The Scarecrow Reviews
“This magnificent effort is a reminder of why Connelly is one of today’s top crime authors.”
— Publishers Weekly, * Starred Review
Connelly has done it again.”.
— Jeff Ayers, Library Journal, * Starred Review
”Even confirmed Harry Bosch fans will have to admit that this Harry-less novel is one of Connelly’s very best.”
— Bill Ott, Booklist, * Starred Review
“Connelly, who’s nothing if not professional, keeps the twists coming…”
— Kirkus Reviews
“Michael Connelly is not only a treasure for crime fiction fans, he’s a treasure for anyone who loves to read. And at the time I write this, he is working on another book for October! This is a can’t miss book.”
— Jon Jordan, Crimespree Magazine
“I was captivated from start to finish. There is no debate that Michael Connelly is a masterful author that continues to create vivid characters that struggle with their own personal battles. I highly recommend that you pick up a copy of The Scarecrow on May 26, 2009.”
— Bookologists.com, Rating 10 out of 10
“Interesting protagonist, good plot and a lot of suspense.”
— David Montgomery, Crime Fiction Dossier
“All that we’ve come to expect in Michael’s work is here in abundance— crystal clear prose, brilliant plotting, good detection, and fast pacing.”
— George Easter, Deadly Pleasures Magazine
“Definitely read The Scarecrow for the thrills, but reread it for the warning the book delivers.”
— Betty Webb, Mystery Scene Magazine
“if crime is your bag look no further than Connelly’s The Scarecrow … a former police reporter, Connelly knows his stuff.”
— Giles Foden, Conde Nast Traveler
“The Scarecrow shows that there’s very little in the genre that’s beyond his talents.”
— Michael Carlson, Crime Time
“Michael Connelly…has the nerve and timing of a whole SWAT team…”
— Marilyn Stasio, New York Times
“The Scarecrow is typical of Connelly’s writing in that he makes timely, pertinent points about American society within a rousingly good crime yarn.”
— Nancy Gilson, The Columbus Dispatch
“Connelly is best known for his Harry Bosch series, but this thriller is right up there.”
— The Sacramento Bee
“Michael Connelly is that rare writer who can operate on different levels: both as the fluid storyteller spinning engrossing yarns and as the wry commentator on our world and its institutions. Among those institutions is the big city newspaper, whose unique ambiance any journalist, new or old, will recognize delightfully.”
— Robert Wade, San Diego Union Tribune
“Connelly depicts the decline of a newsroom with honesty and compassion, and the fact that the Scarecrow is a hacker running a digital data farm is sadly symbolic, given that digital media is killing the print press.”
— Carole E. Barrowman, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
“Like all of Connelly’s work, the story moves quickly. There’s a deep pleasure in reading about the methodical work of a craftsman, be he a journalist such as McEvoy or a cop such as Bosch. No matter what they’re doing or where they are — Los Angeles or Chicago or somewhere else — people who take pride in their work have a touch of nobility about them.”
— Julia Keller, Chicago Tribune
“The Scarecrow is swift and engrossing…”
— Charles Taylor, Boston Phoenix
“The Scarecrow certainly reads like a movie — but it’s one that unfolds not just in your mind’s eye but primarily in your mind. A–”
— Thom Geier, Entertainment Weekly
“The Scarecrow, a return to form for Mr. Connelly and his sharpest book since The Lincoln Lawyer,…”
— Janet Maslin, New York Times
“Jack McEvoy is a fascinating character, the classic world-weary cynic with a cast-iron conscience, and it is to be hoped it won’t be another decade before he surfaces again.”
— Declan Burke, Irish Times
“It is rip-roaring crime fiction that hits the ground running and doesn’t let up until the finale. Connelly is one of the most consistent of today’s crime fiction writers. The Scarecrow ranks among Connelly’s best work.”
— Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel
“The Scarecrow is Connelly in top form. And reading it will make it impossible for you to ever again think that when you do something online, no one’s watching.”
— Colette Bancroft, St. Petersburgh Times
“Connelly’s thriller is an addictive read that, once it grabs you in those first few pages, won’t let go of you.”
— Chuck Leddy, Boston Globe
“Connelly amps up the suspense with one of his best novels to date.”
— JC Patterson, Madison County Herald
“Connelly has already proved, with his “Lincoln Lawyer” courtroom thrillers, that there is life after his hugely successful Harry Bosch LAPD cop series. With The Scarecrow he finds yet another kind of crime fiction in which to excel.”
— The Times (London)
“The greatest living American crime writer… Once again, Connelly is utterly gripping.”
— Henry Sutton, The Mirror (London)
“As with most Connelly novels, this is an energetic page-turner. His fans — of which I am one — will count this as among his best books, as was The Poet, his best-selling title.”
— Dwight Silverman, Houston Chronicle
“A longtime reporter, Connelly brings real-life depth and texture to his work…”
— Mary Ann Gwinn, Seattle Times
“With its ingenious story line and the twisted brilliance of the creeps involved, “The Scarecrow” holds its own with its predecessor, which was a breakthrough novel for Connelly.”
