Soap-opera thrillers?

With "Dead Irish" John Lescroat begins his wonderful San Francisco-based thriller series, introducing many of the characters who populate subsequent episodes. I call the series soap-opera thrillers -- meaning no disparagement whatsoever -- because Lescroart devotes so much attention to character development. He makes us feel a real connection to his characters and the intricacies of their lives. I can see how this degree of character development might annoy some thriller fans who want plenty of action, without non-essential distractions. And to those people I would not recommend Lescroart's novels. But Lescroart clearly had a series in mind when he began it with "Dead Irish," wanting to establish his characters' motivations and emotional underpinnings. Lescroart writes well to start with, improving with each installment, providing us with a chain of very enjoyable audiobooks. Although each episode can stand alone -- since Lescroart always fills in the details we need to know from previous episodes -- I recommend listening to this series in chronological sequence, in order to fully appreciate the developing story. David Colacci has the perfect voice and acting chops to read these audiobooks, using the same voices for each character throughout the series. I only regret that Mr. Colacci wasn't tapped to read all the Lescroart audiobooks, because the other readers break the consistency Colacci had established. I highly recommend the entire series to all thriller-lovers who have the patience for good character development and intricate plotting.

119 people found this helpful

Fantastic

Abe Glitzky and Dismas Hardy are two of the greatest fictional characters ever created. Lescroarts' series is
justifiably famous, and Davis Colacci's narration is tone-perfect. The feel of San Francisco (where I have lived and worked since 1978) is so vivid and accurate that you can't help but feel you are there. The plots are classic thrillers, and Lescroarts keeps you guessing until the very end. His knowledge of police behavior, criminals, defense attorneys and investigators is deep, the result of years of working in that environment. The author certainly writes what he knows. Hardy and Glitzky have grown during the long series, have had their disasters and triumphs, much like the rest of us, perhaps more dramatically than most lives; maybe not. Anyone who enjoys this genre will be thrilled. I guarantee it.

38 people found this helpful

This book didn't cut it for me

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Start all over again.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Still working on that

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

I liked the narrator.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

I didn’t care for the story line very much. Trying to believe the killer was who the author choose did not set well with me, nor did the motive for murder. Having said this, I can’t help but comment that this made the plot unbelievable & I think the author should have taken this book in a whole different direction. It just left me feeling down. The detectives & police parts were OK but that in & of itself did not hold the story together. And getting into the killers head I found useless. So there you have it.my opinion.

5 people found this helpful

I didn't like it but...

Lescroart is an intelligent and sensitive man, this book shows it. I'm thinking that others might become interested in his characters and life view. I didn't. It was well read, no problems there and I'll look for David Colacci in the future. I just found the plot and characters flat. And the ending was tortuously predictable. Sorry, just can't recommend Dead Irish.

20 people found this helpful

A great listen.

If you could sum up Dead Irish in three words, what would they be?

A surprise ending

Who was your favorite character and why?

Abe. He listens to Hardy even when he doesn't want to. He trust Hardy. They seem to be best buds.

What does David Colacci bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

A great narration with different personalites.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes even though I wasn't able but when I could I did.

Any additional comments?

I listened to "Nothing But The Truth" and had to start the series. I am glad I did. It is a series worth starting at the beginning

4 people found this helpful

Unclear

I don't know why I found this so hard to follow and keep hooked into but I suspect it's the lack of focus on the main character. There is a great crime writer in there somewhere but this book was very average. The story flits around from so many perspectives it's hard to build a bond with the lead character.

I may give the author a second chance.

17 people found this helpful

Suicide versus Murder

I've listened to very many of the books in the Dismas Hardy series. I've enjoyed all of them and Dead Irish, too.The first book in the series sets the scene for those that follow.

The author, John Lescroart's novels are an easy listen. The narrator, David Colacci, has just the right inflections that identify each character so that you can distinguish their voices. He remains the narrator throughout the series and you're able to continue to distinguish who is who.

Dismas works in a bar, Little Shamrock, owned by Moses, Dismas's friend. When Moses's son-in-law, Eddie Cochran, is found dead he asks Dismas to investigate his death. Dismas has left being a policeman and a lawyer behind. He works part-time at Little Shamrock but Moses has a difficult time getting Dismas to accept. However, when Moses offers Dismas a 1/4 ownership in Little Shamrock, Dismas is ready to solve the mystery of Eddie Cochran's death. Moses wants to know if Eddie was murdered or committed suicide, as the police have determined.

The mystery is an easy listen and the books that follow continue to increase the development of the characters. I'm quite sure after reading, Dead Irish, you'll want to purchase the next book in the series. Maybe you'll become a fan of Dismas like I have. Enjoy!

5 people found this helpful

Very good but not great

Not as sharp and crisp and not up to the same standards as John Lescroat's other novels.

1 person found this helpful

Good Story, Bad Ending

This was a decent read but I have enjoyed many others far better. Lescroart develops a number of characters, spending a lot of time profiling two different suspects in a murder case. Three quarters of the way through (or longer) a very simple fact (their alibi's) clear them and a very unlikely third suspect is worked in. I hope this review doesn't spoil the thrill of the story for anybody, but it did for me in listening to it. Narration was decent but again, not the best I have ever heard. As there is so much positive out there about this series, I will hang in there and get more.

13 people found this helpful

Misleading Title

If you could sum up Dead Irish in three words, what would they be?

Complicated plot that intersects in the end.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Dismis Hardy, the central character in the series. I had listened to five other books in the Dismis Hardy series and wanted to listen to this first book in the series.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, it was too long for one setting.

Any additional comments?

I found it a bit difficult to keep the various threads of the story straight until they began to converge in the last third of the work.

2 people found this helpful