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Dismas Hardy #16
The Fall by John Lescroart (5-May-2015) Hardcover
Late one night, fostered teen Anlya Paulson plummets to her death from the overpass above San Francisco's Stockton tunnel.
But did she fall...or was she pushed?
Rushing to produce a suspect, homicide inspectors focus on na�ve school teacher Greg Treadway, who volunteers as a Special Advocate for foster children. But by the time Greg's murder trial is underway, lawyer Dismas Hardy and his daughter, Rebecca, have unearthed some alternative harrowing possibilities: a missing stepfather, a roommate who ran an escort service, and even Anlya's own birth mother.
How will they get these theories in front of the jury? And, if they can, what price will they have to pay?
But did she fall...or was she pushed?
Rushing to produce a suspect, homicide inspectors focus on na�ve school teacher Greg Treadway, who volunteers as a Special Advocate for foster children. But by the time Greg's murder trial is underway, lawyer Dismas Hardy and his daughter, Rebecca, have unearthed some alternative harrowing possibilities: a missing stepfather, a roommate who ran an escort service, and even Anlya's own birth mother.
How will they get these theories in front of the jury? And, if they can, what price will they have to pay?
Hardcover
First published May 5, 2015
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About the author
John Lescroart
142 books1,299 followersJohn Lescroart (born January 14, 1948) is an American author best known for two series of legal and crime thriller novels featuring the characters Dismas Hardy and Abe Glitsky.
Lescroart was born in Houston, Texas, and graduated from Junípero Serra High School, San Mateo, California (Class of 1966). He then went on to earn a B.A. in English with Honors at UC Berkeley in 1970. In addition to his novels, Lescroart has written several screenplays.
Lescroart was born in Houston, Texas, and graduated from Junípero Serra High School, San Mateo, California (Class of 1966). He then went on to earn a B.A. in English with Honors at UC Berkeley in 1970. In addition to his novels, Lescroart has written several screenplays.
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April 15, 2021
3.5 stars
In this 16th book in John Lescroat's 'Dismas Hardy' series, Hardy's daughter Rebecca - all grown up and working in her dad's law firm - is lead attorney on a murder case. The book can be read as a standalone.
*****
The story: In San Francisco, Greg Treadway is a middle school teacher who volunteers as a CASA (court appointed special advocate) for foster children.
His client is Max Paulson, a black, 17-year-old high school student who lives with his Aunt Junie because his mother is a drug addict. Greg is also friendly with Max's twin sister Anlya, who lives in a group home.
One evening, Greg stops for a beer at 'The Little Shamrock' - the bar co-owned by Dismas Hardy - and strikes up a conversation with Rebecca Hardy.
Before long the TV news reports that Anlya Paulson was thrown from an overpass and is dead. Greg is horrified. He tells Rebecca he had dinner with Anlya earlier in the evening. At Dismas's urging Greg calls the police. He reports that he took Anlya to a Chinese restaurant, after which she went shopping.
Turns out Greg's story has some holes and a homeless man claims he saw Greg at the scene of the crime.
Meanwhile, activists in San Francisco have been agitating, claiming that crimes against black people aren't being vigorously investigated and prosecuted.
The cops and DA feel pressured and Greg is indicted after a fast, shoddy investigation. He's quickly brought to trial and hires Rebecca to be his lawyer.
Rebecca, looking for information to clear Greg, asks private investigator Wyatt Hunt to investigate. Wyatt's findings unearth possible alternative suspects.
There are some dramatic courtroom scenes in the story and Rebecca, though inexperienced with murder cases, proves to be a skilled attorney. It's fun to see her try to poke holes in the prosecution's evidence.
Familiar characters in the series make an appearance, including Dismas's wife Frannie and DA's investigator (and former Chief of Homicide) Abe Glitsky. Various secondary characters add interest to the story, including Rebecca's roommate Ally - a brand new law school graduate who takes an interest in Greg and the trial; Anlya's mother - who can't shake her drug habit or get rid of the wrong kind of men; the police detectives who are determined to find a suspect fast; the judge, who's got his head screwed on right; and more.
There are a few twists in the story and a dramatic climax which some readers might see coming. I enjoyed the book and recommend it to mystery fans.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
August 8, 2016
The sixteenth entry in John Lescroart's series featuring lawyer Dismas Hardy and homicide detective Abe Glitsky marks something of a turning point in the series. One of the pleasures of reading these books through the years has been watching the respective families of the two main characters evolve. Over time, we've come to know their wives and children almost as well as we know Hardy and Glitsky.
Many of those children that we have watched growing up are now young adults, including Hardy's daughter, Rebecca, or "The Beck" as he has called from from the time she was a small child. The Beck is now an attorney herself and has just joined her father's firm. By an act of coincidence, she becomes acquainted with a young man named Greg Treadway. Treadway is a school teacher and also volunteers as a court-appointed advocate for foster children.
Treadway and Rebecca meet one night in her father's bar. (Hardy owns half interest in the bar and moonlights a couple nights a week tending bar, simply because he enjoys it.) While the two are sitting there getting acquainted, a news story appears on the television noting that a seventeen-year-old African-American woman named Tanya Morgan has died. Either she has jumped, accidentally fallen or been pushed from overpass into traffic.
Treadway is stunned. The young woman is one of the girls for whom he is an advocate and he and Tanya had dinner together only hours before her death. The Beck insists that he call the police and offer whatever information he can. Naturally, he does. But when the police find inconsistencies in Treadway's story, they arrest him for murder and suddenly Rebecca Hardy finds herself defending him on the murder charge.
It's the first homicide case she's ever handled and, as nervous as she naturally is, her father is even more nervous for her. John Lescroart is famous for writing great courtroom scenes and this case is no exception. A picky reviewer might point out that no law firm worth its salt would probably ever allow a fresh young attorney like The Beck to handle his or her own murder trial alone, but the fact that she's allowed to do so heightens the tension. (The alleged reason is that Treadway can't afford to pay to have Dismas Hardy sitting as second chair.) As usual in these books, there are a lot of political machinations going on in the background and there's a fair amount of wry humor.
It's a great read, and one that will appeal to virtually anyone who enjoys a well-drafted legal thriller. And while it's nice to see The Beck get her moment in the sun, I do hope that in the next installment her father will have the opportunity to be back in court.
Many of those children that we have watched growing up are now young adults, including Hardy's daughter, Rebecca, or "The Beck" as he has called from from the time she was a small child. The Beck is now an attorney herself and has just joined her father's firm. By an act of coincidence, she becomes acquainted with a young man named Greg Treadway. Treadway is a school teacher and also volunteers as a court-appointed advocate for foster children.
Treadway and Rebecca meet one night in her father's bar. (Hardy owns half interest in the bar and moonlights a couple nights a week tending bar, simply because he enjoys it.) While the two are sitting there getting acquainted, a news story appears on the television noting that a seventeen-year-old African-American woman named Tanya Morgan has died. Either she has jumped, accidentally fallen or been pushed from overpass into traffic.
Treadway is stunned. The young woman is one of the girls for whom he is an advocate and he and Tanya had dinner together only hours before her death. The Beck insists that he call the police and offer whatever information he can. Naturally, he does. But when the police find inconsistencies in Treadway's story, they arrest him for murder and suddenly Rebecca Hardy finds herself defending him on the murder charge.
It's the first homicide case she's ever handled and, as nervous as she naturally is, her father is even more nervous for her. John Lescroart is famous for writing great courtroom scenes and this case is no exception. A picky reviewer might point out that no law firm worth its salt would probably ever allow a fresh young attorney like The Beck to handle his or her own murder trial alone, but the fact that she's allowed to do so heightens the tension. (The alleged reason is that Treadway can't afford to pay to have Dismas Hardy sitting as second chair.) As usual in these books, there are a lot of political machinations going on in the background and there's a fair amount of wry humor.
It's a great read, and one that will appeal to virtually anyone who enjoys a well-drafted legal thriller. And while it's nice to see The Beck get her moment in the sun, I do hope that in the next installment her father will have the opportunity to be back in court.
May 5, 2015
A special thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
THE FALL by John Lescroart is a riveting multi-layered complex legal crime thriller; my kind of book. Has it all - from murder, sex, courtroom drama, legal, corruption, racial, crime, social injustice, mystery, psycho, and more. Love Dismas Hardy and his daughter, Rebecca (The Beck) - quite the team.
When Hardy joined the marines out of college, then Vietnam, he became a cop in San Fran while attending law school. After passing the bar, he worked for a year as an assistant district attorney. Afterwards bartending at Little Shamrock (he now co-owns) after his first child had died in a crib accident and then the breakup of his first marriage. He remarried twenty six years ago to Frannie, whose child Rebecca he adopted, now his newest legal associate at his firm. She is about to land her first complex case.
