50 Must-Read 50 Beta
← The Must-Read 50
Cover of The Reversal by Michael ConnellyThe Reversal
Modern · Fiction, Mystery, Thriller

The Reversal

by Michael Connelly
2010 · 440 pages · Fiction
71.6Must-Read
Score Modern
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 11 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Defense attorney Mickey Haller agrees to switch sides and serve as a special prosecutor to retry Jason Jessup, convicted 24 years ago of a child murder and now freed after DNA evidence seemed to clear him. Convinced Jessup is guilty, Haller asks his half-brother, Harry Bosch, to find the truth before he kills again.

Why it's worth reading

It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It brings Haller and Bosch together on the same side.

You'll love it if you liked

Cover of The Fifth Witness by Michael ConnellyThe Fifth Witness
The Fifth WitnessMichael Connelly
Cover of The Gods of Guilt by Michael ConnellyThe Gods of Guilt
The Gods of GuiltMichael Connelly
Cover of The Drop by Michael ConnellyThe Drop
The DropMichael Connelly

Good to know

It works on its own, though readers of both series get more from it.

By the numbers

71.6Must-Read Score
  • Readers63 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller53 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Bestseller
#1 New York Times bestseller (1 week at #1)17 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists since 2010

Reads as

Gripping

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

More by Michael Connelly

Cover of The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael ConnellyThe Lincoln Lawyer
The Lincoln LawyerMichael Connelly
Cover of The Brass Verdict by Michael ConnellyThe Brass Verdict
The Brass VerdictMichael Connelly
Cover of The Crossing by Michael ConnellyThe Crossing
The CrossingMichael Connelly
Cover of The Law of Innocence by Michael ConnellyThe Law of Innocence
The Law of InnocenceMichael Connelly

If you like this, read next

Cover of Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden KeefeSay Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern IrelandPatrick Radden Keefe
Cover of Verity by Colleen HooverVerity
VerityColleen Hoover
Cover of Gone Girl by Gillian FlynnGone Girl
Gone GirlGillian Flynn
Cover of The Martian by Andy WeirThe Martian
The MartianAndy Weir
Cover of 2666 by Roberto Bolaño2666
2666Roberto Bolaño
Cover of Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn MuirGideon the Ninth
Gideon the NinthTamsyn Muir

Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedModern booksTop 25 · 1,573 rankedBooks of the 2010sTop 25 · 736 rankedFantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedRomancesTop 25 · 233 ranked

Quick answers

Is The Reversal worth reading?

Yes. It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It ranks #1,121 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 71.6 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is The Reversal about?

Defense attorney Mickey Haller agrees to switch sides and serve as a special prosecutor to retry Jason Jessup, convicted 24 years ago of a child murder and now freed after DNA evidence seemed to clear him. Convinced Jessup is guilty, Haller asks his half-brother, Harry Bosch, to find the truth before he kills again.

How long does it take to read The Reversal?

About 11 hours (440 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after The Reversal?

If you liked it, try The Fifth Witness by Michael Connelly, The Gods of Guilt by Michael Connelly or The Drop by Michael Connelly.