an entertaining mystery but not up to Connelly's usual extraordinary standards. I was tempted to give it three stars, but realized that if the book had been written by an unknown writer I would have considered it a four star mystery, so that's what I gave it

THE SCARECROW is an average to above average thriller that is actually a followup to Connelly's THE POET which was published in the 90's. I read THE POET at the time of publication but have only the dimmest memory of it and reading that novel is not necessary to follow this one. Los Angeles journalist Jack McEvoy is the hero of THE SCARECROW while Connelly's most frequent protagonist LA cop Harry Bosch does not appear in the story and there is only a mere passing mention of Bosch's half brother and new Connelly leading man Mickey, "the Lincoln lawyer."

The story is very contemporary and has the changes wrought by the internet as a major theme. Jack is being downsized from his newspaper job because of competition from online news sources. The serial killers use the world wide web to find each other, their victims and lots of important information that help them elude detection. The first part of the book is the best as the plot loses momentum toward the last third or so. THE SCARECROW is not a terrible book to spend some diverting time with but it is not one that is particularly memorable or thought provoking.

As a dedicated fan of Michael Connelly's work, the sequel to the award-winning poet is a very good page-turner that is exciting and filled with vivid depictions of locales and police procedure, and in this book modern digital technology plays a large part in the plot. While most of the technology is quite accurately depicted, the security part seems a little far-fetched, for someone like me who has worked in the field, I have to say common law firms most likely will not use this kind of services. However my major complain is how the story is structured, that the villain is revealed in the beginning so the reader know exactly who he is. While this plays into the story of the limited cat and mouse chase the writer has represented, it takes away the mystery and the twist the author is good at, as in the Poet, we would have kept guessing till the end who the murderer was. But in this book, we knew who he was from the beginning and his every move, some of them smart and devious, but some of them, mostly towards the ending, childish and impossible, as the plot has demanded, the bad guy makes mistakes and losses. Aside from my complains, this is still a very well-written book, and even at his worst, not to say this book was his worst work, Connelly is still much better than a lot of best-selling authors out there.

This is one of Connelly's best mysteries. It is also an obituary for all newspapers, although focused on the Los Angeles TIMES. Not everyone will grieve with Connelly as I do. I was in email contact with an editor at the LA TIMES on a day when 140 people were let go. I have spent months, all told, in the old NYPL Annex and many other libraries reading nineteenth-century newspapers, my head in a microfilm reader or standing in pain over low flat tables turning big pages or, very rarely, working at a high slanted stand kind to the back. I have a special love of American papers when 10 or 12 papers were in tough competition and another 20 or 25 catered to special audiences. Many, many other readers of Connelly will bring their own newspaper history to THE SCARECROW, and grieve in their way. This is a fine mystery, but it is more. This early tribute to the vanishing newspaper may remain one of the most heartbreaking anyone ever writes.

This was the best of this summer's reads. Good action and suspense, however, some of the other reader's critical comments were valid. Clearly, not as good as most of his earlier works. Though it was not the case in this book, Connelly is best for coming up with a surprise ending that the reader never sees comming. Nevertheless, he's probably my favorite author.

Another good book by Michael Connelly. This thriller was a bit predictable but a fast-paced enjoyable read. I didn't want to put it down. I thought it brought out a lot of issues about the safety of our information and identity that is available on computers. If half of what he says is indeed plausible and someone with a sick mind can access our records it's a bit unnerving. While the story had brutal and dark aspects to it which I would prefer be written in less detail, I still thought it was an excellent book.

I discovered after finishing this that Connelly was partially inspired to return to the Jack McEvoy character (from The Poet) after watching season five of The Wire; its scathing portrait of the newspaper business and its current status made Connelly interested in visiting some of the same territory. I've long argued that Connelly isn't the greatest writer in the world, but his sense of time and place - whether the post-Rodney King LA of the Bosch novels or the increasingly downsized Los Angeles Times of this one - and his strong sense of verisimilitude more than make up for his pedestrian style. The Scarecrow is no exception, and in some ways, it may be one of his best books in a long time. The main story - about McEvoy being given his two-weeks notice, his desire to go out with a bang, and the way that leads him into the sights of a long working but unknown serial killer - is a great one, and Connelly milks the suspense for everything its worth. (His use of alternating sections between McEvoy and the killer is intriguing; not only does it allow him to add to the suspense, it adds more depth to the villain than we could otherwise get.) But the book is just as worthy for its subtext about the declining state of newspapers; while McEvoy isn't as complex or rewarding a character as Bosch, his strong commitment to journalism makes him a great character for Connelly (himself a crime reporter for many years) to write about. A great serial killer tale, a nice exploration of the media, and more, The Scarecrow is a must for any Connelly fan.