There are some strange happenings in San Francisco, now a body is falling out of the sky and is dead. For the past several months, Juhle’s Homicide department, as well as the city’s DA’s office had been defending themselves separately and together against mounting accusations that the PD was soft pedaling investigations, and the DA was mishandling trials of, killers of African Americans.
In the city's last eight murders of African Americans the police had made no arrests. During the same time period the district attorney had gone to trial six times to prosecute suspects in the homicides of African Americans and gotten zero convictions. The public thinks there is a pattern – could there be? The fact remained that though the nonwhite to white murder rate in the city was nine to one there had not been one successful murder case involving a black victim in the previous six months.
Now Liam Goodman, a city supervisor with mayoral ambitions is riding this political magic and talking about more than just cutting the homicide budget.
The victim, Anlya Grace Paulson, age seventeen, a mixed up foster kid falls from an overpass tunnel with four witnesses, making it appear it is a murder, not a suicide. What is her story (boy, oh boy is there a past here) with numerous suspects. And there is a diary entry talking about someone with initials G and L. Wes Farrell is closing in on four years as district attorney. Inspectors Eric Waverly and Ken Yamashiro are on the case and PI Hunt.
Abe Glitsky, a lifelong policeman, mixed race – from patrolman to homicide lieutenant to deputy chief of inspectors and for the past few months—after a squabble with the chief of police had led to his resignation (had been under Wes Farrell’s command) as an inspector with the DA’s Investigative Division. Abe’s father was Jewish, his mother African American – he is back on the case.
Greg, a twenty-seven year old white teacher and court appointed special advocate (CASA) for Anlya’s twin brother Max had dinner with Anlya shortly before she died. Greg happened to be at the bar, Little Shamrock --Hardy co-owns and his daughter Rebecca, is there, when the news comes on about the girl. Rebecca agrees to represent Greg (what a first case). She has no clue what she is getting into.
As the corruption mounts, so does the suspects and complexities. There is Royce, the boyfriend and pimp, a partner with Honor Wilson, Anlya’s friend managing prostitutes – nervous about the cops looking into their business. Life as Honor had imagined it is not going as she planned and her life may be in danger.
Leon Copes, the psychologically unbalanced, crack head and child molester, former live in boyfriend of the twin’s mother, Sharla with a history of abusing Anlya and screwing up their mother with drugs and booz, and then there is Ricardo Salazar, the Minnesota murderer.
Hardy had decided to let his daughter handle this, but he was not about to throw her to the wolves. He could not allow her to choose her first murder jury selection without the benefit of his experience… Who would push an innocent girl to her death? What a mistrial? Who had motive? What about all the city's murder suspects who are arrested and never tried?
I love a good crime legal thriller and social injustices; Lescroart mounts the suspense from court room, to crime mixed with some personal emotions and humor, with Hardy, his daughter, friends and family.
Since this is my first book by Lescroart, I am busy clicking to buy the previous books to listen on audio in between new releases; starting with The Keeper: Dismas Hardy, Book #15. So excited David Colacci, one of my favorite narrators is performing (love him, with Tami Hoag's books). Looking forward to reading all the ones I missed.
Fans of Scott Turow, John Grisham, Michael Connelly, David Baldacci, Brad Meltzer, Daniel Palmer, Robert Parker, and Stuart Woods will enjoy this mix legal crime thriller.
As I have mentioned previously, you can always count on Atria Books to deliver the "best of the best"!
Judith D. Collins Must Read Books
THE FALL by John Lescroart is a riveting multi-layered complex legal crime thriller; my kind of book. Has it all - from murder, sex, courtroom drama, legal, corruption, racial, crime, social injustice, mystery, psycho, and more. Love Dismas Hardy and his daughter, Rebecca (The Beck) - quite the team.
When Hardy joined the marines out of college, then Vietnam, he became a cop in San Fran while attending law school. After passing the bar, he worked for a year as an assistant district attorney. Afterwards bartending at Little Shamrock (he now co-owns) after his first child had died in a crib accident and then the breakup of his first marriage. He remarried twenty six years ago to Frannie, whose child Rebecca he adopted, now his newest legal associate at his firm. She is about to land her first complex case.
There are some strange happenings in San Francisco, now a body is falling out of the sky and is dead. For the past several months, Juhle’s Homicide department, as well as the city’s DA’s office had been defending themselves separately and together against mounting accusations that the PD was soft pedaling investigations, and the DA was mishandling trials of, killers of African Americans.
In the city's last eight murders of African Americans the police had made no arrests. During the same time period the district attorney had gone to trial six times to prosecute suspects in the homicides of African Americans and gotten zero convictions. The public thinks there is a pattern – could there be? The fact remained that though the nonwhite to white murder rate in the city was nine to one there had not been one successful murder case involving a black victim in the previous six months.
Now Liam Goodman, a city supervisor with mayoral ambitions is riding this political magic and talking about more than just cutting the homicide budget.
The victim, Anlya Grace Paulson, age seventeen, a mixed up foster kid falls from an overpass tunnel with four witnesses, making it appear it is a murder, not a suicide. What is her story (boy, oh boy is there a past here) with numerous suspects. And there is a diary entry talking about someone with initials G and L. Wes Farrell is closing in on four years as district attorney. Inspectors Eric Waverly and Ken Yamashiro are on the case and PI Hunt.
Abe Glitsky, a lifelong policeman, mixed race – from patrolman to homicide lieutenant to deputy chief of inspectors and for the past few months—after a squabble with the chief of police had led to his resignation (had been under Wes Farrell’s command) as an inspector with the DA’s Investigative Division. Abe’s father was Jewish, his mother African American – he is back on the case.
Greg, a twenty-seven year old white teacher and court appointed special advocate (CASA) for Anlya’s twin brother Max had dinner with Anlya shortly before she died. Greg happened to be at the bar, Little Shamrock --Hardy co-owns and his daughter Rebecca, is there, when the news comes on about the girl. Rebecca agrees to represent Greg (what a first case). She has no clue what she is getting into.
As the corruption mounts, so does the suspects and complexities. There is Royce, the boyfriend and pimp, a partner with Honor Wilson, Anlya’s friend managing prostitutes – nervous about the cops looking into their business. Life as Honor had imagined it is not going as she planned and her life may be in danger.
Leon Copes, the psychologically unbalanced, crack head and child molester, former live in boyfriend of the twin’s mother, Sharla with a history of abusing Anlya and screwing up their mother with drugs and booz, and then there is Ricardo Salazar, the Minnesota murderer.
Hardy had decided to let his daughter handle this, but he was not about to throw her to the wolves. He could not allow her to choose her first murder jury selection without the benefit of his experience… Who would push an innocent girl to her death? What a mistrial? Who had motive? What about all the city's murder suspects who are arrested and never tried?
I love a good crime legal thriller and social injustices; Lescroart mounts the suspense from court room, to crime mixed with some personal emotions and humor, with Hardy, his daughter, friends and family.
Since this is my first book by Lescroart, I am busy clicking to buy the previous books to listen on audio in between new releases; starting with The Keeper: Dismas Hardy, Book #15. So excited David Colacci, one of my favorite narrators is performing (love him, with Tami Hoag's books). Looking forward to reading all the ones I missed.
Fans of Scott Turow, John Grisham, Michael Connelly, David Baldacci, Brad Meltzer, Daniel Palmer, Robert Parker, and Stuart Woods will enjoy this mix legal crime thriller.
As I have mentioned previously, you can always count on Atria Books to deliver the "best of the best"!
Judith D. Collins Must Read Books
June 15, 2015
Gone are the days when John Grisham was my go-to when I was in serious need of a great legal thriller that is captivating and thrilling from page one. John Lescroart is definitely the one I seek nowadays. Sure Grisham still holds a place in my heart, but Lescroart brings that thrill factor in a way that others cannot. He simply holds my attention by bringing thrill after thrill, throwing curve ball after curve ball, all the while keeping readers entranced in a story that is just interesting as the outcome. The Fall is no different.
The literally drops in on us as a young, black teenage girl named Anlya Grace Paulson (my version at least) drops onto the hood of a young woman's car in a seemingly deserted parking lot. Because of the importance in bringing to justice her killer, the main suspect turns out to be Greg Treadway. He's a volunteer as a special advocate for foster children who assists in extending their benefits beyond their 18th birthday. His questionable relationship with the deceased, an eyewitness statement, and a rush to judgement puts him in the hot seat.
