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Dismas Hardy #18
The Rule of Law
In “master of the legal thriller” (Chicago Sun-Times) John Lescroart’s electrifying new novel, attorney Dismas Hardy is called to defend the least likely suspect of his career: his longtime, trusted assistant who is suddenly being charged as an accessory to murder.
Dismas Hardy knows something is amiss with his trusted secretary, Phyllis. Her out-of-character behavior and sudden disappearances concern Hardy, especially when he learns that her convict brother—a man who had served twenty-five years in prison for armed robbery and attempted murder—has just been released.
Things take a shocking turn with Phyllis is suddenly arrested at work for allegedly being an accessory to the murder of Hector Valdez, a coyote who’d been smuggling women into this country from El Salvador and Mexico. That is, until recently, when he was shot to death—on the very same day that Phyllis first disappeared from work. The connection between Phyllis, her brother, and Hector’s murder is not something Dismas can easily understand, but if his cherished colleague has any chance of going free, he needs to put all the pieces together—and fast.
Proving that he is truly “one of the best thriller writers to come down the pike” (USA TODAY), John Lescroart crafts yet another whip-smart, engrossing novel filled with shocking twists and turns that will keep you on your toes until the very last page.
Dismas Hardy knows something is amiss with his trusted secretary, Phyllis. Her out-of-character behavior and sudden disappearances concern Hardy, especially when he learns that her convict brother—a man who had served twenty-five years in prison for armed robbery and attempted murder—has just been released.
Things take a shocking turn with Phyllis is suddenly arrested at work for allegedly being an accessory to the murder of Hector Valdez, a coyote who’d been smuggling women into this country from El Salvador and Mexico. That is, until recently, when he was shot to death—on the very same day that Phyllis first disappeared from work. The connection between Phyllis, her brother, and Hector’s murder is not something Dismas can easily understand, but if his cherished colleague has any chance of going free, he needs to put all the pieces together—and fast.
Proving that he is truly “one of the best thriller writers to come down the pike” (USA TODAY), John Lescroart crafts yet another whip-smart, engrossing novel filled with shocking twists and turns that will keep you on your toes until the very last page.
334 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 20, 2019
2137 people are currently reading
2129 people want to read
About the author
John Lescroart
141 books1,301 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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December 2, 2018
I’ve enjoyed reading this series for years, though it’s been a while since picking up my last John Lescroart novel. Fortunately, all the characters came right back to life, as if I’d just picked up where I left off.
There’s a new DA in town! And make no mistake. He’s going to be running things his way... not necessarily the right way! And he has no problem stepping on anyone who is foolish enough to get in his way. Maybe even going so far as exacting a little revenge against those he believes wronged him in the past! Now he may be in for the fight of his life!
If you’re new to this series I would suggest starting at the beginning. With so many long standing characters in this book, and without the background of how they all interact, it may be difficult to clearly follow. To John Lescroarts’credit, he does a fabulous job of filling in the backgrounds of most of these characters. But with so many, even a long-time fan of this series like myself it was still a bit difficult keeping everyone straight.
John Lescroart pens a gritty, legal crime drama that will appeal to most fans of the genre. I loved reconnecting with all the characters and look forward to his next release.
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and John Lescroart for an ARC to read and review.
There’s a new DA in town! And make no mistake. He’s going to be running things his way... not necessarily the right way! And he has no problem stepping on anyone who is foolish enough to get in his way. Maybe even going so far as exacting a little revenge against those he believes wronged him in the past! Now he may be in for the fight of his life!
If you’re new to this series I would suggest starting at the beginning. With so many long standing characters in this book, and without the background of how they all interact, it may be difficult to clearly follow. To John Lescroarts’credit, he does a fabulous job of filling in the backgrounds of most of these characters. But with so many, even a long-time fan of this series like myself it was still a bit difficult keeping everyone straight.
John Lescroart pens a gritty, legal crime drama that will appeal to most fans of the genre. I loved reconnecting with all the characters and look forward to his next release.
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and John Lescroart for an ARC to read and review.
August 28, 2019
The Rule of Law by John Lescroart is a 2019 Atria Books publication.
It feels like old times, now that the gang is back together, working as a unit again. However, that also means there has been a new DA elected to office- a DA that was once suspected of murder.
But, Dismas Hardy finds himself embroiled in a prickly situation involving his longtime secretary Phyllis, whose brother has just been released from prison. When Phyllis is arrested as an accessory to murder, Hardy must work quickly to discover who really killed Hector Valdez and to what extent Phyllis’ brother was involved.
Meanwhile, the new DA has gotten himself in hot water, right off the bat. Not only that, it would appear he is still on the hook in that old murder case!!
I’ve read this series on and off for many years. This book is one in which the author is basically tying up a few loose ends from previous chapters. But, sadly, my memory just could not recall the details needed to connect the dots vaguely alluded to here.
A little time spent on refreshing the reader’s memory might have been prudent, since some time has passed since I last picked up a book in this series, and some people may have simply picked this book out randomly.
All the same, the thread centered around Phyllis is easy to follow, and I basically got the gist of the story involving the new DA, although I was apparently missing some key parts of the backstory and plot lines JL felt the need to tidy up.
Simply put, this is not one of JL’s best efforts. Some parts of the story were good and concluded satisfactorily, while others were unimaginative and anticlimactic after such a big build up.
Overall, this was just an okay read for me. It was enjoyable enough, but in truth, this is a weak and tepid addition to this long running series.
It feels like old times, now that the gang is back together, working as a unit again. However, that also means there has been a new DA elected to office- a DA that was once suspected of murder.
But, Dismas Hardy finds himself embroiled in a prickly situation involving his longtime secretary Phyllis, whose brother has just been released from prison. When Phyllis is arrested as an accessory to murder, Hardy must work quickly to discover who really killed Hector Valdez and to what extent Phyllis’ brother was involved.
Meanwhile, the new DA has gotten himself in hot water, right off the bat. Not only that, it would appear he is still on the hook in that old murder case!!
I’ve read this series on and off for many years. This book is one in which the author is basically tying up a few loose ends from previous chapters. But, sadly, my memory just could not recall the details needed to connect the dots vaguely alluded to here.
A little time spent on refreshing the reader’s memory might have been prudent, since some time has passed since I last picked up a book in this series, and some people may have simply picked this book out randomly.
All the same, the thread centered around Phyllis is easy to follow, and I basically got the gist of the story involving the new DA, although I was apparently missing some key parts of the backstory and plot lines JL felt the need to tidy up.
Simply put, this is not one of JL’s best efforts. Some parts of the story were good and concluded satisfactorily, while others were unimaginative and anticlimactic after such a big build up.
Overall, this was just an okay read for me. It was enjoyable enough, but in truth, this is a weak and tepid addition to this long running series.
January 20, 2019
A solid 4 stars.
Another taut thriller from John Lescroart. The bad guys are revealed early on, so the book is more of a thriller than a mystery. This book resolves murders that took place in a stand alone by Lescroart, Fatal, and I urge you to read that before this book. This is book 18 in the series and they work better if read in order, although I have not done that.
I can't reveal too much about the plot, without spoilers to Fatal. The book revolves around a nasty feud between the District Attorney, Ron Jameson, and Dismas Hardy, a lawyer and friend of Wes Farrell. Farrell was Jameson's opponent in the election and Jameson is out for revenge. I did not expect the ending.
Some other characters who play a role in the book:
Abe Glitsky, retired San Francisco PD Chief of Detectives
Chet Greene DA investigator
Beth Tully, SFPD detective
Some quotes:
"Which meant that both of them, husband and wife, were killers.
And after you murder someone, life is never the same."
"Lawyers looking for fun" Glitsky said. There's something you don't hear everyday."
