Rule of Law may not be the best novel we've seen from John Lescroart, but it's pretty good. Infighting in the justice system leads to a new DA, one with a very checkered past. With Wes Farrell no longer DA, the firm of Freeman, Farrell, Hardy & Roarke can rise again. The inquisitive police, the ambitious DA investigator, and the team of Hardy and Glitsky all have big roles, but even office secretary Phyllis has a star turn. Something for everybody! Well, the gay and lesbian police, attorneys and judges are hard to find, but it is San Francisco, so author Lescroart is likely aware of them even if they don't get a star turn.
Thanks, NetGalley for the ARC.

Lescroat' s long-running Dismas Hardy series runs out of steam in this overstuffed thriller about the old gang in the plush offices of a handful of well-connected San Francisco legal types - a few lawyers, a retired homicide detective,a lawyer-turned crime novelist, and their nearest and dearest. Reading it isn't stupid, but it's more like a party with old friends telling the same or familiar stories about their previous exploits than having your interest provoked with a new one. The plot is pretty thin - and not particularly believable - and the political machinations of evil-doers in high places won't surprise anyone. How about leaving this bunch at their favorite bar and introducing your fans to some new ones ?

OK... Let me first start off by saying.... I'm so glad that I stepped out of my usual comfortable genre of books that I read.

Wow.... I can definitely see why Lescroart has many fans! I felt like I just left a super intense tennis match. My head feels like I just had whiplash lol.

So.. I am a little conflicted on reviewing this one because I jumped on this bandwagon to see if I felt the same about legal thrillers. In this process... I found out legal thrillers truly aren't for me. BUT, I am impressed with the author's writing style... and definitely left me on the edge my toes... trying to figure out the characters and who was innocent/not innocent.

I think this is a perfect choice for the legal thrillers out there! Storyline was strong... but felt a little all over the place to me and left me confused at times trying to piece everything together. But, maybe this was the authors intent? Hence the whiplash lol.

Overall, I'm glad I was able to experience this author and type of thriller.

3 stars for me on this one.

Thank you to Atria and Netgalley for the advanced arc in exchange for an honest review.

Published to GR: 9/3/18
Expected publication date: 1/22/19

There’s a new DA in San Francisco, and he’s not a nice guy. In fact, he’s a murderer, adulterer, liar, and just about any other kind of scoundrel you can name. His election was close, and his opponent is a member of Dismas Hardy’s new law firm.. This scenario leads to manufacturing evidence, hurting innocents, police corruption, and all sorts of intrigue. A great entry into Lescroart’s series. Highly recommended.