When it comes to chilling suspense thrillers few can match the level of Michael Connelly. So it should then be no surprise to see all the good reviews his new work "The Scarecrow" is receiving. There are some very chilling and sadistic scenes that would make the Marquis de Sade envious - but there is a lot more to this book than grizzly murders. Jack McEvoy is the book's lead - a newspaper reporter (you may remember him from "The Poet") The Poet

Well, both newspapers that Jack is affiliated with (Rocky Mountain News and The Los Angeles Times) are on hard times. As with most Connelly, technology plays a key role in moving the story along. In the Scarecrow, the cyber villainy comes from a place known as The Farm - an underground desert bunker where all your cyber fears are realized. Jack gets laid off relatively early in the book and goes searching for "The Scarecrow" But before he can begin his investigation, Jack, must deal with a teen-aged kid that made a false confession of murder. Using good, old-fashioned detective work, Jack discovers the kid only confessed to stealing the murdered woman's car. Exciting so far, right?

And we're only getting started. I won't go further with the story, but The Scarecrow shows the reader just why Michael Connelly is in a league all his own when it comes to suspense thrillers. The characters, the story, the plot, the interaction, the flow, all refined and detailed by the touch of a true master....I would also recommend: Clarence Cage's novel, Ashes Divide: Ashes Divide ranked one of the best in 2009

The Scarecrow is one of the best books I have read this summer. Michael Connolly creates a thriller that vibrates with tension, twists and turns. As is the case with all great thrillers, you know who the bad guy is and rather than being a spoiler, it makes the book all the more exciting to read. The characters are well developed and the action is plotted very well. No one here is superhuman but instead they are intelligent and highly motivated much like real people.

This is a perfect beach or pool side read. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to dive into a book and not find themselves bored by page 30!

I've never read anything by Connelly before and I might try another book he has written but I was very disappointed with The Scarecrow. After reading every book Greg Iles has written, this book was "flat." No surprises and not much character development compared to Iles's characters. I will read another to give Connelly a chance...hope it will be better than this one.

This really is an enjoyable, exciting read. I like Connelly's style. This is my first book by him, and I am looking forward to many more.

Last seen primarily in "The Poet," Jack McEvoy returns in this novel which is both a mystery and a lament to the world of newspaper publishing. It's been a lot of years since the celebrity success of his book on the poet serial killer and Jack is on the wrong side of 40. The LA Times has seen its best days and in the latest round of staff cuts has included Jack. They will give him one break which at the same time is a bit of an insult. He can leave now or he can train his replacement, Angela Cook, for the next two weeks and collect another paycheck. Beyond that his options are few and he knows not much else.

"Death is my beat," I whispered to myself. "I make my living from it. I forge my professional reputation on it." ( P. 25)

In a final one finger salute to the management of the paper, he comes up with a plan. Contacted by a family member of Alonzo Wilson, who claims he didn't do the murder he was arrested for, Jack decides to write about the case. With Alonzo being sixteen, living in the projects and dealing drugs, the story of how society created a killer almost writes itself. That is until Jack realizes the kid is innocent and was used by a serial killer as a scapegoat.

Society did create a serial killer. Not the teenager, at least not yet, but someone else who can use the internet and the digital world to track victims and his hunters.

With frequent heart felt observations about the demise of newspapers, author Michal Connelly, aims a spotlight at what is happening today. Unfortunately, though a variety of suspects have been named in the drive by attack on newspapers, no one has been charged with a crime. The victims remain on life support, slipping a little each day, and the end is near.