Thank You Tasha Hilton at Atria Books for sending this book through NetGalley
Another taut thriller from John Lescroart. The bad guys are revealed early on, so the book is more of a thriller than a mystery. This book resolves murders that took place in a stand alone by Lescroart, Fatal, and I urge you to read that before this book. This is book 18 in the series and they work better if read in order, although I have not done that.
I can't reveal too much about the plot, without spoilers to Fatal. The book revolves around a nasty feud between the District Attorney, Ron Jameson, and Dismas Hardy, a lawyer and friend of Wes Farrell. Farrell was Jameson's opponent in the election and Jameson is out for revenge. I did not expect the ending.
Some other characters who play a role in the book:
Abe Glitsky, retired San Francisco PD Chief of Detectives
Chet Greene DA investigator
Beth Tully, SFPD detective
Some quotes:
"Which meant that both of them, husband and wife, were killers.
And after you murder someone, life is never the same."
"Lawyers looking for fun" Glitsky said. There's something you don't hear everyday."
Thank You Tasha Hilton at Atria Books for sending this book through NetGalley
January 5, 2019
3.5 stars
The latest in the Dismas Hardy series has his long time Secretary, Phyllis, charged with accessory after the fact in the murder of a notorious human trafficker. I’ve missed a few of the recent books in the series, but I had read the one that counted, so I didn’t feel the loss at all and it was easy to reconnect with all the characters. If, however, this is the first book you’ve read in the series, I think there could definitely be a problem connecting the dots.
What makes things difficult for Dismas is the election of a new DA. His friend and former partner, Wes Farrell, lost the election and is back at Dismas’ firm. The new DA seems to have a grudge against Wes and all his associates. Plus, he’s already plotting his next political move and sees this case as a way to make a splash. There are several current political issues in this book - undocumented immigrants, Dreamers and sanctuary cities, for starters.
The book moves at a good clip. As typical, there’s more here than meets the eye, including a nasty backstory about the DA and also a prior open murder case involving Hardy and his associates. The mystery is how Hardy will prove the DA is guilty while staying out of trouble himself. Lots of legal maneuvering, which I always find interesting. Not to mention lots of political sparring. This book skates on the border of unbelievable. But I’ll give that a pass because it held my interest and kept me engaged. The ending felt a bit rushed after all the lead up with the loose ends put together a tad too conveniently.
My thanks to netgalley and Atria Books for an advance copy of this novel.
February 8, 2025
In this 18th book in the 'Dismas Hardy' series, John Lescroart ties up hanging elements from previous books. Thus the author revisits crimes that occurred in 'The First Law' - where Russian mobsters were implicated in mass murder and 'Fatal' - where infidelity had dire consequences. Though this book could be read as a standalone, familiarity with the series is beneficial.
*****
Dismas Hardy's genteel secretary Phyllis McGowan has worked in his San Francisco law firm for nearly forty years, and considers it her sacred duty to monitor visitors to his office.
Thus Hardy is shocked when Phyllis disappears from her desk for several days without explanation. Hardy is even more flabbergasted when Phyllis returns and is arrested for being an accessory to murder. Moreover, the arrest is rough and humiliating, and results in Phyllis having a dislocated shoulder.
Hardy is certain this harsh treatment was instigated by District Attorney Ron Jameson, a power hungry egomaniac who has a grudge against Hardy.
Hardy not only campaigned against Jameson in the last election, he made Jameson's rival Wes Farrell a partner in his law firm.
When Hardy gets a chance to speak to Phyllis, he learns that her ex-convict brother Adam asked her to assist an illegal immigrant named Celia Montoya. Phyllis agreed, with dire consequences. Celia has now been arrested for murdering Hector Valdez, the brutal pimp who forced her into prostitution - and Phyllis is accused of helping Celia flee.
Hardy, who's furious about Phyllis's harsh treatment, files official complaints against Jameson and engineers a scathing newspaper column about him. Jameson is furious and embarrassed, especially when his teenage children take him to task. As retribution, Jameson starts an investigation into a ten-year-old crime that involved Hardy's client John Holiday. The case was closed, but Jameson believes that Hardy and his friend - former Head of Homicide Abe Glitsky - were implicated somehow.
The situation is even more complicated because SFPD Homicide Inspectors Beth Tully and Ike McCaffrey believe that District Attorney Jameson LITERALLY committed a felony several years ago, and pinned the crime on someone else. With the encouragement of Hardy and Glitsky, the Inspectors are quietly reopening the case.
All this sets up a complex 'cat and mouse' scenario where Hardy wants to take Jameson down, and Jameson hopes to get Hardy indicted.
To say more would be a spoiler.
Other important characters in the story include Jameson's wife Kate - who feels his new job as District Attorney is driving a wedge between them; Jameson's secretary Andrea - a beautiful woman who catches his eye; and District Attorney's investigator Chet Greene - who's determined to 'find the dirt' on Hardy and Glitsky.
The novel held my attention, but it's not one of Lescroart's best books. The plot feels repetitious since Investigator Greene questions one person after another about the same thing, with no new answers. On top of that, the story's climax is too much like a deus ex machina, and left me feeling unsatisfied.
Still, I'd recommend the book to Dismas Hardy fans who want to keep up with the lives of favorite recurring characters.
Thanks to Netgalley, John Lescroart, and Atria for a copy of the book.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
August 19, 2020
The eighteenth Dismas Hardy novel takes time to do a little housekeeping and clean up some story threads from earlier in the series. While it can be read as a stand-alone, it's another excellent argument for reading a series in order.
Those who have read at least some of the earlier books in the series will be happy to see that the usual cast of characters is back in place. As the book opens, Wes Farrell, a former partner in Hardy's law firm, is returning to the firm after having been defeated for reelection as San Francisco District Attorney. Dismas is very happy to have him back and to be reconstituting the firm, but the new D.A., Ron Jameson, has a chip on his shoulder with regard to Farrell and, apparently by extension, Dismas Hardy and the rest of the firm as well. Hardy did support Farrell for reelection, but he assumes that this was just politics as usual and that there's no reason for Jameson to get all bent out of shape about it.
Jameson, though, has delusions of grandeur and is a man who knows how to carry a grudge. He opens his campaign by arresting Hardy's long-time personal assistant, Phyllis, and charging her as an accessory to murder. To make his declaration of war as dramatic as possible, Jameson has his goons arrest Phyllis at her desk, handcuffing her and marching her off to jail, dislocating her shoulder in the process.
Hardy, of course, is furious and immediately races to assist Phyllis and to fire back at the new D.A. From there the battle will escalate into an all-out war, which may result in Hardy and a number of his colleagues winding up in jail as well.
As always with Lescroart, this is a very well-written and well-plotted book. The tension builds from the first page, and Ron Jameson proves to be a particularly detestable villain. It's always fun to see Dismas Hardy and his associates in action and although this book does not have the brilliantly-drawn and tension-filled courtroom scenes of most of the Hardy novels, it makes up for it in other ways. I had a little trouble with the ending, which I thought was just a bit too convenient, but I otherwise enjoyed the book very much.
Those who have read at least some of the earlier books in the series will be happy to see that the usual cast of characters is back in place. As the book opens, Wes Farrell, a former partner in Hardy's law firm, is returning to the firm after having been defeated for reelection as San Francisco District Attorney. Dismas is very happy to have him back and to be reconstituting the firm, but the new D.A., Ron Jameson, has a chip on his shoulder with regard to Farrell and, apparently by extension, Dismas Hardy and the rest of the firm as well. Hardy did support Farrell for reelection, but he assumes that this was just politics as usual and that there's no reason for Jameson to get all bent out of shape about it.
Jameson, though, has delusions of grandeur and is a man who knows how to carry a grudge. He opens his campaign by arresting Hardy's long-time personal assistant, Phyllis, and charging her as an accessory to murder. To make his declaration of war as dramatic as possible, Jameson has his goons arrest Phyllis at her desk, handcuffing her and marching her off to jail, dislocating her shoulder in the process.
