Hard Evidence (Dismas Hardy, Book 3)

Hard Evidence - John Lescroart My problem often with legal thrillers is I know too much about the law--and yes, it matters. Part of the pleasure of a good book is feeling immersed in another world--whether it's Mars or Ancient Greece or a nuclear submarine--or, in this case, the San Francisco District Attorney's office. Our hero in Hard Evidence, Dismas Hardy, is an ex-cop returning to the DA's office at 40 after a stint as a bartender. He's investigating a possible murder after a severed hand wearing a jade ring is found in the belly of a shark. That's my first problem. Assistant District Attorneys don't investigate crimes--that's what police officers and their own investigators are for--and for good reason. They're supposed to try the case--they're not supposed to be participants who can themselves be called to the witness stand. Lescroat also has Hardy take part in an ex parte communication with a judge--a private conversation regarding a case without opposing counsel present. Not done. Then he has someone say that just because something is a homicide doesn't mean it can't be a suicide, accident or natural death. Er...no. By definition, a homicide--which legally is broader than muder--is the "deliberate and unlawful killing of one person by another." The last straw was when towards the end of Part One, before we were on even page 100, Hardy was conducting a warrantless search. Just stupid--this is all first year law school stuff. And OK, Lescroat doesn't have a law degree, but in his Acknowledgements he credits several San Francisco District Attorney lawyers as helping him--he should have had at least one of them read through his manuscript. And if he did, he should have listened to them. Because Lescroat quickly lost credibility with me. And while I might not care about that much if he had wit or style or could make me laugh or cry, it's a fatal flaw in what is popular thriller boilerplate.