Against that backdrop, Connelly has weaved together a good mystery using clichéd pieces of the super smart computer guy who is a killer, nothing is safe online, and that a romance interrupted but meant to be can be rekindled. Each of the elements is a bit hackneyed and yet they all work together in the novel. Quickly the reader is pulled into the fictional world and despite the author's occasional heavy handed allusion to reality in the form of references to his own writing career; the overall read is a good one.


Kevin R. Tipple (copyright) 2009

What a pleasure Michael Connelly is - this his 20 novel. Only one real dud, his penultimate writing, as of now, The Brass Ring. But his skills are sharp in his return with The Scarecrow. His character development and his plot are both good and the pace is terrific for a summer read. I must admit I do have have trouble taking as great a mystery writer as Connelly is when both protagonists say to one another, within 100 short pages, "you saved my life". He is better than such cliche. But, alas, I am looking for the weakness. The strength is the enjoyability of his writings. This is not Norris, Navakov or Tolstoy after all. Just one of the best in this genre. Practicing his trade with greatness. Nice work. I look forward to October's release.

Michael Connelly's latest book, THE SCARECROW, involves a soon-to-be-laid-off long-time LA Times reporter Jack McEvoy, who decides to "go out with a bang" by writing an investigative story about a black boy from South LA who may be wrongfully accused of murder. McEvoy finds a heck of a lot more than he thought he would as a high-tech company and some techno savvy employees there try to thwart his investigation. As a result, although the kid from South LA gets out of jail, McEvoy and his gorgeous (of course) FBI girlfriend nearly lose their lives every few pages.

THE SCARECROW may sound corny, but it really is a fun read. I hadn't read a Connelly novel before and wasn't expecting much but was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed it.

If you haven't read Connelly before but enjoy authors such as Harlan Coben, Lisa Scottoline, Stephen White, or Lee Child, you'll like THE SCARECROW. You'll probably want to read some of Connelly's others, too. I do.

Now that that's said, I have two criticisms:

* The beginning of the book has a reporter with less experience than McEvoy who will take his place because she makes a lot less money. But she does have news writing experience between undergrad and grad school with a newspaper in Florida. And she does have a masters degree in journalism. Yet she has to ask McEvoy what it means to put "30" at the end of an article. Give me a break! You can't take a single journalism class and not know what that means!
* McEvoy is smart and performs as a smart person would--except when he is around his FBI agent girlfriend. She is unbelievably all-knowing. Whenever they're together, she bosses McEvoy around, and he meekly takes direction from her, suddenly out of his own ideas and dependent on her brains.

Minor flaws

I did enjoy The Scarecrow. It was an entertaining read that I blew through in an evening. The only problem I had with the book (which kept me from adding another star to my review) was that it was not as dark as I would have liked. As a follow-uo to The Poet (which was a 4-5 star book) I had simply hoped for more. As a recommendation for a dark thriller/mystery you might want to read The Hollow Man: A (Transgressive) Novel of Suspense. The Hollow Man: A (Transgressive) Novel Of Suspense

So many writers that were my favorites in the 90s have fallen so far. I've sworn off James Patterson since even his Alex Cross books have become unreadable. Lee Child's books have become little more than Steven Segal SNL skits. Stephen Hunter's "Night of Thunder" was like "Smokey and the Bandit" without the humor.

At least there are a few writers out there like Michael Connelly who are still capable of writing a believable story with interesting characters. He still has some entertaining tales to tell.

In "The Scarecrow" we get to catch up with L.A. Times reporter, Jack McEvoy and FBI Agent, Rachel Walling, who broke "The Poet" case years ago. It's no surprise to those who have read Connelly's work before that the two of them team up to track down yet another killer out west.

Some readers will not enjoy Connelly's descriptions of the newspaper industry and the setup of a server farm. These are not wasted words, though. This level of detail is what separates the work of writers like Connelly, John Sandford, and Robert Crais from the established writers who are just "mailing it in" at this point. The details allow the reader to get familiar with the settings of the story and make the extraordinary things that happen seem more believable.

"The Scarecrow" is another fun ride from Mr. Connelly.

the book was acceptable but undistinguished.the author seemed more focused on an ode to thenewspaper industry at the expense of the story. im a great fan of connelly but this story gave me a feeling of the perfunctory. some interesting computer stuff for intermediates .jack mcevoy doesnt come to the level of harry bosch.

