The Missing Piece by John Lescroart

Published by ‎ Atria Books on March 29, 2022

The Missing Piece is unlike most Dismas Hardy novels in that Hardy makes only an occasional cameo appearance. The plot is initially carried by his law partner, Wes Farrell, before their investigator, Abe Glitsky, begins to carry the load.

Farrell was a prosecutor for most of his career and prosecution is still in his heart. He assumes defendants are guilty. He assumes cops are telling the truth. He really has no business being a criminal defense lawyer and he’s starting to realize that. Hardy invited Farrell into the firm in a past novel and is willing to let him leave if that’s best for Farrell.

As he ponders that decision, Farrell agrees to handle a murder case. Paul Riley answered his door and was shot in the face. Riley’s father saw a man leaving the scene. He identifies the killer as Doug Rush. Riley went to prison for murdering Rush’s daughter but was recently released due to the efforts of a fictional version of the Innocence Project. Farrell got to know Rush when he was prosecuting Riley for the murder of Rush’s daughter.

The police quickly decide that Rush killed Riley to exact vengeance against his daughter’s killer. Although Riley’s father gives a shaky identification of Rush, the police do what they can to bolster the weak identification because it’s easier than identifying and ruling out alternative suspects.

Farrell thinks the case against Rush is weak but he also thinks his client is guilty. He gets Rush out on bond. That turns out to be a bad strategy when Rush is murdered.

The plot combines a whodunit with a police procedural. Glitsky is ex-police, although he works with the cops when they occasionally show interest in capturing the killer of Farrell’s dead client. Glitsky’s investigation take him to Rush’s motorcycle gang, to a couple of women who were sleeping with Rush (perhaps raising the ire of other lovers), and to a long list of prisoners who, like Rush, were exonerated while serving their sentences.

The plot holds together and is reasonably credible. The novel is noteworthy for its examination of the biases held by cops, prosecutors, and criminal defense lawyers. Cops think that everyone they arrest is guilty. Prosecutors think that everyone they prosecute is guilty. Criminal defense lawyers know that most of their clients are guilty, but they also believe that cops and prosecutors are willing to cheat to get convictions, a practice that sometimes causes the innocent to be convicted. Events in the story force characters on both sides to confront their biases.

The primary characters will be familiar to fans of the series. John Lescroart keeps the series fresh in The Missing Piece by moving Hardy to the background and placing two supporting cast members on center stage. As Glitsky and Farrell recognize that their assumptions stand in the way of serving their clients and finding the truth, they gain an illuminating perspective on the work they are doing.

I give Lescroart credit for writing another fair and balanced novel that emphasizes the importance of following evidence to wherever it leads, rather than basing decisions on pro- or anti-police prejudices. He even presents a balanced view of cops who overreact to suspects who resist their authority, while making it clear that (at least in San Francisco) needlessly violent behavior by police officers is intolerable.

As always, the story moves at a good pace, strengthened but not bogged down by characterization and relationships. Glitsky is the victim of violence a couple of times, adding some action that enlivens the story. False leads create multiple potential solutions to the whodunit. The correct solution does not strain credibility to an unacceptable degree. In short, this is another enjoyable Dismas Hardy novel, one that should not disappoint series fans.

RECOMMENDED

The Rule of Law by John Lescroart

Published by Atria Books on January 22, 2019

The new Dismas Hardy novel begins with an avalanche of change. Ron Jameson, who got away with murder, has protected himself by getting elevated to a position of power that allows him to deflect suspicions. Jameson has been elected District Attorney, defeating Hardy’s friend and former law partner, Wes Farrell. Hardy invites Farrell back into the firm, along with Gina Roake, who quit the practice to write novels, only to find that writing novels doesn’t pay the bills as easily as practicing law. Hardy’s friend Abe Glitsky retired from his job as an investigator in the DA’s office when Farrell was defeated. Glitsky’s wife Treya, who had been Farrell’s secretary, also retired. Now that Hardy has two new partners, he’s hoping he won’t need to work as many hours.

Things seem to be going well until Hardy’s loyal secretary, Phyllis McGowan, mysteriously vanishes for a couple of days. Hardy noses around and discovers that her brother was recently released from prison. A few days later, things seem back to normal until some goons from the police department show up with an arrest warrant and haul Phyllis off to jail. Hardy, naturally, represents her.

Jameson charges Phyllis with the rare crime of being an accessory after the fact — in this case, an accessory to murder. The alleged murderer is Celia Montoya and the victim is Hector Valdez, who was allegedly trafficking women. Phyllis’ brother was allegedly a witness to the murder and is the reason for Phyllis’ arrest. Hardy suspects she’s in jail because she works for the firm that now employs Farrell, the DA who lost his election to Jameson. Professional courtesies, like allowing Hardy to surrender Phyllis voluntarily, have gone out the window.

