Publishers Weekly
When Dylan, the manager of the successful Bay Beans West Coffee Shop, is found shot dead with a backpack full of marijuana, the evidence points toward the cafe's owner, Maya Townshead, as the killer. When another body is found and Maya is linked to that killing as well, she is charged with murder. Lescroart's stalwart San Francisco attorney, Dismas Hardy, is brought in as Maya's defense lawyer, and as he digs into the case, he uncovers secrets from Maya's past that, once revealed, may prove her innocence or may just as easily send her to prison. David Colacci's clear, deliberate delivery keeps the complicated story moving smoothly forward, while his gift for vocal characterizations shines in the author's expertly written courtroom scenes. A Dutton hardcover (Reviews, May 11). (July)
A Plague of Secrets (Dismas Hardy Series #13)
by John Lescroart
Dismas Hardy, Abe Glitsky, and Wyatt Hunt return
When high-grade marijuana is found on a coffee-shop manager murdered in San Francisco, it suggests that the shop's owner, Maya Townshend, may be behind more than a caffeine fix. But when another murder exposes a drug-buying A-list celebrity and political clientele, a tabloid-fueled controversy takes the
Editorial Reviews
Library Journal
Lescroart does not disappoint with his latest novel, the 20th he's penned and the 13th to feature lawyer Dismas Hardy, again paired with head of San Francisco homicide Abe Glitsky. When the police arrest politically connected small-business owner Maya Townshend for the murder of one of her employees, Dismas must beat the clock to find the real killer. With Maya less than forthcoming about aspects of her past and her connection to the victim, investigator Wyatt Hunt and his Hunt Club must work to uncover things that are buried deep in the past. The novel, part setup of the crime and part courtroom thriller, maintains a steady pace with tight writing and characters that ring true. While affable Dismas carries the lead, Glitsky deals with his son's near-fatal injury, for which he blames himself—a subplot that could have been further explored. But this is a quibble about a terrific read. VERDICT John Grisham fans will love the courtroom drama and straight-to-the-facts style. The publisher is rightly committed to making this best-selling author a household name. [See Prepub Alert, LJ3/1/09.]—Amanda Scott, Cambridge Springs P.L., PA
—Amanda Scott
Kirkus Reviews
Not even pot-tolerant San Francisco can ignore the complications that follow the murder of a dealer who seems to have been keeping half the town high. Dylan Vogler earned $90,000 a year managing Haight-Ashbury's Bay Beans West, twice as much as he would have made at Starbucks, but not enough to keep him from growing and selling high-grade cannabis to a select list of about 70 clients. When he's shot to death outside the coffeehouse clutching a backpack full of weed, everyone who ever knew him goes into a defensive crouch. Inspectors Darrel Bracco and Debra Schiff wonder why BBW owner Maya Townshend would deny knowing anything about his dealing and insist that the only reason for his sky-high salary was to keep a good employee happy. When they learn that Vogler treated his boss like a hired hand; link both of them to a dicey shared past; and place her at the crime scene right around the time of the murder, they promote Townshend to a person of interest. Striking an unholy alliance with a U.S. Attorney eager for publicity, Bracco and Schiff threaten to seize both Townshend's coffee shop and her wealthy husband's real-estate holdings as drug proceeds. When another friend from her shady school days is found murdered, they stick her in the pokey. By this time, Townshend has retained Dismas Hardy as her counsel, and her problems have become his. In fact, given a client whose every utterance is either ambiguous or an out-and-out fib, Hardy doesn't see how he can possibly get her off. There'll be a walloping big courtroom surprise, but as has become customary in Hardy's recent cases (Betrayal, 2008, etc.), this one doesn't come to a full boil until afterwards, in an ill-advised shootout thatpunishes the guilty and then some. Less issue-driven than usual, more of a whodunit-and a sharp one at that.
Product Details
- ISBN-13:
- 9780451228321
- Publisher:
- Penguin Publishing Group
- Publication date:
- 06/01/2010
- Series:
- Dismas Hardy Series , #13
- Pages:
- 512
- Sales rank:
- 167,036
- Product dimensions:
- 4.20(w) x 7.40(h) x 1.40(d)
- Age Range:
- 18 Years
What People are Saying About This
Lee Child
"The best of the best: the best yet in today's best legal thriller series--tense and compelling, of course, but also intelligent, human, and wise."--(Lee Child, New York Times bestselling author of Nothing To Lose)
Steve Berry
"Through tight prose, surgical plotting, and relentless pacing, Lescroart offers more of his unadorned reality, expertly exploring the seamier side of law, politics, ethics, and morality. A Plague of Secrets is a prize to be savored."--(Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author of The Charlemagne Pursuit)
Meet the Author
John Lescroart is the bestselling author of eighteen previous novels, which have sold more than ten million copies. He lives with his family in Northern California.