Hardy, of course, is furious and immediately races to assist Phyllis and to fire back at the new D.A. From there the battle will escalate into an all-out war, which may result in Hardy and a number of his colleagues winding up in jail as well.
As always with Lescroart, this is a very well-written and well-plotted book. The tension builds from the first page, and Ron Jameson proves to be a particularly detestable villain. It's always fun to see Dismas Hardy and his associates in action and although this book does not have the brilliantly-drawn and tension-filled courtroom scenes of most of the Hardy novels, it makes up for it in other ways. I had a little trouble with the ending, which I thought was just a bit too convenient, but I otherwise enjoyed the book very much.
December 18, 2018
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, John Lescroart, and Atria Books for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Returning to add to his legal thriller series, John Lescroart crafts another winner that pulls much of the previous novels together, while offering interesting pathways for narrative development. Dismas Hardy continues to excel as a defence attorney in San Francisco, having seen many changes in the field of criminal law. From those who arrest suspects to the leaders seeking to put them away, Hardy is now forced to stomach a new District Attorney, the victor after a friend’s election falls short for a third term. This permits his old firm to cobble itself back together, slowly, though the law continues to evolve at break-neck speed. Hardy’s assistant of many years has gone missing from her desk, an anomaly not lost on the attorney. When she returns, Phyllis McGowan wishes not to speak of it. Days later, Phyllis is arrested at the office, charged as an accessory to the murder of an immigration coyote. It soon becomes apparent that Phyllis’ brother, Adam McGowan, has recently finished a prison term and is working with undocumented immigrants to America. A swift indictment in the grand jury and a DA who wants to take the case himself are only two aspects that are troubling to Hardy. When SFPD Detectives blow the whistle as well, Hardy is sure that the rush to judgment is meant to hide something else. It is then that the reader learns of a shootout from years before that this new DA is sure he can use to nail many of the prominent members of the legal and police community, creating his own witch hunt, which includes Hardy and those closest to him. By bending the rule of law, the DA might be setting his crosshairs on ridding San Francisco of some key players in the legal community, all while harbouring his own dark secret. Another great legal thriller for fans of Lescroart to enjoy. While the series is long and quite involved, for reasons I’ll discuss below, this one might actually work as a standalone for the curious reader looking to dive in.
I have long been a fan of Lescroart’s novels, particularly the multiple series than connect this larger San Francisco collection. These novels are rich with legal banter, but have also helped tie the reader down to a core group of characters, who weave their lives together in different ways and with varied degrees of importance, depending on Lescroart’s omnipotent decisions in that particular publication. Dismas Hardy, long the staple of the series and a strong protagonist, plays another central role in this novel. While the reader does not get a great deal of backstory, there is some development of his character as a defence attorney. Hardy has long had a passion for the law, something that is equalled only by that of those in his close circle. Lescroart shows that Hardy is willing to rise above and defend anyone in need of a legal mouthpiece, particularly when that person has been an essential part of his sustained profession. The handful of other series regulars also show themselves in ways that help progress their individual storylines, without crowding the pages with too much to remember. There are also those who are new to the scene, some who will surely appear only in this book, while others who might become new regulars, given the chance. Lescroart uses them effectively and pulls the reader into the middle of the story, while sifting through much of the questions left to simmer in previous novels. On that note, while Lescroart admits in his acknowledgments that this piece of writing was meant to tie off some loose ends rather than develop new and exciting plot lines, I could not help but notice an odd feature used throughout. While I understand that authors will sometimes remind readers about characters and situations in a series, as a refresher of sorts, there is some expectation that anyone jumping into the middle of the series ought to have a passing understanding. Lescroart repeatedly uses the “abc—xyz123–def” technique, overindulging in the editorial aside. While this can be done effectively, Lescroart uses it to remind the reader of so many of the names and places mentioned. Rather than using what I would call a more refined technique, the reader or forced to leap over these ‘bar hurdles’, for lack of a better word, and the momentum is lost. I do not remember seeing things as much in past pieces, though I will readily admit that I spent years choosing the audiobook version of Lescroart’s series. Still, this is a strong series that I hope many will discover in their own time. It spans decades (of writing), but novels can surely be devoured in short order.
Kudos, Mr. Lescroart, for another winner. I am eager to see where to take things, with many of the developments or resolutions presented with this novel
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Returning to add to his legal thriller series, John Lescroart crafts another winner that pulls much of the previous novels together, while offering interesting pathways for narrative development. Dismas Hardy continues to excel as a defence attorney in San Francisco, having seen many changes in the field of criminal law. From those who arrest suspects to the leaders seeking to put them away, Hardy is now forced to stomach a new District Attorney, the victor after a friend’s election falls short for a third term. This permits his old firm to cobble itself back together, slowly, though the law continues to evolve at break-neck speed. Hardy’s assistant of many years has gone missing from her desk, an anomaly not lost on the attorney. When she returns, Phyllis McGowan wishes not to speak of it. Days later, Phyllis is arrested at the office, charged as an accessory to the murder of an immigration coyote. It soon becomes apparent that Phyllis’ brother, Adam McGowan, has recently finished a prison term and is working with undocumented immigrants to America. A swift indictment in the grand jury and a DA who wants to take the case himself are only two aspects that are troubling to Hardy. When SFPD Detectives blow the whistle as well, Hardy is sure that the rush to judgment is meant to hide something else. It is then that the reader learns of a shootout from years before that this new DA is sure he can use to nail many of the prominent members of the legal and police community, creating his own witch hunt, which includes Hardy and those closest to him. By bending the rule of law, the DA might be setting his crosshairs on ridding San Francisco of some key players in the legal community, all while harbouring his own dark secret. Another great legal thriller for fans of Lescroart to enjoy. While the series is long and quite involved, for reasons I’ll discuss below, this one might actually work as a standalone for the curious reader looking to dive in.
I have long been a fan of Lescroart’s novels, particularly the multiple series than connect this larger San Francisco collection. These novels are rich with legal banter, but have also helped tie the reader down to a core group of characters, who weave their lives together in different ways and with varied degrees of importance, depending on Lescroart’s omnipotent decisions in that particular publication. Dismas Hardy, long the staple of the series and a strong protagonist, plays another central role in this novel. While the reader does not get a great deal of backstory, there is some development of his character as a defence attorney. Hardy has long had a passion for the law, something that is equalled only by that of those in his close circle. Lescroart shows that Hardy is willing to rise above and defend anyone in need of a legal mouthpiece, particularly when that person has been an essential part of his sustained profession. The handful of other series regulars also show themselves in ways that help progress their individual storylines, without crowding the pages with too much to remember. There are also those who are new to the scene, some who will surely appear only in this book, while others who might become new regulars, given the chance. Lescroart uses them effectively and pulls the reader into the middle of the story, while sifting through much of the questions left to simmer in previous novels. On that note, while Lescroart admits in his acknowledgments that this piece of writing was meant to tie off some loose ends rather than develop new and exciting plot lines, I could not help but notice an odd feature used throughout. While I understand that authors will sometimes remind readers about characters and situations in a series, as a refresher of sorts, there is some expectation that anyone jumping into the middle of the series ought to have a passing understanding. Lescroart repeatedly uses the “abc—xyz123–def” technique, overindulging in the editorial aside. While this can be done effectively, Lescroart uses it to remind the reader of so many of the names and places mentioned. Rather than using what I would call a more refined technique, the reader or forced to leap over these ‘bar hurdles’, for lack of a better word, and the momentum is lost. I do not remember seeing things as much in past pieces, though I will readily admit that I spent years choosing the audiobook version of Lescroart’s series. Still, this is a strong series that I hope many will discover in their own time. It spans decades (of writing), but novels can surely be devoured in short order.
