The Lincoln Lawyer Season 2: Unveiling the 8 Major Surprises in The Fifth Witness Book

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Season 2 of The Lincoln Lawyer on Netflix. The show, based on Michael Connelly's book series, deviates from the source material once again. The Lincoln Lawyer follows defense attorney Mickey Haller, who operates out of his Lincoln Town Car rather than a typical office. While the books and the Netflix adaptation share the same premise and characters, the show takes creative liberties with the plots of the books, both major and minor.

Season 2 of The Lincoln Lawyer adapts the storyline from the fourth book in the Mickey Haller series, titled The Fifth Witness. In this season, Mickey defends Lisa Trammel, who stands accused of murdering businessman Mitchell Bondurant. Throughout the story, Mickey begins to question Lisa's innocence, but he must put those doubts aside in order to secure a victory in the trial. However, the Netflix series introduces significant changes to the original story, while still maintaining certain similarities to The Fifth Witness.

8 Lisa & Jeff Trammel’s Marriage Has A Different Backstory In The Fifth Witness

Towards the end of season 2 part 1 of The Lincoln Lawyer, Lisa Trammel reveals to Mickey that she had been married before. However, the backstory behind her marriage is portrayed differently in The Fifth Witness. In Netflix's The Lincoln Lawyer, Lisa and Jeff Trammel keep their marriage and past hidden, creating a major mystery in season 2. The Fifth Witness offers more insight into Lisa and Jeff's marriage, which deviates slightly from the show.

In the original Lincoln Lawyer book, Lisa and Jeff are technically still married but separated, in contrast to the Netflix show where they are depicted as divorced. They also share a son named Tyler, who does not appear in the Netflix adaptation. The Fifth Witness portrays the Trammels' marriage and family life as happy until Jeff abruptly leaves and moves away. Similar to the Netflix version, Lisa and Jeff's previous marriage in The Fifth Witness is vital in understanding Lisa's character, but her backstory differs slightly in this version.

7 Lisa Is A Teacher In The Fifth Witness

In The Netflix adaptation of The Lincoln Lawyer, Lisa Trammel holds the profession of a chef and restaurateur at one of Mickey's favored establishments. However, the original book depicts Lisa in an entirely different occupation. The Fifth Witness portrays Lisa as a social studies teacher in high school, whose life takes a detour when her husband, Jeff, betrays their family by engaging in extramarital affairs, leaving Lisa burdened with numerous financial difficulties. Following multiple unexplained absences, Lisa is terminated from her teaching position, thus setting the stage for the troubles she encounters in The Fifth Witness.

The alteration of Lisa's profession in The Lincoln Lawyer season 2 brings about a substantial difference for her character. In Netflix's adaptation, Lisa and Mickey bond over their shared passion for food, which plays a significant role in their personal connection. This aspect of their relationship is entirely absent in The Fifth Witness, resulting in a striking disparity between Lisa and Mickey's portrayal in the book. Furthermore, Lisa's loss of her teaching job serves as a pivotal event that initiates her conflict with Bondurant in the book, whereas in The Lincoln Lawyer series, it is attributed to Lisa's aversion to gentrification. Though seemingly insignificant, Lisa's exclusion as a teacher in the show significantly deviates from the book.

6 Henry Dahl Is Different In The Fifth Witness

Henry Dahl poses a significant challenge for Mickey Haller as he represents Lisa Trammel. However, in The Fifth Witness, Dahl takes on a different persona and is referred to as Herb. In the book, Herb Dahl offers Lisa a movie deal, a medium that was not as prevalent as podcasts at the time of the book's publication in 2011. Nevertheless, Mickey and Dahl remain adversaries, maintaining their antagonistic relationship. These modifications to Dahl's character were likely implemented to bring The Fifth Witness up to date and inject a modern touch into the story, inadvertently resulting in a noticeable difference in Lisa's association with her "friend".

5 Mickey Haller Is Still ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ In The Fifth Witness

Unlike the books, where Mickey Haller continues to work out of his Lincoln Town Car in "The Fifth Witness," the first season of The Lincoln Lawyer introduces an exciting development. Mickey finally secures an office, prompting speculation about whether he can still be considered "The Lincoln Lawyer." However, the original source material reaffirms Mickey's enduring identity as the Lincoln Lawyer, regardless of his new workspace.

4 Lisa & Mickey Aren’t Romantically Involved In The Fifth Witness

3 Lorna & Cisco Are Already Married

The subplot in The Lincoln Lawyer season 2 part 1 focuses on Lorna and Cisco struggling to reach an agreement regarding their upcoming wedding. However, their relationship differs in the books, where they are already married. As a result, many of the challenges faced by Lorna and Cisco in their relationship in season 2 of The Lincoln Lawyer are tailored specifically for the Netflix adaptation. Nevertheless, both in the books and the Netflix show, Mickey has no objections to Lorna and Cisco's marriage, which fosters a successful working relationship among the three Lincoln Lawyer characters.

2 The Road Saints Have A Way Smaller Role In The Fifth Witness

Cisco’s story in The Lincoln Lawyer season 2 part 1 revolves around the resolution of his unresolved issues with the Road Saints, a group that had a smaller role in the original book. Unlike in The Fifth Witness, where the Road Saints are primarily part of Cisco's backstory rather than an integral part of the plot, the Netflix adaptation enhances their presence. Throughout The Fifth Witness, Cisco receives support from his friends who are still members of the Road Saints, but their involvement is limited to assisting him. While this deviation from the original book may not adhere strictly to The Fifth Witness, the increased role of the Road Saints in the Netflix adaptation enriches Cisco's character, resulting in a positive outcome for the story.

1 Alex Grant Doesn’t Exist In The Fifth Witness

In the first part of season 2 of The Lincoln Lawyer, a new character named Alex Grant begins to emerge as a key player in the murder investigation of Mitchell Bondurant. Surprisingly, Grant's character is absent from The Fifth Witness. Interestingly, Grant becomes a possible alternative suspect in Bondurant's murder, as it is revealed that he and Bondurant were involved in a business dispute at the time of the crime. What makes Grant a more intriguing suspect is the discovery that he had changed his name to distance himself from any association with the mob. However, despite his significant role in The Lincoln Lawyer, Grant does not make an appearance in the book.

Instead of Alex Grant, The Fifth Witness introduces Louis Opparizio as a comparable character. Like Grant, Opparizio had a strained relationship with Bondurant before his murder, making him another potential suspect alongside Lisa. Opparizio went so far as to change his name in an attempt to downplay his past, much like Alex Grant. In The Fifth Witness, Opparizio becomes a pawn used by Mickey to persuade the jury of Lisa's innocence. However, with Grant's current absence, it remains to be seen what part he might play in The Lincoln Lawyer season 2.