One of the main reasons I love John Lescroarts books is the sparkling repartee between characters. Wyatt Hunt and Devin Juhle have a great time giving each other digs and barbs; it reminds the reader that these are just plain guys who are doing difficult things.
Because I find Dismas Hardy and Abe Glitsky to be such attractive men, it was difficult to transfer my interest in a new character. However, Lescroart is a master of the series and he uses two secondary characters to help us make the transition: Amy Wu and Wes Farrell. Wes is the king of amazing t-shirt slogans; where does he get all those zingers?
Another thing I love about Lescroarts books is the use of a city (San Francisco) as a backdrop and canvas upon which the characters and action move. Is there a city as politicized as San Francisco? The author has an understanding of the complexity of the citizens attitudes, as well as the politics that have a strong influence on how San Francisco operates.
As usual, Lescroart creates a fascinating back story for Wyatt Hunt. After just a couple of chapters, I felt I understood what made Wyatt tick; the author has the knack for explaining character in just a few hundred words.
A federal judge and his paramour are found shot in the judges home. This judge is leaning on one of the most powerful unions in California, is that the reason hes been killed? Why kill his girl friend?
Theres a point where the story seems to lose its focus and just meander. Of course, Lescroart spends time setting up this new story line; obviously Wyatt will be a help to Dismas Hardys law office in the future. However, the action in this story gets lost for a time.
My problem with this series is that Wyatt isnt Dismas Hardy or Abe Glitsky. Although the author has created an interesting character in Wyatt, he lacks the gut-wrenching back story of Dismas or the difficult present life of Abe.
This was a fun book. There were engaging characters (although there were enough secondary characters for things to get a little confusing) and an interesting plot. Lescroart did a great job building suspense without resorting to anything particularly gory/heinous/extreme. I'd definitely read more from Lescroart.
Excellent tale of murder, missing suspects and lots of twists to the tale. I couldn't put the book down. Not a police procedural per se which is this author's usual type book. Great read and surprises galore.
The plot of this book is gripping. It is quite a surprise ending and I'm sure that enthusiasts of police procedurals will enjoy this immensely.
I am a huge John Lescroart fan. The Dismas Hardy/Abe Glitsky series has been a joy to read and it was with some curiosity that I awaited the release of The Hunt Club. This was to be a departure from the past and I was hoping it would measure up.
Dismas Hardy makes a few cameo appearances in this novel, but this story as about a new character, Wyatt Hunt, PI. Still set in San Francisco, Hunt becomes involved in the murder of a federal judge and his mistress and the disappearance of a television personality... The beginning of the novel is promising and it is not long before you find yourself immersed in the intrigue however, for far too long, the story is allowed to meander without apparent purpose until as the end comes into sight, Lescroart finds his feet again and puts some very interesting finishing touches to it.
This is a novel that does not beg for or even promise a sequel. It can easily be a stand alone book and if there are no further adventures of Wyatt Hunt, that will be alright with me. Hopefully, if Mr. Hunt is to have some longevity in future novels, the author will find something about him to make him relevant to those of us who admire his writing.
