John Lescroart

Follow to get new release updates and improved recommendations

About John Lescroart

"John Lescroart's writing skills are a national treasure." —The Huffington Post

John Lescroart is the author of twenty-nine novels, nineteen of which have been New York Times Bestsellers. Libraries Unlimited places him among “The 100 Most Popular Thriller and Suspense Authors.” With sales of over twelve million copies, his books have been translated into twenty-two languages in more than seventy-five countries, and his short stories appear in many anthologies.

John’s first book, SUNBURN, won the Joseph Henry Jackson Award for Best Novel by a California author. DEAD IRISH, THE 13TH JUROR, and THE KEEPER were nominees for the Shamus, Anthony, and Silver Falchion Best Mystery Novel, respectively; additionally THE 13TH JUROR is included in the International Thriller Writers publication “100 Must-Read Thrillers Of All Time.” HARD EVIDENCE made “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Ultimate Reading List.” THE SUSPECT was the American Author’s Association 2007 Book of the Year. THE MOTIVE was an Audie Finalist of the Audio Publishers Association. THE MERCY RULE, NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, THE SUSPECT, THE FALL and THE RULE OF LAW have been major market Book Club selections. John’s books have been Main Selections of one or more of the Literary Guild, Mystery Guild, and Book of the Month Club.

And coming in 2021: Jigsaw

Michael Connelly

David Baldacci

John Grisham

John Sandford

Lee Child

Harlan Coben

Are you an author?

Help us improve our Author Pages by updating your bibliography and submitting a new or current image and biography.

Learn more at Author Central

1 11 1

$14.99

Kindle Edition
$7.99

Kindle Edition
$9.99

Kindle Edition
$8.99

Kindle Edition
$2.99

Kindle Edition
$9.99

Kindle Edition
$9.99

Kindle Edition
$9.99

Kindle Edition
$9.99

Kindle Edition
$9.99

Kindle Edition
$9.99

Kindle Edition
$8.99

Kindle Edition

Author Updates

Titles By John Lescroart

All Formats Kindle Edition Audible Audiobook Paperback Hardcover See more

The Missing Piece: A Novel (Dismas Hardy Book 19) Mar 29, 2022

by John Lescroart

( 1,828 )

$14.99

USA TODAY BESTSELLER

The beloved New York Times bestselling Dismas Hardy series returns with this “perfect piece of entertainment from a master storyteller” (Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author) about a relentlessly twisty murder mystery.

No one mourned when San Francisco DA Wes Farrell put Paul Riley in prison eleven years ago for the rape and murder of his girlfriend. And no one is particularly happy to see him again when he’s released after The Exoneration Initiative uncovered evidence that pinned the crime on someone else. In fact, Riley soon turns up murdered, surrounded by the loot from his latest scam. But if Riley was really innocent all along, who wanted him dead?

To the cops, it’s straightforward: the still-grieving father of Riley’s dead girlfriend killed the former prisoner. Farrell, now out of politics and practicing law with master attorney Dismas Hardy, agrees to represent the defendant, Doug Rush—and is left in the dust when Rush suddenly vanishes. At a loss, Farrell and Hardy ask PI Abe Glitsky to track down the potentially lethal defendant. The search takes Glitsky through an investigative hall of mirrors populated by wounded parents, crooked cops, cheating spouses, and single-minded vigilantes. As Glitsky embraces and then discards one enticing theory after another, the truth seems to recede ever farther. So far that he begins to question his own moral compass in this “superb thriller from a veteran crime writer” (Jeffrey Deaver, New York Times bestselling author) that you’ll savor to the last word.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Hardcover , Paperback , Audio CD

Dead Irish (Dismas Hardy Book 1) Feb 1, 2005

by John Lescroart

( 819 )

$7.99

THE FIRST NOVEL IN THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING DISMAS HARDY SERIES!