Kudos, Mr. Lescroart, for another winner. I am eager to see where to take things, with many of the developments or resolutions presented with this novel
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
September 20, 2018
Dismas Hardy, Abe Glitzky, Wes Farrell, and Gina Roake – the old gang of lawyers is talking about reviving the law old law firm partnership again now that Wes has lost his bid for re-election for District Attorney. The Rule of Law sounded really promising, and in some respects, it lived up to my expectations.
Hardy is in for a big surprise when Phyllis, his reliable long-time secretary, misses a few days of work. Even more surprising is what comes next. Phyllis is arrested and charged as an accessory after the fact for murder! Dismas, named for one of the men who was crucified with Jesus, often called “the good thief”, has been a defense attorney for a long time. He also spent time as a cop, which is where he met his pal Glitzky. Much of the story – many of the Hardy stories, in fact – emphasize the unusual relationship between a defense lawyer and a police detective. Only now, Abe is retired, which means that he can work for Hardy’s team.
If the story had just stuck to Diz helping Phyllis, I’d have been very happy. But Lescroart makes it complicated by adding in all kinds of political machinations. We have a coyote killed and ICE and an old shoot-out that implicated Russians and a very self-important district attorney, all of which seems like a thinly veiled poke at the current national political situation. That just didn’t work very well for me.
I did enjoy the dedicated, determined officer, Beth Tully. Detective Devin Juhle returns in this book as well. They, too, are caught in the web of politics over truth. Eventually, of course, the truth must prevail. Right?
It was fun to see the whole gang together again, although it’s mainly Hardy and Glitzky. But the plot is overly messy and weak. This was just an “okay” book for me.
Thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books, and the author for this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
3 stars
Hardy is in for a big surprise when Phyllis, his reliable long-time secretary, misses a few days of work. Even more surprising is what comes next. Phyllis is arrested and charged as an accessory after the fact for murder! Dismas, named for one of the men who was crucified with Jesus, often called “the good thief”, has been a defense attorney for a long time. He also spent time as a cop, which is where he met his pal Glitzky. Much of the story – many of the Hardy stories, in fact – emphasize the unusual relationship between a defense lawyer and a police detective. Only now, Abe is retired, which means that he can work for Hardy’s team.
If the story had just stuck to Diz helping Phyllis, I’d have been very happy. But Lescroart makes it complicated by adding in all kinds of political machinations. We have a coyote killed and ICE and an old shoot-out that implicated Russians and a very self-important district attorney, all of which seems like a thinly veiled poke at the current national political situation. That just didn’t work very well for me.
I did enjoy the dedicated, determined officer, Beth Tully. Detective Devin Juhle returns in this book as well. They, too, are caught in the web of politics over truth. Eventually, of course, the truth must prevail. Right?
It was fun to see the whole gang together again, although it’s mainly Hardy and Glitzky. But the plot is overly messy and weak. This was just an “okay” book for me.
Thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books, and the author for this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
3 stars
September 4, 2018
OK... Let me first start off by saying.... I'm so glad that I stepped out of my usual comfortable genre of books that I read.
Wow.... I can definitely see why Lescroart has many fans! I felt like I just left a super intense tennis match. My head feels like I just had whiplash lol.
So.. I am a little conflicted on reviewing this one because I jumped on this bandwagon to see if I felt the same about legal thrillers. In this process... I found out legal thrillers truly aren't for me. BUT, I am impressed with the author's writing style... and definitely left me on the edge my toes... trying to figure out the characters and who was innocent/not innocent.
I think this is a perfect choice for the legal thrillers out there! Storyline was strong... but felt a little all over the place to me and left me confused at times trying to piece everything together. But, maybe this was the authors intent? Hence the whiplash lol.
Overall, I'm glad I was able to experience this author and type of thriller.
3 stars for me on this one.
Thank you to Atria and Netgalley for the advanced arc in exchange for an honest review.
Published to GR: 9/3/18
Expected publication date: 1/22/19
Wow.... I can definitely see why Lescroart has many fans! I felt like I just left a super intense tennis match. My head feels like I just had whiplash lol.
So.. I am a little conflicted on reviewing this one because I jumped on this bandwagon to see if I felt the same about legal thrillers. In this process... I found out legal thrillers truly aren't for me. BUT, I am impressed with the author's writing style... and definitely left me on the edge my toes... trying to figure out the characters and who was innocent/not innocent.
I think this is a perfect choice for the legal thrillers out there! Storyline was strong... but felt a little all over the place to me and left me confused at times trying to piece everything together. But, maybe this was the authors intent? Hence the whiplash lol.
Overall, I'm glad I was able to experience this author and type of thriller.
3 stars for me on this one.
Thank you to Atria and Netgalley for the advanced arc in exchange for an honest review.
Published to GR: 9/3/18
Expected publication date: 1/22/19
March 20, 2019
I care not for near invincible killers inflicting their nefarious ways onto decent people. 3 of 10 stars
December 23, 2018
The telling of this tale is decidedly different than most.
Most of the murders are many years in the past, and the only current events of note are the recent District Attorney election and the efforts of Dismas Hardy and his lawyer friends to rebuild their law business. All the players are known here, and the book becomes an elaborate chess game, with moves to block yet eventually aimed to checkmate and end the game. The option of simply killing someone and removing them from the board is not out of the question.
There are multiple murder cases here, and the most recent one is almost a distraction. The separate murders that could involve Dismas Hardy and new DA Ron Jameson are the focus of this story. Hardy and Jameson are in a race to find enough evidence to convict the other and both realize the outcome will be a winner-take-all scenario.
Author john Lescroart shines in what could easily have become a boring reconstruction of a couple of cold cases. Somehow, he makes the day-to-day efforts of detective work look fascinating, slowly increasing the tension as the book winds its way toward the climax. Rather than gunfights and brawls, this is a cerebral tale detailing the work necessary to dig through potential clues and find the ones necessary to the case.
The book is not overloaded with characters, and it is easy to follow their separate stories. The author provides enough information to allow us to identify with the good characters and dislike the bad ones. The plot works its way to an abrupt, though satisfying conclusion. This was my first Dismas Hardy book, and I was not disappointed. Crisp writing, interesting plot, and realistic characters make it easy to recommend this book. Four-and-a-half stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advance electronic copy of this book.
Most of the murders are many years in the past, and the only current events of note are the recent District Attorney election and the efforts of Dismas Hardy and his lawyer friends to rebuild their law business. All the players are known here, and the book becomes an elaborate chess game, with moves to block yet eventually aimed to checkmate and end the game. The option of simply killing someone and removing them from the board is not out of the question.
There are multiple murder cases here, and the most recent one is almost a distraction. The separate murders that could involve Dismas Hardy and new DA Ron Jameson are the focus of this story. Hardy and Jameson are in a race to find enough evidence to convict the other and both realize the outcome will be a winner-take-all scenario.
Author john Lescroart shines in what could easily have become a boring reconstruction of a couple of cold cases. Somehow, he makes the day-to-day efforts of detective work look fascinating, slowly increasing the tension as the book winds its way toward the climax. Rather than gunfights and brawls, this is a cerebral tale detailing the work necessary to dig through potential clues and find the ones necessary to the case.
The book is not overloaded with characters, and it is easy to follow their separate stories. The author provides enough information to allow us to identify with the good characters and dislike the bad ones. The plot works its way to an abrupt, though satisfying conclusion. This was my first Dismas Hardy book, and I was not disappointed. Crisp writing, interesting plot, and realistic characters make it easy to recommend this book. Four-and-a-half stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advance electronic copy of this book.
September 10, 2018
A thoroughly enjoyable adventure with lawyer Dismas Hardy and a set of old friends, all connected to police or the legal system, who start a 'new' firm by adding the ex-DA, Wes Farrell. Many of their skills are needed quickly as Hardy's long-time secretary, Phyllis, is arrested while at work, handled roughly and taken away for accessory to murder!! As we all immediately find out, the new DA is Not a fan of Hardy nor any in his firm, and has burned hastily to a grande jury indictment of a young illegal for murder!
