The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly

On December 31, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Five-Star Books, Thriller2 Comments

Publisher: Allen & Unwin (Trade Paperback – 21 October 2025)

Series: Lincoln Lawyer – Book Eight

Length: 389 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The always outstanding Michael Connelly continues to showcase his ability to hit all the crime fiction sub-genres with another wonderful and deeply compelling legal thriller, the new Lincoln Lawyer novel The Proving Ground.

2025 proved to be another outstanding year for acclaimed crime fiction author Michael Connelly, as he not only introduced a new protagonist in his fantastic novel Nightshade (one of my favourite books from the first half of 2025), but he also continued his very entertaining Lincoln Lawyer series with the amazing book, The Proving Ground. Entries in the Lincoln Lawyer series, which has previously featured such awesome books as The Law of Innocence and Resurrection Walk, are always a guaranteed fun read, and I was excited for The Proving Ground for a while, especially as it had a very intriguing plot.

Plot Synopsis:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Connelly, the Lincoln Lawyer is back with a case against an AI company whose product may have been responsible for the murder of a young girl.

Mickey Haller has moved from criminal to civil court, but murder remains in his sights—in particular, the case of a chatbot encouraging the killing of a teenage girl.

Mickey files a civil lawsuit against the artificial intelligence company responsible for the chatbot and instantly finds himself on the wild frontier of the billion-dollar AI industry. Grappling with a terrifying lack of regulation and data overload, Haller partners with journalist Jack McEvoy. But they are up against mega-forces, and even the bravest whistleblower faces grave danger.

In 1997, IBM’s Deep Blue defeated chess master Garry Kasparov with an unexpected gambit. In a Herculean new match of man vs machine, can Haller pull off a winning play for humanity?

The Proving Ground was a very impressive new novel from Connelly that cleverly set his most entertaining protagonist against a complex real-world issue. Featuring an intense and extremely thought-provoking narrative, The Proving Ground was an addictive read, and I easily got swept up in Connelly’s latest captivating tale.

Connelly pulled together an excellent and clever narrative for The Proving Ground, which quickly throws readers into the legal action and ensures you become engulfed in the complex case. Starting off in the early stages of the case, the author soon introduces you to the latest lawsuit protagonist Mickey Haller is engaged in, suing a major artificial intelligence company, for the encouraging actions of its teenage-focused chatbot. From there you watch as Mickey and his team, which now also features another major Connelly protagonist, Jack McEvoy (from The Poet, The Scarecrow and Fair Warning), attempt to pull together a suitable case of culpability against the company. At the same time, Haller continues to try and find redemption by getting a dying former client released from prison. There is also a dive into the protagonist’s personal life, with a returning love interest once again causing drama in his life after a major real-world natural disaster.

The main plot moves at a fast pace as it focuses on the case, with Mickey dealing with various pitfalls, traps and the machinations of his opponents to try and win the trial. Connelly keeps the intensity of these proceedings at a high boil the entire way through the book, and there is barely a slow moment in The Proving Ground as the protagonist utilises his trademark tricks, unique arguments and clever legal surprises to make ground. The personal nature of the case, as well as the dark implications around AI, make for very dramatic reading, and I honestly could not stop reading The Proving Ground at times, as I was very eager to see how everything came together. Connelly also got the balance right between the main case, and the side stories, with the primary focus on the AI trial proving to be a real winner. Everything comes to a very dramatic head towards the end of the novel where, after the near destruction of Haller’s case, the protagonist engages in his final clever gambit. I really loved how this main trial came together, and while it did end a little too suddenly, I appreciated that Connelly was trying to show some realism in how these sorts of legal cases usually go. I also do think that Connelly could have ditched out the secondary storyline in The Proving Ground, but the attempt to show Haller’s continued growth did ensure it had its place. Overall, this was quite a strong story, and I felt that The Proving Ground was an especially clever addition to the Lincoln Lawyer series.

