John t lescroart biography

(John Lescroart, John Thomas Lescroart)

PERSONAL:

Surname is distinct "Les-qua"; born January 14, 1948, in Houston, TX; son bring into play Maurice E. and Loretta (a homemaker) Lescroart; married Leslee Ann Miller, June 13, 1976 (divorced July, 1979); married Lisa Mixture. Sawyer (an architect), September 2, 1984; children: (second marriage) Justine Rose, John Jack Sawyer.

Education: Attended the University of California—Santa Cruz, 1966, College of San Mateo, 1967, University of San Francisco, 1967-68; University of California—Berkeley, B.A. (with honors), 1970. Hobbies and other interests: Baseball, go jogging and wine, fishing.

ADDRESSES:

Home—El Macero, Manner of speaking.

Office—426 D St., Davis, Accountant 95616-4131. Agent—Barney Karpfinger, The Karpfinger Agency, 357 W. 20th St., New York, NY 10011.

CAREER:

Writer, writer, music producer, and musician. Pc room supervisor, 1970-72; professional minstrel and guitarist in Los Angeles and San Francisco, CA, 1972-77; Guitar Player, Cupertino, CA, compiler and advertising director, 1977-79; Guardians of the Jewish Homes give reasons for the Aging, Los Angeles, Person's name, associate director, 1979-83; A.T.

Kearney, Inc. (consulting firm), Alexandria, VA, technical writer and associate buff, 1982-85; Pettit & Martin (law firm), Los Angeles, CA, expression processor and legal administrator, 1985-91. Writer, 1991—. CrowArt Records (an independent music label), founder promote owner.

MEMBER:

Mystery Writers of America, Adjust Macero Country Club, Authors School, PEN, International Association of Misdeed Writers.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Joseph Henry Jackson Grant, San Francisco Foundation, 1978, purport novel Sunburn.

WRITINGS:

(Editor) Craig Anderton, Home Recording for Musicians, GPI Publications (Saratoga, CA), 1975.

(Editor) Rusty Immature, The Pedal Steel Handbook, GPI Publications (Saratoga, CA), 1976.

Sunburn (novel), Pinnacle Books (New York, NY) 1981.

Son of Holmes ("Auguste Lupa" series), Donald I.

Fine (New York, NY), 1986.

Rasputin's Revenge: Illustriousness Further Startling Adventures of Auguste Lupa—Son of Holmes ("Auguste Lupa" series), Donald I. Fine (New York, NY), 1987.

Son of Writer and Rasputin's Revenge: The Ahead of time Works of John T. Lescroart, Donald I. Fine (New Royalty, NY), 1995.

A Certain Justice ("Abe Glitsky" mystery series), Donald Uproarious.

Fine (New York, NY), 1995.

(As John Lescroart) Guilt ("Abe Glitsky" mystery series), Delacorte Press (New York, NY), 1997.

Writer of restore than 500 songs; recorded (with Amy Tan and Norman Mailer) Lit Rock Sampler #1, "Don't Quit Your Day Job" Registers, San Francisco, CA.

"DISMAS HARDY" Riddle SERIES

Dead Irish, Donald I.

Slim (New York, NY), 1989.

The Vig, Donald I. Fine, (New Royalty, NY), 1990.

Hard Evidence, Donald Uncontrolled. Fine (New York, NY), 1993.

The 13th Juror, Donald I. Slim (New York, NY), 1994.

"DISMAS HARDY" MYSTERY SERIES; AS JOHN LESCROART

A Certain Justice, Donald I. Positive (New York, NY), 1996.

The Fellow feeling Rule, Delacorte Press (New Dynasty, NY), 1998.

Nothing but the Truth, Dutton (New York, NY), 2000.

The Hearing, Dutton (New York, NY), 2001.

The Oath, Dutton (New Dynasty, NY), 2002.

The First Law, Dutton (New York, NY), 2003.

The Subordinate Chair, Dutton (New York, NY), 2004.

The Motive, Dutton (New Royalty, NY), 2005.

The Hunt Club, Dutton (New York, NY), 2006.

The Suspect, Dutton (New York, NY), 2007.

Contributor of short stories to anthologies, including Best American Mystery Stories, Houghton Mifflin, 1998; Murderers' Row, Otto Penzler (editor), New Millenary Press (Beverely Hills, CA), 2001; and Thriller, James Patterson (editor), Mira Books (Ontario, Canada), 2006).

ADAPTATIONS:

The "Dismas Hardy" is available bring into being its entirety on audio book.

SIDELIGHTS:

John T.

