John Lescroart's latest novel, The Missing Piece, continues the story of defense attorney Dismas Hardy & gang, this time with former DA Wes Farrell defending Doug Rush, a bereaved father, accused of killing Paul Riley, the newest released prisoner thanks to the Exoneration Project. Paul Riley was convicted of raping and killing Doug's daughter.

I gave this book 3.5 out of 5 stars. The 1.5 stars were mainly deducted because of the overbearing white privilege. Also, this book is not a legal thriller but a murder mystery. While I appreciate a good mystery, I didn't care for the bait-and-switch copy on the Amazon page. If you mention the former DA now defending a murderer, then you should deliver on your promise.

I really enjoyed this legal/crime thriller. It was fast paced, interesting and the plot was great.

DA Wes got Riley in jail for murder, but after getting out of jail he turns up dead, Wes wants to find the killer, but needs the help of the cops.

The characters were all written so well and I didn’t want the book to finish. I’ll definitely be reading more by this author.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy.

I’ve read the other books in this series set in San Francisco & really enjoyed them. This one centers on Wes Ferrell, former district attorney turned defense attorney and Abe Glitzky, former head of homicide turned private investigator.
Paul Riley, thief, rapist & murderer, is released from prison after 11 years on a technicality. He is shot and killed at his apartment over his father’s garage.
His killer is identified (by Paul’s father James Riley) as the victim Dana Rush’s father, Doug Rush.
Doug, pleading his innocence, hires Wes Ferrell to defend him. Wes asks Abe to investigate.
Just as they begin the process, Doug is killed.
Even though their client is deceased, Abe continues to investigate- interviewing friends, neighbors, and especially members of Doug’s biker club.
Keeping the homicide department in the loop while exploring a couple of theories leads to dead ends.
The killer is finally revealed in the last 10 pages of the book.
A fun read & holds up well as a stand alone novel.

I love the Dismas Hardy series, and this is another good legal mystery.

Convicted murdered Paul Riley is released after being exonerated in an Exoneration Initiative Case. Several months later, Riley is killed and the father of the murder victim is a suspect. After he is arrested and then released on bail, he disappears. Abe Glitsky, Hardy’s chief investigator, has his hands full with this investigation.

I will say there were some confusing parts for me, but things cleared up as I continued reading. I will continue to read Lescroart’s Hardy series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this ARC. The review is totally my own.

John Lescroart is one of my favorite authors and I was delighted to be able to read his latest book after what seems like a bit of a hiatus. My treasured favorite characters have matured but remain interesting and viable, the story development is still on point and the twists and turns compelled my interest. My only complaint, and it is mild, is that I felt there was a tad too much analyzation. Given that I am familiar with San Francisco and the Bay Area, being able to picture the various locales added to my enjoyment. I highly recommend The Missing Piece and thank Net Galley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read it.

Lescroart is always reliable as a mystery writer with accurate police and DA procedure in front of a beautiful yet realistic San Francisco backdrop. Having once worked in the SFDA's office, I can attest that this is as accurate as it gets.

A solid John Lescroart mystery that is packed with his ongoing characters, vividly described settings, and complex, intriguing plot lines. A number of twists and turns build the engaging story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the opportunity to read this book.

The perfect cop drama for a snowy day, this book was a one day read for me. I didn't realize it was number 19 in a series, so i wish i had the time to go back and read the whole series prior to this review, but there was no time for that. Luckily this book could be read as a standalone, for the most part. I do feel like i didn't connect with the characters, but i'm assuming that is because their reader relationship has been built up over the last 18 books. I will be putting the rest of this series on my TBR list.

The Missing Piece was a well written legal drama, perfect for fans of James Patterson and John Grisham. I loved the multiple POV and the twist at the end was good and unexpected. There were a few story lines going at once in the beginning, but once everything was established, it flowed very well.

I am sorry to say that this was not what I recalled from the other books in this series, Things either were slow and convoluted or racing to finish. It seemed that each time I took a break, I had to reread an entire chapter to recall the story, which is very unusual.
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and am leaving this review voluntarily.

*** 2.5 ⭐️ ***

I’ve literally just finished this book, and I’m thoroughly confused! After spending hours and days reading, I’ve come to the conclusion that the plot of this story was too…. full. Too many characters, too much background on each, too many suspects, and too many theories by cops, lawyers, and civilians.

The premise for the story was straightforward, as far as murder mysteries go: Someone shoots someone else, try to find the murderer. This story, however, involved 2 main murders, 2 murder/suicides stemming off the main murders, and then 3 additional murders across the country. As far as I can tell, there were about 20 supplemental characters (including neighbours, spouses, office workers, etc.) who, while they added to the copious amounts of theories of who dun it, only added to the confusion of such.

As for the actual who dun it part, I feel that was roughly a one-liner to identify the murderer. There was lead up to a sting operation, and the person wasn’t identified until the last second. Usually there are some hints, some clues, but here, no. It felt almost left field with a flimsy justification.

I haven’t read any other bodies of work by this author, nor have I read other books in this particular series, so I can only review this book as a standalone… but I’m not a fan.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

2.25/5 stars! I had no idea this was book 19 in the Dismas Hardy series prior to picking it up. I think this showed in the final work. It felt tired, like everything the author had to say had already been written. It was hard to follow. I felt like the author was trying to be John Grisham but didn't quite reach that lofty goal. The legal banter was interesting and I would give another book by the author a try to see if I like it more.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

The Missing Piece if a mystery/legal thriller about Convicted Murderer Paul Riley who is exonerated after uncovered evidence proves his innocence. Although innocent, someone else wants Riley dead. He is later murdered with evidence of his latest scam surrounding him.