Enter Hardy. Not that Hardy. Enter Dismas' Hardy's daughter, Rebecca, who's now employed at the prestigious law firm. She's still wet behind the ears and totally unprepared for such a high profile trial that holds a young man's life in the balance. Readers follow along as she grows as a lawyer. Followers of the Dismas Hardy series will appreciate her tenacity and enjoy the journey she's on. Newbies to this series will ultimately find her exhausting and a little too naive. I found myself in the middle.
What I liked most about this title is that when I thought I knew who the culprit was, Lescroart provided more and more doubt, reasonable doubt. I couldn't quite pinpoint who the killer was based on the shady characters who have come into this young woman's life. There's the maybe ex best friend turned trickster, or the crazy molester that's seemed to disappear in the wind, or it could quite possibly be the man on trial. Who's to say?
Of course the courtroom scenes are what I live for in legal thriller. Sure the occasional gunfight and danger lurking at every turn is the courtroom battle. Who will win? Will the person on trial be found guilty? Could the judge and jury be making the wrong call? I love the back and forth banter that is a trial. Trying to poke holes in every testimony, gaining strategic points with the jury by a carefully placed objection. I mean, I love 20/20 or Dateline... my favorite video game is Pheonix Wright. All you gamers should know who he is (js). Lescroart gives life to his courtroom scenes. I am essentially one of the many patrons who troll in hopes of being privy to the world's next high profile case.
Although I enjoyed The Fall and was a much needed reprieve from the dreadful novels I had just read, I found Rebecca to be annoyingly naive. I wanted to like her but I couldn't. There is no replacement for Dismas Hardy. Please don't pass the torch to her Lecroart. I beg you to please reconsider if this is where you're headed. I can accept a wet-behind-the-ears attorney so long as they are truly so. Rebecca shouldn't qualify as one when he father is one of the most sought after defense attorneys. Being a rookie is not acceptable.
Regardless of my 3-star rating, I really did enjoy The Fall. John Lescroart is definitely one of my favorite legal thriller authors. I will definitely read the next novel he writes even if it doesn't feature Dismas Hardy... actually the last few I've read have Dismas taking a backseat but was done in a much less annoying way. I digress... fans of this series will appreciate catching up on the characters they've grown to love while newbies to the series will maybe step away needing more. Hopefully needing more in a good way. As for me, I don't would rather fall into a great legal thriller that isn't only captivating when the main character is nowhere to be found.
Copy provided by Atria Books via Netgalley
The literally drops in on us as a young, black teenage girl named Anlya Grace Paulson (my version at least) drops onto the hood of a young woman's car in a seemingly deserted parking lot. Because of the importance in bringing to justice her killer, the main suspect turns out to be Greg Treadway. He's a volunteer as a special advocate for foster children who assists in extending their benefits beyond their 18th birthday. His questionable relationship with the deceased, an eyewitness statement, and a rush to judgement puts him in the hot seat.
Enter Hardy. Not that Hardy. Enter Dismas' Hardy's daughter, Rebecca, who's now employed at the prestigious law firm. She's still wet behind the ears and totally unprepared for such a high profile trial that holds a young man's life in the balance. Readers follow along as she grows as a lawyer. Followers of the Dismas Hardy series will appreciate her tenacity and enjoy the journey she's on. Newbies to this series will ultimately find her exhausting and a little too naive. I found myself in the middle.
What I liked most about this title is that when I thought I knew who the culprit was, Lescroart provided more and more doubt, reasonable doubt. I couldn't quite pinpoint who the killer was based on the shady characters who have come into this young woman's life. There's the maybe ex best friend turned trickster, or the crazy molester that's seemed to disappear in the wind, or it could quite possibly be the man on trial. Who's to say?
Of course the courtroom scenes are what I live for in legal thriller. Sure the occasional gunfight and danger lurking at every turn is the courtroom battle. Who will win? Will the person on trial be found guilty? Could the judge and jury be making the wrong call? I love the back and forth banter that is a trial. Trying to poke holes in every testimony, gaining strategic points with the jury by a carefully placed objection. I mean, I love 20/20 or Dateline... my favorite video game is Pheonix Wright. All you gamers should know who he is (js). Lescroart gives life to his courtroom scenes. I am essentially one of the many patrons who troll in hopes of being privy to the world's next high profile case.
Although I enjoyed The Fall and was a much needed reprieve from the dreadful novels I had just read, I found Rebecca to be annoyingly naive. I wanted to like her but I couldn't. There is no replacement for Dismas Hardy. Please don't pass the torch to her Lecroart. I beg you to please reconsider if this is where you're headed. I can accept a wet-behind-the-ears attorney so long as they are truly so. Rebecca shouldn't qualify as one when he father is one of the most sought after defense attorneys. Being a rookie is not acceptable.
Regardless of my 3-star rating, I really did enjoy The Fall. John Lescroart is definitely one of my favorite legal thriller authors. I will definitely read the next novel he writes even if it doesn't feature Dismas Hardy... actually the last few I've read have Dismas taking a backseat but was done in a much less annoying way. I digress... fans of this series will appreciate catching up on the characters they've grown to love while newbies to the series will maybe step away needing more. Hopefully needing more in a good way. As for me, I don't would rather fall into a great legal thriller that isn't only captivating when the main character is nowhere to be found.
Copy provided by Atria Books via Netgalley
June 11, 2015
So - a man walks into a bar…
Greg Treadway is that man. He is a middle school teacher and a volunteer as an advocate for foster children. The bar is The Little Shamrock, which is owned by San Francisco defense attorney Dismas “Diz” Hardy. Hardy’s daughter Rebecca, known to family as “The Beck,” pours Greg a second Black and Tan, and so begins the not-so-funny lawyer-client relationship between Greg Treadway and Rebecca Hardy.
Treadway is white. He is accused of murdering a seventeen-year-old African-American girl. Anlya Paulson’s body fell from the sky and smashed into a car as it exited a parking ramp. The evidence is scant and circumstantial, but the police and DA’s office are under political pressure to get a conviction. Greg Treadway vehemently denies any wrongdoing. Rebecca believes him. Doesn’t she? The problem is that he has lied just a little.
As she embarks on her first solo murder trial, her father discusses the case with The Beck. Referring to her client's lies, he quotes,“’What upsets me is not that you lied to me, but that from now on I can no longer believe you.’ Nietzsche said that.”
I didn’t know what I should believe, or whether I should believe anything that Greg Treadway told his lawyer. Is he as innocent as he seems? Lescroart artfully weaves a plot that had me guessing throughout the book. The courtroom scenes and legal wheelings-and-dealings are classic Lescroart.
In typical Lescroart style, he includes old familiar characters from other books in this long-lived series – Abe Glitzky, Wes Farrell, Wyatt Hunt, as well as familiar San Francisco streets and landmarks. The guys visit their favorite haunts, like Lou the Greek’s. A first-time reader of the series could read this as a stand-alone; however, I felt that the character development of the principal characters was sketchy, and I missed the not only details of the atmosphere at Lou’s, for example, but the camaraderie of the gang. Even though they are often on opposite sides of the courtroom now, the fellas – and now Rebecca – remain loyal friends.
What I love about Lescroart’s novels is that he creates so many unique characters. This gives him a great deal of flexibility in creating spinoff stories. The Fall is the first book that strongly features Rebecca Hardy – all grown up with a law degree and her father’s dry wit. Did I enjoy this book? Guilty. Ladies and gentlemen, it is not as compelling as many of the earlier Dismas Hardy tales, but I still rate it a solid 3-1/2 star performance.
Greg Treadway is that man. He is a middle school teacher and a volunteer as an advocate for foster children. The bar is The Little Shamrock, which is owned by San Francisco defense attorney Dismas “Diz” Hardy. Hardy’s daughter Rebecca, known to family as “The Beck,” pours Greg a second Black and Tan, and so begins the not-so-funny lawyer-client relationship between Greg Treadway and Rebecca Hardy.
Treadway is white. He is accused of murdering a seventeen-year-old African-American girl. Anlya Paulson’s body fell from the sky and smashed into a car as it exited a parking ramp. The evidence is scant and circumstantial, but the police and DA’s office are under political pressure to get a conviction. Greg Treadway vehemently denies any wrongdoing. Rebecca believes him. Doesn’t she? The problem is that he has lied just a little.
As she embarks on her first solo murder trial, her father discusses the case with The Beck. Referring to her client's lies, he quotes,“’What upsets me is not that you lied to me, but that from now on I can no longer believe you.’ Nietzsche said that.”