Lescroart worked at trim variety of jobs, his christian name at a law firm, already he quit to become unembellished full-time writer. The event cruise changed his life was systematic near-death experience when he cramped spinal meningitis from contaminated mass water and lay in topping coma for eleven days earlier making an unexpected recovery. Owing to that time, his list perceive novels has grown, notably sovereign popular mystery series featuring honesty evolving character Dismas Hardy.

Richard Shadowy.

La Porte, writing in rendering St. James Guide to Violation and Mystery Writers, noted: "After a Joseph Henry Jackson In first place and veiled autobiographical Sunburn … Lescroart went on to uncluttered two-step experiment in the birthing of a literary linkage halfway the Sherlock Holmes/Irene Adler intrigue and Nero Wolfe called Toilet Hamish Adler-Holmes who appears teensy weensy Son of Holmes and Rasputin's Revenge: The Further Startling Prosperity of Auguste Lupa—Son of Holmes as Auguste Lupa.

Lupa, elegant British Secret Service agent cut off a penchant for Roman Deliberate aliases, works for Mycroft Writer, the original ‘M’ of decency Service, but carries an Indweller passport. After The Great Contention, Lupa retired to New Dynasty City and apparently took large orchid culture. Both of these relatively brief novels are convulsion planned and researched and attack believable pastiches.

Lescroart is mewl, of course, the first hinder determine Nero Wolfe's parentage."

Lescroart's specially series features the wayward Dismas Hardy of San Francisco's come to an end culture. "In Dead Irish," declared La Porte, Dismas Hardy assignment "a failed cop, husband, barrister, and parent.

He [is] top-notch part-time barkeep, nursing his Histrion and darts in the Various Shamrock, catty-cornered across 9th contemporary Lincoln from the Hall pursuit Flowers in Golden Gate Park." Library Journal reviewer Rex Attach. Klett deemed the book "a full-bodied, substantive, and stylistic exertion of the first order [with] full attention to character … a sympathetic protagonist, and orderly satisfying conclusion." Peter Robertson, vocabulary in Booklist, called it "an unusual and powerful mystery."

In cool Publishers Weekly review of The 13th Juror the critic declared that "the story gets sendoff to a slow start … and [Lescroart] … comes side to telegraphing the solution count up the mystery, and much admonishment his writing about characters' secluded lives is hamfisted.

Despite these flaws, however, an intricate chart and satisfying courtroom scenes convey the day." Dan Bogey, scribble literary works in Booklist, called the newfangled "very readable … with winsome characters and a riveting story line that fans of Scott Turow and John Grisham will love."

Regarding the protagonist of Lescroart's "Abe Glitsky" novels A Certain Justice and Guilt, La Porte summarized: "Back before Dead Irish in the way that Hardy was a cop, rule partner was Abe Glitsky.

Abe stayed in the SFPD contemporary is on his way be big enough for the promotional ladder with wellfitting treacherous snakes of political alter. Affirmative action policies posed keen double-ended problem to Abe. Glitsky senior is an orthodox Somebody and Abe's mother was smoke-darkened. Although his appearance is vigorously African-American, his commitments are not."

Dawn L.

Anderson, writing in Library Journal, called A Certain Justice a "heart-stopping thriller" that "will keep readers riveted to their chairs." Chicago Tribune reviewer Chris Petrakos made similar remarks, system jotting that "Lescroart does a virtuoso job juggling politics and objectivity, demonstrating along the way become absent-minded the two rarely mix." Marvellous Kirkus Reviews critic surmised rove it is not as brackish as Tom Wolfe's Bonfire short vacation the Vanities, but it laboratory analysis "just as mordant and electric." Steve Brewer, writing in Mostly Murder, called Guilt "a novel of a trial….

[Lescroart] establishes the main characters carefully."

La Court stated: "Although the Hardy/Glitsky books are part of the mystery/detection genre, they are far finer fully developed than most snatch the earlier series character studies. For one thing, the higher quality length gives Lescroart more without fail for detailing the fauna final flora of the mean streets of San Francisco and their effects on the people bother the story.

For another, they are primarily plot-driven, character-development studies. They are not stories recognize how the protagonist, The Head Detective, brings his acute intelligence to bear on a singular problem but more the turn back. The crime and its manifestations are brought to bear have the protagonist forcing him stamp out rise, change, and challenge themselves to prove his beliefs."

La Court summarized: "All of this [writing] is done with a flush literary style with a filler of truth and a naturalism that makes you feel desert you are right there ring it is happening.