Lescroart is an amazing writer who melds several different situations into one wild thriller! The characters are outstanding, you know what they are going through and feel all emotions, with scenes you can visualize and surprises jump at you just when you think you know what is happening!
I enjoy crime tales, legal stories and thrillers, but this writing is memorable and the characters will hold your attention long after the page is turned...
I give this thriller 5 stars!! I received a copy of the ARC from Netgalley and Atria Books, who I thank for an exciting adventure and I am able to put my thoughts in this review.
Lescroart is an amazing writer who melds several different situations into one wild thriller! The characters are outstanding, you know what they are going through and feel all emotions, with scenes you can visualize and surprises jump at you just when you think you know what is happening!
I enjoy crime tales, legal stories and thrillers, but this writing is memorable and the characters will hold your attention long after the page is turned...
I give this thriller 5 stars!! I received a copy of the ARC from Netgalley and Atria Books, who I thank for an exciting adventure and I am able to put my thoughts in this review.
March 13, 2019
*3-3.5 stars
I used to have a rule to never jump into a long-running series but since joining NetGalley, that has been broken many times, including this one, my first Dismas Hardy novel. In the acknowledgements of this book, John Lescroart says he 'wanted to tie up several hanging elements from disparate past Dismas Hardy books' which probably made it a far worse book to make my first read since I had no clue what those hanging elements were.
One thing I dislike about long-running series is that the crimes seem to be directed at the main characters themselves and that is true with this story where Hardy's law firm and friends are targeted by the new San Francisco DA and his cronies.
I did enjoy the dogged police work of Beth Tully and her partner, even while risking the displeasure of those higher up in the system.
I think there were some points Lescroart wanted to make in this novel: about the Dreamer/immigrant situation and about the importance of the Rule of Law that supports our legal system. As Dismas Hardy says, 'A few little changes and suddenly things start to fall apart. It's damn fragile.' So be ever vigilant, people! Don't allow our rights to be taken away a little at a time.
I received an arc of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley for my honest review. Now I'll have to go back and start the series from the beginning, won't I?
I used to have a rule to never jump into a long-running series but since joining NetGalley, that has been broken many times, including this one, my first Dismas Hardy novel. In the acknowledgements of this book, John Lescroart says he 'wanted to tie up several hanging elements from disparate past Dismas Hardy books' which probably made it a far worse book to make my first read since I had no clue what those hanging elements were.
One thing I dislike about long-running series is that the crimes seem to be directed at the main characters themselves and that is true with this story where Hardy's law firm and friends are targeted by the new San Francisco DA and his cronies.
I did enjoy the dogged police work of Beth Tully and her partner, even while risking the displeasure of those higher up in the system.
I think there were some points Lescroart wanted to make in this novel: about the Dreamer/immigrant situation and about the importance of the Rule of Law that supports our legal system. As Dismas Hardy says, 'A few little changes and suddenly things start to fall apart. It's damn fragile.' So be ever vigilant, people! Don't allow our rights to be taken away a little at a time.
I received an arc of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley for my honest review. Now I'll have to go back and start the series from the beginning, won't I?
October 4, 2018
First, thanks to NetGalley for providing an advanced review copy of this book.
A great read, but not as good as many of the ones from the past, in my opinion. But I still had trouble putting it down toward the end.
I'm a big fan of this series, and already knew most of the characters, and also the back story from The First Law. I'd advise anyone to at least read that book before this one for maximum enjoyment. Reading more of the previous books, or all, would be better.
I think this is the first book to feature Hardy's secretary, Phyllis, as more than a butt of Hardy's jokes or complaints, and she's shown to have a somewhat surprising secret life - surprising because she's usually such a no-nonsense, business-only character. This part of her private life explodes in a way that causes many unforseen consequences, resulting in her arrest as an accessory to murder, and almost to the arrest of Hardy and some of his friends.
It was a pretty exciting story, but I believe there was also a political motive to the story, which was to highlight some of the problems facing undocumented aliens in the US, especially the younger ones who were brought here as infants and have no life or knowledge of their legal homes. One was even born in the US, but didn't have proof of any kind. These people are all, in their minds at least, as American as any of us, and would suffer greatly if deported. So they try to keep a very low profile, and are totally unprotected by our normal laws. If they accidentally get noticed somehow, their only choice is to go into hiding. I think the author did address some of the related issues, such as criminals who might get deported instead of arrested for their crimes, etc.
One thing I didn't like so much is that the characters seemed a little too one-dimensional in this book. The bad guys were really bad, the good guys were really good, and there wasn't much gray area. Also, there wasn't as much of the humorous bantering, it seemed, although there was some.
I hope there will be another in the series, now that Hardy's firm has collected a few old friends such as Wes Farrell and Gina Roake back as active partners, and Phyllis has been shown to have an actual life.
A great read, but not as good as many of the ones from the past, in my opinion. But I still had trouble putting it down toward the end.
I'm a big fan of this series, and already knew most of the characters, and also the back story from The First Law. I'd advise anyone to at least read that book before this one for maximum enjoyment. Reading more of the previous books, or all, would be better.
I think this is the first book to feature Hardy's secretary, Phyllis, as more than a butt of Hardy's jokes or complaints, and she's shown to have a somewhat surprising secret life - surprising because she's usually such a no-nonsense, business-only character. This part of her private life explodes in a way that causes many unforseen consequences, resulting in her arrest as an accessory to murder, and almost to the arrest of Hardy and some of his friends.
It was a pretty exciting story, but I believe there was also a political motive to the story, which was to highlight some of the problems facing undocumented aliens in the US, especially the younger ones who were brought here as infants and have no life or knowledge of their legal homes. One was even born in the US, but didn't have proof of any kind. These people are all, in their minds at least, as American as any of us, and would suffer greatly if deported. So they try to keep a very low profile, and are totally unprotected by our normal laws. If they accidentally get noticed somehow, their only choice is to go into hiding. I think the author did address some of the related issues, such as criminals who might get deported instead of arrested for their crimes, etc.
One thing I didn't like so much is that the characters seemed a little too one-dimensional in this book. The bad guys were really bad, the good guys were really good, and there wasn't much gray area. Also, there wasn't as much of the humorous bantering, it seemed, although there was some.
I hope there will be another in the series, now that Hardy's firm has collected a few old friends such as Wes Farrell and Gina Roake back as active partners, and Phyllis has been shown to have an actual life.
May 7, 2019
Took this author out for a trial...grateful for advice to read the book Fatal first to be able to connect all the characters and their previous misdeeds that come to conclusion in this book.
I did find that there is nothing wrong with the writing, but I am not drawn to the characters. I like a visit to San Francisco now and then, but will not read other books in this Dismas Hardy series.
I did find that there is nothing wrong with the writing, but I am not drawn to the characters. I like a visit to San Francisco now and then, but will not read other books in this Dismas Hardy series.
February 6, 2019
3.5 stars
What I like best about this book is that it featured Ukiah, CA. in it. Ukiah is the next town to us where we go to eat In and Out, Costco shop and visit doctors. I just love that it's a major stop on the Sanctuary Underground running undocumented people to Canada. Way to go Ukiah!
Dismas Hardy's secretary is arrested for assisting in a murder and thrown in jail by the new corrupt DA. Hardy comes to her rescue and uncovers a huge can of worms. This book ties up loose ends of several past stories. There are the murders committed by the new DA and his wife (no spoiler -mentioned right away) and an old murder that Hardy was involved in.
This could be quite confusing if you are not up on the old stories. There is another story of a murder involving Hardy's secretary's brother, an Underground railway and S.F.'s Sanctuary status. There were a few times I got quite confused.
Still, it's a fun book book with lots of twists and turns. And it features Ukiah so how could it not be good?