Jameson got elected as a “tough on crime” candidate, which is the first sign that he’s a jerk. I mean, is anyone in favor of crime? Of course not. “Tough on crime” always means “tough on the Constitution.”

When Hardy and Jameson go to war, one of Jameson’s investigators decides to reinvestigate the Dockside Massacres. Series fans will know why Hardy and his friends don’t want to draw attention to that particular episode, which unfolds in three novels (The First Law, The Second Chair, and The Motive) and is revisited in The Ophelia Cut. New readers might want to check out The Ophelia Cut before reading The Rule of Law. It isn’t essential to do so, but The Ophelia Cut is one of the best entries in the series, so it won’t be wasted time.

In some Dismas Hardy novels, including this one, John Lescroart gives the reader information right away that Hardy only learns or suspects later in the story. In this case, the reader knows from page one that Jameson committed murder, so this isn’t a whodunit. The plot instead focuses on the efforts of Hardy, Glitsky, and the rest of the team to prove Jameson’s guilt while exonerating (more or less) Phyllis and worrying about their exposure in the Dockside Massacres.

The case is timely in that it involves San Francisco’s status as a sanctuary city and the political aspirations of people (like Jameson) who want to want to make headlines by being either for or against local resistance to the hardball tactics of ICE. Jameson is happy to play both sides of the debate as long as he gets headlines. The Rule of Law takes on the Trump administration’s immoral and heavy-handed approach to immigration enforcement — an approach that discourages immigrants from reporting crimes or cooperating in criminal investigations for fear that they will be taken into custody and deported. If you are a Trump fan, you’ll probably hate this book, as well as most books that reflect a realistic and compassionate view of how America’s leadership has betrayed its values. If you are a crime fiction fan, you’ll probably regard The Rule of Law as another winning entry in the Dismas Hardy series.

RECOMMENDED

Poison by John Lescroart

Published by Atria Books on February 13, 2018

Dismas Hardy has a new murder case, and that’s reason for readers — but not Dismas — to celebrate. A former client named Abby Jarvis has been charged with murdering her boss for a million dollar inheritance. Having once killed someone in a car accident, the police and prosecutors (being true to their nature) believe that Abby must be guilty of an intentional murder. In addition, Abby was the bookkeeper in her boss’ business, and she has been taking money off the books, perhaps by embezzling the funds or perhaps as a means of tax-free compensation that her boss authorized. In any event, things don’t look good for Abby.

Abby’s boss was poisoned with a drug that comes from an herbal root (although the death was initially ruled a heart attack) and there is no direct evidence that Abby poisoned him. Suicide or an accidental death from overdosing on an herbal tea is a possibility, although no poison was discovered in the victim’s home. The case against Abby does not appear to be strong, but Dismas has sworn off murder cases (the last one got him shot) and he needs to talk himself into taking this one. It doesn’t help that Abby has kept a fact or two secret that, when revealed, will make her look guilty whether she is or isn’t.

There are plenty of other suspects for Dismas and his investigator, Wyatt Hunt, to consider. The victim had been having an affair with Abby (hence her inheritance), but he had recently broken off an affair with another woman. His son Gary was running the business and may have been concerned that the victim was planning to sell it. Two other children from his first marriage also work for the business, although at least one of those resents Gary’s larger salary and would like to see the business sold so he could cash in and stop working. The victim’s current wife is in a care facility for dementia, and her adopted son, while having no role in the victim’s business, seems to be taking an active interest in whether or not it will be sold.

Much of the drama unfolds early in the case, after Abby has been indicted but before she’s entered a plea. Whether Dismas will even continue to represent her past the plea is unclear. Even less clear, since Dismas doesn’t know what evidence was presented to the grand jury, is whether the case is strong or weak. The police and prosecutors engage in a fair amount of posturing, as does Dismas, but Dismas’ uncertainty is a realistic portrayal of the problem that defense attorneys have as they make strategic decisions early in a case without knowing what they’re facing.

Dismas is one of my favorite defense attorneys in legal thrillers. He’s an ideal blend of nice guy and fierce advocate. He has strong friendships with prosecutors and police investigators, but he doesn’t let friendship get in the way of mounting an aggressive defense. He’s tactically smart and has the theatrical skills that defense lawyers need. He’s ethical, practical, and dedicated to his clients. If he were real, I would hire him in a heartbeat.

A subplot involves Detective Eric Waverly’s struggle with pain and the impact his anger is having on his family and career. Another involves Dismas’ son Vinnie, whose friend David Chang was murdered. Another involves how Dismas’ wife reacts to the fear that Dismas has (again) made himself (and perhaps Vinnie, this time) a target for the real killer. The dilemma that Dismas faces (abandon his client or be abandoned by his wife) adds an extra layer of drama to the story. All of the subplots are credible and they all tie together neatly in the end. Poison is the kind of well-crafted legal thriller that readers have come to expect from John Lescroart, and another strong entry in the Dismas Hardy series.

