Cover image of "Dead Irish," an example of San Francisco noir

San Francisco bartender Dismas Hardy was briefly a patrol officer in the SFPD while he worked toward a law degree. He left the law shortly after the death of an infant son and divorce from his wife. But when his boss and best friend learns that his popular brother-in-law has mysteriously died, Dismas can’t resist the urge to investigate. The SFPD believes the man committed suicide. Dismas believes otherwise, and he sets out to find the truth.

The joy of San Francisco noir

To access police resources, Dismas turns to his former partner, now Detective Sergeant Abe Glitsky. Glitsky hopes for promotion to lieutenant and is reluctant to help an outsider. Largely on his own, then, Dismas digs for evidence of murder. His investigation leads him into the dark corners of San Francisco society and triggers additional murders. Suspense builds as the tale becomes ever more complicated. Dismas focuses on first one, then a second suspect, but the evidence is only circumstantial. The action cascades toward a shocking revelation and a violent conclusion. Dashiell Hammet may have pioneered what may be called San Francisco noir. John Lescroart proves himself to be a worthy successor with Dead Irish. The book is a joy to read.

Dead Irish (Dismas Hardy #1) by John Lescroart ★★★★★ 

About the author

John Lescroart has been writing crime novels for nearly 30 years. Dead Irish, his first, was published in 1989. This was the first of 15 books to date featuring former San Francisco cop and attorney Dismas Hardy. Lescroart has written nine other novels. His work frequently appears on the New York Times bestseller list and has been translated into 22 languages. He lives in Davis, California, a little less than two hours north of San Francisco.

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