I didn’t know what I should believe, or whether I should believe anything that Greg Treadway told his lawyer. Is he as innocent as he seems? Lescroart artfully weaves a plot that had me guessing throughout the book. The courtroom scenes and legal wheelings-and-dealings are classic Lescroart.
In typical Lescroart style, he includes old familiar characters from other books in this long-lived series – Abe Glitzky, Wes Farrell, Wyatt Hunt, as well as familiar San Francisco streets and landmarks. The guys visit their favorite haunts, like Lou the Greek’s. A first-time reader of the series could read this as a stand-alone; however, I felt that the character development of the principal characters was sketchy, and I missed the not only details of the atmosphere at Lou’s, for example, but the camaraderie of the gang. Even though they are often on opposite sides of the courtroom now, the fellas – and now Rebecca – remain loyal friends.
What I love about Lescroart’s novels is that he creates so many unique characters. This gives him a great deal of flexibility in creating spinoff stories. The Fall is the first book that strongly features Rebecca Hardy – all grown up with a law degree and her father’s dry wit. Did I enjoy this book? Guilty. Ladies and gentlemen, it is not as compelling as many of the earlier Dismas Hardy tales, but I still rate it a solid 3-1/2 star performance.
December 26, 2015
Disappointing. I have read many of the Dismas Hardy series and my recollection is that I enjoyed them all. This one had its moments but significant opportunities to make it a stronger story were missed.
Most crime novels have some unlikely scenarios; its part of the genre. But several such plot lines in this book defied reader acceptance (this reader anyway) and detracted from the tension that might have been. Several plot lines were left unresolved with simple and unsatisfactory sum-ups in the final pages.
The continued reference to the defense attorney as "The Beck" were disconcerting. This was a childhood nickname Rebecca Dismas was given in books written long ago, and it was fine then but it seemed just silly and even demeaning to apply it to a young defense attorney trying her first murder case.
*** SPOILER ALERT ***
But most importantly, there were hints that the defendant was actually the killer, but these were not followed up through the viewpoint of the his defense lawyer. Rebecca, Dismas' daughter, is trying her first murder case. How powerful might it have been to have her struggle with her obligation to defend vigorously a man she suspected was guilty. Much tension could have been generated. Only after his guilt had been revealed did she and her father say to each other that they suspected it all along.
Most crime novels have some unlikely scenarios; its part of the genre. But several such plot lines in this book defied reader acceptance (this reader anyway) and detracted from the tension that might have been. Several plot lines were left unresolved with simple and unsatisfactory sum-ups in the final pages.
The continued reference to the defense attorney as "The Beck" were disconcerting. This was a childhood nickname Rebecca Dismas was given in books written long ago, and it was fine then but it seemed just silly and even demeaning to apply it to a young defense attorney trying her first murder case.
*** SPOILER ALERT ***
But most importantly, there were hints that the defendant was actually the killer, but these were not followed up through the viewpoint of the his defense lawyer. Rebecca, Dismas' daughter, is trying her first murder case. How powerful might it have been to have her struggle with her obligation to defend vigorously a man she suspected was guilty. Much tension could have been generated. Only after his guilt had been revealed did she and her father say to each other that they suspected it all along.
June 10, 2015
What worked best for me was the courtroom dialogue and drama. Too often a book will be listed as a “Legal Thriller”, but will have little or no courtroom presence. This book however, was a text book example for what I define as a Legal Thriller, and these scenes were the best part of the book. I love the legal wrangling’s, seeing the attorney's duke it out, all while peeling away the layers of the mystery. The author allowed the reader a sneak peek into the life of a defender and we are able to see the court system for what it is… warts and all. I always find this type of thing compelling, so for me the banter in the courtroom was the saving grace for this book.
Although the story winds along at a slower pace, the last several chapters made the wait worthwhile, with a thought provoking finale.
Overall, I did enjoy seeing Rebecca stand out there on her own and I do hope she has a solid role in the future of this series, either in a big or small way, but I also hope we see Abe and Hardy resume their top billing with a meatier role next time around. This is a solid legal thriller, and it was great to sit in on the courtroom politics, and touch base with familiar characters and their families. 3.5 stars rounded to 4
This review is the copyrighted property of Night Owl Reviews
To see review in it's entirety follow this link: https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Re...
Not to be nit picky, but I did notice that in the blurb posted here on GR, the victim's name is Tanya, but in the book the girl's name is Anlya Paulson.
August 20, 2015
A healthy annual dose of a Lescroart legal thriller does the mind and heart good. This year's offering is just what I needed to push through a hectic summer. When the body of Anlya Paulson falls into oncoming traffic, authorities are left to wonder if this foster child was in the throes of a deep depression or if she was the victim of a crime. With a murder that baffles everyone, the SFPD begin their investigation, turning up the most unlikely of suspects, Greg Treadway. A middle-school teacher and Special Advocate for Anlya's brother, Greg's DNA is found on the body, leaving everyone to wonder if this might be the easiest of cases. Enter Dismas Hardy and his newly-minted associate, Rebecca 'The Beck' Hardy. Working her first homicide defence, Rebecca relies on her father's experience and her own honed skills to hash out the truth of the Treadway case. With evidence burying them, the young Hardy and Treadwell must find a way to exonerate him, or he is sure to face prison time for decades to come. Just as the trial begins, new theories emerge and shoddy police work may prove helpful. As The Beck learns, she must not only possess these facts, but get them into evidence. The battle is on as she pushes the envelop to advocate for her client, with everything she has. In a powerful novel that sheds the spotlight on yet another former minor character, this story remains high-action and legally sound from the opening pages onwards, in true Lescroart fashion. Not to be missed by series fans or new and curious readers alike.
In the years I have been reading Lescroart's novels, never have I come up against one I did not enjoy. He has honed his skills over the years and utilises a large cast of characters to develop a solid foundation, pulling some out for one novel and shelving them for a period. That said, these characters and themes associated with them always reappear in some form, if only to add a flavour to the story that remains unique. Bringing Rebecca from out of the shadows was a brilliant choice by Lescroart, while not writing Dismas out of the game entirely. Could this be the beginning of a new generation of legal thrillers, while keeping the Wyatt Hunt and Abe Glitsky novels slowly churing as well? Only time will tell as readers become more aware of this sensational legal writer.
Kudos, Mr. Lescroart for making me an addict to your work. I cannot wait to see what else you have percolating!
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
In the years I have been reading Lescroart's novels, never have I come up against one I did not enjoy. He has honed his skills over the years and utilises a large cast of characters to develop a solid foundation, pulling some out for one novel and shelving them for a period. That said, these characters and themes associated with them always reappear in some form, if only to add a flavour to the story that remains unique. Bringing Rebecca from out of the shadows was a brilliant choice by Lescroart, while not writing Dismas out of the game entirely. Could this be the beginning of a new generation of legal thrillers, while keeping the Wyatt Hunt and Abe Glitsky novels slowly churing as well? Only time will tell as readers become more aware of this sensational legal writer.
Kudos, Mr. Lescroart for making me an addict to your work. I cannot wait to see what else you have percolating!
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
October 10, 2018
This seems like many "court room" books I've read - Greg Treadway was "Guilty before proven Innocent"
NOT
"Innocent until your proven Guilty".
Greg is a Middle School Teacher & Social Work Volunteer for Foster Children. After Greg & Tanyon Morgan (16-African American) met & fought in a restaurant. She has "The Fall" into San Francisco’s Stockton "tunnel" killing her. Greg's last seen with her & is charged with murder. Was she pushed or suicide?
The Restaurant manager & waiter remembers them fight. Omar Abdullah, a homeless man, identifies Greg from 6 photos shown by the police. Greg is the suspect, the last with her? Wasn't he really trying to help her?
Dismas Hardy works with & helps his daughter Rebecca in her first MAJOR "Murder case". Can her investigations succeed? She was a good lawyer trying the find the evidence for Greg's acquittal...
Greg is a Middle School Teacher & Social Work Volunteer for Foster Children. After Greg & Tanyon Morgan (16-African American) met & fought in a restaurant. She has "The Fall" into San Francisco’s Stockton "tunnel" killing her. Greg's last seen with her & is charged with murder. Was she pushed or suicide?
The Restaurant manager & waiter remembers them fight. Omar Abdullah, a homeless man, identifies Greg from 6 photos shown by the police. Greg is the suspect, the last with her? Wasn't he really trying to help her?
Dismas Hardy works with & helps his daughter Rebecca in her first MAJOR "Murder case". Can her investigations succeed? She was a good lawyer trying the find the evidence for Greg's acquittal...