I've been a Michael Connelly fan for years and was happy to read this new book. It was extremely exciting. I found my heart pounding even after I HAD to put the book down for dinner. It's a great read. He's a great writer who clearly knows the ins and outs of LA! Can't wait for the next one!

The Scarecrow is another Connelly great and suspenseful story. Those of you who follow Michael Connelly will not be disappointed and those of you who are reading Connelly for the first time will be hooked.

Connelly also gives the reader some insight into what is currently happening within the newspaper business. Jack McEvoy, the main character in the story, is a reporter for the Los Angeles Times who has been laid off due to the down sizing of the staff. Living in the Los Angeles area myself, I know much of what has happened to the LAT staff and the product that is currently produced. It is nothing but a piece of junk full of lame content.

Michael Connelly is at the top of his game in this taut thriller that pits Jack McEvoy, a veteran newspaper reporter, and Rachel Walling, an FBI agent, against a psychopath known as the Scarecrow who has a unique perversion as to how he tortures and kills his female victims. In the process McEvoy and Walling, who have not seen each other in years, rekindle an old romance.

McEvoy receives a pink slip as part of a reduction in force for the newspaper that he works for, and determines to write one last story in his final two weeks that will make the newspaper sorry that they let him go. He plans to get inside the head of a teenage gangbanger who has been arrested for the gruesome murder of a stripper, only to discover that the gangbanger is innocent, as is a man in another state who was convicted of killing his ex wife, who was murdered in the same manner as the stripper. Although he has not seen Walling in years, McEvoy calls her for help, and together they track down the Scarecrow in a fast paced novel that is brimming with action. Along the way Connelly provides interesting insights into how a newspaper is run, as well as a dark side of data security whereby the persons who guard private data can use that very same data to harm the people who own it.

The term Scarecrow refers to the technology engineer whose job it is to stop cyber hackers from invading data that is stored on the Farm, which is a cluster of servers. Connelly shows the irony of entrusting data for safekeeping based on a company's sophisticated technological safeguards, all of which become worthless if a trusted data company employee with access to that data is a psychopath. The reader soon discovers the many ways in which private data can be abused as McEvoy finds his cell phone disconnected, his credit cards cancelled, a private conversation with Walling being monitored on the internet, etc. in an effort by the Scarecrow to stop him.

I disagree with the reviews that say Jack McEvoy is not as interesting as Connelly's other protagonist, detective Harry Bosch, and that this novel is not as entertaining as a Bosch novel. The action is nonstop, and even though the Scarecrow's identity is revealed right at the beginning, a fascinating game of cat and mouse takes place as McEvoy and Walling put together the pieces to finally identify and capture the Scarecrow. This novel is another winner by Michael Connelly.

I like a good thriller and mystery. "The Scare Crow" is a good thriller, but not so much a mystery as the villain (a psychopathic killer) is revealed early on in the novel. Michael Connelly has written an intense novel and mentions The Poet (which I thought was one of his best). He also brings back FBI Agent Rachel Walling and Jack McEvoy whom both appeared in "The Poet". I haven't read many of Connelly's books and enjoyed the internet security, hacking and identity theft aspect of the story. Make you wonder. He is a fine author and is detailed in his writing. It drew me into the story: a good escapist novel.

This is not Connelly at his best which is very, very good. There is evidence that this is a throw away as there is a glaring grammatical error on the first page. (Did he even proof this one?) As always, well written and a solid read but there is no mystery. If you can't guess the ending of this one within ten pages, avoid mysteries. Basic plot: Mr. McEvoy is losing his press job so seeks really big final story. He is pitted against computer wizard serial killer. Through inplausible connection with sometimes FBI Agent and repeat character Rachel Waller, good overcomes evil after a bit of gore. And the point is..... Well, there is Connelly's carping about the decline of print media, which is obviously a pet peeve. Wait for the paperback if you have to read every Connelly which is not the worst idea in the world either.

i loved this book and have become a connelly fan. an avid reader i am so pleased to recomend this book to others even though police mysteries are not my usual selection. enjoy

Wow. What a disappointment. I skimmed a lot of this story...and didn't miss anything. Somehow, I just had to get through it. The story lacked suspense and depth. Characters were flat and undeveloped. The story reminded me of my old U.S. history teacher: He had 50 minutes of class time to fill, so he rambled about unimportant things simply to kill time. And so it was with this book. Too bad.

