THE FIFTH WITNESS

Defense attorney Mickey Haller is back, along with his cadre of associates: his streetwise driver, a tough investigator, a young colleague, and a pair of ex-wives. Haller’s on-the-go legal career keeps him busy with foreclosure cases—until one of his clients is accused of murder. Connelly is notable in his crafting of character backgrounds, and Peter Giles closely observes these details in his skillful narration. However, as important as the protagonist is in Connelly’s book, it’s the minor characters whom Giles particularly enlivens. Haller’s investigator sounds, well, tough. A Hollywood producer comes off as sleazy. A financial company executive, an information technology worker, and others all have appropriate accents or intonation. Connelly ties up all loose ends in a solid ending, and Giles never misses a beat. M.B. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2011]