At the start of the adrenaline-infused 10th thriller to feature DA Dismas Hardy (Dead Irish, etc.) from bestseller Lescroart, Hardy agrees to wrap up some of the caseload of a Bay Area lawyer who has mysteriously disappeared. After discovering that the lawyer was set to appeal an apparently straightforward murder case, Hardy realizes that the crime had its origins in Iraq, where the alleged killer and his victim first met. With the help of his old friend, Det. Abe Glitsky, Hardy learns that the victim, ex-navy SEAL Ron Nolan, was sleeping with the girlfriend of National Guard Reservist Evan Scholler, who was later convicted of killing Nolan. As Hardy and Glitsky dig deeper, they discover that Nolan had committed several murders himself, and it's up to Dismas and Hardy to unravel the conspiracy that may have roots in the U.S. government. Lescroart weaves his trademark complicated yet fast-moving tale, full of believable characters and crisp dialogue. A first-rate addition to the author's ongoing series, this should please both longtime readers and new fans. (Feb.)
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Betrayal (Dismas Hardy Series #12)
Narrated by David Colacci
John LescroartUnabridged — 14 hours, 39 minutes
Betrayal (Dismas Hardy Series #12)
Narrated by David Colacci
John LescroartUnabridged — 14 hours, 39 minutes
Overview
New York Times bestselling author John Lescroart presents an ambitious thriller featuring San Francisco defense attorney Dismas Hardy.
“Betrayal is provocative...a tour de force of a legal thriller.”-The Providence Journal
Dismas Hardy agrees to take an appeal to overturn the murder conviction of National Guard reservist Evan Scholler. Scholler had plenty of reasons for revenge-but as Dismas delves into the case, he begins to uncover a terrible truth that drops him right into the complicated world of government conspiracy, assassination, and betrayal...
Editorial Reviews
In Lescroart's (Hard Evidence) latest Dismas Hardy novel, our hero only appears in the opening and closing chapters. The middle of the book recounts the tragic experiences of Redwood, CA, police officer Evan Scholler before and after his tour of duty in Iraq. An officer in the National Guard, Evan is befriended by charismatic former Navy SEAL Ron Nolan. Now working for a private security firm, Ron betrays Evan twice. He drives a deep wedge between Evan and his girlfriend, Tara, then provokes a firefight that kills an Iraqi family, seven men in Evan's company, and leaves him severely wounded. Evan returns home but suffers from memory loss, post-traumatic stress disorder, and alcohol abuse. When Ron is found dead, Evan is accused, tried, and sentenced for the murder. Dismas is asked to handle the appeal, and San Francisco detective Abe Glitsky investigates a series of murders that may be connected. Lescroart's plot is timely and contains enough twists and turns to hold the listener's interest. Read by David Colacci, Betrayal is an excellent addition for audio collections with heavy traffic in courtroom procedurals. [Lescroart is the New York Times best-selling author of The Suspect.-Ed.]
—Stephen L. Hupp
Bay Area lawyer Dismas Hardy's first starring role since The First Law (2003) tackles a controversial subject: the independent contractors making a killing in Iraq. Even though he was defended by hotshot attorney Aaron Washburn, it's no wonder that Evan Scholler was convicted of murdering Ron Nolan in 2005. The two men had been close in Baghdad: Scholler an ex-cop National Guard lieutenant whose unit was deployed to Iraq with no clear mission, Nolan a contractor for Allstrong Security who inveigled the unit into accompanying his hefty cash pickups. But their friendship shattered when Nolan, having seduced Scholler's ex-girlfriend Tara Wheatley back in the States, provoked an ambush that decimated Scholler's group and left him with a brain injury. When he finally learned the depth of Nolan's perfidy, Scholler vowed to kill him, and all the evidence indicates that he did. Three years after Washburn's unsuccessful defense, Charlie Bowen, the attorney preparing Scholler's appeal, vanished. Now, after six months, he's been declared incompetent to file the appeal, which has been assigned to Hardy. After sitting out most of the opening 300 pages, Hardy settles down to sift through reams of documents, most of them damning. Eventually he notices a sinister pattern: Several minor figures associated with the case (an ex-SEAL with Allstrong, an Iraqi middleman, Charlie Bowen's suspicious wife) have died violently, leaving behind no evidence of who killed them. Was Scholler framed after all? Of course he was-and although it's pretty obvious who did the job and why, it's a pleasure watching Hardy pick up the scattered pieces and fit them together. Sturdy wartime intrigue, subpar courtroom drama, littlemystery, much righteous (and infectious) anger. A great case, but a decidedly mixed verdict. Agent: Barney Karpfinger/Karpfinger Agency
Praise for Betrayal
“Lescroart dispatches courtroom scenes with crisp efficiency.”—Entertainment Weekly
“Easily usurps the latest from Grisham and Turow.”—The Providence Journal-Bulletin
“A great read.”—Booklist
“Extremely satisfying.”—Library Journal
“A first-rate addition to the author's ongoing series, this should please both longtime readers and new fans.”—Publishers Weekly
There's much more than usual going on—almost too much—in Lescroart’s latest legal thriller featuring Dismas Hardy. Narrator David Colacci handles the plots and subplots effortlessly. Hardy is called on to handle the murder appeal of a veteran of the Iraq war. Not only has the vet's former lawyer mysteriously disappeared, but the lawyer’s wife seems to have committed suicide. Somehow the FBI and national security agents become involved. All told, there are four mysteries to be solved. Colacci capably juxtaposes the Iraqi war events with the veteran's legal proceedings—which are exciting and believable, thanks to strong narration. The only blemish on this offering is the author's lack of legal accuracy. But legal accuracy isn't always necessary when you have a good story. A.L.H. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940169583779 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Brilliance Audio |
| Publication date: | 02/26/2008 |
| Series: | Dismas Hardy Series , #12 |
| Edition description: | Unabridged |
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