This book was "ok". I was not terribly bored by this nor was I ready for the next chapter. It was a book I had to finish, simply because I started it. I like the "Jack Mcevoy" character and the other supporting roles. I felt really let down by this book. I kept thinking Michael Connely would throw a twist in there somewhere but he kept it typical.

I discovered Connelly's books about three years ago and have read them all. This was so disappointing. Slim plot development. Tired characters. Not particularly believable. Why does the author repeat heinous crimes against women? I skimmed through most of it, and read the final chapter. I thought it was a waste of my money, to be truthful. I can only hope the upcoming Bosch novel is up to his higher standards. Most of his books have been impossible to stop reading until the final pages. This wasn't true here at all.

Do not get me wrong. This book is not bad, it just is not great. Jack McEvoy, reporter for the Los Angeles Times, just got canned due to downsizing. In order to remain on the payroll for another two weeks he must train his cheaper replacement. Jack pretty much takes things in stride until he gets a call from a gangbangers grandmother who describes Jack as scum for writing all lies in the paper concerning the arrest of the kid on a murder wrap. Jack decides to get to the bottom of the case when he decides to attempt to discover the truth, set the kid free, and write his final story. Little does he realize that his sleuthing opens up an entirely new can of worms when he discovers a serial killer is on the loose. Not a bad read, just not Mr. Connelly's best work.

This book kept me turning pages, and it was a fun read for that reason. Overall, the writing was good but there were times when it was sophomoric. Further, it is the second novel I have read im recent weeks where the killer expertly uses technology to frame others for his evil deeds. No points for originality, but it is still a good book. I would have awarded 3.5 stars if Amazon would have let me-the book is above average, but not a true 4-star novel.

A good mystery, that has surprises up to the last page. The plot and characters are clever -- not cutsy, but really clever! There are no loose ends. Enjoy!

In Scarecrow, recycles two key characters from his previous books, reporter Jack McEvoy and FBI agent Rachel Walling. Jack is being ousted from the LA Times and picks his last two weeks to profile a black kid charged with murdering a white woman. When Jack reads the kid's confession, he sees the kid only confessed to stealing the woman's car (she was dead in the trunk).

So, who really did kill her? His investigation uncovers a murder with the exact same m.o. in Nevada. He notifies old friend and lover Walling and the two are off and running on the trail of a serial killer. Their probing trips a cyber trip wire and now the killer knows they are coming.

Thus begins the latest standalone (Harry's not in it) from Connelly, who I consider the best crime fiction writer working today (Laura Lippman's a close second, with Lawrence Block in third. All three do their best work in standalones.

But he does a bit of jumping that old shark here.

First of all, this is not a "who" novel, but a "how" novel, basically a police procedural. The evil one is identified fairly early, and then it's a cat and mouse game. This is what John Sanford does all the time, and I think it makes him a lesser writer.

The ending is a race against the clock in an underground bunker with horns blaring, canisters spewing deadly gas, a secret escape hatch, etc. Bond. James Bond.

Connelly has learned a lot about internal FBI stuff, including jargon, which he shares with the reader, over and over. He's learned alot about computer server systems, which he also shares over and over.

One thing he nails, though, is an inside look at the slow death of the newspaper business. Of course, we have the Web, but Connelly makes it clear that the Internet is inferior in a watchdog role. I am a newspaperman who has already dodged the downsizing bullet.

Harrry's back in October. Can't wait.

This book is one which may keep you reading until the wee hours of the morning. Don't start it if you have a busy day tomorrow!

It's been a long time since Michael Connelly was a crime reporter, but the experience has certainly given him plenty to write about. In "The Scarecrow," he chronicles the dying newspaper industry with the emergence of electronic journalism, while writing a first-rate murder mystery. It brings back FBI agent Rachel Walling, who saved Jack McEvoy's life in "The Poet," providing hope for the future after he is RIF'd [i.e., 'reduction in force'] from the LA Times.

