What Is Michael Connelly’s Net Worth?
Michael Connelly is an American author of crime fiction and detective novels who has a net worth of $80 million. He is best known for creating the popular characters of the criminal defense lawyer Mickey Haller and LAPD detective Harry Bosch.
At the time of writing, Michael’s books were sold over 80 million copies all over the world and have been translated into 40 languages.
Connelly was born on July 21, 1956, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He is the 2nd oldest child of Mary Connelly, a homemaker, and W. Michael Connelly, a property developer.
He moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with his family when he was 11 years old.
At age 16, his interest in mystery and crime novels was ignited after witnessing a man throwing a gun into the bushes near his house.
However, he still planned on following his father’s early choice of career in the construction business. But, at the age of 20, Connelly decided to be a writer.
During an interview with SMH, he said:
”When I went home at 20 to tell my parents I don’t want to be an engineer, I want to try and write books.”
In 1980, he graduated from the University of Florida.
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After graduation from college, Michael covered the crime beat at newspapers in Daytona Beach News-Journal for two years.
In 1981, he started to work at the Fort Lauderdale News and Sun-Sentinel.
In 1986, Connelly and two other reporters spent a few months interviewing survivors of the 1985 Delta Flight 191 plane crash. The crash killed 137 people and injured 28 others.
Michael and his colleagues at the paper were nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.
The honor also brought Michael a job as a crime reporter at the LA Times.
First Novel
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In 1992, Connelly published his first novel, titled – ”The Black Echo.” He sold the book to American publisher Little, Brown and Company.
The book is partly based on a true crime that occurred in LA.
In the novel, he introduced the now-famous LAPD Detective Hieronymus Bosch’s character.
In 1992, his very first novel won the prestigious Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best First Novel.
Lorenzo Carcaterra, an American writer for People, wrote that “Connelly has, with great skill, given us a detective who inhabits a world filled only with torment, fear, and danger.” Lorenzo wrote about the novel that it is “a most impressive first novel.”
In 1993, he wrote Detective Bosch — The Black Ice, in 1994 – The Concrete Blonde, and in 1995 -The Last Coyote. All the novels are about Detective Bosch.
The Poet
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In 1996, Michael wrote his first book not to feature Detective Bosch, titled – ”The Poet.”
The story in the novel is told in the first-person narrative from the perspective of reporter Jack McEvoy. It won the 1997 Dilys Award.
In 1998, Connelly wrote Blood Work, which marks the first appearance of FBI agent Terry McCaleb. The book is inspired by one of his friends who received an organ transplant.
In the follow-up year, he wrote another book featuring Detective Bosch, named – ”Angels Flight.”
In 2000, Connelly wrote Void Moon. It was his first novel to feature a female protagonist, Cassidy “Cassie” Black.
In 2002, Michael released a stand-alone thriller titled – ”Chasing The Dime.” The book was named one of the Best Books of the Year by the LA Times. In the same year, he released the City Of Bones. It was named a Notable Book of the Year by the NY Times.
In 2002, his novel Blood Work was made into a film, which was directed by Clint Eastwood.
In 2003, another Detective Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch novel, Lost Light, was published.
From 2003 to 2004, Michael was the President of the Mystery Writers of America.
In 2004, he published The Narrows, a sequel to The Poet. In 2005, he released The Closers, the 11th Bosch novel.
In May 2009, Connelly released The Scarecrow. The novel brought back McEvoy as the lead character.
On September 21, 2009, Michael appeared as himself in the 2nd season premiere of Castle.
On November 26, 2012, he released The Black Box, the 16th novel featuring LA Police Department detective Harry Bosch.
On December 2, 2013, Michael published The Gods of Guilt, the 5th book to feature LA criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller.
On November 3, 2014, Connelly released The Burning Room, the 17th novel featuring detective Harry Bosch.
In 2016, he released The Wrong Side Of Goodbye, the 19th novel featuring detective Bosch.
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Wife
Kelly Connelly, Michael Connelly and Linda Connelly – @Getty
In April of 1984, Michael Connelly married Linda McCaleb.
The couple met while in college.
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Quotes
”I love being around during production, but there I’m just a guy feeding his ego.”
“If I ever get tired of writing about Harry Bosch, I won’t write about him.”
