The Scarecrow (Connelly novel)
The Scarecrow is a 2009 thriller penned by American writer Michael Connelly, marking his 21st novel and the second to feature journalist Jack McEvoy alongside FBI agent Rachel Walling. Acting as a follow-up to Connelly's 1996 work The Poet, the narrative centers on McEvoy's pursuit of a serial murderer. The book debuted in the UK and Ireland on May 12, 2009, followed by its release in the US and Canada on May 26, 2009.
While both McEvoy and Walling have appeared individually in other Connelly stories, The Scarecrow reunites them for the first time since their joint appearance in The Poet.
Plot
After losing his job at the Los Angeles Times, Jack McEvoy is given a fortnight to train his successor and aims to produce one final significant article. He delves into the case of Alonzo Winslow, a 16-year-old charged with the rape and murder of a stripper in Santa Monica. Upon examining the files, Jack learns that Alonzo only admitted to stealing the vehicle containing the victim’s body, not committing the homicide itself.
Angela Cook, who will take over Jack’s position, uncovers evidence of a comparable crime in Las Vegas but unintentionally activates a trap set by Wesley Carver, an MIT alumnus and chief security officer at a server farm located in Mesa, Arizona. Carver hacks into Angela’s email account, discovers Jack’s plans to visit Las Vegas, and then fabricates a data crisis to justify traveling to Los Angeles.
Jack finds that his credit cards and phone have been disabled, compelling him to purchase a disposable phone. He secures approval to visit the convicted murderer from Las Vegas in prison. While driving along the "loneliest road in America", Jack contacts FBI agent Rachel Walling to inform her about the serial killer case and mentions his communication difficulties.
At the prison, Jack encounters Rachel, who has arrived after deducing that Jack’s findings and technical troubles are connected. Together, they identify a suspicious individual known as "Sideburns" lurking near their hotel, suspecting him to be the killer. Following Angela’s disappearance, Jack and Rachel return to Los Angeles only to find her body concealed beneath Jack’s bed, killed in a similar fashion.
Jack is exonerated from Angela’s murder; both Alonzo and the prisoner from Las Vegas are released. The FBI traces an online decoy site back to Bill Denslow, an alias linked to one of Carver’s clients. Rachel resigns from the FBI due to her unauthorized trip. Meanwhile, Carver arranges for the assassination of his server farm’s CEO before resigning himself.
Jack discovers all victims were clients of law firms hosted on Carver’s server farm. Disguised as potential clients, he and Rachel visit Carver but maintain their cover. They follow leads to Carver’s assistant "Freddie Stone," identified as "Sideburns," uncovering evidence tying him directly to the murders. Rachel regains her FBI position after aiding with the investigation.
When Stone kidnaps Rachel, Jack intervenes and kills Stone during their confrontation. The FBI concludes there were two perpetrators: Stone and the missing CEO. Jack declines an offer to return to the Times but agrees to a contract for two books instead.
Spotting a clue referencing The Wizard of Oz’s scarecrow character connected to how victims were suffocated, Jack warns Rachel near Carver’s server farm—where they realize they are under surveillance via webcam by "The Scarecrow."
Carver launches an attack on FBI agents but is thwarted when Jack anticipates his move. Rachel shoots Carver, leaving him comatose. An epilogue reveals Carver’s mother was an exotic dancer resembling victims who wore leg braces. The story concludes with Carver confined under medical isolation.
Related content
Prior to the novel's release, Connelly created a promotional video alongside a trilogy titled Conflict of Interest, directed by Terrill Lankford, which connects the character Rachel Walling to key incidents leading up to the story. These videos can be accessed on YouTube:
- The Scarecrow
- Conflict of Interest, Chapter One
- Conflict of Interest, Chapter Two
- Conflict of Interest, Chapter Three