Michael Joseph Connelly is an American author renowned for his compelling detective novels and crime fiction. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 21, 1956. Connelly is best known for his characters LAPD Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch and criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller. He has penned 38 novels and a non-fiction work, with over 85 million copies sold globally, and his books have been translated into 45 languages.
His debut novel, The Black Echo, won the prestigious Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best First Novel in 1992. Several of his books have been adapted into films, including Blood Work (2002), directed by Clint Eastwood, and The Lincoln Lawyer (2011), starring Matthew McConaughey.
Connelly's career in crime fiction was honored with the Diamond Dagger from the CWA in 2018, and he received the Outstanding Contribution To Crime Writing Award at the 2022 Theakstonβs Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate, England, as well as the Grand Master title from the Mystery Writers of America in 2023.
Connelly serves as the executive producer for the Amazon Studios original drama series Bosch and Bosch: Legacy, and the Netflix series The Lincoln Lawyer. He is also the creator and host of the podcasts Murder Book and The Wonderland Murders & The Secret History Of Hollywood.
Connelly decided to pursue writing after discovering the works of Raymond Chandler while at the University of Florida, where he majored in journalism and minored in creative writing under novelist Harry Crews. Before becoming a full-time novelist, Connelly worked as a crime reporter for several newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times.
He resides between California and Florida, continuing to write and produce content that captivates audiences worldwide.