The Scarecrow (Jack McEvoy, 2)

I am on record for heaping praise on Michael Connelly's standalone novels. They are not necessarily superior to the Bosch novels, but they are certainly the equal of those books. One of the very best is The Poet. Now, in The Scarecrow, Connelly reunites the central characters of The Poet: journalist Jack McEvoy and FBI Special Agent Rachel Walling. At the outset of the story Jack has been given two weeks notice by the L.A. Times. Another victim of the internet, the paper is downsizing and Jack, with his high salary, is a tasty target for the corporate beancounters. He vows to go out on a high note by writing one last, big story. He investigates a murder case in which a drug dealer has been convicted of a brutal sex crime. His grandmother claims that he could not possibly have done it. As Jack examines the facts of that case he discovers a cognate case and realizes that the two individuals convicted must each be innocent. Ironically, while he is investigating the case the real perp is investigating him. It is doubly ironic, since the perp is an IT whiz, a master of the technology which is destroying the Times and Jack's journalism career. Reunited with Rachel, the couple discover a web of evil which they proceed to examine and, finally, dismantle. The serial killer (like Harris' Buffalo Bill) is a boy with mom problems, mom problems that have distorted his personality and set him off, somehow, on a life of rape, torture, murder, fetishism and computer fraud. I am not spoiling the novel, for we learn much of this information early in the book. This is not a mystery, but a cat-and-mouse suspense thriller. Actually cat-and-mice, with Rachel in the picture. Actually cats-and-mice since the eponymous killer has a sidekick. So why are we seeing The Scarecrow on the shelves of grocery stores and Wal-Mart as well as on the point-of-purchase rack in your local bookstore? Because Michael Connelly is a master story teller. Because here he has recreated two superb characters, whose personal interactions are as interesting as their investigations. Because we want to know how a major reporter investigates major crimes and Connelly's nonfiction book, Crime Beat, wasn't quite as satisfying as this fictional depiction of the process. Because Connelly plots like a master and knows just what information (and how much of it) to reveal at any moment. Because we're fascinated by contemporary technology and we want to know how it operates and how it displays a capacity for good as well as for evil. And, finally, because the book builds to a crescendo and disrupts all of our plans for the day as we sit locked in our chairs, reading the book to its conclusion. This is Connelly at the top of his form. It's not Conrad and it's not Dostoyevsky (nor does it attempt to be), but it is the beach and airplane book of the summer and you'll love every word. Caution: it starts a little slowly as Connelly erects his superstructure. Be patient, the death race is coming.

I am working my through the "Harry Bosch Universe" and this second book featuring Jack McEvoy. Almost as good as the Poet but not quite as good. We also feature FBI agent Rachel Walling. In addition there is mention of Keisha Russell, as well as hints to Mickey Haller and Harry Bosch. Started out slow, but ended with a big bang. The story is set in the world of journalism, of hackers and FBI psychological profilers, with some reflections on how much the internet and the ubiquitous cameras invade our daily lives. It has the right mix of suspense, a psycho-intriguing story and a love story. The Scarecrow is a mixed bag of hits and misses. It is no 'The Poet' in terms of storyline or twists but it is still a solid serial killer/police procedural. The ending, while satisfactory, goes a little bit over the top and seems to fall a little more into the domain of Hollywood screenplay rather than thinking person’s thriller.

THE SCARECROW (Jack McEvoy Book 2) [2009] By Michael Connelly My Review Five Stars***** I have been a huge fan of Michael Connelly's works for literally decades. I re-read THE POET (1996) last summer, in fact a year ago this month. I have been excited about the release of FAIR WARNING (2020) in the summer of this year, and have been looking forward to reading it. Having said that, it is Connelly's third novel to feature Jack McEvoy, the hero of THE POET (1996) and later of course THE SCARECROW (2009). It has been over a decade since I read THE SCARECROW but I certainly recall how much I loved it. I felt like it would enhance my enjoyment of Jack's new adventure in FAIR WARNING if I were to re-read THE SCARECROW. I will readily acknowledge that it is one of my favorite Connelly works, in part because I liked the protagonist, journalist Jack McEvoy, and of course FBI Agent and former profiler Rachel Walling is a fascinating character. Another reason that I feel that this novel felt so genuine and riveting is the fact that Connelly actually worked as an LA Times crime reporter. The author's technique of alternating the chapters and points of view between Jack and the chilling sociopath who inhabits this dark and captivating serial killer thriller is superbly effective. The "Scarecrow" is every bit the genius and the sadistic psychopath when we compare him to "The Poet". Character development is one of Connelly's strong suits, well to be fair so is writing dialogue, and ratcheting up suspense and tension. I'm not sure Connelly has an Achilles Heel. The story pulls you in right at the beginning and proves to be "unputdownable". I loved reading it again after all these years, and it is simply an outstanding thriller. In any case, adoring fans over the past nearly a decade since this book first fit the shelves nine years ago have delivered far more articulate and comprehensive accolades than I could ever manage to do. I love Connelly and he is among my very favorite authors. THE SCARECROW is a 5-Star Read with no need to even ponder the rating for a millisecond. Bonus materials in the Kindle Edition I purchased included an in-depth interview with the author about writing "The Scarecrow" which I enjoyed very much. It is pertinent that in part the author intended for this novel to be a swan song for the newspaper industry. It was obvious to Connelly when he wrote the book that the internet was the future of journalism and that all facets of reporting were rapidly going digital. Obviously now, almost a decade down the road, his instincts were "spot on". I am ready to start reading his new novel just released this summer FAIR WARNING. It was a coincidence that I spotted a review on Amazon that was indicative that the recent release featuring Jack McEvoy is politically slanted. I am SO HOPING that as a former reporter himself, and one of the most successful crime fiction writers on the planet, that the niggling feeling I have right now is simply paranoia. I guess I will find out soon...