— Maureen Corrigan, Washington Post
“Any way you read it, The Scarecrow is crime fiction at its best.”
— Connie Ogle, Miami Herald
“The Scarecrow is worthwhile because it’s a good, page-turning story. But it also contains lots of smart asides, such as this one: “A crime reporter always wants a good murder to write about. The reporter’s good luck is somebody else’s bad luck.””
— John J. Miller, National Review
“So read this thriller for the thrills, the computerized crime spree. Or read it for the sad reality of what’s happening to almost all newspapers. Or read it to take in the work of a writer who can tell a gripping story through characters who live and breathe. “The Scarecrow” is fine reading. You won’t miss Harry Bosch.”
— Harry Levins, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“The novels and short stories we conveniently pigeonhole as “genre fiction” often are the tripwires of our literature’s social consciousness.It’s unsurprising, therefore, that the first fictional work to take the newspaper industry’s agonizing decline as its backdrop is a mystery, nor that its author, Michael Connelly, is a onetime crime reporter who spent the last years of his print career at the Los Angeles Times. He’s one of the masters of contemporary crime fiction with a Stakhanovite work ethic that must have delighted his city room editors as much as it now does his legions of fans. “The Scarecrow” is his 20th novel and 21st book since 1993. It’s also his best work since “The Poet” 13 years ago and revives that bestselling novel’s main character, newspaper police reporter Jack McEvoy.”
— Tim Rutten, Los Angeles Times
“Connelly is nothing short of amazing in THE SCARECROW, building the story somewhat slowly in the beginning before introducing explosive revelations, twists and turns, which increase in frequency and intensity.”
— Joe Hartlaub, BookReporter.com
“I found myself turning pages as quickly as I could, drawn in by a very tightly written plot, peopled with fully drawn characters.”
— Terry Matthews, Sulphur Springs-Telegram, an enthusiastic five stars
“Still, McEvoy, a complicated, unpredictable protagonist, carries the story. His alter ego, Michael Connelly, just adds the intricate plotting and perfect-pitch dialogue that keeps The Scarecrow scary. Together, they hook the reader early and never let up, delivering a fast read that meets Connelly’s high standards.”
— David W. Marston, Philadelphia Inquirer
“The Scarecrow is an especially timely read in this day of newspaper downsizing and identity theft.”
— David Money, Daytona Beach News-Journal
“Plot: Engrossing. Characters: Engaging. Pacing: Roller coaster. Three out of three, which makes “The Scarecrow” a perfect summer vacation read.”
— Lisa McLendon, Wichita Eagle
“Switching viewpoints between the killer and McEvoy in a high-stakes dance of smarts and ruthlessness, Connelly keeps the suspense at a high pitch, ratcheting up the pace with law-enforcement mistakes, rule breaking, ego clashes, nick-of-time saves and crackling electricity between McEvoy and Walling. But what adds real depth to this fast-paced read is the portrayal of the newsroom in all its old dinosaur warts, traditions, and gritty venerability. Connelly plumbs his journalistic background for more than atmosphere, however, exploring the meeting of internet and paper, and the ways they enhance one another. The ease and speed of internet research, for instance, combined with the structure and discipline of traditional journalism creates a powerful investigative machine, paradoxically undermined by its own economic mechanism. Stalking a killer, Connelly gives us a glimpse of a future without newspapers and it’s a scary sight. This is one of his best.”
— Lynn Harnett, Portsmouth Herald
“Less a whodunit than a whydunit, “The Scarecrow” offers a convincing ode to the strengths of newspaper journalism and the dangers of the medium that is strangling it.”
— James Pressley, Bloomberg.com
“After reading this fast-paced adventure, you’ll want to pick up a morning paper and hide behind it as you ponder how much of your personal information is available online.”
— New Orleans Times-Picayune
“The Scarecrow is a dire warning about the dangers of electronic snooping and a reminder of what we will lose if newspapers continue to fail. And it is a page-turning thriller — cleverly plotted, fast-paced and crisply written. As Connelly puts it, he set out to write “a thriller first and a torch song for the newspaper business second.” The book works superbly on both levels, surpassing The Poet as his finest.
— Bruce DeSilva, Associated Press
“Definitely at the top of his game, Connelly wows his audience. His clever mind of sheer genius is revealed in unexpected plot twists that thrill, shock, and surprise.”
— J.Curran, TheMysterySite.com
The Scarecrow is in:
Notable Crime Books of 2009, New York Times
Amazon’s Top 100 Editors’ Picks of 2009
Amazon’s Top 100 Customer Favorites of 2009
Amazon’s Customers’ Top 10 Books: Mystery & Thrillers
Publishers Weekly Top 100 Books of 2009
Bookmarks Magazine’s Best Books of 2009 in the “Crime” category
Library Journal’s Best Books of 2009
St. Louis Post-Dispatch Best of 2009
St. Louis Post-Dispatch 10 Best Thrillers of 2009
Best Mystery Novels of 2009, Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
iTunes Top Sellers of 2009 (refers to the audiobook)
Audible’s Best of 2009 (refers to the audiobook)
Best Crime Books of 2009, JanuaryMagazine.com
