[lmt-post-modified-info] Michael Connelly is one of the most prolific legal mystery authors, best known for his Harry Bosch Universe, which includes not only the Harry Bosch series but also the Mickey Haller series, and the Jack McEvoy, Terry McCaleb, and Renee Ballard series.
While each series is standalone from the rest, they all have Harry Bosch involved somehow, and many of the characters from one series also feature in others.
Here are the Michael Connelly books in order for his vast Harry Bosch Universe, which will be split into the separate series based on its main character. If you want to read, however, the Harry Bosch Universe in chronological order regardless of the separate series, then follow the corresponding list in the brackets below.
New Michael Connelly Books
Fair Warning, Jack McEvoy #3), 2020
Harry Bosch Series in Order
- The Black Echo (Harry Bosch #1, Harry Bosch Universe #1), 1992
- The Black Ice (Harry Bosch #2, Harry Bosch Universe #2), 1993
- The Concrete Blonde (Harry Bosch #3, Harry Bosch Universe #3), 1994
- The Last Coyote (Harry Bosch #4, Harry Bosch Universe #4), 1995
- Trunk Music (Harry Bosch #5, Harry Bosch Universe #6), 1997
- Angels Flight (Harry Bosch #6, Harry Bosch Universe #7), 1998
- A Darkness More Than Night (Harry Bosch #7, Harry Bosch Universe #10), 2000
- City Of Bones (Harry Bosch #8, Harry Bosch Universe #11), 2002
- Lost Light (Harry Bosch #9, Harry Bosch Universe #12), 2003
- The Narrows (Harry Bosch #10, Harry Bosch Universe #13), 2004
- The Closers (Harry Bosch #11, Harry Bosch Universe #14), 2005
- Echo Park (Harry Bosch #12, Harry Bosch Universe #15), 2006
- Angle of Investigation (Harry Bosch #12.2), 2011
- Mulholland Dive (Harry Bosch #12.3 – includes Cahoots, Mulholland Dive, Two-Bagger), 2012
- The Overlook (Harry Bosch #13, Harry Bosch Universe #16), 2007
- Nine Dragons (Harry Bosch #14, Harry Bosch Universe #20), 2009
- Blue on Black (Harry Bosch #14.5), 2010
- The Drop (Harry Bosch #15, Harry Bosch Universe #23), 2011
- Suicide Run (Harry Bosch #15.1 – includes Suicide Run, Cielo Azul, One Dollar Jackpot), 2011
- The Black Box (Harry Bosch #16, Harry Bosch Universe #24), 2012
- Switchblade (Harry Bosch #16.5), 2014
- The Burning Room (Harry Bosch #17, Harry Bosch Universe #26), 2014
- The Crossing (Harry Bosch #18, Mickey Haller #6, Harry Bosch Universe #27), 2015
- The Wrong Side of Goodbye (Harry Bosch #19, Harry Bosch Universe #28), 2016
- Two Kinds of Truth (Harry Bosch #20, Harry Bosch Universe #30), 2017
- Dark Sacred Night (Harry Bosch #21, Renee Ballard #2, Harry Bosch Universe #31), 2018
- The Night Fire (Harry Bosch #22, Renee Ballard #3, Harry Bosch Universe #32), 2019
Mickey Haller Series in Order
- The Lincoln Lawyer (Mickey Haller #1, Harry Bosch Universe #17), 2005
- The Brass Verdict, (Mickey Haller #2, Harry Bosch Universe #18), 2008
- The Reversal (Mickey Haller #3, Harry Bosch Universe #21), 2010
- The Fifth Witness (Mickey Haller #4, Harry Bosch Universe #22), 2011
- The Gods of Guilt (Mickey Haller #5, Harry Bosch Universe #25), 2012
- The Crossing (Mickey Haller #6, Harry Bosch #18, Harry Bosch Universe #26), 2015
Jack McEvoy Series in Order
- The Poet (Jack McEvoy #1, Harry Bosch Universe #5), 1996
- The Scarecrow (Jack McEvoy #2, Harry Bosch Universe #19), 2009
- Fair Warning (Jac, McEvoy #3), 2020
Terry McCaleb Series in Order
- Blood Work (Terry McCaleb #1, Harry Bosch Universe #8), 1998
- A Darkness More Than Night (Terry McCaleb #2, Harry Bosch #7, Harry Bosch Universe #9), 2000
Renee Ballard Series in Order
- The Late Show (Renee Ballard #1, Harry Bosch Universe #29), 2017
- Dark Sacred Night (Renee Ballard #2, Harry Bosch #21, Harry Bosch Universe #31), 2018
- The Night Fire (Renee Ballard #3, Harry Bosch #22, Harry Bosch Universe #32), 2019
Standalone Michael Connelly Books
- Void Moon (Harry Bosch Universe #9), 1999
- Chasing the Dime, 2002 – not part of the Harry Bosch Universe, but H.B. is mentioned in the book
- The Safe Man, 2012 (short ghost story)
- Red Eye, 2014 (short story with Harry Bosch and Patrick Kenzie (by Dennis Lehane)
Michael Connelly Biography
Michael Connelly was born in 1956 in Philadelphia, PA, where he remained until the age of 12 when he moved with his family to Florida, which is where he grew up.