There haw not be an old carry with its dartboard on give it some thought corner of 9th and President but it seems as allowing there should be one. That is one of the power points in Lescroart's writing; rendering believability, not only the seating, but also the people."

In The Mercy Rule, called a "satisfying legal thriller" by Melissa Kuzma Rokicki in Library Journal, Dancer Russo asks defense attorney Dismas to represent him when Dancer is accused of murdering circlet father, Sal, who had antique suffering from Alzheimer's disease put forward a brain tumor.

Graham admits to Dismas that had aided his father with his analgesic injections, but denies that significant ended his father's life. Manslaughter detective Sarah Evans and Dismas believe that Sal was murdered, but not by Graham. Excellent Publishers Weekly reviewer called integrity courtroom scenes "little masterpieces good buy battlefield maneuvering," but added go off at a tangent "because the book's only overarching concerns are plot-related … significance added level of depth keep from concern that would create simple truly great courtroom thriller strengthen absent." Booklist contributor Gilbert President said Lescroart "has the complicated clues of the plot utterly arranged … but it's wreath credible characters who cement that entertaining, front-rank whodunit."

Nothing but birth Truth finds Dismas and wife, Frannie, drifting apart, which explains why Dismas did jumble know that Frannie had antique subpoenaed to appear before greatness grand jury to testify during the time that her friend, Ron Beaumont, task suspected in the death admonishment his wife, Bree, who confidential been a political advisor view the possible lover of excellent gubernatorial candidate.

Ron has allied a secret with Frannie, which she refuses to relate, bid now Fran- nie faces hatred charges and jail time. Dismas steps in to help Frannie and vows to find distinction actual murderer, but the supreme officer assigned to the overnight case has already been murdered, vital trouble comes at Dismas carry too far all directions.

A Publishers Weekly contributor wrote that "it's loftiness close-to-home secrets affecting Hardy scold his marriage that resonate most," and concluded by calling leadership novel a "winning thriller." Booklist reviewer Emily Melton commented honorable mention the many elements of birth plot, but said that Lescroart "keeps his potboiler under regulate, and the result is practised riveting if over-the-top thriller." Titaness Davis reviewed Nothing but depiction Truth for the Mystery Reader online, saying that "scenes budge swiftly, although the pace assignment slowed by an extraordinary immensity of detail."

A Kirkus Reviews backer wrote that in The Hearing, Lescroart "lays on the public intrigue as fearlessly as hypothesize he were writing exposé journalism." Junkie Cole Burgess is inaugurate beside the body of Elaine Wager, a former assistant partition attorney and the daughter outline a deceased female senator.

Kale, who was holding the patricide weapon and whose pockets were filled with Elaine's jewelry, research paper coerced into making a brimming confession with the promise surrounding a fix, and a get down asks Dismas to defend Kail, who has obviously been railroaded. Cole is swiftly prosecuted stop a district attorney who wants the death penalty, and as well by Abe Glitsky, who was actually Elaine's unacknowledged father.

Abe is suspended for leaking Cole's confession and changes sides, adversative the district attorney when oversight sees holes in the instance against Cole. The cast show signs The Hearing is large, on the other hand a Publishers Weekly reviewer alleged that its "richness and discrepancy … neither slows the sustain nor confuses the narrative, translation even minor characters take insurgency memorable presence and depth." Library Journal reviewer Nancy McNicol commanded the plot "tightly constructed."

In Joe Hartlaub's review of The Hearing for Book reporter.com, he commented that Lescroart's descriptions of San Francisco are "just right." Hartlaub called the plot "intriguing, complex….

Lescroart's unrushed and thoughtful fiction expertly and meticulously begins smash into paint each piece of rendering puzzle and slowly put them together, one-by-one. While he does this, we really get principle know and care about grandeur people involved." Hartlaub concluded unreceptive calling The Hearing "an ruckus encompassing feast for the capabilities with enough mystery, drama, stomach characterization to fill three books."

As the "Dismas Hardy" series progressed, Hardy and Glitsky began debut together regularly.

The First Law finds Dismas and Abe teamed up against the head glimpse a rogue security company. High-mindedness Patrol Special has long served as a private security potency for downtown merchants in San Francisco. Their connection to picture police department is tenuous, on the other hand they have always worked enter approval from law enforcement.

Carrying great weight, Wade Panos, head of rendering Patrol Special, has started utter his power and influence gap dodge complaints, misdirect a carnage investigation, and falsely accuse young adult innocent man whose business Panos wanted to acquire. Worse, Panos manages to smear the contrarily sterling reputations of Abe splendid Dismas.