I quite enjoyed how The Proving Ground came together, and Connelly worked hard to keep the book as captivating and emotionally charged as possible. Featuring a particularly compelling central legal case that dives into a major real-world concern, The Proving Ground was an interesting transition away from the criminal cases that the Lincoln Lawyer series is known for. Indeed, at times The Proving Ground felt more like a legal drama rather than a legal thriller, as there was lack of traditional criminals and high-stakes police elements that Connelly has previously featured. Still, this was very much a highly exciting read, especially in the multiple cleverly constructed courtroom sequences, where the alternating legal strategies, arguments and growing antagonism between the rival lawyers, really dragged in the readers. The excellent central focus on Haller as the first-person perspective protagonist added to the thrill of the plot, as you were constantly there when Haller encountered the many swerves and twists that defined the case. While the tone of The Proving Ground was mostly serious, Connelly did add in some fantastic bursts of humour, which helped to remind the reader that this was a Lincoln Lawyer novel. Much of this involved the over-the-top reactions that Haller’s opponents had to the protagonist’s strategies, but I also chuckled at some fantastic references and clever jokes added in throughout the book, especially those related to AI. This ended up being an accessible standalone novel that will appeal both to general legal thriller enthusiasts, as well as established fans of Connelly, and I think most readers are going to have an outstanding time with this book.

One of my favourite aspects of The Proving Ground was the way that Connelly so effectively and cleverly examined and showcased real-world issues. This primarily involves the central element of artificial intelligence, which the author uses to increase the stakes of the plot and ensure that readers are educated about a complex subject likely to impact them in the future, if it hasn’t already done so. As part of this, Connelly dives into the whole concept of AI and its potential role in society in a notably detailed manner, examining its applications, its potential for harm, and how it will likely change the way people think and interact in the future. This was a very well-balanced and thought-provoking look at a subject many people are worried in real life, and I felt that Connelly did an exceptional job examining it through a contemporary lens in this book. Many of the conclusions about the potential for AI to be abused if not carefully regulated and tailored to its intended audiences was quite troubling, and the reader comes away really thinking about how AI is being used and where it could go from here.

Connelly also takes the opportunity with The Proving Ground to dive into some more recent world issues, notably those occurring in America. The use of Los Angeles as the author’s preferred setting helped with this immensely, and there were some very interesting looks at how the city started to change in 2025. The wildfires that hit the city early this year come into play in a big way during The Proving Ground, especially for some of the secondary storylines, and Connelly tried to capture the authentic fear, anger and despair that these events would have on people caught up in them. This compelling dive into real-world events greatly enhanced the plot of The Proving Ground, and I was very impressed with how Connelly utilised them and portrayed them with his amazing writing.

The final element of The Proving Ground that I want to highlight is the great characters, who Connelly expertly writes and utilises in his compelling story. Most prominent of these is the main point-of-view protagonist, Mickey Haller, whose continues to try to move away from the grubby world of criminal defence by focusing his practice on helping those in need. This redemptive phase of Haller has been ongoing for the last couple of Lincoln Lawyer books, and I’ve enjoyed the character’s attempt at growth in his work, especially as it seems to confuse many of the other characters Haller interacts with, especially his legal opponents. Haller’s attempts to also make up for the mistakes of his past, both in his relationships and his previous defeats, were also well explored in some of The Proving Ground’s secondary storylines, and I very much enjoyed the direction that Connelly continues to take with his high-flying lawyer protagonist.

Aside from Haller, The Proving Ground also follows a compelling group of characters involved with the main case, including the recurring members of Haller’s legal team. While these characters aren’t explored as deeply in this novel as they are on the Netflix adaptation (an adaptation which is cheekily referred to in several books, including The Proving Ground), you still see some elements about how they are going and adapting to Haller’s change in legal clients and focus, with Cisco’s concerns about Haller not needing an investigator for his civil cases being a very interesting point. I also quite enjoyed how Connelly crossed over this novel with another one of his major protagonists by bringing in reporter Jack McEvoy as a major supporting character. McEvoy turned out to be an exceptional part of the book, especially as the concerns with AI really fit this character’s history of writing about controversial and potentially dangerous new technologies. The interaction between Haller and McEvoy, two characters Connelly has developed apart, felt very natural, and I liked how well he fit in as a member of Haller’s team. Throw in some other well-written and emotionally charged characters, including grieving parents, flawed and sometimes hostile witnesses, two entertainingly conniving antagonistic lawyers, and a particularly arrogant CEO, and the cast of The Proving Ground was quite exceptional, and you will love getting drawn into their personal struggles.