After finishing high school, he enrolled at the University of Florida where he truly discovered his love of books after reading Raymond Chandler novels. This is when he decided that writing mystery books was what he wanted to pursue, so he went with a major in journalism, along with a minor in creative writing.
He graduated from college in 1980, following which he started working at various newspapers in Daytona Beach and Fort Lauderdale, Florida as a journalist, working mostly the crime beat.
During the cocaine wars, Michael wrote pieces around investigations of crimes committed, and following a major airplane crash of Delta Flight 131 in 1985, he and other two journalists investigated survivors, and once their work was done, 1986 they wrote a story for the Orlando Sun-Sentinel surrounding the crash and its survivors, which short-listed for the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing.
This very piece skyrocketed Michael Connelly’s journalism career, allowing him to get a job with the Los Angeles Times as a crime reporter at around the age of 30 in 1987. Incidentally, Los Angeles is the home of Raymond Chandler, the very classic author who started Michael Connelly on his path to becoming a prolific author.
Not only that but when Michael Connelly moved to LA, he moved to the very apartment where Philip Marlowe (as played by Elliot Gould) rented in the Altman movie. This very apartment was where Michael Connelly wrote The Lincoln Lawyer, the first in the Mickey Haller series.
Michael Connelly remained at the crime beat for a good while since he knew that learning about the very world he was writing about was important not only in his research but also in getting the people, setting, and places with the right tone and inflection.
Some three years after getting the job at the LA Times, he started working on his debut novel, which would become The Black Echo, the first book to feature our beloved Harry Bosch. The book was published in January 1992, and with this, Michael’s career as a book author began after the novel won an Edgar Award for Best First Novel, and readers and critics got a glimpse at this new work.
There were a total of four Harry Bosch books before Michael Connelly wrote The Poet, the first in the new Jack McEvoy series, who – just like Michael – was a newspaper reporter.
After that, The Trunk Music followed as another Harry Bosch book, and then, a new Michael Connelly book called Blood Work emerged as the first in a new series titled Terry McCaleb. This latest book became a popular movie featuring Clint Eastwood in 2002.
An interesting tidbit Michael Connelly revealed in an interview was that he found the location where Harry Bosch would live while Michael was investigating a murder during his time as a reporter.
Michael Connelly became a full-time writer around 2006 when he stopped working as a reporter to focus on crafting his novels. A big life goal for him was to get away from his day job, and he finally did it. Still, he feels just like a journalist when he tells the stories of people featuring in his books.
The screen rights for a Harry Bosch movie or TV show were stuck with Paramount between 1995 and 2010, during which time the author was fighting tooth and nail to release the screen rights back to him since a real development for Harry Bosch was not in sight.
Once he got back the rights to his character through the legal battle, he gave it to Amazon Studios and Fabrik Entertainment, who created the now popular TV series titled simply Bosch with Titus Welliver as the main character.
Michael Connelly must have been the very first author whose books were also filmed at real police stations, this case at three LA ones.