Brief Biography
- Hometown:
- El Macero, California
- Date of Birth:
- January 14, 1948
- Place of Birth:
- Houston, Texas
- Education:
- B.A. in English with Honors, UC Berkeley, 1970
Customer Reviews
Average Review:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
A Plague of Secrets (Dismas Hardy Series #13)
3.8 out of 5
based on
0 ratings.
62 reviews.
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Another good story from John Lescroart for all his Diz Hardy and Abe Glitsky fans, set in beautiful San Francisco. The wait between books is always worth it. This one has a good plot, lots of courtroom dramatics, and a STUNNING ending. What more could a fan ask for? It's one for the permanent library.
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Mr. Lescroart has written another great Dismas Hardy book. His writing style is crisp and to the point, not a lot of extraneous descriptions that are unnecessary to telling the story. As always, I am looking forward to his next book.
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This is the first John Lescroart book I've read. Pretty Good. An exciting and surprising conclusion. I read it in one weekend, and found it an exciting page turner. I would recommend it as a good summer "shade tree" read.
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John Lescroart has spun a tight tale of murder and lies, fully compelling in its characters traveling the streets of San Francisco. The courtroom scenes are top notch, but I think he got pretty carried away at the ending. It didn't spoil the tale, but it did prevent his conclusion from being as good as the main story.
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If you listened to The Vig, Betrayal, or any number of Lescroart's other thrillers narrated by Colacci you know what a terrific voice performer he is. I called his reading of Second Chair "Vital and arresting" - the same holds true of A Plague of Secrets.
What a good move it is to continue to pair the same accomplished reader with succeeding stories in a series. That person becomes so ingrained in listeners' minds (or ears) as a particular character that, for me, the battle for a sale is half won. Such is certainly the case with Colacci and Dismas Hardy. Can't have one without the other and wouldn't want it any other way.
Lescroart continues to intrigue with seemingly endless plot variations and imaginative twists. Here, with his 13th thriller we meet a mysterious woman - Maya Townsend. Of course, she's gorgeous, well connected (her uncle is the mayor) and silent partner in a popular San Francisco hangout - the Bay Beans West Coffee Shop. However, there seems to have been a lot more than latte offered there.
The manager of the shop, Danny Vogel, is shot to death, and a quantity of marijuana is found in his knapsack. Slight problem: the murder weapon was Maya's. Next another friend of hers is found dead - this time with a cleaver separating his skull and Maya's fingerprints are found in his apartment. It's not long before we discover that the two recently departed had been blackmailing Maya for something that is past history but could still send shock waves through the city.
She has hired Dismas to help her, which turns out to be more of a challenge than he had realized as prosecutors go for broke at her trial. So, we have murders, legal shenanigans, and a beautiful enigmatic woman - enjoy!
- Gail Cooke
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Never read John Lescroart before, but I am a long time fan of John Grisham. While the styles are not exactly the same, the legal thriller is something I really enjoy. I will be reading more of Mr. Lescroart going forward. An excellent read.
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I found the book to be very interesting and recommended it to other reading friends.
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As usual he does a great job. His stories never get stale. Not that his style is like them but his books are like Parker & Mickey Spilane just good fun to read
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I've just finished reading the above referenced book.It held my interest to the point I was late for my office managerial position because i couldn't stop reading the book until the last page. It was sensational! Mr. Lescroart, Thank you for exciting moments as you never fail to hold my interest with your anticlimactic endings. The charaters in this book were very clearly brought out and the plot was riveting. wWthout giving the plot away, I was literally at the edge of my seat at the end, reading the action that took place in the Courtroon Whew! I await your next book with exciting anticipation...You are one of my favoarite mystery writers along with others such as Flynn, Crais, Margolin, Katzenbach, Tanenbaum, W.E.B Griffin, Martini, etc. Enjoyment of a mystery experience is achieved by picking up any one of your books... But as an avid fan, I highly recomment a Plague of Secrets to everyone who enjoys a good mystery.Julie De Chiara.
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Another entertaining beek in the Dismas Hardy series. I love the characters in this series, and while this book is still entertaining, it is not quite as good as others in the series.
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