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books_and_tea_with_me's review against another edition
2.0
interesting, don't know who committed the crime still
martyfried's review against another edition
4.0
Another fairly typical Lescroart novel, although this one deviated a bit. Oh, it had the usual Dismas Hardy widecracks, with Abe Glitsky's dry responses, a few humorous T-shirts, etc. But in this one, we're never sure if the accused is guilty or not, and the ending isn't that happy. But I'm not complaining; I think it's a good thing to break the mold now and then to keep us on our toes.
There is a fair amount of material that relates back to a previous book, "The First Law", so it would be very good if one was to read it before the current one. I usually like to read a series in order, so I knew all about it, and I'm sure it added to my enjoyment. It's not completely necessary, but you will be wondering what happened if you didn't read it first.
There is a fair amount of material that relates back to a previous book, "The First Law", so it would be very good if one was to read it before the current one. I usually like to read a series in order, so I knew all about it, and I'm sure it added to my enjoyment. It's not completely necessary, but you will be wondering what happened if you didn't read it first.
claudetteb's review against another edition
2.0
In the acknowledgements, John Lescroart says "Once it became clear to me that I was pursuing a plotline that did not work too well, I began peppering a group of friends and colleagues for their opinions and suggestions about other ideas and concepts that I hoped would grow into a better book". He needn't have bothered. This book was poorly thought out, poorly developed, and definitely did NOT grow into a better book, just a book with a confused plotline - lines that went nowhere, characters who also went nowhere - just a yawner.
jeannemurray3gmailcom's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed reading this book received from NetGalley. Slow to start, but worth the wait. Interesting in that we are not ever directly told who the murderer is, just that it is not the person that tried.
cmaybin's review against another edition
5.0
This was an awesome book! I had never read anything from this author before and wasn't sure what to expect since its about a character that this author has wrote several books about before but it stands on its own. You don't have to read the other books to be able to follow this one. Its was very well woritten, interesting and kept me on the edge of my seat for most of it. I would totally really recommend this book for anyone who likes the murder/mystery/legal thriller type books. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I did. I can't wait to read more from this author.
strawberrymivvy's review
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I've read many of the previous books in this series and always enjoyed them, but for some reason this one didn't grab me. I found the first half in particular quite confusing and kept having to read back a paragraph or two, which I never normally need to do. It may just be because I've missed a couple in the series where a fairly pivotal event happens, but the writing and characters didn't seem as tight as his other work.
Ultimately the second half of the book, the court case, moved along quicker and I did finish it, though I found the ending unsatisfactory and irritating
Ultimately the second half of the book, the court case, moved along quicker and I did finish it, though I found the ending unsatisfactory and irritating
nadenetotallyaddictedtoreading's review against another edition
4.0
This is suspense filled legal thriller set in the city of San Francisco. This is my first taste of a John Lescroart novel and I must say I enjoyed it. The characters were well developed and throughout the story the reader is able to see how each of them grows. They each had something to hide and this helped to add to the the intrigue of the whole story. This story is filled with a lot of questions but the most important one is who is the murderer?There were so many suspects even though the evidence pointed to one particular person. The story started it out with a bang, but it tapered of somewhat eventually picking up back the pace during the trial. I enjoyed how the author portrayed the the trial. It had me wondering what the defense team would be willing to do to get their client off. I was disappointed with the ending as I am still wondering who the actual murderer is.
I would recommend this book to lovers of mystery and legal thrillers.
I would recommend this book to lovers of mystery and legal thrillers.
booksuperpower's review against another edition
4.0
The Ophelia Cut by John Lescroart is the latest installment in the Dimas Hardy series. This book was provided to me by Atria publishing and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book was published in May 2013.
The gang is back. Diz and Moses and Abe. Moses is trying to stay sober and is doing a great job until his daughter Brittany hooks up with the wrong guy. After he confronts the man about harassing his daughter, the man turns up dead and of course we can guess who the prime suspect is.
Diz must try and help his old friend who is also his brother in law. The truth is everyone who puts themselves in Moses's position knows deep down they would do the same thing if it was their daughter and for the most part everyone including Moses's wife and daughter thinks he is guilty.
But, there are other suspects. So, did Moses take revenge on the man that hurt his daughter or was it the guy's lifestyle and rather sleazy associates that got him murdered?
This is one the hardest cases and hardest situations Dismas has been in a long while. The weight of decisions made in the past still hang in the air around the close friends and family and is always like an elephant in the room. Could this case be somehow connected to the past?
I have to admit that I love Dismas Hardy legal thrillers. I was looking forward to this one for awhile and have actually been hoarding this one because I don't know when there will be another one.
This installment though will leave you in complete shock like no other before it. I am still reeling from the developments and of course I'm sure the author has raised a few eyebrows from long time fans.
I'm a little unsettled about the whole thing and many questions are left unanswered or rather left up to the reader to draw their own conclusions. I'm going to have to think on it before I decide for sure, but I do hope we get a follow up to this story soon.
This was still a solid outing in the series even if I wasn't thrilled with the plot developments.
So, I'm still going to give this one an A.