I wish this were not the last novel by Michael Connelly left for me to read. I will miss his story telling.

This is one of his best books.

Written in 2009 but still a fabulous book in 2026. That’s because it was written by Michael Connelly and he is not capable of writing a bad book.

This had the potential of being a really great book. It was timely (the death of newspapers; the dangers of interconnected electronic networks) and had Connella’s amusing abundance of acronyms and plot twists. However, I had a hard time finishing it. It was like a novel produced by ChatGPT, Choose the genre, add a few distinguishing characteristics, and in a few minutes out pops a novel seemingly produced by Connelly but utterly lifeless. Maybe that is his secret to his massive productivity. Here there are no character descriptions (is McEvoy bald? Muscular? Obese?---fill in the blank). There are no distinctive personality features—unless one considers anti-establishment a personality trait. As a matter of fact, there are virtually no differences between the three different protagonists of Connelly’s books other than their different lines of employment. Connelly clearly has the capability to write great books. This is not one of them.

I enjoyed the Brass Verdict, and I generally don't like Connelly's off-Bosch entries as much as the ones where Harry is present (though I will say one of my favorite of his novels is The Poet). What makes The Scarecrow worthwhile in my opinion, however, is two things: first of all, Connelly's created an interesting bad guy, and second, he sets most of the book in the newsroom of the L.A. Times, with circulation falling, writers being laid off, and the atmosphere of an extended wake where the revellers are themselves dying off as the party progresses. Since Connelly was a newsman himself for years, you feel that he really regrets the passing of this great institution, though of course he also sees it as inevitable and inexorable. It's a good setting and backdrop for the story. So our hero is Jack McEvoy, the main character from The Poet. He's moved from there to the L.A. Times, and been writing there for about a decade, looking for a story that will replicate his success with the Poet. At one point McEvoy (who narrates the story) tells you he bought a house in West LA with the proceeds from his book about the Poet case. As the story starts, Jack gets laid off, and has two weeks to train his own replacement, a pretty new reporter who's maybe going to move into TV work at some point. Jack isn't exactly happy with this, but he thinks that losing his job may force him to finish the novel he's been intermittently working on over the years. But then he fields a phone call, gets yelled at by an elderly black lady on the other end, and decides to look into her allegations. When he does that, a story begins to unfold, and things get a lot more complicated. I've always been a bit leery of the reporter-as-hero character in detective fiction (no offense intended to Mr. Connelly). Usually reporters are much more interested (in my opinion at least) in what makes a good story than they are in what actually happened. Connelly manages to get around that by making McEvoy more of a throwback, bucking the system and trying hard to write the story that he finds, not the one he creates. I really enjoyed the book, and I'd recommend it.

Captivating story and storytelling. As always.

Lecture addictive

面白い。 スピーディーな物語の展開は読んでいて飽きることがない。 LAの新聞社に勤める警察担当のJ.マカヴォイがインターネットの急速な普及により、クビを言い渡される。 後任の女性記者と一緒に退職間際に起こった殺人事件を調査、記事にしていく過程で、その女性記者までもが犯人の餌食に。 かつての恋人だったFBIのレイチェルとわずかな手掛かりをもとに砂漠の中へと事件を追っていく中で、さらに新たな連続殺人事件がマカヴォイを待ち受ける。 主人公マカヴォイが様々な情報と推理を働かせて連続殺人犯を追い詰めていくのだが、ITで極度に情報が集約された近代社会の脆弱さにも気が付かされる社会小説的な側面も持った推理小説の仕上げとなっている。映画などでも取り上げられることがあるが、ITジーニアス、ハッカーなどにとっては仮想空間に保存してある個人情報などは丸裸も同然なのだなぁ、と思ってしまう。 一方、新聞を取りまく経営環境がインターネットの急速な普及により激変しているメディア事情を物語の背骨に置き、正統派ジャーナリストのありようにコナリーならではの解釈を与えたものである。 本編では詳しくは触れられていないが、レイチェルとの関係はこの事件の後、いったいどうなったんだろうか。 たしか、ボッシュとレイチェルは結婚したと思っていたんだが、、、。どなたか教えてください。これまでいろいろにボッシュシリーズやリンカーン弁護士シリーズを読んできたので頭の中がこんがらがっています。 なお、マカヴォイとレイチェルの関係や、マカヴォイがLAタイムスで働くようになった背景を良く理解するためにも本編を読むにあたっては、少なくとも「POET」を読んでおくことをお勧めする。

The bad guy is very smart and his plan is perfect. It brings out an interesting narrative because Jack and Rachel have to be smarter to catch the killer anyone doesn't even know about.

il libro è scritto benissimo. Ottimo linguaggio, trama avvincente sino all'ultimo momento. Davvero interessante