In nearly every episode of a TV cop show, the ending is given away by a propagandistic clue that is as subtle as a nightstick. The clue takes either of two standard forms:

(1) A character is “politically incorrect.” For example, he’s a “racist,” a “sexist,” a “homophobe,” a rich white businessman, a cigarette smoker, a gun owner, or a user of correct English grammar. Guilty.

(2) A character asked to “cooperate” with the police fails to become instantly servile. For example, an office manager abruptly asked to hand over the personnel files of all employees in the company responds politely, “Let me just check first with our company lawyer.” Guilty.

We expect such craven awkwardness from television writers; we don’t expect it from novelists.

I have read every Michael Connelly novel published so far; I don’t plan to read any more. If Mr. Connelly is willing to give away his own ending in order to make a silly ideological gesture, then I infer that he no longer cares to aim his books at intelligent readers.