I made the mistake of picking this up without having read any of the previous novels in this series. I feel like I would have had a better time keeping track of characters if I had any prior experience with the series.

Despite my mistake, I found myself enjoying Lescroart's masterful writing. Other procedural novels tend to be choppy as the story switches from the legal to investigative sides of the novel. The Missing Piece has none of that. Characters and plot flow nicely to the point of being indistinguishable. The case itself is intriguing and a delight to follow.

For fans of procedural novels this is a must.

I have read John Lescroart since his first Dismas Hardy book many years ago. I am very sentimental about his writing as I grew up in the Bay Area and felt no one included the city as a character better than him. I have enjoyed watching both the Hardy and Glitsky families grow, thrive and survive despite change and loss over the years. They felt & still feel real. The Missing Piece shines as bright as his previous work and while this includes much about the series aspect of reading Lescroart, let me assure potential readers, this is equally satisfying as a stand alone. Keep writing Mr. Lescroart!! .

Paul Riley was convicted of raping and murdering his girlfriend, Dana. After eleven years on death row, the Exoneration Initiative gets his conviction overturned on what many people consider a technicality. Four months later, he’s murdered. Riley’s dad identifies Doug Rush as the man he claims to have seen fleeing Riley’s apartment. Rush is quickly arrested but disappears after being released on bail. PI Abe Glitsky is hired by Rush’s attorney to find him. He soon learns that Rush wasn’t the only prisoner freed by the Exoneration Initiative who was murdered shortly after. Is it a coincidence or is someone enacting the justice they believe the Initiative has denied?

The Missing Piece is the nineteenth in the Dismas Hardy series by John Lescroart. It’s been quite a while since I read one of the books in the series but I didn’t find that this interfered with my ability to follow the story. And what a smart, twisty story it is. This is a well-plotted well-written legal thriller, more a clever puzzle than an action-packed roller coaster of a thrill ride but that doesn’t mean it isn’t completely engrossing. It is populated with multiple characters, all of whom hold a piece of the puzzle, many seemingly small and unimportant until fitted together. it kept me engaged and guessing, completely tied to the page until the aha moment at the end. I’d like to thank Netgalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I thank NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of The Missing Piece in exchange for an honest review.

I will not write a long summary of the book; you can read a synopsis in the book jacket. I will write a review based on my impression and thoughts about the novel .

The Missing Piece is clever, sly, and delightfully twisty. It is an entertaining legal/ crime mystery. WHAT A MYSTERY! ! Solving the murders of two victims is complex and intellectually challenging. The reader is privy to all internal thought processes of the private investigator who is digging into identifying the killer. There are a lot of holes he digs only to discover hard rock obstacles… so onto digging another hole! The reader joins him as he goes down numerous rabbit holes in his quest. We are kept guessing until the very end. WHAT AN ENDING!

The suspenseful climax is thrilling and the denouement is satisfying!
The pace is fast and the plot is unique. The style of writing is smooth and succinct- no filler fluff!. The main characters are very well developed with dynamic, three dimensional characters who are very likable.

This is the 19th book in the Dismis Hardy series and the first one I have read. While it can be a stand alone, I am sure reading the series In order would provide background and motives of the main characters it not necessary. I will definitely go back and read more books in this series ( but maybe not all 18 of them!).


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Now that is a good mystery thriller. Plenty of action, twist and turns. I like the characters. This was a book that caught my interest and kept me flipping the pages. Well written.

John Lescroart has done it again. As a reader who has followed his books for a number of years, I enjoy how he has expanded the Lescroart universe, and his characters lives. This book is no exception. When, as a break, my students and I discuss what they are reading I always suggest they give Mr. Lescroart a try!

A good thriller overall even though the plot faltered sometimes. Interesting characters but the book could have done with a narrative that was more put-together. Would recommend if you are into dark crime dramas.

The Missing Piece is the latest in the Dismas Hardy series by John Lescroart. I have read some, not all, in this series and always enjoy picking one up. In this installment, an innocent man is released from jail because of a legal technicality, which calls into question his actual innocence. The story has many twists and turns and brings the readers along for a thrilling ride.

Is this the perfect crime or a perfect conundrum?

“The Missing Piece” is about one shot, just one bullet, fired, that hits its mark, and changes everything for everyone. It is book nineteen in the “Dismas Hardy Series.” I had not read any of the previous books, but was able to follow the complex narrative. There are a lot of multifaceted characters with multifaceted backgrounds and associations, but the narrative gave me the details I needed; all are introduced with pertinent information. Readers get to know them within the context of the narrative, their appearance, their mannerisms, their opinions, and their ability to hide secrets. This is a conversation driven story filled with what people say to each other, say about each other, and occasionally what they say to themselves.

The action takes place in a week and over many past years. An exonerated prisoner is released, but perhaps he is not actually innocent, but had only been released because of legal errors. This makes him a free man but not an innocent man. Then there is a murder, and another one, or two. Something serious and dangerous is happening; things have to be somehow related, but connection does not mean causation. There is no hard evidence, no pattern, nothing. People are looking, but not seeing. This is a five-hundred piece puzzle, dropped on the floor, with a missing piece.

“The Missing Piece” is a complex story that evolves bit by bit. Each character holds a piece of the puzzle, and multiple points of view bring out the diverse part that each character plays. The seemingly unrelated clues ultimately come together, and the whole story is exposed. The chain of events may be elaborate and diverse, but the motive is simple and uncomplicated. I received a review copy of “The Missing Piece” John Lescroart and Atria Books. And, yes, “Sympathetic Pheromones” would be a great name for a band.

“The Missing Piece” is now available in print, as an e-book, and on audio from independent bookstores, online booksellers, retail stores, public libraries and anywhere you get your books.