Dead Irish: A Dismas Hardy Novel

With "Dead Irish" John Lescroat begins his wonderful San Francisco-based thriller series, introducing many of the characters who populate subsequent episodes. I call the series soap-opera thrillers -- meaning no disparagement whatsoever -- because Lescroart devotes so much attention to character development. He makes us feel a real connection to his characters and the intricacies of their lives. I can see how this degree of character development might annoy some thriller fans who want plenty of action, without non-essential distractions. And to those people I would not recommend Lescroart's novels. But Lescroart clearly had a series in mind when he began it with "Dead Irish," wanting to establish his characters' motivations and emotional underpinnings. Lescroart writes well to start with, improving with each installment, providing us with a chain of very enjoyable audiobooks. Although each episode can stand alone -- since Lescroart always fills in the details we need to know from previous episodes -- I recommend listening to this series in chronological sequence, in order to fully appreciate the developing story. David Colacci has the perfect voice and acting chops to read these audiobooks, using the same voices for each character throughout the series. I only regret that Mr. Colacci wasn't tapped to read all the Lescroart audiobooks, because the other readers break the consistency Colacci had established. I highly recommend the entire series to all thriller-lovers who have the patience for good character development and intricate plotting.

Abe Glitzky and Dismas Hardy are two of the greatest fictional characters ever created. Lescroarts' series is
justifiably famous, and Davis Colacci's narration is tone-perfect. The feel of San Francisco (where I have lived and worked since 1978) is so vivid and accurate that you can't help but feel you are there. The plots are classic thrillers, and Lescroarts keeps you guessing until the very end. His knowledge of police behavior, criminals, defense attorneys and investigators is deep, the result of years of working in that environment. The author certainly writes what he knows. Hardy and Glitzky have grown during the long series, have had their disasters and triumphs, much like the rest of us, perhaps more dramatically than most lives; maybe not. Anyone who enjoys this genre will be thrilled. I guarantee it.

I don't know why I found this so hard to follow and keep hooked into but I suspect it's the lack of focus on the main character. There is a great crime writer in there somewhere but this book was very average. The story flits around from so many perspectives it's hard to build a bond with the lead character.

I may give the author a second chance.

This was a decent read but I have enjoyed many others far better. Lescroart develops a number of characters, spending a lot of time profiling two different suspects in a murder case. Three quarters of the way through (or longer) a very simple fact (their alibi's) clear them and a very unlikely third suspect is worked in. I hope this review doesn't spoil the thrill of the story for anybody, but it did for me in listening to it. Narration was decent but again, not the best I have ever heard. As there is so much positive out there about this series, I will hang in there and get more.

Lescroart is an intelligent and sensitive man, this book shows it. I'm thinking that others might become interested in his characters and life view. I didn't. It was well read, no problems there and I'll look for David Colacci in the future. I just found the plot and characters flat. And the ending was tortuously predictable. Sorry, just can't recommend Dead Irish.

Tried several times to get into the story. Not sure if the narrator was just TOO boring or if the story line was too boring, either way I never finished it!