This book was published in May 2013.
The gang is back. Diz and Moses and Abe. Moses is trying to stay sober and is doing a great job until his daughter Brittany hooks up with the wrong guy. After he confronts the man about harassing his daughter, the man turns up dead and of course we can guess who the prime suspect is.
Diz must try and help his old friend who is also his brother in law. The truth is everyone who puts themselves in Moses's position knows deep down they would do the same thing if it was their daughter and for the most part everyone including Moses's wife and daughter thinks he is guilty.
But, there are other suspects. So, did Moses take revenge on the man that hurt his daughter or was it the guy's lifestyle and rather sleazy associates that got him murdered?
This is one the hardest cases and hardest situations Dismas has been in a long while. The weight of decisions made in the past still hang in the air around the close friends and family and is always like an elephant in the room. Could this case be somehow connected to the past?
I have to admit that I love Dismas Hardy legal thrillers. I was looking forward to this one for awhile and have actually been hoarding this one because I don't know when there will be another one.
This installment though will leave you in complete shock like no other before it. I am still reeling from the developments and of course I'm sure the author has raised a few eyebrows from long time fans.
I'm a little unsettled about the whole thing and many questions are left unanswered or rather left up to the reader to draw their own conclusions. I'm going to have to think on it before I decide for sure, but I do hope we get a follow up to this story soon.
This was still a solid outing in the series even if I wasn't thrilled with the plot developments.
So, I'm still going to give this one an A.
canada_matt's review against another edition
5.0
Lescroart brings back his key character, Dismas Hardy, to ensure a massive hit, and does not disappoint. Pushing forward a few storylines throughout the opening third of the book, Lescroart paints a multi-faceted story that helps the reader reacquaint themselves with the players involved. When news about the murder of a political up-and-comer begins trickling down, a strong motive emerges for one character, though he declares his strong innocence. Is there more to the story than meets the eye? Lescroart dedicates the second half of the book to a thorough and stunningly powerful courtroom drama where Hardy must use all his skills as a criminal defence attorney to prove an alternate theory, even if there is little more than breadcrumbs to do so. Sitting on a precarious edge, Hardy is entrusted not only with getting the accused off for a crime he says he did not commit, but also to keep a deep secret that could bring a group down with ties to all aspects of the city’s political fabric. Using San Francisco as an ongoing backdrop, Lescroart tells an entertaining story, filled with character development, drama, and intrigue that keeps the reader hooked until the dust cover closes. In true Lescroart fashion, cliff-hangers abound and no slack jaw is safe from a stunning plummet into the ‘O’ position.
I have always admired Lescroart for his complex storyline, especially as it relates to a Hardy novel. It is too easy to make a cookie-cutter book with superficial characters and a plot to match. Lescroart prefers generating something with storylines that advances all characters in his literary quiver. His ability to create cameos of some characters to accentuate others keeps the reader closely tied to the entire collection, though it can create some confusion and the need to re-read past work as a homework assignment in order to better place the themes arcing from one book to the next. Not a plotline goes by without a great ‘ah ha’ moment and I am left trying to amass all the crumbs to bring the story together. No doubt, Lescroart prefers this more in-depth approach, which keeps the avid reader coming back for more, and begging publishers to announce the next instalment.
Kudos, as always, Mr. Lescroart for your ability to capture a thoroughly intriguing courtroom drama while adding new layers to characters. I am so eager to devour the next book, knowing I will not be disappointed.
I have always admired Lescroart for his complex storyline, especially as it relates to a Hardy novel. It is too easy to make a cookie-cutter book with superficial characters and a plot to match. Lescroart prefers generating something with storylines that advances all characters in his literary quiver. His ability to create cameos of some characters to accentuate others keeps the reader closely tied to the entire collection, though it can create some confusion and the need to re-read past work as a homework assignment in order to better place the themes arcing from one book to the next. Not a plotline goes by without a great ‘ah ha’ moment and I am left trying to amass all the crumbs to bring the story together. No doubt, Lescroart prefers this more in-depth approach, which keeps the avid reader coming back for more, and begging publishers to announce the next instalment.
Kudos, as always, Mr. Lescroart for your ability to capture a thoroughly intriguing courtroom drama while adding new layers to characters. I am so eager to devour the next book, knowing I will not be disappointed.
nadenetotallyaddictedtoreading's review against another edition
4.0
This is suspense filled legal thriller set in the city of San Francisco. This is my first taste of a John Lescroart novel and I must say I enjoyed it. The characters were well developed and throughout the story the reader is able to see how each of them grows. They each had something to hide and this helped to add to the the intrigue of the whole story. This story is filled with a lot of questions but the most important one is who is the murderer?There were so many suspects even though the evidence pointed to one particular person. The story started it out with a bang, but it tapered of somewhat eventually picking up back the pace during the trial. I enjoyed how the author portrayed the the trial. It had me wondering what the defense team would be willing to do to get their client off. I was disappointed with the ending as I am still wondering who the actual murderer is.
I would recommend this book to lovers of mystery and legal thrillers.
I would recommend this book to lovers of mystery and legal thrillers.