The Hearing [Abridged, Audiobook] [Audio Cassette]

Although the book is about 10 years old I just read it fo the first time. I always look for John Lescroart's books and am always happy to find one I have not read. This was one of the best I have read. I never found it dragged and whenever the book risked becoming bogged down with slow legal courtroom scenes (and it never did) it moved along quickly to another chapter and twist in the plot. I really cannot think of a single critisism. Great characters, lots of twists and best of all a truly satisfying ending in all ways. A great read.

I am famous in my family for saying everything's "too long." Even a movie needs a good editor. What director can be hard-nosed enough to chop up her or his self-perceived perfect final cut?

Well, the Dismas Hardy books are the exception to my rule. For example, The Hearing could arguably be called slightly too long. But to me, a thick book featuring Dismas Hardy (and/or the characters around him) is a delight.

Once in a while I have to go back and check just who exactly one of the characters is, but Lescroart, at least so far, has a firm hold on his plot and protagonists. Hardy and his wife and children, and their friends and co-workers, are so interesting. It would be incorrect to call Lescroart's books "cosy mysteries," a phrase I have heard used for some British novels. But the settings in the homes of the characters, their unique personal quirks, the offices where people work, not to mention the wonderful environs of San Francisco, make these books the kind you want to curl up with on a cold winter night (not to mention a warm summer day).

Is the book far fetched? Only slightly. A poem is supposed to be the concentration and distillation of many melding thoughts, concepts, ideas. A book is like that. All the things could happen, maybe not so many packed into a relatively short space and time frame, but the writer must be licensed to do this else the story could really run on forever.

I can't remember the first Lescroart book I ever read, but I think perhaps it was not a Dismas Hardy one. No matter, I was hooked. Unfortunately I did not make a note of the author's name and had to wait till I came across more books by him. I will say that the Dismas Hardy books are more enjoyable when read in sequence, as I'm doing now, and when I've read them all I'll be frustrated if more haven't been produced by then..

One of Lescroart's strength's is his sense of humour. The repartee between characters is often downright funny. He has ongoing situations that I look forward to with gusto: the sour-faced secretary and guard dog for David Freeman, Hardy's landlord with the brilliant legal mind...the literally gut-wrenching specials of the day at Lou's restaurant. They say that one of the hardest things to do is to write humour. Personally I think that it's something some writers can do, and some just can't. Lescroart has the requisite gold dust.

I liked the fact in this book that Hardy's friend Abe Glitsky meets and hooks up with his new love, Treya Ghent. When you don't read books in order, some of these things are slightly confusing. It can't be helped, even if the writer adds a phrase or two of explanation.

But do columnists really write such angry columns as the ones Hardy's friend Jeff Elliot writes? I'm going to read my newspaper more carefully now to see if Canadian columnists are as blunt. Maybe I can believe that old saw that Canadians are really nice (an opinion held by Canadians, if no one else). Are we also less litigious? I don't know. We've had some shocking examples of sloppiness and just plain evil in our political and judiciary systems. I digress. But I was glad to see the Elliots back again.

I can recommend this book. Highly.

I want to personally thank the author for he Dismas Harding series. I love nothing more than repeat characters in a good novel. And, with Lescroart's Dismas novels each character grows in strength, sincerity and family unity and develops self-identity. The reader enjoys the relationship of family and friends. Lescroart takes us into the homes and everyday lives of his characters and creates an atmosphere of warmth, love, unity, commitment and spirituality (Abe, his father, and children) while endowing his characters with a sense of humor. The relationship between Dismas and Abe (two tough guys) is really tender and caring.
The crux of a Lescroart Dismas Harding Series is, of course The Law; the way it should be but always isn't; but in the end, justice does prevail. He brings realism to a trial portrayal so lacking in other novels. He emphasis Dismas' frustration as a lawyer who is limited by courtroom procedure and yet gives Dismas the legal (and sometimes not so legal) tools to present his compelling evidence.
It also appears from reading this series that Mr. Lescroart has a respect for not only lawyers, but for the working staff in a law office such as the paralegals, clerks, etc. I like that in his novels.
Am I a fan of Lescroart? Of course and I can't wait to read The Oath.
Thank you Mr. Lescroart for a great series - don't ever stop giving me the pleasure of reading about my favorite characters.