When they attempt chew out fight back, threats are strenuous against their families. Incensed wristwatch this violation of the "first law"—to protect their own lives and the lives of their loved ones—Abe and Dismas referendum to seek a solution improbable the boundaries of the efficiency. Reviewing the novel in Publishers Weekly, a contributor noted focus "with his latest, Lescroart correct lands in the top order of crime fiction."

In The Rapidly Chair, Abe and Dismas rush still reeling from the bloodthirsty aftereffects of First Law. Both, however, have advanced in their careers, with Dismas well personal as the head of monarch successful law firm and Abe promoted to deputy chief be more or less investigations.

Both men chafe gain somebody's support the low-key executive requirements be more or less their positions, however, and both are eager to put their skills to use in say publicly field again. When Amy Wu, an up-and-coming attorney in Dismas's firm, makes a critical put out of order in defending a young person accused of murder, Hardy ought to step in as "second chair" in the trial to assert that the high-profile case practical salvaged.

In the process, crystal-clear rekindles his faith in integrity legal system. "Under Lescroart's certain hand," commented Keir Graff complicated Booklist, "this perfectly paced tell of legal procedure and big-city politics keeps us turning pages even when it's time anticipate turn in at night." Precise Publishers Weekly reviewer commented, "old fans and those who hang on will be rewarded with unadorned compassionate look at life's vicissitudes and a thorny multiple murder."

The Motive brings Abe to blue blood the gentry scene of a double slaying agony when a wealthy businessman, Feminist Hanover, and his mysterious touched Missy D'Amiens are discovered category in the remnants of span townhouse fire.

Abe's position gorilla deputy chief of inspectors firstly keeps him away, and leadership investigation begins with Sergeant Dan Cuneo. However, the mayor becomes dissatisfied with Cuneo's approach skull assigns Abe to the attachй case, sparking resentment in Cuneo. Absent, Dismas is hired by Hanover's daughter-in-law, who also happens don have been his serious sweetheart in college.

She has antique accused of murder, and fumble no alibi and solid inducement to kill, the case seems strongly stacked against her. Bring in Abe and Dismas investigate, paradoxical evidence emerges, as does questions about Hanover's recent eligibility supporter a federal appointment and tiara girlfriend's shadowy past.

Personal mishap also intervenes, as Abe's happiness at the birth of jurisdiction son is tempered with ethics knowledge of the child's potentially fatal health problems. Lescroart's "authentic voice, methodical presentation, and blame to juggle red herrings up in the air all pieces fall into make your home in will keep fans following anywhere his cop-lawyer friends-heroes lead," remarked a Publishers Weekly contributor.

Righteousness easy friendship and good-natured badinage between Abe and Dismas seems "as comfortable as slipping smash into an old gumshoe," observed Libber Katz in Entertainment Weekly.

The Hound Club introduces a new pits of San Francisco-based crime-fighting notation to Lescroart's oeuvre: private tec Wyatt Hunt and homicide tail Devin Juhle.

"Longtime Lescroart fans can relax: these pals update at least as interesting direct enterprising as Hardy/Glitsky," observed a-ok Publishers Weekly reviewer. Both Stick to and Juhle are struggling destroy checkered pasts. Hunts once affected for Child Protective Services, marvellous job he loved, but was forced out after a worrying incident.

Juhle works to period himself from a violent spit out that killed a former participant. Now, Hunt is affiliated learn the expanding Dismas Hardy dishonest firm, and has gathered keep him an eccentric but effectual group of investigators nicknamed blue blood the gentry Hunt Club. In the retain, Hunt and his team corner involved with investigating the impenetrable murder of a federal aficionado and his much-younger girlfriend.

Kind the case unfolds, the Doorway Club discovers disturbing connections all round the power elite of San Francisco. When Hunt's lover, who had connections to the referee, disappears, the streetwise detective becomes determined to solve the weekend case no matter where it leads him. Lescroart presents "an only now and then detailed story of his hero's origins and a much secondary case of double murder," distinguished a Kirkus Reviews critic.

Lescroart at one time told CA: "I have in every instance been intrigued with the inscribed word.

I viewed my clever writing assignments as early because the sixth grade as conclusive fun, and I continue joke feel pretty much the much way. After experimenting with keep apart stories, poetry, and song bickering (and continuing to do so), when I was twenty-two Hysterical took the plunge and began my first novel, which rebuff one will ever see.

"Six maturity later, my novel Sunburn won the Joseph Henry Jackson Prize 1 from the San Francisco Foot.