April 28, 2017
This was an enjoyable read for me for several reasons. All my favorite characters were present: Dismas Hardy (of course), Frannie, Abe Glitzky and Treya, Wes Farrell, Will Hunt - and Dismas and Frannie's now grown-up children, Rebecca (The Beck) and Vincent.
I remember when I first started this series and Vincent wasn't even born yet while The Beck was just little - now, here she is, a lawyer in her own right and conducting her first criminal trial - defending her client on murder charges.
My personal style of reviewing is not to reveal the story (or as little as possible), but rather my impressions of the story. This one gets two thumbs up - and I recommend it to everyone who enjoys an emotionally charged courtroom drama with lots of fast footwork on the part of law enforcement officers to ensure justice is done. No matter how long it takes.
I remember when I first started this series and Vincent wasn't even born yet while The Beck was just little - now, here she is, a lawyer in her own right and conducting her first criminal trial - defending her client on murder charges.
My personal style of reviewing is not to reveal the story (or as little as possible), but rather my impressions of the story. This one gets two thumbs up - and I recommend it to everyone who enjoys an emotionally charged courtroom drama with lots of fast footwork on the part of law enforcement officers to ensure justice is done. No matter how long it takes.
March 26, 2015
I have never read any books by this author. I feel the characters in this story were complex. Rebecca, the main character, is trying her first murder case in this book. This is a good entertaining legal thriller. There are a few twists and turns but I figured out who did it before the story got there. * I received this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
April 30, 2016
I have been a John Lescroart fan for many years so it pains to say that I did not enjoy this book. At all. I've noticed over the last few years that Mr. Lescroarts books have not been as good as they were traditionally in the past. I particularly avoid the books starring Hardy's associates.. I find these awful. Since the Ophelia Cut, I only read Lescroart from the library as I have been disappointed too much consecutively as of late.
I wont bore you with a synopsis as I'm still trying to figure out the point of this book. I understand that once you become as prolific a writer as Mr. Lescroart is that it must be difficult to keep your characters and plots fresh. However, this felt lazy to me. I was not remotely connected with Rebecca who felt like your prototypical WASP. She actually irritated me a little. Hardy was great, although relegated to the sidelines. Also, if we are to believe the ending then I feel like the reader needed a reason to understand or believe what we were being sold about the villain. There were no red herrings or build-ups that make you say...ah that makes sense. My biggest issue with this book was the slang dialogue used for the African American characters. Why the author felt the need to marginalize and essentially dumb down the black characters by using poor English was distracting, annoying and slightly offensive. Very disappointing and unnecessary.
I wont bore you with a synopsis as I'm still trying to figure out the point of this book. I understand that once you become as prolific a writer as Mr. Lescroart is that it must be difficult to keep your characters and plots fresh. However, this felt lazy to me. I was not remotely connected with Rebecca who felt like your prototypical WASP. She actually irritated me a little. Hardy was great, although relegated to the sidelines. Also, if we are to believe the ending then I feel like the reader needed a reason to understand or believe what we were being sold about the villain. There were no red herrings or build-ups that make you say...ah that makes sense. My biggest issue with this book was the slang dialogue used for the African American characters. Why the author felt the need to marginalize and essentially dumb down the black characters by using poor English was distracting, annoying and slightly offensive. Very disappointing and unnecessary.
April 19, 2018
Although this story included the humorous interactions between all the usual suspects, there were some welcome additions. The most obvious was the addition of Diz's daughter "the Bec" as a lawyer in Dismas Hardy's firm. This was a nice addition, as it gives us one more target for his wisecracks, which I enjoy.
Another addition, or change, was in the basic formula of most of his stories, but I don't want to spoil the surprise. If you've read it, you probably know what I mean, but here it is... . Anyway, there's some added excitement after the trial.
I speak about the basic formula, but I don't think that detracts from the enjoyment of the stories. The plots vary enough to be interesting, and the main attraction to me is the interaction between Dismas, Abe, and other characters. I would be happy to have friends like these in my life.
Another addition, or change, was in the basic formula of most of his stories, but I don't want to spoil the surprise. If you've read it, you probably know what I mean, but here it is... . Anyway, there's some added excitement after the trial.
I speak about the basic formula, but I don't think that detracts from the enjoyment of the stories. The plots vary enough to be interesting, and the main attraction to me is the interaction between Dismas, Abe, and other characters. I would be happy to have friends like these in my life.
Read
May 14, 2015I did NOT know this was a book in a series, let alone number 16 when I read it. That being said, I don't think you need to read all 15 before reading this one.
The fall was slightly disappointing. I love a good thriller, and maybe I watch too many crime shows, but I found many of the scenes and most of the dialog boring.
Since most of the story takes place in a court room, it became tedious to read, as the defense attorney (The Beck) asked the same question seven ways to Sunday.
I think I was most excited when I pieced a significant event together before it was revealed to the reader.
I'm not sure if I'm being cynical of this story because it's story line is similar to that of a Law and Order: SVU episode (which is one of my faves) or if it was really just a disappointing book.
With that, I wouldn't recommend this book to any crime show buffs, or anyone in the field of crime stopping.
I'm left feeling rather empty... And that's never good!
The fall was slightly disappointing. I love a good thriller, and maybe I watch too many crime shows, but I found many of the scenes and most of the dialog boring.
Since most of the story takes place in a court room, it became tedious to read, as the defense attorney (The Beck) asked the same question seven ways to Sunday.
I think I was most excited when I pieced a significant event together before it was revealed to the reader.
I'm not sure if I'm being cynical of this story because it's story line is similar to that of a Law and Order: SVU episode (which is one of my faves) or if it was really just a disappointing book.
With that, I wouldn't recommend this book to any crime show buffs, or anyone in the field of crime stopping.
I'm left feeling rather empty... And that's never good!
June 16, 2018
There are a few issues for me with "The Fall". One of them was the ridiculous ending. It made no sense that this character would think he could get a way with killing three people in cold blood and not become the primary suspect. The entire book was him trying to get away with murder and avoid going to jail. The ending seemed tacked on, as if the author had written himself in to a corner and this was the solution for a dead end.
My other issue with the book is the politics. I kept waiting for there to be another side shown, like maybe the African-American community had cause to distrust the justice system. Instead, the protests from the community were all a contrived political gambit with no acknowledgement that maybe there was a real problem that needed to be addressed.
This was the first book I've read by Lescroart and will likely be the last.
My other issue with the book is the politics. I kept waiting for there to be another side shown, like maybe the African-American community had cause to distrust the justice system. Instead, the protests from the community were all a contrived political gambit with no acknowledgement that maybe there was a real problem that needed to be addressed.
This was the first book I've read by Lescroart and will likely be the last.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2015
The Fall: John Lescroart
Images can be deceiving and someone can create a persona that people will accept and believe. Some may be fooled and embrace the person and the image while others might be skeptical and have doubts. An incident that would set off a chain of events that would lead to murder, deception, lies, betrayals and deceit as one young girl falls prey to the wiles of a man she thought she could trust and another has to fight for the same man’s life.
Robyn Owen could not believe what happens to her when in the Sutter Stockton garage. What would you do if a body fell almost from the sky right on top of the hood of your brand new Subaru? How do you react when the head of a woman bounces off the hood of your car, shatters the safety glass and terrifies the driver of the car? Never seeing her coming and not able to stop her car Robyn wondered who would pay for the repairs and where this young girl came from. But, this was no accident! The young girl that fell from the sky or what appeared from the sky was really Anlya Grace Paulson. What appeared to be a fall, accident or suicide was really much more as readers are about to find out when they open the pages of John Lescroart’s latest five star novel: THE FALL!
Anlya Grace Paulson fell to her death from an overpass above San Francisco’s Stocktown tunnel. Did she Fall? Was she Pushed? That remains to be seen as the police rush to the scene, he chief of Homicide called to come to the scene in the middle of the night and the events unfold. Devin Juhle was trying to get some sleep when called to the scene of the murder. As the scene unfolds and the evidence is gathered two detectives are assigned the case and things begin to move forward. But, the DA or Wes Farrell needs to make an arrest really fast because the media seems to be critical of how they process their information and how slowly arrests are made when the victim is African American. But, rushing can be lethal in a murder case and suspects are often on a short list when one person stands out above the rest.
Dismas Hardy is a great lawyer and his daughter Rebecca aka the Beck just came on board. As Detectives Waverly and Yamashiro ask the right questions and gather witness statements something would happen that would not only identify the victim as Anlya the daughter of a drug user, alcoholic and unfit parent but the twin sister of a young man named Max. With Child Protective Services involved and Sharla her mother not able to really process anything at all we slowly learn more about why Anlya was living in a group home, trying to get an education and dealing with situations that no teen should have to endure. Raped and beaten by her mother’s boyfriend, trying to get her life in hand she lives in a group home with other young teens that want more. Some decide to become educated while others follow the route that so many fall into: Prostitution.