But in his last two weeks at the paper, McEvoy undertakes to investigate whether a 16-year-old Watts boy is really guilty of murder and starts developing evidence that there is another serial killer out there. Once again, the author turns to new technology. In "The Poet," a fax machine was crucial; in this novel, the internet and computers play central roles.

As is usual, Connelly's prose and plot are sharp, and the background deep and authentic. Enough said. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Laura Johnson for Reader Views (7/09)

Michael Connelly is no stranger to the murder mystery genre. He is a #1 BestSelling Author that has written more than a dozen selections that chronicle the life of a reporter trying to get the story. In Connelly's latest installment, "The Scarecrow," he once again follows the path that has given him great success. Jack McEvoy, a cop beat writer for the LA Times, has been told that he will lose his job due to dwindling revenue and will need to train his replacement. McEvoy takes the news in stride and decides to leave the office in style, by discovering a story that could possibly earn him a Pulitzer.

McEvoy comes across the trail of a 16-year-old boy that has seemingly confessed to a heinous crime, yet there is more to the story after a closer look. McEvoy then teams up with Rachel Walling, a character from a former Connelly novel, and the two take off on a wild chase to find out the true story of the serial murders and just who the Scarecrow is. The book provides intrique, mystery, and enough action to keep you on the edge of your seat for what path McEvoy and Walling will take next. The reader knows early on in the book who the Scarecrow is, but will find himself fighting for the characters to figure it out, and deal out the justice that needs to occur. The ending was not what I expected and I have to wonder if there is more to come with this story.

"The Scarecrow" contains characters that have appeared in previous selections by Connelly, but the reader does not need to have read those to enjoy this one. I highly recommend this selection by Michael Connelly for anyone that is looking for a great who-done-it thriller story.

How does Michael Connelly write so many books and do them all so well? (Unlike other, unnamed authors, who churn out a poorly done book a year.) I sometimes wonder if it is due to his newspaper background, when he had to write fast and get it right.

This book is straightforward and well-done, with twists and turns, for sure, but nothing meant to trick or confuse the reader. Loved it! Lots of action, lots to make the reader think.

I liked how Connelly wrote about the demise of newspapers, but without being preachy.

And Connelly has a new one, a Harry Bosch book, coming out in October. While I was glad to re-meet Jack McEvoy from THE POET, I still love Harry best.

The Scarecrow
Michael Connelly can write, and in the first half of his "the Scarecrow" much of his ability comes out. The start of the story moves well, suspense builds and the character development works. Cyber stalking kicks in and I was "trapped" in the suspense of how powerful - and powerless Jack McEvoy became with the abilities of the stalker to literally shut out the reporter from society; financially, identity theft and literally a man out in the cold. Now comes the big Disappointment: 1/2 way throught the book everything grinds to a halt. Connelly could not decide whether this story was about cyber-stalking, cold blooded (and brutal) murder, or an egomaniac of a criminal. The plot drags. Is predictable and I quickly lost interest in reading. The ending is one that has been rehashed over and over. I suggest reading some of his earlier works or another author's work...

I've read every book Michael Connelly has written and this is one of the best. It was interesting the way Jack McEvoy's losing his job fit in with today's economy woes. It was "scary" what the scarecrow could do and I believe it is a possiblity. Glad to see Rachel Walling back. Jack's character was someone you could relate to and you liked him! At times I have not liked Harry Bosch. This was a fast read and I enjoyed it immensely!

I'll cast my vote with the yea-sayers. I'm not a Michael Connelly buff, but I read all his fiction, and this is one of the good ones. One point I'd like to make: One of Connelly's strengths is that he actually seems to know something about computers. With the exception of John Sandford, Michael Connelly is the best as describing accurately about how computers work and their implications. Whether that's good research or native knowledge doesn't matter. If somebody chooses to write about something, they should know what they are talking about, and Connelly's description of data farms and cyber-security has the iron ring of accuracy.

You will know from nearly the first page who the killer is, but that does nothing to weaken the suspense of the book, especially if you know that Connelly is one of those tough-minded writers for whom no character is off limits when the blood flows. So Jack Elroy is safe because after all, he's the narrator. He's not the one you are going to worry about, nearly to the last page.

I anticipate multiple story lines, intricate characters, and surprising twists when I read Michael Connelly's books. I didn't experience any of that here. For people familiar with the main characters from his previous writing, little more is added, and superflous characters are mentioned that have nothing to do with this story.