”I like the comfort of knowing I am securing the future of my family, no matter what happens.”
”Write every day even if it is just a paragraph.”
”When I compose my stories no characters – let alone the main character – do things I don’t expect.”
”I don’t miss being a reporter as a job, but I do miss the everyday interaction with the front line of law enforcement.”
”As a former journalist, it’s hard to watch what is going on with the world with the classification of state media and news.”
”I don’t want to clobber anybody with someone’s history. I want it to be intriguing.”
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Trivia
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Bill Clinton was once photographed with Michael’s book The Concrete Blonde.
When asked about his favorite show, he responded:
”I really like The Man in the High Castle.”
Connelly went on to say:
”Both seasons I have binged in the weekend that they came out.”
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Net Worth
So, how much is Michael Connelly worth? Connelly earned most of his wealth from selling his books. Therefore, American author Michael Connelly has an estimated net worth of $80 million.
His most famous books are the ones in the LA Police Department detective Harry Bosch series.
In 2015, Amazon Prime Video premiered the series, Bosch. It stars Titus Welliver, Jamie Hector, and Madison Lintz.
Other renowned novels that he wrote are – The Scarecrow, Blood Work (which was made into a film), Chasing the Dime, Void Moon, and The Poet.
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Michael became a millionaire at the age of 42, according to an interview he gave for FT.
He said: ”At 42, I actually did get a cheque for over $1 million, the payment for my 8th book, Blood Work.”
In 2021, Connelly bought an oceanfront Malibu retreat for $8.7 million.
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References https://www.latimes.com/interview-best-selling-author-michael-connelly https://www.goodreads.com/interviews/show/1275.Michael_Connelly
I am Bulgarea Candin Stefan, and I founded FamousPeopleToday.com in 2018. I’m using my bachelor’s degree in economics and 9 years of experience in blogging to guide millions of people through the incredibly complex world of celebrity net worths.
Worthington, Katheen
Friday 16th of June 2023
i think I have read just about oodles of Michael Connelly s book love them all. Please do not kill off Harry Bosch.
Clarey Rudd
Friday 9th of September 2022
Thanks for all the great books you have written and for signing our petition to see we stay open as we deal with a 325% rent increase. Trying to get a workable solution, over 4,000 have signed. Bank of Books, Ventura rooted in 60 years of downtown Ventura. You sure would be welcomed for a book signing event. Bank of Books an International Famous Bookstore
Trudi Baker Reynolds
Tuesday 26th of October 2021
Michael connelly, one of tthe most prolific of the new noir group of authors i.e. Robert Crais , and T. Jefferson parker : develop the humanity and unevitable sadness in the men and women they write about in the still noir environment of so cal. C.J.box is a western writer… with a murderous ( in a good way): best friend; and a evocative romantic and sorrowful look at the disappearance of the west. Annie Proulx is the only woman who i can drop into this incredibly talented group. Thank you all for you talent and grace with the written word
Robert J. Barry
Sunday 18th of April 2021
Michael Connelly is by far the best writer in the genre for two reasons: First, His books involving Harry Bosh, Mickey Haller and now Renee Ballard are always well constructed with new and reasonable plots and extremely entertaining. Second, it appears to me, Mr. Connelly is more interested in putting out good solid works. It is notable that he only writes two books per year coming out in March and November leaving his readers thirsting for them unlike other authors(used loosely) like Baldacci, Patterson, Woods and lately even Grisham. In Baldaci's case, his earlier books weren't bad but his latest one are an embarrassment. Money rules. With Mr. Connelly, it is always worth the wait.
Louis Barbin
Tuesday 21st of September 2021
I love Connelly’s books. Never a disappointment. I need to go binge the Prime series, Bosch.
I agree about Baldacci’s latest books not being the quality of his earlier ones except for one. I have enjoyed reading the Atlee Pine novels. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of the fourth book in the series, which I have already bought and paid for. His character series are usually 4-5 novels. Perhaps he will find a way to to keep this young lady(what? 35 years old?) going and growing and maturing. If this 4th one is the last one, I’ll be disappointed.
Also, enjoying the Dismas Hardy series by John Lescroart. Well developed characters with some of the best dialogue that gets me laughing out loud and coming back for more.