Honor Wilson was Anlya’s best friend or she was until Anlya decided to interfere in Honor’s business. Honor was smart, beautiful and the organizer of the group of girls who decided to become part of her escort service. When Anlya tried to convince some and succeeded but not with all to go to school, she and Honor parted ways. But, on the day of her death they went out together, parted and Anlya was seen having dinner with a young teacher named Greg Treadway.
“Conservatorships denote the appointment of a guardian (or conservator) by the court system in order to attend to the daily affairs and management of personal belongings for those who are unable to do so for themselves. When it comes to mental health and the instability of a person's sanity, conservatorships take shape in a somewhat different form such as that established in Murphy Conservatorship. Mental incompetency, as determined under Section 1370 of the Penal Code, will call for the civil commitment of a defendant that has been accused of a criminal offense in Southern California. There is no way to tell when - if ever - a person who suffers from insanity will regain their sense of mental wellbeing. Therefore, sanity hearings are scheduled to establish whether or not an accused individual has the mental stability required to withstand trial.” Within the storyline of this novel we learn more about a man named Leon Coles and others who fall into this category of and therefore have escaped the system and are often set free to commit crimes once again. Dangerous and unable to stand trial for murder, Leon Coles was remanded to a mental institution and then a half way house which he walked out of. The conservatorship remains in place in order to deal with the fact that the defendant is dangerous and remains unable to stand trial. As a result this person is placed under Murphy Conservatorship and will remain under civil commitment until deemed no longer dangerous or incompetent. As Abe and his team try to round up those that have escaped all leads point to Leon Coles as a possible suspect in the murder case that Rebecca is handling. http://www.californiamentalhealthlawy....
Enter the courtroom of Judge Bakhtiari and meet the players: Rebecca Hardy, Peter Braden, Devin Juhle, Abe Glitsky, Wes Farrell, the rebel rousers that were placed there by Liam Goodman, the court reporter and the jury as the witnesses take the stand and we learn more about Sharla and what Leon did do her daughter. A betrayal so blatant you won’t see it coming. A friendship torn apart when one person is blindsided and the other does not see clearly. Caught in a mist and not realizing the truth one young girl might pay the ultimate price and two more the same if someone does not come in time to save them from a well planned out terrible fate. Who killed Anlya? Why? You won’t believe? What does Wyatt Hunt learn that sets things in motion and just might turn things around for Rebecca and her client? What is the significance of DNA? Once again author John Lescroart creates an intricate plot that leads us inside the courtroom, explains the process, the jury selection, the reasons for statements and questions being overruled or sustained and gives readers a first hand look at what it takes to win or lose a criminal trial. Will Rebecca get Greg off? Will Allie remain with the firm? Whose betrayal sets events in motion that might cost more than a friendship? The Fall: It’s not just Anlya that takes a long and dangerous plunge.
Fran Lewis: just reviews
Images can be deceiving and someone can create a persona that people will accept and believe. Some may be fooled and embrace the person and the image while others might be skeptical and have doubts. An incident that would set off a chain of events that would lead to murder, deception, lies, betrayals and deceit as one young girl falls prey to the wiles of a man she thought she could trust and another has to fight for the same man’s life.
Robyn Owen could not believe what happens to her when in the Sutter Stockton garage. What would you do if a body fell almost from the sky right on top of the hood of your brand new Subaru? How do you react when the head of a woman bounces off the hood of your car, shatters the safety glass and terrifies the driver of the car? Never seeing her coming and not able to stop her car Robyn wondered who would pay for the repairs and where this young girl came from. But, this was no accident! The young girl that fell from the sky or what appeared from the sky was really Anlya Grace Paulson. What appeared to be a fall, accident or suicide was really much more as readers are about to find out when they open the pages of John Lescroart’s latest five star novel: THE FALL!
Anlya Grace Paulson fell to her death from an overpass above San Francisco’s Stocktown tunnel. Did she Fall? Was she Pushed? That remains to be seen as the police rush to the scene, he chief of Homicide called to come to the scene in the middle of the night and the events unfold. Devin Juhle was trying to get some sleep when called to the scene of the murder. As the scene unfolds and the evidence is gathered two detectives are assigned the case and things begin to move forward. But, the DA or Wes Farrell needs to make an arrest really fast because the media seems to be critical of how they process their information and how slowly arrests are made when the victim is African American. But, rushing can be lethal in a murder case and suspects are often on a short list when one person stands out above the rest.
Dismas Hardy is a great lawyer and his daughter Rebecca aka the Beck just came on board. As Detectives Waverly and Yamashiro ask the right questions and gather witness statements something would happen that would not only identify the victim as Anlya the daughter of a drug user, alcoholic and unfit parent but the twin sister of a young man named Max. With Child Protective Services involved and Sharla her mother not able to really process anything at all we slowly learn more about why Anlya was living in a group home, trying to get an education and dealing with situations that no teen should have to endure. Raped and beaten by her mother’s boyfriend, trying to get her life in hand she lives in a group home with other young teens that want more. Some decide to become educated while others follow the route that so many fall into: Prostitution.
Honor Wilson was Anlya’s best friend or she was until Anlya decided to interfere in Honor’s business. Honor was smart, beautiful and the organizer of the group of girls who decided to become part of her escort service. When Anlya tried to convince some and succeeded but not with all to go to school, she and Honor parted ways. But, on the day of her death they went out together, parted and Anlya was seen having dinner with a young teacher named Greg Treadway.
“Conservatorships denote the appointment of a guardian (or conservator) by the court system in order to attend to the daily affairs and management of personal belongings for those who are unable to do so for themselves. When it comes to mental health and the instability of a person's sanity, conservatorships take shape in a somewhat different form such as that established in Murphy Conservatorship. Mental incompetency, as determined under Section 1370 of the Penal Code, will call for the civil commitment of a defendant that has been accused of a criminal offense in Southern California. There is no way to tell when - if ever - a person who suffers from insanity will regain their sense of mental wellbeing. Therefore, sanity hearings are scheduled to establish whether or not an accused individual has the mental stability required to withstand trial.” Within the storyline of this novel we learn more about a man named Leon Coles and others who fall into this category of and therefore have escaped the system and are often set free to commit crimes once again. Dangerous and unable to stand trial for murder, Leon Coles was remanded to a mental institution and then a half way house which he walked out of. The conservatorship remains in place in order to deal with the fact that the defendant is dangerous and remains unable to stand trial. As a result this person is placed under Murphy Conservatorship and will remain under civil commitment until deemed no longer dangerous or incompetent. As Abe and his team try to round up those that have escaped all leads point to Leon Coles as a possible suspect in the murder case that Rebecca is handling. http://www.californiamentalhealthlawy....
Enter the courtroom of Judge Bakhtiari and meet the players: Rebecca Hardy, Peter Braden, Devin Juhle, Abe Glitsky, Wes Farrell, the rebel rousers that were placed there by Liam Goodman, the court reporter and the jury as the witnesses take the stand and we learn more about Sharla and what Leon did do her daughter. A betrayal so blatant you won’t see it coming. A friendship torn apart when one person is blindsided and the other does not see clearly. Caught in a mist and not realizing the truth one young girl might pay the ultimate price and two more the same if someone does not come in time to save them from a well planned out terrible fate. Who killed Anlya? Why? You won’t believe? What does Wyatt Hunt learn that sets things in motion and just might turn things around for Rebecca and her client? What is the significance of DNA? Once again author John Lescroart creates an intricate plot that leads us inside the courtroom, explains the process, the jury selection, the reasons for statements and questions being overruled or sustained and gives readers a first hand look at what it takes to win or lose a criminal trial. Will Rebecca get Greg off? Will Allie remain with the firm? Whose betrayal sets events in motion that might cost more than a friendship? The Fall: It’s not just Anlya that takes a long and dangerous plunge.
Fran Lewis: just reviews
April 21, 2017
I really liked this book! It featured Rebecca Hardy's first murder case. The character matured a bit as the trial progressed. Her outlook on law and justice is basically the same as her father's, just as her physical response to the pressure echoed his. The usual characters were present as well as an assortment of people who were involved in the current action. The characters come from very diverse backgrounds, but mesh together at this one point to tell this story. I like the final chapter which wraps up the action and the positions of most of the characters at the end.
June 15, 2018
I do so enjoy Lescroart novels. I particularly enjoyed this, as there was a LOT of action, and a complicated enough plot to keep from guessing the final outcome. And, of course, all my favorite Lescroart characters. And San Francisco! What could be better?!