That award gave me character confidence to continue my pursuing of novel-writing as a career…. I am blessed with trough wife Lisa, who is easy on the eyes and consistently supportive of cheap pursuit of my dreams distinguished my art.

"My heroes, disparate granted they may be, are Ernest Hemingway, Lawrence Durrell, and Toilet Fowles.

I like Larry McMurtry and James Clavell. I assemblage also a big fan notice several mystery writers, including President Conan Doyle, Rex Stout, Crapper D. MacDonald, P.D. James, humbling Elmore Leonard. And I hold to believe, naively I'm positive, that if more people would read quality fiction, it would do more good for them and for the world outweigh all the how-to and self-help books ever published."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND Carping SOURCES:

BOOKS

St.

James Guide to Lawlessness and Mystery Writers, 4th insubordination, Thomson Gale (Detroit, MI), 1996.

PERIODICALS

Booklist, January 15, 1990, Peter Guard, review of Dead Irish, proprietress. 976; September 1, 1994, Dan Bogey, review of The Ordinal Juror, p. 27; July, 1998, Gilbert Taylor, review of The Mercy Rule, p.

1830; Nov 15, 1999, Emily Melton, consider of Nothing but the Truth, p. 580; December 1, 2003, Keir Graff, review of The Second Chair, p. 626; Nov 1, 2005, Connie Fletcher, argument of The Hunt Club, proprietress. 5.

Books, summer, 1999, review stencil Nothing but the Truth, proprietress. 20.

Chicago Tribune, July 16, 1995, Chris Petrakos, review of A Certain Justice, p.

6.

Entertainment Weekly, December 24, 2004, Paul Katz, review of The Motive, owner. 73.

Kirkus Reviews, June 1, 1995, review of A Certain Justice, p. 731; August 1, 1998, review of The Mercy Rule, p. 132; November 15, 1999, review of Nothing but loftiness Truth, p. 1764; February 1, 2001, review of The Hearing, p.

132; November 15, 2002, review of The First Law, p. 1647; November 15, 2003, review of The Second Chair, p. 1332; November 1, 2005, review of The Hunt Club, p. 1160.

Library Journal, January 1, 1990, Rex E. Klett, analysis of Dead Irish, p. 151; July, 1994, Dan Bogey, survey of The 13th Juror, possessor.

127; July, 1995, Dawn Laudation. Anderson, review of A Determine Justice, p. 121; January, 1998, review of Guilt, p. 176; August, 1998, Melissa Kuzma Rokicki, review of The Mercy Rule, p. 132; November 15, 1999, Nancy McNicol, review of Nothing but the Truth, p. 100; January 1, 2001, Nancy McNicol, review of The Hearing, owner.

155; November 1, 2002, Kristen L. Smith, review of The Oath, p. 143; July 15, 2003, Kristen L. Smith, audiobook review of The First Law, p. 145; May 15, 2004, Kristen L. Smith, audiobook examine of The Second Chair, holder. 130; June 15, 2005, Kristen L. Smith, review of The Motive, p.

113; November 15, 2005, Nancy McNicol, review advance The Hunt Club, p. 63.

Mostly Murder, May-June, 1997, Steve Shaper, review of Guilt.

New York Criticize Journal, January 5, 2001, Pamela Aucoin, review of The Hearing, p. 2

People, March 18, 2002, Sean Gannon, review of The Oath, p.

47; March 3, 2003, Edward Karam, review magnetize The First Law, p. 41; March 1, 2004, Edward Karam, review of The Second Chair, p. 56.

Publishers Weekly, November 23, 1992, review of Hard Evidence, p. 52; June 20, 1994, review of The 13th Juror, pp. 93-94; August 17, 1998, review of The Mercy Rule, p.

48; December 13, 1999, review of Nothing but description Truth, p. 64; March 12, 2001, review of The Hearing, p. 60; November 19, 2001, review of The Oath, proprietress. 46; January 13, 2003, con of The First Law, proprietress. 41; December 15, 2003, discussion of The Second Chair, possessor.

54; November 29, 2004, look at of The Motive, p. 22; February 7, 2005, review illustrate The Motive, p. 34; Oct 31, 2005, review of The Hunt Club, p. 31; Oct 16, 2006, review of The Suspect, p. 30.

ONLINE

Bookreporter.com,http://www.bookreporter.com/ (September 12, 2001), Joe Hartlaub, review a range of The Hearing.

John Lescroart Home Page,http://www.johnlescroart.com (December 17, 2006).

Mystery Reader,http://www.themysteryreader.com/ (September 12, 2001), Thea Davis, dialogue of Nothing but the Truth.