A Certain Justice: A Novel (Abe Glitsky) [Hardcover]

John Lescroart (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1995 | Series: Abe Glitsky

A suspenseful novel that examines the very nature of justice--and injustice--follows an ordinary man who, through no fault of his own, is hounded, hunted, and almost destroyed for a crime he did not commit. 75,000 first printing. $75,000 ad/promo. Tour.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Politics and justice mix like oil and water after racial tensions erupt into violence in this taut and engrossing San Francisco-set thriller. Lescroart (The 13th Juror) wastes no time setting up his story. In the first few, galvanizing pages, an African American lawyer is lynched by a mob of drunk Irish Americans incensed at the murder of one of their friends by a black career criminal. Alone in trying to save the doomed lawyer is Keven Shea, a 28-year-old grad student. But when a photograph showing him trying to hand the lawyer a knife to cut loose the noose is interpreted as an attempted stabbing, Shea, who goes on the lam, becomes the target of a citywide manhunt. He also becomes San Francisco's chief symbol of racial unrest as politicians ranging from the city's district attorney to a U.S. senator pursue their personal interest in declaring him guilty; only Lt. Abe Glitsky, head of the city's homicide detail, seems to be looking at the case objectively. Meanwhile, Shea turns for help to his girlfriend and, in one of the author's few nods toward cliche, to a down-and-out lawyer pal. Throughout, Lescroart keeps a sharp eye on both the big picture and the individual views of a multitude of well-drawn characters. By showing the political maneuvering that can accompany an outbreak of violence, he offers an unusually thoughtful, exciting thriller that evinces insight into incidents and attitudes that seem all too real. 125,000 first printing; $150,000 ad/promo; Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club featured alternates; author tour.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Fans of Lescroart will line up for his newest legal thriller, which takes place over a few stress-filled summer days in San Francisco. When a drug-related murder results in strained race relations in the city, events escalate until a drunken mob lynches a young black attorney. A young white man, Kevin Shea, tries with all his body and soul to stop the crime from happening, but his efforts are wasted, and an irresponsible photographer snaps a shot of Kevin that gets misinterpreted by everyone. The city goes nuts--riots, fires, and a $200,000 reward is posted for Kevin's apprehension. But Kevin, now on the run with his spunky girlfriend, insists on making his role in the event clear and his innocence known. He calls an old friend, attorney Wes Farrell, to help. Once cynical and distrustful of the legal system, Wes regains faith in the law while fighting for Kevin. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Abe Glitzky, head of homicide, calmly gathers evidence, but he gets sidetracked when his old flame, now a U.S. senator, shows up to put her own "spin" on the drama destroying the city. With not one, two, or three, but four major homicides combining into one political and legal nightmare for SF, this makes a good thriller. Kathy Broderick

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Adult; First Edition edition (August 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556114451
• ISBN-13: 978-1556114458
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #822,845 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Never a dull moment, July 31, 2006

By 

Douglas De Bono - Author of No Safe Harbor (Minnetonka, mn United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Certain Justice (Abe Glitsky) (Paperback)

A senseless carjacking/murder by a black gang banger begets a mob lynching of a black lawyer and the city on the bay explodes into a race riot.

Against this violent background John Lescroart unleashes a cast of unforgetable characters.

Kevin Shea - the good Samaritan who tries to stop the lynching and is made to look like evil incarnate.

Loretta Wager - the over ambitious US senator looking for a quick ride to re-election and beyond.

Abe Glitski - a man battling his own demons and a political tidal wave threatening to swamp.

Wes Farell - a disenchanted lawyer trying to drink himself to death and fotget the law.

It is all here and more in another winner.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Hot & Cold, June 1, 2003

By 

EDGAR RAMSPECK "alfonsinho" (East Hartford, CT United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Certain Justice (Abe Glitsky) (Mass Market Paperback)

The first quarter of the book is excellent, the last quarter pretty good. The other half is where I found myself skimming the pages for relevant and interesting material but didn't find much.
Perhaps I expected too much after this good start. Social issues underlying the story are relevant and well presented in my view.
Read it, just get over the rather boring part without quitting.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Wrong Man, March 2, 2006

By 

mrliteral - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: A Certain Justice (Abe Glitsky) (Mass Market Paperback)

The innocent man wrongly accused: it's a story idea strong enough that Alfred Hitchcock made many of his movies based on it. In John Lescroart's A Certain Justice, we get a different take on this theme; although this is well-traveled ground, Lescroart is creative enough to add a couple new things and make an entertaining page-turner.

In San Francisco, after a white man is brutally killed during a carjacking, a black man is arrested. Although it is almost certain he is the killer, he is released for lack of conclusive evidence. During a wake for the CPA, the anger at the suspect's release, fueled by plenty of alcohol, creates a mob mentality that turns on an innocent black man. The leaders of the mob attempt to lynch him.

Kevin Shea tries to intervene, getting out his pocket knife and trying to free the man from the rope around his neck. He fails, the man dies, and an unfortunately timed photo makes him look like a killer. The nature of the hate crime sparks riots and soon Shea is a wanted man. While Lieutenant Abe Glitzky tries to investigate - and has his doubts about Shea's guilt - many others have already tarred him as a brutal killer. Certain politicians - including a U.S. Senator and the District Attorney - have spoken so certainly of Shea's guilt that they will not allow the possibility of his innocence: to do so could injure their own reputations and careers.

At times a crime novel, at times a political one, this story generally succeeds well, although I think occasionally some of the characters are a bit over-the-top. If Lescroart has a statement to make, it is a condemnation of people in responsibility who create or promote agitation for their own personal gains. But, any political statements are actually secondary; the main purpose of this novel is to entertain, and Lescroart has put together a good enough story to merit a high four stars. As a thriller, this is a success.