Hard Evidence (Dismas Hardy) [Hardcover]

John Lescroart (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 18, 1993 | Series: Dismas Hardy

No sooner is the case against his client, May Shinn--accused of murdering billionaire Owen Nash--dropped, than defense attorney Dismas Hardy is asked to defend his own ex-father-in-law in a trial for the same crime. 15,000 first printing.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In his third appearance, San Francisco bartender Dismas Hardy returns to the practice of law to star in a gripping courtroom drama that may well be Lescroart's breakthrough novel. After the severed hand of a murdered billionaire is discovered in a dead shark's stomach, Hardy ends up on the DA's team prosecuting the victim's Japanese mistress. She produces an airtight alibi just as the trial begins; Diz loses his job, and, in a bizarre twist, is hired to defend the second person accused of the crime, Andrew Fowler--who is not only his ex-father-in-law but was also the judge in the first trial. Diz's involvement with his beautiful ex-wife and the needs of his very pregnant current wife complicate his life, while doubts about his client's innocence and the antagonism demonstrated toward Fowler from both the prosecution and the bench put him at a disadvantage in court. A seemingly unimportant bit of testimony provides the clue that reveals the killer's identity and motivation. As always, Lescroart ( Dead Irish ; The Vig ) creates compelling, credible characters and, despite one or two unlikely coincidences, holds reader's attention through every step of the plot. 50,000 first printing; Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club selections.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

YA-- From the moment a severed hand wearing a serpentine jade ring is found in the belly of a white shark, this murder case is emotionally, politically, and judicially tainted. Even after junior Assistant D. A. Dismas Hardy is forced into relinquishing the case to his superior, the ambitious Elizabeth Pullios, he finds himself in progressively more complex relationships with a seemingly unlimited string of murder suspects. First, the high-class Japanese mistress of the wealthy victim is caught trying to sneak out of the country with a note in her dead lover's handwriting promising her a million dollars. Then the powerful judge with the impeccable reputation hearing the case is found to be footing the bill for the mistress's defense. Finally, it is revealed that the possessive daughter of the victim had had a very unusual relationship with her father. YAs will devour this hefty book with its short chapters that fluidly move from pointed courtroom dialogue to ongoing investigation to complex personal intrigues, all driven by Hardy's idealism.
- Jessica Lahr, Edison High School, Fairfax County, VA
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 478 pages
• Publisher: Donald I. Fine (February 18, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556113447
• ISBN-13: 978-1556113444
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #479,573 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Gives a nice sense of the City, November 29, 2001

By 

Carol Peterson Hennekens (Colorado Springs, CO United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hard Evidence (Dismas Hardy) (Mass Market Paperback)

The Dismas Hardy series doesn't seem to attract much critical acclaim. Still, I read it every so often for what it does so very well -- taking the reader into that special world that is San Francisco. Lescroart does a great job with the little details that are lots of fun for those of us who know the city well - the bars of the Sunset, the rich cultural mix, and the crazy city politics.

In this story, a severed hand is found in the belly of a shark when Dismas is watching. A bit of sleuthing determines that the hand belongs to the dead body of a computer millionaire. Dismas is working at the D.A.'s office - the prosecution begins. However, all is not as it seems as Dismas, Abe Glitzky and reporter Jeff find lots of contradictory evidence and even more potential suspects.

A solid read for fans of the Grisham/Turow category and a special treat for fans of San Francisco. Dismas continues to grown into a character of intriguing complexity.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another enjoyable entry in the Dismas Hardy series, March 22, 2003

By 

debvh (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hard Evidence (Mass Market Paperback)

Ive been reading Lescroarts series featuring attorney Dismas Hardy all out of order; fortunately, Hard Evidence stands up well on its own. The author provides a brief update regarding what must be several novels worth of tumultuous events in the lives of Hardy and his wife while quickly moving on to the mystery at the core of the novel. Hardy has rejoined the San Francisco DAs office and, while toiling away at the sort of low-level crimes addressed by junior staff, finds himself investigating the murder of a wealthy and prominent businessman. With the help of his buddy, prickly police detective Abe Glitzky, Hardy searches for the murderer while striving to maintain the stability of his marriage and resolve his own doubts about his chosen career. Its not too hard to figure out who was the murderer, and the plot twist that puts Hardy on the side of the defense is so heavily foreshadowed (and practically given away altogether on the back cover of the book) that I spent the whole first half of the book wondering when it would finally arrive. However, Hard Evidence strikes a good balance between plot-driven and character-driven elements  the recurring characters are central to the story and are given plenty to do even as readers get to visit with old friends.

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Getting to know Dismas Hardy, February 26, 2001

By 

Suzanne Vitale "jackeroophillip" (Bowling Green, Kentucky USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hard Evidence (Dismas Hardy) (Mass Market Paperback)

I'm working my way back through Lescroart novels. In Hard Evidence, Dismas Hardy has recovered from his son's death and his long "drop out" period of running the bar with his brother-in-law. He has married Frannie, adopted her first child and they are expecting a baby of their own. He has gone back to work in the DA's office and as the new guy is stuck with the more mundane criminal cases that are usually pleaded out. He is waiting for a murder case to prosecute.

Along comes a hand recovered from the belly of a shark. The first challenge is to identify the victim and to determine whether the hand belonged to a hapless swimmer or a murder victim. The suspense builds when a body washes up on the shore with bullet holes in the crotch and the head of a very dead male.

What makes this book hard to put down is the rapid succession from one suspect to another without any "hard evidence." Lescroart explores the politics and ambitions of the people involved in the justice system revealing how much more personal it all becomes rather than a true search for justice.

A large part of Hard Evidence is about Dismas Hardy and his return to the practice of trial law. He is a renegade within the system who just cannot accept the easy answer on the surface. His personal tempations and insecurities are a little tiring but add to the development of his hard working and driven quest for the truth.