• The Motive

  • Dismas Hardy, Book 11
  • By: John Lescroart
  • Narrated by: David Colacci
  • Length: 14 hrs and 38 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (340 ratings)

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The Motive  By  cover art

The Motive

By: John Lescroart
Narrated by: David Colacci
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Publisher's summary

It starts with a double homicide. Because of the high profiles of the victims - a politically connected socialite and his glamorous fiancée - the mayor of San Francisco herself demands that a high-ranking detective be put on the case. And so Abe Glitsky is thrust into the controversial investigation.

Dan Cuneo, the officer already working the case, is immediately wary of Glitsky and doesn't hide his distrust. Matters are made worse when Cuneo starts to focus on his primary suspect - who also happens to be an old girlfriend of Dismas Hardy. For Hardy and Glitsky, this is an awkward and uncomfortable coincidence. But for Cuneo, it's proof positive of collusion, and yet another instance of Glitsky cheating with his insider friends and cronies.

Convinced that Hardy's client is the wrong suspect, Glitsky breaks ranks within the police department to continue his own investigation. As Hardy's murder trial builds to its stunning conclusion, Glitsky's search for the truth does more than fuel suspicion against the two men. It reveals a trail of deception that leads beyond San Francisco, where exposing desperate secrets can be the most deadly offense.

Check out more titles in the Dismas Hardy series.
©2004 John Lescroart (P)2004 Brilliance Audio

What listeners say about The Motive

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Ed
  • 11-20-08

Last hour lost it a star

I came across this title in paperback and was intrigued by a Washington Post blurb on the back cover that read, "Surpasses anything Grisham ever wrote ... " I like Grisham so I checked the availability on Audible and ultimately downloaded it. The good news is that the listen was a good one. The bad news is that the Washington Post was wrong. This novel told a couple of stories that were skillfully linked. I truly enjoyed both the investigative pursuits and the courtroom dialogue. I correctly guessed "who done it" about halfway through the listen and was pleased when some of the assumptions I made were revealed. There is misdirection but Lescroart gives the reader enough information to deduce what might have happened. What disappointed me was the history behind the "culprit" and what drove him/her to commit the crime. I thought it was a tad far fetched. But don't let that stop you from giving a listen to this otherwise entertaining book. I'll try another in the Hardy series.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

One of the best of the great Hardy-Glitsky series.

This is a great mystery story. Although there are enough hints to anticipate the big surprise, it didn't detract from wanting to find out who and why! Readers new to the series are likely to get bored with all the details of the Hardy and Glitsky families, but if, as I do, I find their relationships and histories interesting and realistic, you won't mind. Further, the characters age and change, so it is best to read most of this series in sequence.
Colacci does his usual excellent work as narrator. Highly recommended.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Not as good as he should be

Lescroart wanders into areas he doesn't know well enough, to the story's detriment. He also displays a lot of the laziness he's prone to: bad grammar, often using the wrong word/s and not finding his end product important enough to warrant the effort of finding the right one. The worst failure is that he crams an entire sub-novel (and a lousy one) into the last moments of the book, rather than weaving it in or trimming it down in a competent way. I got the sense that, by the time he'd gotten that far, he just lost interest and wanted to be done with it. It shows.

AUDIO: Not a terrible reader, but not a good one. Too much overemphasis, and too many nits like mispronunciations and the bizarre decision to make life-long Bay Area residents speak with a New York City accent any time they're feeling macho.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Pretty good ... with reservation

The story was engaging, the characters good, not great and not easily discernible. Too many look-alike women, cars, etc. Different format, with the book being broken into parts that feature Glitsky then Hardy. An odd thing happened near the end: Past tense changed to present tense during the high tension "solving" of the crime. Odd to me, disjointed in the hearing/reading.

I think I would have liked more integration of the various story lines rather than what felt like discrete parts. Glitsky played a stronger role, which I do like, and Franny fell into the same old "perfect wife" role that Trea also does.

Not my favorite, but not the least liked either.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding legal/crime drama.1 of the series best

Where does The Motive rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

its in my top 5 , maybe top 3 for the Dismas Hardy/Abe Glitzky series

What did you like best about this story?

The court room scenes are terrific. I enjoyed the corrupt police angle. Excellent pacing and it held my interest.

Have you listened to any of David Colacci’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Another great job by Colacci

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Still Listening - 3-star rating is not final.

What did you like best about The Motive? What did you like least?

Not finished with book yet.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Not finished with book yet.

What three words best describe David Colacci’s voice?

I usually like Colacci's narration a lot, but this time he doesn't seem to be into it. The Abe Glitsky voice is only marginally similar to the voice Colacci has used for Abe in all of the other Lescroart books I've listened to in the past. Had I listened to this one first, I might feel differently, but since I've come to expect that gravely, sarcastic tone when Abe speaks, I'm a little disappointed in this reading.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

??

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Love the series

This was really good but I felt that it went off the rails in part 3

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

another great Dismas Hardy book

I loved this story and the narration is fabulous. looking forward to the next one.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

My favorite book in the Hardy/ Glitsky series so far

John Lescroart book provides another fascinating police procedural/ legal thriller. In addition, the reader learns about many topics ( arson, banking procedures, San Francisco political games).
I was particularly interested in learning more about the crisis and struggles in Algérie between the French supported FNL and Islamic resistance.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

First impressions are blown all to ****

This is another series that I have ignored for too long, particularly knowing, as I did, how much I like and get fulfillment from the books!
This particular book is divided into three parts. The first part, as I recall it, is more of an introduction to the characters and situation than anything else. The second part is a trial, and the third part sort of ties up loose ends and gives motivation and the reason for the whole situation. It was done well, but original alliances and character likes and dislikes are muddied, and in the end, the reader's not sure whether or not to agree with the actions and outcomes around the main character of the third part!
Not wanting to spoil the book or the plot with this review, I really can't be more specific, but Lescroart weaves a complex and satisfying plot with several characters whose personalities are mixed. Excellent book!
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