I also felt that a cheap throwaway line towards the end of the book (you'll know it when you read it) made me feel that the entire plot was inadequate. In the future, I hope that Mr. Connelly's books offer more complete story lines.

I bought this book as a gift for my father for fathers day. He absolutely loved it. He couldn't put it down once he picked it up. He is a big Michael Connelly fan, and he absolutely loved it.

Michael Connelly is easily one of the best crime fiction authors working today and The Scarecrow is a solid read, although I have to admit that after a great start the ending is a bit of let down. It isn't that the ending is bad (it isn't) - it's just that it follows a standard formula and was just too 'ordinary'.

The first half of The Scarecrow is exceptionally good. Connelly gives readers an insider's look at the inner workings of the newspaper business and the devastating effect that the internet and 24 hour cable news is having on it. I appreciated that our hero, reporter Jack McEvoy, starts chasing a story for reasons that are not entirely noble. When the grandmother of a gang member charged with murder insists her grandson is innocent, Jack follows up, not intending to prove the boy innocent, but rather to gain access to the family so he can profile the mind of a young killer. Of course, he does find evidence that leads the story in a different direction.

The greatest strength of Connelly's fiction is how thorough he is as a writer. For example: the killer is planning to frame someone (I don't want to give too much away) and Connelly has him address any holes in his plan, like the transportation of a firearm. Lesser authors would simply ignore the problem(s) and assume that readers wouldn't notice or would be willing to overlook the inconsistancies. Connelly though has his killer find a solution so that his plan is as realistic as possible. I appeciate that. I also appreciate that McEvoy and his partner FBI agent Rachel Walling don't just stumble around - they actually investigate, detect, and solve things. The criminals are intelligent too, which makes for a refreshingly smart read.

Unfortunately, after an exceptional start, it's as if Connelly switches onto autopilot for the second half of the novel and follows the Serial Killer Novel Playbook to the letter. Connelly uses one of the standard ploys of crime fiction: notably the `hero realizes the truth when he sees, hears, or says something unrelated to the crime that triggers a sudden epiphany, allowing him to save the day at the last possible moment." The other issue that I had with the final part of the novel is the behavior of the killer when he realizes that Jack and Rachel are onto him. He's been so cool and calculating throughout the novel but then over-reacts faced with Jack's flimsy `evidence'.

Is The Scarecrow worth reading? Absolutely. True, the ending was a bit of a let down after such a great start, but at least there was a great start and it wasn't that big of a let down. 3 ¾ stars.

Admittedly, this is not the topnotch writing that I've come to expect from my favorite author, but I liked the story just the same. Yes, this is no "Poet", but for me he's entitled to stumble once. And it was a minor stumble, because for the first time this story wasn't as compelling as the many other novels by Mr Connelly. And I've read them all. And I anxiously wait for the next.

I added this up last night and discovered that I have read more books by Michael Connelly (16) than any other author I've read. So I guess one could say I'm a huge fan. The amazing thing is that they were all five star books (except for Chasing The Dime, of course). I find this almost hard to believe but it's true. And I'm actually one of the readers who started reading Connelly before his real fame came into being with the publication of The Poet.

I guess it's only fair then that his latest offering features journalist Jack McEvoy....the same Jack McEvoy who appeared in The Poet. Connelly's true fans have been awaiting a reappearance by one of their favorite characters for years now and in The Scarecrow, Jack's return does not disappoint for one minute. I loved this book from the beginning to the end.

Having started his career as a journalist, I'm sure this book is close to Connelly's heart as he watches the slow demise of the newspaper industry. The fact that technology is killing newspapers becomes only too clear as the book starts off with Jack getting a pink slip from the LA Times. But "our" Jack is intent on going out with a bang and makes it his business to come up with one last story that will be Pulitzer prizeworthy. He will set out to prove that a sixteen year old gang member is not guilty of the murder for which he is being accused. The good news to Jack's fans is that he will need to ask FBI agent Rachel Walling for her help as he starts to get too close to the answer to the mystery and much too close to The Scarecrow. Their "coupling" in this book is well worth the wait as they make such a great team.