March 13, 2015
I've been reading Lescroart's Dismas Hardy series for years. Lescroart's characters are the main reason I continue reading; they are always well-developed and complex. His ensemble cast includes Dismas Hardy, Abe Glitsky, Wes Farrell, Wyatt Hunt, Gina Roark and others. In different novels, different characters take precedence, but the network of friendships, intertwining careers, and cases keep the semblance of a real world with all of its interconnectedness, alliances, and collaborations.
Over the years, characters have changed, career paths have altered, and children have grown up. This novel may indicate an important change because Rebecca ("the Beck"), Dismas Hardy's daughter now grown and an associate at Hardy's law firm, takes a prominent role. Because Lescroart has allowed his characters to age and change as if they were real people, we may be seeing the initial steps in the changing of the guard.
Plot: The death of a young African-American woman adds to the increasing media pressure in San Francisco concerning failures in the arrest and conviction in African-American homicides. There is plenty of incentive to solve the case quickly and avoid the media glare and the accusations of those with a political agendas. The struggle between swift and thorough is felt throughout the investigation.
Rebecca Hardy ends up defending Greg Treadway, middle-school teacher and CASA volunteer (Court Appointed Victim Advocate) for the victim's brother. He had dinner with the victim shortly before her death. Did the rush to find the killer cause the arrest of an innocent man?
I admit that the reference to John Milton (especially since the title of the book is The Fall) clued me in on the killer early in the book, but I like that kind of thing.
Despite the fact that I love all the back stories of the various characters and having that feeling of reuniting with old friends each time, these books all function perfectly well as stand alones. This isn't my favorite, but maybe I'm not quite ready for the changing of the guard, not ready to let my older friends in the series to begin taking a back seat to the younger generation.
Read in February; A Garden Carried in the Pocket post scheduled for April 2o.
NetGalley/Atria Books
Mystery/Legal Thriller. May 5, 2015. Print length: 320 pages.
Over the years, characters have changed, career paths have altered, and children have grown up. This novel may indicate an important change because Rebecca ("the Beck"), Dismas Hardy's daughter now grown and an associate at Hardy's law firm, takes a prominent role. Because Lescroart has allowed his characters to age and change as if they were real people, we may be seeing the initial steps in the changing of the guard.
Plot: The death of a young African-American woman adds to the increasing media pressure in San Francisco concerning failures in the arrest and conviction in African-American homicides. There is plenty of incentive to solve the case quickly and avoid the media glare and the accusations of those with a political agendas. The struggle between swift and thorough is felt throughout the investigation.
Rebecca Hardy ends up defending Greg Treadway, middle-school teacher and CASA volunteer (Court Appointed Victim Advocate) for the victim's brother. He had dinner with the victim shortly before her death. Did the rush to find the killer cause the arrest of an innocent man?
I admit that the reference to John Milton (especially since the title of the book is The Fall) clued me in on the killer early in the book, but I like that kind of thing.
Despite the fact that I love all the back stories of the various characters and having that feeling of reuniting with old friends each time, these books all function perfectly well as stand alones. This isn't my favorite, but maybe I'm not quite ready for the changing of the guard, not ready to let my older friends in the series to begin taking a back seat to the younger generation.
Read in February; A Garden Carried in the Pocket post scheduled for April 2o.
NetGalley/Atria Books
Mystery/Legal Thriller. May 5, 2015. Print length: 320 pages.
May 12, 2015
Being a Lescroart fan, I was very happy to be able to read and review this novel thanks to Atria and Net Gallery. It is a fast reading legal thriller that continues the tradition of fascinating characters (most of whom return in this novel) well developed plot with some excellent twists and turns in it. I would recommend this to any readers who prefer the legal thriller genre. They will not be disappointed.
August 21, 2019
Rebecca Hardy, newly called to the bar and working in her father’s firm, gets her first case. Dismas, though trying to look disinterested, is 100% in his daughter’s court and paying attention to her first case.
Rebecca Hardy meets Greg Treadway and likes him.
When the 17 year old Anlya Paulson falls from the Bush Street overpass, the police are paying critical attention and wishing to solve it as expeditiously as possible to cool the fury of African-American citizens who are demonstrating due to repeated inaction to race related homicides. Quickly they identify Greg. Greg has been working with Anlya’s twin brother Max as a citizen advocate. He has always refused to work with Anlya and tried to get her a woman advocate. The police came to the obvious conclusions as Greg had dinner with Anlya prior to her death, ergo, he must have killed her.
Rebecca agrees to represent Greg and the game is on. The police are determined to pin the murder on Greg, Rebecca equally as determined to find the real killer and have Greg released.
In the mix is Abe Glitsky, a personal friend of Dismas and uncle to Rebecca. Abe works for the district attorney so his duties lie in another direction but he does find a corroborating witness, for the other side. The trial goes forward and the circumstantial evidence seems about to drown Greg.
But wait…..a good conclusion and fast paced story. I really enjoyed the courtroom drama, the investigation, and the relationships between the characåters.
Rebecca Hardy meets Greg Treadway and likes him.
When the 17 year old Anlya Paulson falls from the Bush Street overpass, the police are paying critical attention and wishing to solve it as expeditiously as possible to cool the fury of African-American citizens who are demonstrating due to repeated inaction to race related homicides. Quickly they identify Greg. Greg has been working with Anlya’s twin brother Max as a citizen advocate. He has always refused to work with Anlya and tried to get her a woman advocate. The police came to the obvious conclusions as Greg had dinner with Anlya prior to her death, ergo, he must have killed her.
Rebecca agrees to represent Greg and the game is on. The police are determined to pin the murder on Greg, Rebecca equally as determined to find the real killer and have Greg released.
In the mix is Abe Glitsky, a personal friend of Dismas and uncle to Rebecca. Abe works for the district attorney so his duties lie in another direction but he does find a corroborating witness, for the other side. The trial goes forward and the circumstantial evidence seems about to drown Greg.
But wait…..a good conclusion and fast paced story. I really enjoyed the courtroom drama, the investigation, and the relationships between the characåters.
April 14, 2018
When a young African-American girl falls to her death from a surface street to the road of a tunnel in San Francisco Rebecca Hardy a new lawyer working with her father Dismas and his law firm gets her first homicide case as she defends Greg Treadway, a teacher and CASA volunteer. The Police and Prosecute's office are under pressure to solve the case and bring the guilty to trial. and are not so diligent as they should be and Rebecca is working hard to defend Greg. This is another "two part story", the investigations and then the trial with some twists and turns and a somewhat surprising ending. Good reading, fast pace, I like these Dismas Hardy books.
April 6, 2017
John Lescroart writes compelling courtroom dramas set in San Francisco, most of them centered on the brilliant defense lawyer Dismas (“Diz”) Hardy. Now, in his latest work, The Fall, Lescroart begins moving into the future with Hardy’s daughter, Rebecca (“The Beck”), who has passed the bar and joined his firm as an associate.
The author’s familiar stable of supporting characters dominates this story, principally Diz’s former partner, Wes Farrell, now District Attorney; Abe Glitzky, the African-Jewish-American former head of SFPD homicide and now an investigator for the DA; and Wyatt Hunt, the former cop who serves as a private investigator for Diz’s firm.
Despite their continuing friendship, Diz and Wes find themselves in combat over the investigation and trial around the tragic and grisly murder of a young African-American woman. The title, The Fall, refers to the woman’s death by being pushed or thrown off a bridge into moving traffic far below. Because the victim is African-American, and members of the black community are in an uproar over the failure of the police and the DA to convict murderers of black people, Wes is under tremendous pressure from an aggressive, self-seeking politician, the police department, and the news media to arrest and convict the murderer before all the facts in the case are known. Meanwhile Diz and The Beck scramble to uncover evidence that will point away from their client, Greg Treadway, who is targeted as the suspect because of a great deal of circumstantial evidence. Despite her complete lack of trial experience and almost crippling self-doubt, The Beck is pressed into service as Treadway’s attorney.
As a Bay Area resident, it’s a pleasure to read a novel set among familiar sites, with some of the region’s best-known restaurants and landmarks frequently cropping up on its pages. The pleasure is compounded by the fascinating characters, the intricate plotting, the suspense, and the surprising conclusion. If you’re a fan of detective fiction or courtroom dramas, you’ll love The Fall.
The author’s familiar stable of supporting characters dominates this story, principally Diz’s former partner, Wes Farrell, now District Attorney; Abe Glitzky, the African-Jewish-American former head of SFPD homicide and now an investigator for the DA; and Wyatt Hunt, the former cop who serves as a private investigator for Diz’s firm.