Although most of the Michael Connelly books focus on male main characters, his latest series is about a female protagonist, Renee Ballard who is inspired by stories from Mitzi Roberts, a female homicide detective with the LAPD who has also consulted on the Bosch TV show. Both Mitzi and Renee have worked the night shift in Hollywood.
Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch do share some common traits, both being somewhat outsiders in their own departments, both sort of loners. Both are hard-working cops who are fully committed to justice and won’t look away just to make things easier for themselves.
Also, since Harry Bosch is already retired from the LAPD, Renee keeps this particular police station alive in the Michael Connelly novels. In the meantime, Harry Bosch is now freelancing to keep himself somewhat involved in police work.
As is usual in the Michael Connelly books, the main characters tend to cross paths between series, all gravitating within what us, readers, like to call the Harry Bosch Universe.
The latest entry in the pool of characters, Renee Ballard, has invariably been drawn into the world of Harry Bosch in Dark Sacred Night, which is the second Renee Ballard book and the 21st Harry Bosch book, published in 2018
Over the years, Michael Connelly has received numerous awards for his internationally acclaimed books. He was awarded or received several times the Dilys Awards, the Anthony Awards, the Macavity Awards, the Dagger Awards, the Anthony Awards, the Edgar Awards, the Shamus Awards, and the Barry Awards – all which are pretty much the biggest awards authors can receive for this best books.
Who is Harry Bosch
Harry Hieronymous Bosch got his name from a famous 15th Century Dutch painter. In many ways, is the opposite of his creator, Michael Connelly. While Michael comes from a large family, Harry Bosch is an orphan, with his mom (a prostitute in Hollywood) having been murdered while he was still young at the age of 11. He then was sent to various orphanages, from where he ran away at the age of 14 when he lived on the beach for a while during which time he learned to surf (the author has also surfed in his youth, so this was a nice touch to add to Harry Bosch’s traits).
He attended both high school and college, but he didn’t finish either. He did get a GED later though.
Harry is the half-brother of Mickey Haller (both come from the same father), who got his own book series as well.
Harry is a loner and prefers to usually work alone as a one-army-man. He has issues with authority and anger issues, most probably due to his traumatic history couples with his also traumatic experiences in Viet Nam (he was injured a few times and got the Purple Heart as a result). Not surprisingly, he has symptoms of mostly untreated PTSD. As a consequence he is not horrified by violence or crime, which he considers a sad but normal part of life.
This is not to say that he doesn’t show compassion for the victims he comes across. That’s why he’s doing his best to solve all the murder cases that come across his desk – and even some that were either taken away from him or simply are not his cases at all.
As an impatient person, he does bend the rule at times to get his results faster.
He has many skills, some shadier than others, which he uses to help in solving his cases. For example, he can pick locks, which he does all too often.
He was married once, but he always ends up single – maybe due to the job, his relationships are always quite short. He is a smoker, and he has a daughter, Madeline, who wants to be a cop as well (so hopefully in a few years we’ll see a new series featuring Bosch’s daughter as a new LAPD detective).
Reading the Michael Connelly Books in Order
While it seems like an impossibility, there are still every year newcomers to the world of this author. So reading the Michael Connelly books in order should invariably start with Harry Bosch.
Of course, you could always start with the first Renee Ballard book, or with the first Mickey Haller book, or even with the first Jack McEvoy or Terry McCaleb book. However, soon you will run into the issue of meeting Harry Bosch and not knowing a darn thing about him, and that would be a pity.
Harry Bosch is much more than a person. He is an entire world worth discovering, so reading the Harry Bosch books as part of the Universe – while not strictly a must – are still recommended to understand this deep world the author has created for his readers.
Of course, now that we have also the Renee Ballard books, with the rookie cop who works tightly with Harry Bosch, these books should be read in order as well. However, they can be read as the very last books in the series, as chronologically come as last as well.
And once you start reading the books, you will be engrossed in the Los Angeles world’s stories for a long time to come since Michael Connelly has written so far well over 30 books.
Praise for Michael Connelly
The Michael Connelly Harry Bosch books have earned so much praise that an entire novella could be written by including them all. So here are a few more interesting ones.