In his new life as a bartender at the Little Shamrock, Dismas Hardy is just hoping for a little peace. He’s left both the police force and his law career behind. Unfortunately it’s not as easy to leave behind the memory of a shattering personal loss—but for the time being, he can always take the edge off with a stiff drink and round of darts.

But when the news of Eddie Cochran’s death reaches him, Hardy is propelled back into all the things he was trying to escape. And forced to untangle a web of old secrets and raw passions, for the sake of Eddie’s pregnant widow, Frannie—and for the others whose lives may still be at risk...

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Hardcover , Paperback , Mass Market Paperback , Audio CD

The Rule of Law: A Novel (Dismas Hardy Book 18) Jan 22, 2019

by John Lescroart

( 1,154 )

$9.99

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

In “master of the legal thriller” (Chicago Sun-Times) John Lescroart’s electrifying new novel, attorney Dismas Hardy is called to defend the least likely suspect of his career: his longtime, trusted assistant who is suddenly being charged as an accessory to murder.

Dismas Hardy knows something is amiss with his trusted secretary, Phyllis. Her out-of-character behavior and sudden disappearances concern Hardy, especially when he learns that her convict brother—a man who had served twenty-five years in prison for armed robbery and attempted murder—has just been released.

Things take a shocking turn when Phyllis is suddenly arrested at work for allegedly being an accessory to the murder of Hector Valdez, a coyote who’d been smuggling women into this country from El Salvador and Mexico. That is, until recently, when he was shot to death—on the very same day that Phyllis first disappeared from work. The connection between Phyllis, her brother, and Hector’s murder is not something Dismas can easily understand, but if his cherished colleague has any chance of going free, he needs to put all the pieces together—and fast.

Proving that he is truly “one of the best thriller writers to come down the pike” (USA TODAY), John Lescroart crafts yet another whip-smart, engrossing novel filled with shocking twists and turns that will keep you on your toes until the very last page.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Library Binding , Paperback , Mass Market Paperback , Audio CD

The Vig (Dismas Hardy Book 2) Aug 1, 2006

by John Lescroart

( 486 )

$8.99

Former San Francisco lawyer Dismas Hardy is being hunted by one of the thugs he once put away in this thriller from New York Times bestselling author John Lescroart.

Soldier. Cop. Lawyer. Dismas Hardy’s done the tough jobs, and had some tough luck. Now he’s kicking back and tending bar at the Shamrock in San Francisco. But the past returns in the form of Rusty Ingraham—a former fellow prosecutor who drops by for a drink, warning Hardy that a perp they put away nearly ten years ago just got released...and might still be looking for revenge.

Next thing Hardy knows, Ingraham’s houseboat becomes a murder scene, with a dead woman on board and Ingraham, presumably, at the bottom of the bay. To save himself, Hardy’s got to solve the case. But there’s more than one kind of payback, and it’s not just the ex-con who might have wanted it. Now, as he tangles with a mob enforcer, a rejected lover, and a renegade cop, Hardy is haunted by the knowledge that the later you pay, the steeper the price...

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Hardcover , Paperback , Mass Market Paperback , Audio CD

Dismas Hardy: A Mysterious Profile (Mysterious Profiles) May 10, 2022

by John Lescroart

( 19 )

$2.99

The New York Times–bestselling author tells the story of how he created his popular San Francisco sleuth.

In 1989, everyman Dismas Hardy debuted in John Lescroart’s mystery, Dead Irish. It’s a story millions of readers have enjoyed, along with other entries in the New York Times–bestselling series. But a tale they may not know is how Lescroat invented the ex-Marine, ex-cop, and ex-lawyer turned sleuth.

In this brief autobiographical essay, Lescroart details the development of Dismas Hardy, as well as his own career. He discusses his attempt to be a “serious” novelist, his stint as the lead singer of a band, and his struggle to get published. He also talks about how he realized he was meant to be a writer (and not working a “regular” nine-to-five) and how Dismas’s adventures almost didn’t become the series readers love.