Michael Connelly produces another top crime fiction read with the wonderful and highly addictive legal novel, The Proving Ground. An impressive continuation of the always entertaining Lincoln Lawyer series, The Proving Ground was an incredible read, and one that comes very highly recommended. Due to how deeply compelling I found it, The Proving Ground gets a five-star rating from me, and I will be including it on my best of 2025 list later tonight.

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The Widow by John Grisham

On November 16, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn ThrillerLeave a comment

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton (Trade Paperback – 21 October 2025)

Series: Standalone

Length: 404 pages

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

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Iconic author John Grisham continues to shine as one of the leading authors of the legal thriller genre with his outstanding new novel, The Widow, a clever, character-driven book that relentlessly drags you in.

Most people will be very familiar with author John Grisham, considering he has been presenting awesome novels filled with complex legal cases since 1989, many of which have been turned into films or television series. I started reading Grisham in the last few years, having been lucky enough to receive copies of some of his latest novels, including The Judge’s List, The Boys from Biloxi, Sparring Partners, The Exchange and Camino Ghosts. All these novels proved to be a lot of fun, and I enjoyed the interesting collection of stories and sub-genres that Grisham would explore in these books. As such, I was very keen to read Grisham’s new novel, The Widow, especially as it had an exciting and compelling plot behind it.

Plot Synopsis:

She needs a lawyer. He needs a payday.

Simon Latch is a small-town lawyer struggling with debt, gambling issues and an impending divorce. But when Eleanor Barnett, an 85-year-old widow, visits his office to secure a new will, it seems his luck has finally changed: she claims she’s sitting on a $20 million fortune and no one else knows about it.

She could be the ticket to his fortune.

Once he’s hooked the richest client of his career, Simon works quietly to keep her wealth under the radar, even from his own assistant. But there are complications: other lawyers are circling his client like vultures.

But when she is hospitalised after a car accident, Eleanor’s story begins to crack. Simon realises that nothing is as it seems. And as events spiral out of control, he finds himself on trial for a crime he swears he didn’t commit: murder.

The Widow was a very interesting and captivating novel from Grisham that combined a distinctive story of a down on his luck protagonist, with a complex mixture of murder and thrilling legal elements. A very clever read that I had an excellent time getting through, The Widow is Grisham at his best and proved to be a particularly engaging read.

Grisham relies on a well-crafted character-driven narrative for The Widow, which gradually draws the reader in until they are unable to put the book down. Starting off with a deliberate, slower pace, the early parts of The Widow are primarily focused on introducing and showcasing the life of protagonist Simon Latch, as well as the various people in his orbit. A lawyer with a stalled career, gambling issues, and a failing marriage, Simon is eager for fresh opportunities, which seems to walk in the door in the form of elderly widow Eleanor Barnett, who requires a new will. Unable to resist the allure of Eleanor’s reputed fortune, Simon secretly takes her on as a client, hoping to manipulate her into signing a favourable will that he can later abuse for his own financial gain. Forced to remain in Eleanor’s orbit for his scheme, Simon begins to learn more about his unusual client, who seems to bring trouble down on all around her. At the same time, Simon keeps making all the wrong decisions in the other areas of his life, which results in him becoming increasingly desperate for a payday. Grisham does an outstanding job of building up the extensive background of the characters and their motivations in the first half of The Widow, and the elaborate picture of greed, secrets and self-destructive behaviour allows for a very impressive second half of the book.