What I like best about this book is that it featured Ukiah, CA. in it. Ukiah is the next town to us where we go to eat In and Out, Costco shop and visit doctors. I just love that it's a major stop on the Sanctuary Underground running undocumented people to Canada. Way to go Ukiah!
Dismas Hardy's secretary is arrested for assisting in a murder and thrown in jail by the new corrupt DA. Hardy comes to her rescue and uncovers a huge can of worms. This book ties up loose ends of several past stories. There are the murders committed by the new DA and his wife (no spoiler -mentioned right away) and an old murder that Hardy was involved in.
This could be quite confusing if you are not up on the old stories. There is another story of a murder involving Hardy's secretary's brother, an Underground railway and S.F.'s Sanctuary status. There were a few times I got quite confused.
Still, it's a fun book book with lots of twists and turns. And it features Ukiah so how could it not be good?
February 10, 2019
This book covers corruption, immigration, and the power of love and family. It grabbed me immediately when it brought Diz's secretary, Phyllis, to the forefront. I love this woman! Why has her character not been more thoroughly fleshed out before book 18?
The Rule of Law is a difficult book to review, without giving too much away. I'll just say that, as usual, I loved the banter between the characters and appreciated the times this book made me smile or chuckle. From those who arrest suspects to the leaders seeking to put them away, every character was interesting!
The Rule of Law is a difficult book to review, without giving too much away. I'll just say that, as usual, I loved the banter between the characters and appreciated the times this book made me smile or chuckle. From those who arrest suspects to the leaders seeking to put them away, every character was interesting!
January 27, 2019
Dismas Hardy decided to add his friend and former District Attorney Wes Farrell as a partner in his law firm. That won't sit well with the new DA Ron Jameson. Jameson presented a case to the grand jury and sent 2 officers to arrest Dismas's long-time secretary Phyllis using unnecessary force. Dismas finds it hard to believe Phyllis could be an accessory to murder, although he's sure her brother who is newly released from prison has something to do with the crime.
It's been so many years since I read a Dismas Hardy book that all I could remember is his unusual name. I can't remember why I stopped reading this series....maybe my library stopped carrying the books. I didn't have problems with the characters although I did bog down a little when a previous case was being probed. This book touches on the current state of immigration politics, including ICE, Dreamers, and an underground railroad of undocumented immigrants. I like John Lescroart's writing which kept me interested. This is a good legal crime novel.
It's been so many years since I read a Dismas Hardy book that all I could remember is his unusual name. I can't remember why I stopped reading this series....maybe my library stopped carrying the books. I didn't have problems with the characters although I did bog down a little when a previous case was being probed. This book touches on the current state of immigration politics, including ICE, Dreamers, and an underground railroad of undocumented immigrants. I like John Lescroart's writing which kept me interested. This is a good legal crime novel.
April 3, 2019
When you're talking about a crime..."there's a difference between knowing it and being able to prove it. And if you get that mixed up, you're on a slippery slope."
It comes to pass that Ron Jameson is elected as the new DA in San Franciso. He beat out Dismas Hardy's friend and law partner, Wes Farrell, and is determined to shake things up. In fact, Jameson seems to have a vendetta against the entire firm and his first target is Hardy's secretary, Phyllis McGowan. She's served with a warrant after the grand jury indicts her as an accessory to murder! It seems that the intrepid and hard-working Phyllis has kept several secrets, and one of those happens to be that she is working as part of an Underground Railroad system that helps undocumented immigrants get out of the USA and into Canada, thus avoiding deportation. The other is that her ex convict brother, Adam, has been staying with her as he is trying to get back on his feet Unfortunately, Adam is not reformed after his time in prison. Dismas scrambles to help Phyllis with her legal troubles and incurs the wrath of the new DA. Now he and his colleagues and friends have a target on their backs as the DA also seeks to uncover evidence to further discredit them in an old case known as the Dockside Massacre. In retaliation, or as an aside, the SFPD has two detectives investigating Ron Jameson in cold case that involved murder! Yes, there's a lot going on. NO SPOILERS.
This is the 18th in a long running series featuring the attorney, Dismas Hardy, and though it is classified as a legal thriller, it really didn't have much about the practice of "law" but was more a mystery and cat-and-mouse game between all the players on opposing sides. Although I've read only a couple of the previous titles, I wasn't lost as the author keeps the reader in the loop as far as who is who in the characters. It took me awhile to become invested in the story as I kept getting distracted by the political messages imbued in the narration -- those about immigration, deportation, ICE, DREAMers, sanctuary cities, etc. The loose ends are tied up, explanations are given, solutions occur in a most convenient fashion making it all a little hard to swallow. Sometimes I wasn't even quite sure that Dismas was a "good guy" as he's painted. But then again, we're talking about criminal defense attorneys. I think most of the characters in the book are of the "either - or" variety and it was quite clear that the bad guys were awful and the ones on Hardy's side were not. Just seemed like there was quite a bit of shady stuff going on -- on both sides.
I enjoyed the book well enough but never fully invested myself in the characters though I liked Hardy's sense of humor and his love of the arcane. It might be better to read this if you have been following along the entire series instead of picking this up as a start point.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the e-book ARC to read and review.
It comes to pass that Ron Jameson is elected as the new DA in San Franciso. He beat out Dismas Hardy's friend and law partner, Wes Farrell, and is determined to shake things up. In fact, Jameson seems to have a vendetta against the entire firm and his first target is Hardy's secretary, Phyllis McGowan. She's served with a warrant after the grand jury indicts her as an accessory to murder! It seems that the intrepid and hard-working Phyllis has kept several secrets, and one of those happens to be that she is working as part of an Underground Railroad system that helps undocumented immigrants get out of the USA and into Canada, thus avoiding deportation. The other is that her ex convict brother, Adam, has been staying with her as he is trying to get back on his feet Unfortunately, Adam is not reformed after his time in prison. Dismas scrambles to help Phyllis with her legal troubles and incurs the wrath of the new DA. Now he and his colleagues and friends have a target on their backs as the DA also seeks to uncover evidence to further discredit them in an old case known as the Dockside Massacre. In retaliation, or as an aside, the SFPD has two detectives investigating Ron Jameson in cold case that involved murder! Yes, there's a lot going on. NO SPOILERS.
This is the 18th in a long running series featuring the attorney, Dismas Hardy, and though it is classified as a legal thriller, it really didn't have much about the practice of "law" but was more a mystery and cat-and-mouse game between all the players on opposing sides. Although I've read only a couple of the previous titles, I wasn't lost as the author keeps the reader in the loop as far as who is who in the characters. It took me awhile to become invested in the story as I kept getting distracted by the political messages imbued in the narration -- those about immigration, deportation, ICE, DREAMers, sanctuary cities, etc. The loose ends are tied up, explanations are given, solutions occur in a most convenient fashion making it all a little hard to swallow. Sometimes I wasn't even quite sure that Dismas was a "good guy" as he's painted. But then again, we're talking about criminal defense attorneys. I think most of the characters in the book are of the "either - or" variety and it was quite clear that the bad guys were awful and the ones on Hardy's side were not. Just seemed like there was quite a bit of shady stuff going on -- on both sides.
I enjoyed the book well enough but never fully invested myself in the characters though I liked Hardy's sense of humor and his love of the arcane. It might be better to read this if you have been following along the entire series instead of picking this up as a start point.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the e-book ARC to read and review.
September 11, 2018
Tl;dr: Latest entry in series about lawyer Dismas is pretty dismal.
This was my first novel by Mr Lescroart, and I'm thinking that perhaps a standalone (if there is one) or the starter series book would have been a much better place to start because The Rule of Law was very tired. The good guys were good, the bad guys were bad, and the ending was obvious from the start.
Sometimes, all the things I've just mentioned can be fun, like wrapping up in a favorite blanket. This was more like being stuck at a boring relative's house. You know exactly what's going to happen, right down to the "fun surprise" they've planned, and when you leave you spend the entire trip home wishing you would have remembered to make up an excuse as to why you couldn't come.
