The Second Chair

Dismas Hardy, Book 10

By: John Lescroart

Narrated by: David Colacci

Dismas Hardy is finally on top: as a managing partner at his thriving, newly reorganized law firm, he's a rainmaker and fix-it guy for clients leery of taking their chances in a courtroom. Now Hardy's up-and-coming associate, Amy Wu, brings him a high-profile case: Andrew Bartlett, the 17-year-old son of a prominent San Francisco family, has been arrested for the double slaying of his girlfriend and his English teacher. The D.A. wants to try him as an adult. Determined to get the case into juvenile court, and overwhelmed by the mounting evidence against her client, Wu asks Hardy to sit second chair for her in Bartlett's defense.

As the Bartlett case moves swiftly to trial, another series of murders grips the city. An unseen killer seems to be shooting citizens wantonly, and as fear and anxiety build around the Executioner (as he is quickly dubbed in the ensuing media frenzy), Abe Glitsky, the newly promoted deputy chief of the Investigations Bureau, leads the desperate hunt to stop him.

With the city on the verge of panic, Hardy and Glitsky are locked in a race against time - to save a client and to catch a murderer. But nothing is what it seems, and as both men's cases twist and turn to their shocking conclusions, the very foundations of San Francisco's legal system will be shaken to the core.

Check out more titles in the Dismas Hardy series.©2004 John Lescroart (P)2004 Brilliance Audio

Dismas Hardy Series

I have read or listened to over 20 of these books. I truly enjoy these books, it reminds me of my 28 years in the SFPD.
Make me feel like I’m right there. Keep it up

Rich Pate
Retired Lt

One of the best of the series.

I really enjoyed this one. It is a mystery with enough clues to allow the reader to guess the villain without being terribly disappointed by the ending. I've read most of the books in the Dismas Hardy series, and this is one of the more believable, action-packed stories, with substantial character development of Amy Wu and others besides the usual insights and foibles of Hardy and Glitsky.

Hardy & Glitsky age throughout the series so this would not be the best place to start. I recommend going back at least to book 3, Hard Evidence.

Even the improbable is possible

I love Dismas Hardy. He has a very simple approach to life, work, relationships. I am enamored with Abe...the only issue I had was with the narrator, Colacci, his Abe voice was sort of off - not raspy throat enough.

As with all of the "adventures" of Dismas and Glitsky, you get to see true friends grow and cheer for each other and have ea h others back no matter what. I found this story to be very on point with our justice system in how they are so quick to dismis the improbable and take what they see at face value and the truth about grief manifesting itself throughout your life.

I am sooo glad that Colacci is reading this series again!!!!

great book.

I thought this was the best Dismas Hardy book yet. The books keep getting better.

No Second About It

It’s a first class mystery and narration about the care and feeding of humans. If any of latter is miserly or missed, then there is usually a reaction resulting in bad things. In spite of it all, you still have hope that most things will work out and the system will work most of the time—the “just not always” makes the most interesting stories.