Deftly amping up the pace in the second half of The Widow, things change quite dramatically when Eleanor passes suddenly, and Simon is free to enact his plan. However, before he can go through with it, Simon is charged with Eleanor’s murder and soon finds himself a pariah in his own town. With the evidence stacked against him, the protagonist finds himself embroiled in an elaborate court battle as he tries to prove his innocence. Expertly building on all the events and interactions in the first half of The Widow, Grisham sets up an impressive and very realistic series of court sequences, all while the Simon’s life falls even further apart around him. There is a brilliant sense of desperation and despair in this second half of the book, and you really get drawn into the thrilling legal battles, which are laced with beautiful uncertainty, as you are unsure if the protagonist is truly innocent and where the story is going to go next. I personally was enthralled with this second half of The Widow and powered through it extremely quickly, as I was keen to see how the court case ended and the reveals about who was responsible for Eleanor’s death.

While I loved all the key legal battles, and the extensive court case that takes up a good chunk of the second half of the book, I must admit that I was a little disappointed with how The Widow ended. This was because the final 50 pages contained a rushed, and slightly unlikely, investigation arc that looks to uncover the truth of how the titular widow died. While there are some excellent elements to these final pages, the revealed truth about Eleanor’s death comes a little out of nowhere and derailed the careful nature of the rest of the plot. While there are some hints about who or what was responsible earlier in the book, I think that Grisham erred with this ending, and a different reveal more connected to the main plot would have been better. Still, it was a mostly satisfying conclusion to book’s overall narrative, and readers will be happy where some of the main cast, especially the protagonist, finish up.

I really enjoyed how Grisham wrote The Widow, as the author effortlessly pulled together a complex story of the legal system told primarily through the eyes of an ethically dubious lawyer. Featuring elements reminiscent of the author’s other small-town legal thrillers, particularly those set in Clanton, this was an amazing character-focused book. Grisham does an excellent job of effectively introducing the protagonist, Simon Latch, and viewing his descent from respected lawyer to suspected killer thanks to his own greedy actions. Thanks to Grisham’s clever examination of all the events of the protagonist’s life, you feel very sympathetic towards Simon, even if he continuously makes things worse for himself. The somewhat simplistic dishonestly of Simon is well matched by some of the more devious or naturally deceitful characters in The Widow, including the elderly Eleanor Barnett, who suddenly becomes the most important person in Simon’s life. Old, crotchety and stubborn, Grisham paints a great layer of uncertainty around Eleanor, which ensures the reader is never quite sure whether she is genuinely rich, or pulling some sort of elaborate con on Simon and the other lawyers in his town. The eventual reveal of this truth is extremely fun, and thanks to the way the two characters are entangled at the end of Eleanor’s life, it helps produce a fantastic murder trial that you can really sink your teeth into.

The resulting criminal defence case was the true highlight of The Widow, and Grisham was in his wheelhouse writing not only the trial but the more mundane legal elements of the protagonist’s practice, which proves to be a key part of the plot. I deeply appreciated how well the court case played out in the second half of The Widow, which cleverly revisits the events of the first half of the book to examine the protagonist’s guilt. It soon becomes clear that Grisham did an amazing job hiding a lot of hints and relevant details in the early parts of the plot, and the way these elements come to be used later in was extremely clever. While I still have my doubts about the novel final reveal, the rest of the book has an excellent flow to it, and I really appreciate how Grisham upped the pace in the second half of the book with a truly gripping court battle. Throw in an excellent depiction of small-town life and the Virginia legal system, thanks to the portray of fictional town of Braxton and this ended up being a very compelling novel I honestly couldn’t put down.

John Grisham continues to highlight why he is one of the very best writers of legal thriller fiction with The Widow. A complex and powerful novel, with a compelling protagonist focus, The Widow was a brilliant read, and I loved how wrapped up I got in the book’s outstanding mystery and the various secrets and legal battles surrounding it. While there are some stumbles towards the conclusion, The Widow was an overall incredible read that is going to appeal to all Grisham fans and those who love a good legal thriller. I look forward to diving into whatever Grisham writes next.