Praise for the Dismas Hardy Novels

“Compulsively readable . . . a dense and involving saga of big-city crime and punishment.” —San Francisco Chronicle

“A beautifully written San Francisco murder story with perfect-pitch dialogue.” —Playboy on Dead Irish

“The killer proves to be as fascinating a personality as Hardy himself.” —Publishers Weekly on Dead Irish

“The narrative flows effortlessly and includes a Perry Mason–worthy moment when Hardy manifests a bit of courtroom magic. Lescroart is a perfect choice for readers who enjoy great ensemble casts.” —Booklist on Poison

Hard Evidence (Dismas Hardy Book 3) Oct 29, 2008

by John Lescroart

( 576 )

$9.99

This Dimas Hardy thriller is “a compelling combination of courtroom drama and whodunit...Sparked with crackling dialogue and vivid scenes of its San Francisco setting.”—Richmond Times-Dispatch

When the bullet-ridden body of a Silicon Valley billionaire washes up on shore, assistant D.A. Dismas Hardy finds himself the prosecutor in San Francisco’s murder trial of the century. The suspect: a Japanese call girl with a long list of prominent clients. But when a bizarre series of events blows the case wide open, Hardy finds himself on the other side of the law—as a lawyer for the defense...

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Hardcover , Paperback , Mass Market Paperback , Audio CD

Poison: A Novel (Dismas Hardy Book 17) Feb 13, 2018

by John Lescroart

( 668 )

$9.99

From the bestselling author whose prose “matches the best of John Grisham and Scott Turow” (Providence Journal) comes a gripping thriller featuring attorney Dismas Hardy as he investigates the murder of a wealthy man whose heirs are all potential suspects.

Finally recovered from two gunshot wounds, Dismas Hardy is looking forward to easing into retirement and reconnecting with his family. But he is pulled back into the courtroom when Grant Wagner, the steely owner of a successful family business, is murdered. The prime suspect is Wagner’s bookkeeper Abby Jarvis, a former client of Hardy’s, who had been receiving large sums of cash under-the-table from the company—but she insists that she’s innocent.

Preparing for trial, Dismas investigates the Wagner clan and discovers dark, twisted secrets, jealous siblings, gold-digging girlfriends, betrayals, and blackmail. The closer he gets to the Wagners, the clearer it becomes that Dismas has a target painted on his back. With razor-sharp dialogue and whip-smart plotting, Poison once again demonstrates that “Lescroart is a master craftsman” (Associated Press).

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Library Binding , Paperback , Audio CD

The 13th Juror (Dismas Hardy Book 4) Aug 2, 2005

by John Lescroart

( 479 )

$9.99

He is obsessed with her innocence.  He will be destroyed by her guilt.

The walls were champagne.  The house was immaculate.  A prosperous doctor lived there with his son and his beautiful wife.  But the elegant walls hid a family's secret, a wife's shame.  And one day shots rang out in the doctor's house.  Suddenly Jennifer Witt was in jail, facing the death penalty.

Jennifer insisted that she had not killed her abusive husband -- and she could never have killed her own son.  Dismas Hardy believed her.  But Hardy was only part of the defense team, and the only lawyer who continued to believe her...even as her story was torn to pieces, even as her lies came out, even as she was found guilty of murder.

Now there's only one thing Jennifer can do to save her life...and she refuses to do it.  So Hardy must do it for her.  And in a shocking case of violence, betrayal, and lies, his only weapon is the truth...

The 13th Juror...When innocence is not enough.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Hardcover , Paperback , Mass Market Paperback , MP3 CD

Nothing but the Truth (Dismas Hardy Book 6) Feb 1, 2001

by John Lescroart

( 360 )

$9.99

From the acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of Guilt and The 13th Juror comes an electrifying new thriller--a novel in which San Francisco defense attorney Dismas Hardy faces the case of his career. This time his family is involved--and for Hardy, a devoted husband and father, the stakes have never been higher.