RECOMMENDED

Fatal by John Lescroart

Published by Atria Books on January 24, 2017

The characters in Fatal, regardless of gender, have trouble keeping their pants on, at least when they are with someone else’s spouse. Fatal isn’t quite Fatal Attraction, although there are overtones of obsessive desire leading to dangerous consequences.

Geoff and Bina Cooke bring their friends Peter and Jill Ash together with their friends Ron and Kate Jameson. Kate comes home with the overpowering desire to shag Peter. One seduction later, Kate has satisfied herself but has transferred the obsession to Peter, who can’t stop thinking about her. This apparently transforms Peter’s life in ways that I didn’t understand or believe.

Frank Rinaldi is the murder victim in an apparent murder-suicide. Beth Tully, investigating the case, thinks his wife killed herself after she killed Frank, probably after learning that he was having an affair with Laurie Shaw. Beth, who starts dating Laurie’s brother Alan, happens to be a good friend of Kate. You might need a spreadsheet to keep track of the intersecting relationships in Fatal.

All of this seems more like a soap opera than a thriller until a group of terrorists start shooting people and blowing things up near the coffee shop where Beth and Kate are chatting about Kate’s infidelity. Hello, terrorists? That comes out of nowhere, and it’s followed by Peter’s murder. So now we’ve got a thriller. But then we’re back to a soap opera as Beth helps Laurie deal with her anorexia while adding her friend Kate to the lengthening list of women who might have wanted Peter dead. That’s a little too much soap for me.

John Lescroart should stick to writing about lawyers. This is a novel about cops, and his cops are tedious and annoying. Beth is more interested in her intuition than evidence and her partner is more interested in being a bully than in doing legitimate police work. When they finally settle on one of a few different competing theories, the partner isn’t the least bit troubled that no evidence establishes the purported killer’s motive. That reflects the sad reality of law enforcement — everyone they meet is a suspect, the presumption of innocence doesn’t exist, and clearing a case is more important than arresting the right person — but as realistic as Beth and her partner might be, I wouldn’t want to know them.

And unfortunately, by the end of Fatal, I didn’t care who shot Peter. The investigating cops are so unlikable and self-righteous that I would have been just as happy to see the crime unsolved — maybe happier, since I didn’t think they deserved to solve it. My favorite character was a CSI guy who kept telling them to stop bothering him until they had some actual evidence that merited investigation.

The solution to the mystery isn’t terribly surprising and the ending is silly, but I don’t have a problem with the plot so much as the disagreeable characters. I hope Lescroart returns to writing about Dismas Hardy. That’s a character I can enjoy.

NOT RECOMMENDED

The Fall by John Lescroart

Published by Atria Books on May 5, 2015

The Fall isn't my favorite Dismas Hardy novel, in part because it lacks the emotional heft of John Lescroart's best work, but it nevertheless tells a good story. While courtroom scenes are strong, they are not as dramatic as those in some earlier novels, perhaps because they focus on Dismas' daughter while Dismas paces around like a worried old dog. It is, however, interesting to see Dismas play the role of father-mentor-coach as he dissects the trial and gives his daughter pointers.

A 17-year-old girl falls to her death from a bridge. Did she jump or was she pushed? A murder investigation ensues and the police, under fire for their failure to solve homicides with African American victims, feel pressured to make an arrest. The District Attorney, criticized for failing to get convictions in homicides against black victims, is under the gun to convict someone. Too often, when the need to secure a conviction has political consequences, the government doesn't care much about whether the right person is being arrested or prosecuted. In this case, the suspect is a volunteer advocate for troubled kids who may or may not have been having an affair with the dead girl.

Having recently met Dismas Hardy's daughter, Rebecca ("the Beck"), the suspect knows where to go for legal help. The Beck is a bit unseasoned to be handling a murder case, but since Dismas is backing her up I didn't view that as a huge stretch. The trial begins only about a third of the way into the novel. Inexplicably, the Beck waits until the trial begins before she sends an investigator out to look for evidence of her client's innocence. Granted, that always worked for Perry Mason, but one might have expected the Beck to give the case more thought before the trial started.

The Fall deftly explores the ugly intersection between race and the criminal justice system. It is spot on in its condemnation of the "rush to justice" (which is too often a rush to injustice) that leads to inadequate investigations, sloppy police work, and questionable accusations, all based on the unstated understanding that quieting the public requires someone to be arrested, even if it might not be the guilty party. Of course, as is common in a Dismas Hardy novel, whether the client is or isn't guilty is ambiguous throughout much of the novel.

The plot turns on an improbable coincidence, but that's true of most modern crime novels. Since life is full of improbable coincidences, they only bother me when they are outlandish, and Lescroart sold me on the possibility that this one could have happened. A bit of drama at the end is too predictable but, on the whole, The Fall is a solid entry in the Dismas Hardy series.

RECOMMENDED