Guilt

I've always enjoyed Lescroart's books -- but this one is at the top of my list. All the characters are interestingly and insightfuly developed. The author's portrayal of a psychopathic/narcissistic character is especially well written.

the reader was also outstanding.

I couldn't stop listening once I started and wished it would keep on going, even though the ending was gratifying.

This was the first Lescroart book I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Mark Dooher is an attorney who has made it to the top. At first glance he has it all, but Lescroart, through other characters, gives very subtle indicators of Dooher's darker side. Dooher ends up indicted for murder of his long-time wife and Wes Farrell, his best friend as well as Christine, the new girlfriend, stand steadfastly by his side. The court room drama begins to unravel all that the characters have held to be true and the reader wants to jump in and save them all - but can't. If there is one criticism of the book it's the rather cardboard relationship between Sam and Wes, which actually continues on into other books (which I started to read after reading this one). But there is little doubt that Lescroart is a master of courtroom drama. Good read and credible narrator.

When I first started listening to "Guilt," I thought that this novel, despite the copyright dates, must come chronologically before "A Certain Justice," Lescroart's previous novel. But, actually, Lescroart here has used the risky technique of filling in the back-story missing from "A Certain Justice." I don't think the technique quite works with "Guilt," since it leaves the listener feeling a bit confused until the end, where the story jumps to events after "A Certain Justice." For this reason, I have docked one star from my rating of "Guilt." Otherwise, Lescroart gives us his usual excellent writing, and David Colacci gives us his usual excellent narration. Perhaps, to vent another slight criticism of "Guilt," Lescroart paints the bad guy -- Mark Dooher -- with a bit of cartoonist's brush: portraying a villain so good and likable on the outside that nobody can see the evil on the inside. But we like our bad guys bad, and our good guys good, don't we? We already know, from "A Certain Justice," that Mark Dooher is a bad guy, so we have inside knowledge that the other characters don't have; and we keep wondering when the other characters are going to wake up to Dooher's inner wickedness. Of course, he gets his just deserts in the end. I would recommend "Guilt" to Lescroart fans, suspense fans, and legal thriller fans who have patience for good character development and intricate plotting. Only I might recommend that they listen to "Guilt" before listening to "A Certain Justice," since these two novels seem to have been published out of sequence in Lescroart's San Francisco series.

To me, Lescroart is the king of the legal thrillers and I have read/listened to almost all of his novels. And, in my opinion, this is his best. It wrapped me up from beginning to end. HIghly recommended!

This was my first John Lescroart book but it won't be my last! He develops interesting plotlines and characters and the book describes San Franscisco beautifully. It is a long book, but it kept my attention all the way through. I thought the narrator was excellent.

The story was flat and predictable. I suppose even a writer as reliable as Lescroat has to drop the ball once in a while. However, this book is an aberration in Lescroat's otherwise satisfying efforts.

Good story but way too many words. I understand the character development of Dooher and it was well done. But I do not want to believe people can be that gullible.

Another story with a good rich characters that plummet at the end. If the author had taken another direction or ending then perhaps it would have been worth the time and money. I would not recommend this book. Maybe I have high expectations but this book just didn't have the substance to sustain it.

PRETTY GOOD READ. I FELT LIKE OKAY, ALRIGHT, LETS GET TO THE CONCLUSION, I KNOW THE ENDING. BUT THE CHARACTERS WERE GOOD, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS TOO MUCH TIME SPENT WITH EACH.