Dismas knows his wife, Frannie, is the most reliable of mothers. When she fails to pick up their children from school one afternoon, he's convinced something terrible has happened. It has: Frannie Hardy is in jail. Called before the grand jury in a murder investigation, she refused to reveal a secret entrusted to her by a man whose children attend the same school as hers, a friend who is accused of killing his wife. But now he has disappeared. Hardy knows there's only one way to get Frannie out of jail: clear her friend of murder. That is, if he can be found.

As he moves through a labyrinthine world of big business and San Francisco politics, looking for a man he half hopes never to find, a furious and frustrated Hardy is struggling to understand why his impeccably faithful wife is being so loyal to another man. What kind of truth could keep a wife from her husband, a mother from her children--could hold Hardy so powerless before the wrath of the law?

With an unparalleled ability to illuminate the complexities of relationships while weaving a story of breathtaking suspense, Lescroart has never been in finer form. And Nothing But the Truth is his finest hour.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Hardcover , Unbound , Mass Market Paperback , Audio CD

Betrayal (Dismas Hardy Book 12) Feb 26, 2008

by John Lescroart

( 383 )

$9.99

New York Times bestselling author John Lescroart presents an ambitious thriller featuring San Francisco defense attorney Dismas Hardy.

“Betrayal is provocative…a tour de force of a legal thriller.”—The Providence Journal

Dismas Hardy agrees to take an appeal to overturn the murder conviction of National Guard reservist Evan Scholler. Scholler had plenty of reasons for revenge—but as Dismas delves into the case, he begins to uncover a terrible truth that drops him right into the complicated world of government conspiracy, assassination, and betrayal...

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Hardcover , Paperback , Audio CD

A Plague of Secrets (Dismas Hardy Book 13) May 5, 2009

by John Lescroart

( 406 )

$9.99

Dismas Hardy, Abe Glitsky, and Wyatt Hunt return

When high-grade marijuana is found on a coffee-shop manager murdered in San Francisco, it suggests that the shop's owner, Maya Townshend, may be behind more than a caffeine fix. But when another murder exposes a drug-buying A-list celebrity and political clientele, a tabloid-fueled controversy takes the investigation into the realms of conspiracy and cover up.

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Hardcover , Paperback , MP3 CD

The Mercy Rule: A Novel Jun 25, 2019

by John Lescroart

( 439 )

$8.99

“A stylish whodunit . . . Lescroart [is] in his best form yet.”—People

Once Dismas Hardy was a cop. Now he spends his days in a lawyer’s suit, billing hours to a corporate client in a downtown San Francisco office. Hardy’s wife and kids like it that way. Then one client changes everything.

Graham Russo, a former baseball star, is charged with murdering his dying father. Was it suicide, the last desperate act of a dying man? Was it murder? Or mercy?

Now, as a carnival of reporters, activists, cops, lovers, and families throng around the case, Dismas Hardy is going to trial with a client he doesn’t trust, a key witness he cannot believe, and a system that almost destroyed him once. For Dismas, this case will challenge everything he believes about the law, about his family, and about himself. Because a chilling truth is beginning to emerge about an old man’s lonely death. And what Dismas knows could put him next in line to die. . . .

Praise for The Mercy Rule

“Very entertaining . . . a large and emotionally sprawling novel.”—Chicago Tribune

“As usual in a Lescroart novel, character dominates plot as the author proves, yet again, that resonant drama can be found in family.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer

“An edge-of-the-seat legal thriller that has it all—hot-button issues, deception, greed, corruption, and a labyrinthine plot that will keep you guessing until the very last page.”—Faye Kellerman

Other Formats: Audible Audiobook , Hardcover , Paperback , Mass Market Paperback , MP3 CD

More Information

Are you an author? Visit Author Central to change your photo, edit your biography, and more

John Lescroart

Similar authors to follow

About John Lescroart

Customers Also Bought Items By

Are you an author?

Author Updates

Titles By John Lescroart

More Information