It was only last year that Connelly introduced Ballard, a fierce and fascinating new protagonist who instantly emerged as a reader favorite. Bosch, meanwhile, is a grizzled veteran by now; Dark Sacred Night marks the 21st novel to center on him. But fans always finish eager to come back for more.” (David Canfield)
His immaculate plotting and gift for bringing procedural intricacies to life now seem as strong as ever…he writes the best detective novels around. (Charles Finch)
Connelly’s immaculate plotting and gift for bringing procedural intricacies to life now seem as strong as ever…he writes the best detective novels around. (USA Today)
Bosch is one of the best detectives in crime fiction, and Connelly continues to amaze with his latest effort. (Jeff Ayers)
Connelly has stepped up to the plate in the overflowing ballpark of legal thrillers and blasted a grand slam his first time at bat. (Chicago Tribune)
References
Michael Connelly Recommends
Lost Hills is Lee Goldberg at his best. Inspired by the real-world grit and glitz of LA County crime, this book takes no prisoners. And neither does Eve Ronin. Take a ride with her and you’ll find yourself with a heroine for the ages. And you’ll be left hoping for more. – Michael Connelly
Books Reading Order » Crime Mystery Authors »
Michael Connelly is right up there alongside Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey/Maturin series in the day of wooden ships and iron men of the Royal Navy. There are many comparisons but the best of all is the writers’ ability to create a story you can’t stop reading. And rereading.
I have been an avid reader of Bosch. Where has Michael gone?
Just finishing the re-read of the entire Bosch series, including the off-shoots. Probably the most enjoyable literary endeavor in all of my 77 years. Thanks Mr Connelly… however, it sadly seems that Bosch at 70 has met his career end with medical issues Too bad, Harry Bosch should go on forever! It is satisfying that your books will always be around!
I grew up in the Los Angeles area, so the author’s references to place names in his books are satisfyingly familiar to me and greatly pleasing. I love the area, with all its crowding and lumps.
I absolutely love michael connelly, his harry bosch books are my absolute favourite. Please michael just keep writing them. XXX
Had begun the Universe books, but someone told me to catch “The Poet” and now I want to follow the McElvoy storyline. Am a total HB fan. Will be collecting all hard covers for my library.
I was born and raised in Los Angeles area –my 90th birthday in Sept. Michael Connelly knows and understands my LA.
Have read all of his books love to read about Bosch Looking forward to his next books on him hope it is soon my son watches his tv show so ever time we talk he asks me questions about him
Nowadays I read ONLY Michael Connelly books.
Excellent reading. Hard to put down. On the edge of my seat. I love them. Thank you.
My other favorites are Coben, Baldacci and Grisham…but Michael Connelly is the only author I can read back to back to back! I am on my 11th in a row! Keep writing!!!
I agree except I feel the same about Coben and Grisham also.
Void Moon should be #9 in the Bosch Universe as twice in A Darkness More Than Night they make references to Void Moon
They are absolutely amazing!! I’m 79 years old and still love to read him. I would like to start over and read them in order this time – especially the Harry ones. Those are my favorites.
Each and book is so different than the last and I find myself not being able to put his well written books down. Those of you who are new to this awesome author, you will be amazed with all of his novels. Michael Connelly is by far my favorite author and the only author that I will purchase his books. Looking forward to reading his upcoming books.
I found a MC novel left behind in a magazine rack in a Starbucks Coffee shop in Belfast (Botanic Ave.) it was the City of Bones I started reading and discovered the world or Bosch for this I am truly thankful as it restored my faith in human nature.
I have bought a number or his other novels since but to my dismay I am not reading them in the order of being published, but I don’t care, as they intrigue me into the middle of the night.
Looking forward to continuing in my discovery, sequential or not.
Thank you M.
just discovered Michael Connellys books! have The Drop & The Brass Verdict looking forward to reading as many as possible -joined the Library 5 mths ago so im sure they will have many on the shelfs !
I have read 7 of the Jack Reacher Seris by Lee Child , 3 of David Baldacci s, 3 of Greg Hurwitz s all the above seem to have a unique take on story telling & long may it continue !
I love them! Can’t get enough. I have read nearly every single one of his books. Thank you Mr. Connelly you help me stay interested in reading.