We learn at the beginning of the book who the real villain is and I enjoy when an author does this because I then get to follow the thoughts of the "bad guy" right up front. As Jack is closing in on The Scarecrow, we get to view this villain as he becomes a bird being scared by a scarecrow as opposed to the opposite way around. I enjoyed all of the Wizard of Oz references in the book as well. At one point, music is playing in the background and it's Eric Clapton in concert singing "Somewhere Over The Rainbow." In addition, the city editor of the LA Times where Jack works is "Dorothy" Fowler and guess where's she originally from....you guessed right...Kansas. I also love when an author references one of his other books within the book I'm reading. In this case, Jack mentions reading a series of stories about a lawyer who did his business out of a Lincoln. Nice shoutout to Mickey Haller of The Lincoln Lawyer fame.

Unlike other authors who don't have Connelly's talent, he doesn't have to make his stories so convoluted that you can't even understand them. He also doesn't resort to having the villain be one of the investigators as so many other authors "cop out" and do. He writes a clear-cut story from start to finish and it's always one you can't put down. I always comment that I read very few books in a given year that would get a "10" rating from me. In the mystery/thriller category, this is one for 2009, a "Big 10". The only other two books in this genre that I've read this year and have also received a "10" rating from me were The Lincoln Lawyer and The Brass Verdict. Surprise, surprise, they were also written by Connelly. This is obviously one satisfied fan.

When it comes to chilling suspense thrillers few can match the level of Michael Connelly. So it should then be no surprise to see all the good reviews his new work "The Scarecrow" is receiving. There are some very chilling and sadistic scenes that would make the Marquis de Sade envious - but there is a lot more to this book than grizzly murders. Jack McEvoy is the book's lead - a newspaper reporter (you may remember him from "The Poet") The Poet

Well, both newspapers that Jack is affiliated with (Rocky Mountain News and The Los Angeles Times) are on hard times. As with most Connelly, technology plays a key role in moving the story along. In the Scarecrow, the cyber villainy comes from a place known as The Farm - an underground desert bunker where all your cyber fears are realized. Jack gets laid off relatively early in the book and goes searching for "The Scarecrow" But before he can begin his investigation, Jack, must deal with a teen-aged kid that made a false confession of murder. Using good, old-fashioned detective work, Jack discovers the kid only confessed to stealing the murdered woman's car. Exciting so far, right?

And we're only getting started. I won't go further with the story, but The Scarecrow shows the reader just why Michael Connelly is in a league all his own when it comes to suspense thrillers. The characters, the story, the plot, the interaction, the flow, all refined and detailed by the touch of a true master....I would also recommend: Clarence Cage's novel, Ashes Divide: Ashes Divide ranked one of the best in 2009

The Scarecrow is mind boggling. I work in the computer field and it was scary how this scarecrow could affect people's lives. Excellent book.

Big Connelly/Bosch fan. Maybe cause for feeling less than fulfilled with McEvoy at the end. Racheal and FBI cohorts seem inept. Above average quick read delivered from almost anyone else, but I expect more from Connelly.

After the long wait, this book did not disappoint! I laughed out loud at all the antics. Be ready for alot of car fires...Stephanie really knows how to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. If you are a true Stephanie Plum fan, you will definitely enjoy this book. I'm not a fast reader, but I finished it in 3 days! Not alot of romance in this book, but enough to make it spicy.

This is a good summer read. Keeps your attention and the characters are developed well for this type of book. This is my first Connelly book and won't be my last.

"The Scarecrow" by Michael Connelly is scary good. I read it in a day and my knuckles were white by the time I got to the finale. This is written with the feel of an expose and an insider. Jack MacEvoy is a fascinating character. Connelly hooked me from the beginning and his plot just kept gaining momentum. I can't wait, however, for "Nine Dragons" and Harry Bosch in October!

For those who are Connelly fans the Scarecrow is a must read. Next time the Author should tie McEvoy, Bosch, and lawyer Mickey Haller together.

My husband and I listened to this audiobook during a 14 hour drive we made to visit our home town. The book was very well written, interesting, and entertaining. It made the drive go by very quickly. When we had to stop to re-fuel, we were both anxious to start up the audio again to see what would come next. It was nice to find a book that we could both enjoy together.