Rating: 
Summary: COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH BETTER
Review: I read this book over a long span of time maybe thats the reason it did not manage to hold my interest. but the book definetly has a gripping start and then somewhere somehow.......
Rating:
Summary: Good read, but disappointing
Review: This book definitely kept my interest, but the ending was more than disappointing. I felt almost cheated for having spent my time reading this novel only to arrive at such a badly thought out ending. No motives are given, no true ending, it's as if he got tired of writing the book, just gave it several "twists" and ended it there. Bottom line: Disappointing, but interesting enough to keep you turning the pages.
Rating: 
Summary: Very Good!
Review: This is a good book. It doesn't grab you by the you-know-whats(although it does in spurts), but it will keep you steadily turning the pages. It's an intelligent novel, well written, and I definitely recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Stand-Alone by a First-Rate Crime Novelist
Review: Anyone who reads crime fiction should be a big Michael Connelly fan. After all, his Harry Bosch novels are regarded as some of the best there are. However, you are cheating yourself if you haven't read his stand-alone novels as well. The Poet is the first novel the author has written that departs from this series and is a classic example of a great book by an insider writing on a subject with which they are closely familiar. The detail that is on display when Connelly describes police department procedure and FBI investigational technique makes the reader feel as if they are on the case with the characters. Do yourself a favor and read this book. Read all of Connelly's books for that matter - you won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Great book....great author!
Review: The Poet was the first book that I read by Connelly and since then I have read all of his books and am anxiously awaiting the new Bosch book in April! I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in finding a new author to read. Once you read this book you will feel compelled to find more of his great work. This will lead you to the Harry Bosch books which truly are the bext detective series around...not Lucas Davenport, Alex Cross, Alex Delaware although Charlie "Bird" Parker is starting to build momentum!
Rating:
Summary: Incredible
Review: The main character of 'The Poet' is one of the most sympathetic, multi-layered protaganists I've read of in this type of novel in a long time. The case is slowly built up, the intrique and intensity building along with it, the touch of romance is both inspired and appropriately bittersweet, and the ending is an incredible twist. At first reading I admit I thought it was a bit far-fetched, but during my second read through I could spot all the threads that lead up to the twist being really the only way it could have ended. This is, without a doubt, my favorite novel of Michael Connellys. It's one of my favorite pop fiction stories period, actually. I sincerely hope that next time Michael Connelly takes a break from Harry Bosch, he revisits the concepts of 'The Poet'. Until then, I tend to re-read it at least once a year. :)
Rating:
Summary: A great break from real life!
Review: The Poet is a fun, creepy and exciting story. I loved it. It was a welcome break from my hectic schedule.
Rating:
Summary: Connelly's take on Clarice Starling
Review: It's a Connelly book, and you either like them or you don't. I like them for vacation reading, and it was fun to see the writer do something other than Harry Bosch. Unfortunately he created a loser of a guy (McEvoy), but at least that loser gets to be man-handled by Connelly's take on Clarice Starling, his own Rachel Walling. Yes, Walling is different from Starling - the latter was an orphan. I'm not sure if Connelly wrote an homage intentionally, but if he did I salute him. Good book. The ending has the usual Connelly twist, but this one surprised me a little less than usual...maybe I'm just getting used to the style.
Rating:
Summary: Very Well Thought Out
Review: After watching the movie "Blood Work" with Clint Eastwood, I was suprised at how witty the story line was. So I decided to give Connelly's novels a try, so I chose "THE POET" which I found to be very well written and filled with many twists and turns. Connelly sprinkled many details and clues throughout the novel that all came to a head in the end. His a dialogue is realistic, and the main charactor was not this superman that didn't have hang ups or demons in his closet, which also added to the good mix. The only aspect of this novel that disturbed me was the main villian, who is a murder/child molester to the extreme, I didn't like the constant talk of that, but despite it all I did enjoy the novel, how ever the ending was a bit abrupt, and the reason behind why the villian did it was not very clearly explained. It did read like a movie script at times, and maybe that is what connelly is hoping for, if this is the case I think Jason Lee from "Vanilla Sky" could play the lead very well. But a good, solid, intelligent, crime mystery thiller. I plan on reading some of Connelly's Harry Bosch series in the future.
Rating:
Summary: QUOTH THE POET NEVERMORE?
Review: Michael Connelly sure knows how to spin an intricate and original tale, as he does in "The Poet." I've read some of his books out of sequence, having read "Blood Work" prior to this one. I am a little confused as in "Blood Work," the poet killer is mentioned, but not much else is given away. So as far as this book goes, it is a maze of twists and turns, and many surprises. The character of Jack McEvoy is a strong one, possessing both flaws and attributes. His involvement with FBI agent Rachel Walling is also interesting. William Gladden's character is gleefully evil, and his killings abominable. The denouement is full of shocks. I do have to admit though that the motivations for the Poet are not fully developed here, so I was hoping for a sequel to tie up the many loose ends. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, THOUGH.
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