400 Pages - 11/08/2022 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
Order of Jack McEvoy Books
The Poet -1996 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 656 Pages - 09/26/2017 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
The Scarecrow -2009 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 576 Pages - 09/25/2018 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
Fair Warning -2020 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 466 Pages - 02/02/2021 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
Order of Terry McCaleb Books
Blood Work -1998 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 480 Pages - 03/26/2019 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
A Darkness More Than Night -2000 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 496 Pages - 04/29/2014 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
The Narrows -2004 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 432 Pages - 10/02/2006 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
Standalone Novels and Short Stories
Though series like Harry Bosch and Lincoln Lawyer are popular, Connelly’s standalone novels and short stories have their charm. Books like The Safe Man and Blue on Black showcase Connelly’s creative writing capabilities beyond the constraints of a series.
Michael Connelly books have not only garnered praise but also several awards, including the Anthony Awards.
Order of Standalone Novels
Void Moon -1999 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Connelly, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 480 Pages - 01/01/2001 (Publication Date) - Little, Brown and Company (Publisher)
Chasing the Dime -2002 —– Buy Now From Amazon
- Michael Connelly (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
With a blend of plots, well-crafted characters, and a deep understanding of the crime genre, Michael Connelly’s novels remain an integral part of crime fiction. Whether you’re a first-time reader exploring the world of Harry Bosch, a fan waiting for the next Mickey Haller courtroom drama, or someone appreciating his short stories, there’s a Connelly book waiting for you to read.