Mr. Lescroart's writing is okay, but, imo, he's tired of his characters, and that's a problem. When a series is successful, readers want more. And sometimes it's great because you can tell the author is having fun. That's not happening in The Rule of Law, where which nothing is memorable or even very exciting.
Having a series about a lawyer named Dismas sounds fun (right? I mean, what a name!), and I'm guessing the first few book were. This isn't.
For diehard fans only.
This was my first novel by Mr Lescroart, and I'm thinking that perhaps a standalone (if there is one) or the starter series book would have been a much better place to start because The Rule of Law was very tired. The good guys were good, the bad guys were bad, and the ending was obvious from the start.
Sometimes, all the things I've just mentioned can be fun, like wrapping up in a favorite blanket. This was more like being stuck at a boring relative's house. You know exactly what's going to happen, right down to the "fun surprise" they've planned, and when you leave you spend the entire trip home wishing you would have remembered to make up an excuse as to why you couldn't come.
Mr. Lescroart's writing is okay, but, imo, he's tired of his characters, and that's a problem. When a series is successful, readers want more. And sometimes it's great because you can tell the author is having fun. That's not happening in The Rule of Law, where which nothing is memorable or even very exciting.
Having a series about a lawyer named Dismas sounds fun (right? I mean, what a name!), and I'm guessing the first few book were. This isn't.
For diehard fans only.
January 5, 2019
5 stars
The whole gang is back in this installment of John Lescroart’s latest adventure of Dismas “Dis” Hardy. It was good to meet all of them. The book also has an evil-doer new attorney general Ron Jameson. He was suspected of killing his wife’s lover some time ago. He is out to get the former DA Wes Farrell –r at least Wes thinks so.
The group gathers and discusses the possibility of getting the old firm back together. They agree. Now retired for good, Abe Glitsky former police commander is asked to join the new firm as well.
Dis’ long-time secretary Phyllis McGowan is acting odd. She has missed work for two days running and has offered no excuse. Dis is determined to find out what is wrong. Soon, the awful scene in the office where Phyllis is arrested as an accessory to murder! It seems her brother Adam is working at bringing illegal aliens to America. She is quickly indicted by a grand jury.
Enter the hated Ron Jameson. He is not only out to get Dis and his partners, but cops and any attorney he personally doesn’t like. He is sneaky, underhanded and lies to get his way. He’s a baddie for sure. Can Dis and the gang overcome this obvious noose around their collective necks?
The case takes a turn when it harkens back to another murder years ago.
I’ve been reading John Lescroart’s novels since book one. I’ve enjoyed them all to one degree or another. I’ve always liked Dis and the gang and enjoy reading about them. I like their relationships; they all pull together when the chips are down, but they disagree too – like grownups though. This book is well written and plotted as are all of Mr. Lescroart’s novels. His writing is smooth and his paragraph transitions are flawless. The book flows so quickly that the reader is completely unaware of time passing. More please, Mr. Lescroart.
I want to truly thank NetGalley and Atria Books/Simon & Schuster for forwarding to me a copy of this absolutely great book for me to read, enjoy and review.
The whole gang is back in this installment of John Lescroart’s latest adventure of Dismas “Dis” Hardy. It was good to meet all of them. The book also has an evil-doer new attorney general Ron Jameson. He was suspected of killing his wife’s lover some time ago. He is out to get the former DA Wes Farrell –r at least Wes thinks so.
The group gathers and discusses the possibility of getting the old firm back together. They agree. Now retired for good, Abe Glitsky former police commander is asked to join the new firm as well.
Dis’ long-time secretary Phyllis McGowan is acting odd. She has missed work for two days running and has offered no excuse. Dis is determined to find out what is wrong. Soon, the awful scene in the office where Phyllis is arrested as an accessory to murder! It seems her brother Adam is working at bringing illegal aliens to America. She is quickly indicted by a grand jury.
Enter the hated Ron Jameson. He is not only out to get Dis and his partners, but cops and any attorney he personally doesn’t like. He is sneaky, underhanded and lies to get his way. He’s a baddie for sure. Can Dis and the gang overcome this obvious noose around their collective necks?
The case takes a turn when it harkens back to another murder years ago.
I’ve been reading John Lescroart’s novels since book one. I’ve enjoyed them all to one degree or another. I’ve always liked Dis and the gang and enjoy reading about them. I like their relationships; they all pull together when the chips are down, but they disagree too – like grownups though. This book is well written and plotted as are all of Mr. Lescroart’s novels. His writing is smooth and his paragraph transitions are flawless. The book flows so quickly that the reader is completely unaware of time passing. More please, Mr. Lescroart.
I want to truly thank NetGalley and Atria Books/Simon & Schuster for forwarding to me a copy of this absolutely great book for me to read, enjoy and review.
January 27, 2019
John Lescroart’s satisfying 18th Dismas Hardy legal thriller, “The Rule of Law,” is a smooth-sailing read from start to finish.
Dismas’s current case may be his most personal to date when his receptionist, Phyllis, suddenly goes missing and later becomes a suspect in a murder case.
Phyllis’s out-of-character and strange behavior has Dismas Hardy following clues back to her apartment where he and a group of coworkers find a gun in Phyllis’s possession.
Dismas knows something is awry, but things take a surprising turn when Phyllis is arrested at the office for allegedly abetting the murder of Hector Valdez, a man who had been smuggling women from El Salvador to Mexico until his death on the very same day Phyllis went missing from work.
Dismas is a man on a mission, working against a looming deadline and a mountain of obstacles to help clear his secretary’s name. But as mounting evidence builds against Phyllis, Dismas isn’t so sure the woman he has known for the last 20 years may be innocent after all.
Lescroart’s polished craftsmanship is solid here, as are his robust characterizations of three-dimensional characters and compelling plot. “The Rule of Law” is a highlight in Lescroart’s publishing career.
Thanks to the publisher Atria for supplying me with an ARC of the book.
Dismas’s current case may be his most personal to date when his receptionist, Phyllis, suddenly goes missing and later becomes a suspect in a murder case.
Phyllis’s out-of-character and strange behavior has Dismas Hardy following clues back to her apartment where he and a group of coworkers find a gun in Phyllis’s possession.
Dismas knows something is awry, but things take a surprising turn when Phyllis is arrested at the office for allegedly abetting the murder of Hector Valdez, a man who had been smuggling women from El Salvador to Mexico until his death on the very same day Phyllis went missing from work.
Dismas is a man on a mission, working against a looming deadline and a mountain of obstacles to help clear his secretary’s name. But as mounting evidence builds against Phyllis, Dismas isn’t so sure the woman he has known for the last 20 years may be innocent after all.
Lescroart’s polished craftsmanship is solid here, as are his robust characterizations of three-dimensional characters and compelling plot. “The Rule of Law” is a highlight in Lescroart’s publishing career.
Thanks to the publisher Atria for supplying me with an ARC of the book.
February 18, 2019
I haven’t read all of the books in the Dismas Hardy series, actually I’ve only read a few, but reading this book brought back memories of how much I enjoy Dismas and his group of friends. There is a new DA in San Francisco and he is a very corrupt, evil man, who truly believes he is above the law and untouchable. (Kind of reminded me of a current political figure).
I really enjoyed this book and it was fun reconnecting with Dismas. There is one huge unanswered question in here that never does get answered and I truly hope it gets answered in the next book.
I really enjoyed this book and it was fun reconnecting with Dismas. There is one huge unanswered question in here that never does get answered and I truly hope it gets answered in the next book.
