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The Fifth Witness (Mickey Haller #4)
The Fifth Witness (Mickey Haller #4)
Michael Connelly | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.4 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
Mickey has had to start taking on foreclosure cases to keep his firm growing, but when his first foreclosure client is accused of murder, Mickey finds himself once again practicing criminal law. His client is the easy suspect, and the case seems pretty circumstantial. But will he be able to get her off?

Naturally, the book is filled with twists and turns, and the outcome is never really that certain. The characters are great as well, especially Mickey who is so complex. Honestly, it’s so easy to root for him, flaws and all. I did feel the courtroom finagling slowed things down a little at times, especially when it was rehashing things we already knew, but overall, this is another strong book.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/12/book-review-fifth-witness-by-michael.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
Unravelling Oliver
Unravelling Oliver
Liz Nugent | 2015 | Thriller
8
8.0 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
An incredibly creepy look at sociopaths
This psychological thriller is unlike most others because there isn't a big reveal as such but it is based on the behaviour of the criminal mind.

In this case, we look at Oliver, who is a sociopath, and feels very little remorse for the terrible crimes he has committed but instead feels aggrieved at his lack of entitlement.

While half of the book is written from his perspective looking back at his past, the rest is written by people around him who believe they could sense his immoral behaviour. Hence it is a case of whether it is nature of nurture that has forced him to behave in such way, and if society truly did think that he was a monster. Interesting concept, but as expected, you'll hate the main character.
  
I really like how this was presented: Each case was described, evidence was provided as to who Brown believed was the likely suspect, and the status of the case where it sits now was noted (basically, dormant). I just received my Master's in Forensic Psychology, so reading how Brown became a profiler and how she uses her knowledge to work on "cold" cases was both intriguing and helpful for me. I especially liked her idea of creating a suspect bank through ViCAP that could be accessed across the nation, in the event that a suspect in one crime crosses jurisdictions and is interviewed in relation to another crime. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in the Forensic Psychology or Criminology fields, or for those who like such TV shows as the "Law and Order," "Criminal Minds," or "CSI" franchises.