Despite their continuing friendship, Diz and Wes find themselves in combat over the investigation and trial around the tragic and grisly murder of a young African-American woman. The title, The Fall, refers to the woman’s death by being pushed or thrown off a bridge into moving traffic far below. Because the victim is African-American, and members of the black community are in an uproar over the failure of the police and the DA to convict murderers of black people, Wes is under tremendous pressure from an aggressive, self-seeking politician, the police department, and the news media to arrest and convict the murderer before all the facts in the case are known. Meanwhile Diz and The Beck scramble to uncover evidence that will point away from their client, Greg Treadway, who is targeted as the suspect because of a great deal of circumstantial evidence. Despite her complete lack of trial experience and almost crippling self-doubt, The Beck is pressed into service as Treadway’s attorney.
As a Bay Area resident, it’s a pleasure to read a novel set among familiar sites, with some of the region’s best-known restaurants and landmarks frequently cropping up on its pages. The pleasure is compounded by the fascinating characters, the intricate plotting, the suspense, and the surprising conclusion. If you’re a fan of detective fiction or courtroom dramas, you’ll love The Fall.
August 20, 2015
I became a Lescroart fan about 5 years ago. I read all the Hardy/Glitsky/Hunt books and looked forward to his yearly publication. Then a couple years ago I burnt out. Now thinking back, I can't really remember which book put me off him but I'm guessing it was "A Plague of Secrets" because I was impressed and horrified by "The Betrayal.” I probably should read it again before making a comment but to my recollection it was right up there with Scott Turow whom I consider the top banana of the mystery/thriller/lawyer genre. At any rate, when “The Ophelia Cut” came out I took a pass. Then this summer for some reason I decided to download "The Fall" from Audible. Even though the narrator isn't among my favorites I enjoyed "The Fall" so much that I went on to download “The Keeper” and then "The Ophelia Cut" which is my least favorite of Lescroart’s last three novels.
I lived in San Francisco many years ago (seems like yesterday ;-) and although I’m pretty sure the city has changed some since I was a resident, I think Lescroart definitely has his fingers on the pulse of the city on the bay. The only thing lacking is that, at least when I lived there, SF was a gay mecca, which contributed a great deal to the flavor of the city, and I don’t ever get much of a feel for that aspect of the town in JL’s books. Not a big deal and maybe, since AIDS wiped out so many of those dear men, it isn’t as much of a contributor to the city’s zeitgeist. I do wish that there were more male homosexuals (or at least one) in Lescroart's cadre of characters.
I really liked “The Fall” and definitely recommend it to anyone who is looking for a page-turner that keeps you guessing. Despite some horrific aspects to the plot it manages to be a murder mystery with warmth and humor. I don’t know anything about law or how trials work but Lescroart’s court room scenes seems realistic to me.
I lived in San Francisco many years ago (seems like yesterday ;-) and although I’m pretty sure the city has changed some since I was a resident, I think Lescroart definitely has his fingers on the pulse of the city on the bay. The only thing lacking is that, at least when I lived there, SF was a gay mecca, which contributed a great deal to the flavor of the city, and I don’t ever get much of a feel for that aspect of the town in JL’s books. Not a big deal and maybe, since AIDS wiped out so many of those dear men, it isn’t as much of a contributor to the city’s zeitgeist. I do wish that there were more male homosexuals (or at least one) in Lescroart's cadre of characters.
I really liked “The Fall” and definitely recommend it to anyone who is looking for a page-turner that keeps you guessing. Despite some horrific aspects to the plot it manages to be a murder mystery with warmth and humor. I don’t know anything about law or how trials work but Lescroart’s court room scenes seems realistic to me.
May 18, 2015
I am a big fan of John Lescroart and the Dismas Hardy series. Having read several of the books, Lescroart keeps the integrity of his characters while still developing them. This particular one is one that is near and dear to my heart. The Foster Care program will get a voice with this thriller.
Dismas Hardy daughter Rebecca is coming on to her own as a lawyer and is much like her old man but she has her own take that I really appreciated. The case of Greg Treadway falls into her lap as her first crime case. Greg has been accused of killing the sister of one of his clients Max that he volunteers for as a CASA agent.
Foster kids in the system are aged out by the time they are 18 and usually they are not equipped to go out in the world with pretty much nothing but the clothes on their back. Max and his sister Tanya are about to be aged out and according to Greg, Tanya wanted to meet with Greg to see what options she had on the night that she was killed.
Greg happens to be at the bar Dismas owns with his daughter when the news breaks out that Tanya has been killed. Greg is shocked and being the lawyers that Dismas and Rebecca are become drawn to Greg and helping him by advising him to go to the authorities. However, it seems a political agenda is in the middle of this case and the authorities arrest Greg for the murder of Tanya.
The plot and characters are well developed with twists and turns while displaying the weakness and the strengths of the Foster Care program.
In Lescroart style, the situation unfolds with logical style and leaves the reader knowing that nothing is what it seems.
A Special Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
Dismas Hardy daughter Rebecca is coming on to her own as a lawyer and is much like her old man but she has her own take that I really appreciated. The case of Greg Treadway falls into her lap as her first crime case. Greg has been accused of killing the sister of one of his clients Max that he volunteers for as a CASA agent.
Foster kids in the system are aged out by the time they are 18 and usually they are not equipped to go out in the world with pretty much nothing but the clothes on their back. Max and his sister Tanya are about to be aged out and according to Greg, Tanya wanted to meet with Greg to see what options she had on the night that she was killed.
Greg happens to be at the bar Dismas owns with his daughter when the news breaks out that Tanya has been killed. Greg is shocked and being the lawyers that Dismas and Rebecca are become drawn to Greg and helping him by advising him to go to the authorities. However, it seems a political agenda is in the middle of this case and the authorities arrest Greg for the murder of Tanya.
The plot and characters are well developed with twists and turns while displaying the weakness and the strengths of the Foster Care program.
In Lescroart style, the situation unfolds with logical style and leaves the reader knowing that nothing is what it seems.
A Special Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
May 15, 2015
This book is a bit different then past stories in this series. In this book we now have Dismas’s daughter Rebecca Hardy join the firm as a newly minted attorney. She takes the case of Greg Treadway, a middle school teacher who was in the wrong place at the wrong time or at least we are led to think that. Treadway volunteers as an advocate for foster children. Anlya Paulson, a seventeen year old who lives at a group home falls from an overpass and an eyewitness claims to have seen Treadway there.
The story is located in San Francisco as is most of the “Hardy” series. Lescroart is known for his meticulous research to provide authenticity to his legal dramas. The story is well written and Lescroart is a master at building tension to a complicated climax. The suspense will keep you on the edge of your chair. I enjoyed watching Rebecca gain confidence in her court room skills. I have watched her grow up in the pages of this series. I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. David Colacci does an excellent job narrating the story.
The story is located in San Francisco as is most of the “Hardy” series. Lescroart is known for his meticulous research to provide authenticity to his legal dramas. The story is well written and Lescroart is a master at building tension to a complicated climax. The suspense will keep you on the edge of your chair. I enjoyed watching Rebecca gain confidence in her court room skills. I have watched her grow up in the pages of this series. I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. David Colacci does an excellent job narrating the story.
November 3, 2015
Not one of his best. I "figured it" out early on. I listened to it -- not bad audio -- and found myself annoyed by little details: What woman with a roommate would drink out an orange juice container? What teenage girl wears white underwear? How did semen get on the underwear but not in her body?
Also, I fast forwarded when Rebecca started to use the black skillet like Dismas does. I am so sick of that detail in every book.
Other than that, I liked the legal issues, the info on the "eloped" prisoners, and the trial scenes.
Also, I fast forwarded when Rebecca started to use the black skillet like Dismas does. I am so sick of that detail in every book.
Other than that, I liked the legal issues, the info on the "eloped" prisoners, and the trial scenes.
November 7, 2015
Ok, if not a little predicatable. Lescroat characters are distinctive, and the introduction of the Beck on her first case. It is very much like early Dismas, novels as he figures out that everyone lies.
May 20, 2015
A great read with Dismas taking a back seat and letting his daughter, Rebecca, take the wheel! She seems to be following in her father's "lawyerly" footsteps! The plot was well drawn and the ending a bit surprising!
February 9, 2016
Rebecca Hardy, a.k.a. The Beck, is not as good a lawyer as her father. I really like Dismas Hardy--lots of personality. In this book, there are a lot of black characters who have several different names--which makes it quite confusing. Rebecca should learn to do things on her own,
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