January 6, 2019
In the years I've been posting book reviews online, I've read just two of the author's 18 books featuring attorney Dismas Hardy: "Poison" last year, and "Fatal" in 2017 - and loved them both. This one's very good as well, but I have to say I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the other two. I suspect it's because, as the author notes in the acknowledgements, his intent was to "tie up" loose ends from past books rather than conjure up new plots. And while I had no problem following what was happening even though some of those ends didn't ring any familiarity bells for me (another way of saying this book stands alone well), the parts related to years-earlier events just didn't seem quite as interesting to me than the current goings-on.
On the other hand, the whole gang is back together (well, except for a couple who bit the dust in previous happenings) and Dismas is trying to put the old law firm back together again. On the other side of the fence is new District Attorney, one who clearly has a beef with Dismas and his crew. Noteworthy to me, by the way, is that readers learn early on who the bad guys and gals are and what they've done - then they get to follow along as the Hardy boys and girls figure out what's going on.
At the beginning, the firm's longtime, ultra-loyal secretary, Phyllis McGowan, suddenly takes off work for several days with no explanation. When she returns, she remains tight-lipped - until, out of the blue, the police rush through the door with a warrant for her arrest in connection with the murder of a man who had made a nice living smuggling women into the United States. Needless to say, Dismas becomes her attorney of record, and he quickly learns there's much more to his secretary (and her just-out-of-prison brother) than he ever thought possible.
Making an example out of Dismas's secretary, though, is only the tip of the iceberg for the new D.A., who is determined to dig up dirt on that years-earlier case that will take down Dismas and his law partners once and for all. The ending didn't come as a total surprise to me, but it did wrap things up and clear the decks for a whole new chapter to begin next time around.
And to be sure, I'm eager to read it. Meantime, many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this one. Good job!
On the other hand, the whole gang is back together (well, except for a couple who bit the dust in previous happenings) and Dismas is trying to put the old law firm back together again. On the other side of the fence is new District Attorney, one who clearly has a beef with Dismas and his crew. Noteworthy to me, by the way, is that readers learn early on who the bad guys and gals are and what they've done - then they get to follow along as the Hardy boys and girls figure out what's going on.
At the beginning, the firm's longtime, ultra-loyal secretary, Phyllis McGowan, suddenly takes off work for several days with no explanation. When she returns, she remains tight-lipped - until, out of the blue, the police rush through the door with a warrant for her arrest in connection with the murder of a man who had made a nice living smuggling women into the United States. Needless to say, Dismas becomes her attorney of record, and he quickly learns there's much more to his secretary (and her just-out-of-prison brother) than he ever thought possible.
Making an example out of Dismas's secretary, though, is only the tip of the iceberg for the new D.A., who is determined to dig up dirt on that years-earlier case that will take down Dismas and his law partners once and for all. The ending didn't come as a total surprise to me, but it did wrap things up and clear the decks for a whole new chapter to begin next time around.
And to be sure, I'm eager to read it. Meantime, many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this one. Good job!
January 4, 2019
I was delighted to win the book from Goodreads because Lescroart is one of my favorite authors. I am always excited to read about Dismas Hardy, Abe Glitsky and all their families and friends. How great that the old law buddies are going back into business together again. And in addition to reading about my favorite San Francisco, it was so timely to weave illegal immigration, DACA, and sanctuary cities into the narrative. It may be just me, but I see so many similarities between the corrupt District Attorney and a certain person presently residing in the White House. Thank you Goodreads!
February 18, 2019
Eh...I would just say it was like a mediocre episode of a "want to be" Law & Order. Nothing too exciting and no big twists or turns. So just....eh.
April 29, 2022
I picked up my first Dismas Hardy legal thriller twenty + years ago at a garage sale. It was The Vig, book #2 in the series. Being the orderly person I am, of course I had to first find book #1 and read them in order. I thoroughly enjoyed the first 13 books and gave just about all of them 5 stars, the others 4 stars. Then I picked up book #14, The Ophelia Cut and things went seriously downhill. To be blunt, it was awful. It was a mess. It was all over the place and made no sense. I gave it 2 stars, and that was generous. So, now, years later I'm looking for audio books to listen to while I drive, and I come across The Rule of Law at the library. To be honest, I was a bit reluctant to try and another one. But, what the heck, it was audio, and I could listen to it while I drove, which made it easier. If it was bad, I didn't waste my time sitting and reading it. All I had to do was listen while I did something else. So, obviously from my rating, I really did enjoy this one, and this being #18 in the series, it looks like I better get a move on and go back and get those 3 books read that I missed.
February 22, 2019
This book, #18 in the Dismas Hardy series, ties in with two other books - Fatal, about Kate Jameson who acts on her attraction to another man, and The First Law, about the death of Hardy's law partner, and Gina Roake's fiancée, David Freeman; Hardy's client John Holiday; and then taking the law into their own hands (Hardy and Glitsky). Kind of funny that The Rule of Law unites my least favorite Lescroart book and my favorite. While tying up some loose ends, this a more plot driven than character driven work.
Homicide Detective Beth Tully, the bright star in Fatal,, is reintroduced here.
Homicide Detective Beth Tully, the bright star in Fatal,, is reintroduced here.
January 26, 2019
WOW! This was so great. I was satiated when I finished, every bit as satisfied as at the close of a meal filled with comfort food. There are strong references to other Lescroart books, which I have read, but I believe the story would still be understandable and easily enjoyed by readers who pick up this Dismas Hardy book without reading the others. It is, though, #18 in the series, and they are all better when read in order, including the stand-alone "Fatal." There were twists and turns aplenty as the story progressed and the ending was shocking and amazing. I absolutely loved it!! If you've enjoyed others in the series, of even if you haven't, this is highly recommended.
February 13, 2019
There’s a multitude of characters in Lescroart’s latest legal thriller. Dismas Hardy, an attorney and the author’s usual protagonist, finds himself at the center of a big problem when his secretary is arrested at her office for allegedly abetting the murder of Hector Valdez, a coyote who’s been smuggling women from El Salvador and Mexico.
On the other side is San Francisco’s Attorney General, Ron Jameson, who is very careful not to let any actions by people in the legal business threaten his power. This includes both members of his staff and outside attorneys who are defending people being tried for crimes whom he thinks should be sent straight to prison without exercising any equitable justice. Ron is “dirty” but keeps this kind of business under strict cover. Ron’s wife, Kate, is also involved in Ron’s shenanigans but doesn’t appear as often in the story.
After Hector’s killer is arrested and prosecuted, Hardy and his colleagues work hard to see that justice is served but there’s a lot more going on than originally thought. The plot moves ahead steadily and the reader will soon appreciate that all the fingers are pointing at the Attorney General. The trick, then, is for the legal machinery to obtain the necessary proof and bring him to trial.
However, as we approach the end of the book and anxiously await Jameson’s downfall, the plot suddenly veers to follow a radically different azimuth. Justice is finally served but the ending is not quite as satisfying and one would hope for. It gave me the impression that the author wasn’t able to tie up all the loose ends so instead he “chickened out” for the sudden whipsaw ending.
On the other side is San Francisco’s Attorney General, Ron Jameson, who is very careful not to let any actions by people in the legal business threaten his power. This includes both members of his staff and outside attorneys who are defending people being tried for crimes whom he thinks should be sent straight to prison without exercising any equitable justice. Ron is “dirty” but keeps this kind of business under strict cover. Ron’s wife, Kate, is also involved in Ron’s shenanigans but doesn’t appear as often in the story.
After Hector’s killer is arrested and prosecuted, Hardy and his colleagues work hard to see that justice is served but there’s a lot more going on than originally thought. The plot moves ahead steadily and the reader will soon appreciate that all the fingers are pointing at the Attorney General. The trick, then, is for the legal machinery to obtain the necessary proof and bring him to trial.
However, as we approach the end of the book and anxiously await Jameson’s downfall, the plot suddenly veers to follow a radically different azimuth. Justice is finally served but the ending is not quite as satisfying and one would hope for. It gave me the impression that the author wasn’t able to tie up all the loose ends so instead he “chickened out” for the sudden whipsaw ending.
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