A solid John Lescroart mystery that is packed with his ongoing characters, vividly described settings, and complex, intriguing plot lines. A number of twists and turns build the engaging story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the opportunity to read this book. ( )

I almost gave this 4 stars, because it lacked a lot of the humorous interactions I so liked in previous books, but it was still there. And there were so many twists and turns that made up for it. Also, Abe Glitsky played a big part in this one, and I like him a lot. When he and Hardy get together, it's always interesting, but Hardy didn't play as big a role in this one as in other books, it seemed.

Another minus was the lack of good t-shirts from Wes Farrell. Some of the previous books had some good/clever ones, but I don't think there were any that were very good in this one. In fact, Wes himself was pretty serious in this book, but his malaise brought up the problem of perception of people accused of crimes. He has gone from prosecution to defense, and is now questioning his beliefs, thinking that anyone accused of a crime is probably guilty of something, even if it's not the exact crime they're accused of. I think this is very possibly true, but the ones who are not guilty deserve to be represented, and nobody knows for sure who they are. ( )

Paul Riley was convicted of raping and murdering his girlfriend, Dana. After eleven years on death row, the Exoneration Initiative gets his conviction overturned on what many people consider a technicality. Four months later, he’s murdered. Riley’s dad identifies Doug Rush as the man he claims to have seen fleeing Riley’s apartment. Rush is quickly arrested but disappears after being released on bail. PI Abe Glitsky is hired by Rush’s attorney to find him. He soon learns that Riley wasn’t the only prisoner freed by the Exoneration Initiative who was murdered shortly after. Is it a coincidence or is someone enacting the justice they believe the Initiative has denied?

The Missing Piece is the nineteenth in the Dismas Hardy series by John Lescroart. It’s been quite a while since I read one of the books in the series but I didn’t find that this interfered with my ability to follow the story. And what a smart, twisty story it is. This is a well-plotted well-written legal thriller, more a clever puzzle than an action-packed roller coaster of a thrill ride but that doesn’t mean it isn’t completely engrossing. It is populated with multiple characters, all of whom hold a piece of the puzzle, many seemingly small and unimportant until fitted together. it kept me engaged and guessing, completely tied to the page until the aha moment at the end. I’d like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Is this the perfect crime or a perfect conundrum?

“The Missing Piece” is about one shot, just one bullet, fired, that hits its mark, and changes everything for everyone. It is book nineteen in the “Dismas Hardy Series.” I had not read any of the previous books, but was able to follow the complex narrative. There are a lot of multifaceted characters with multifaceted backgrounds and associations, but the narrative gave me the details I needed; all are introduced with pertinent information. Readers get to know them within the context of the narrative, their appearance, their mannerisms, their opinions, and their ability to hide secrets. This is a conversation driven story filled with what people say to each other, say about each other, and occasionally what they say to themselves.

The action takes place in a week and over many past years. An exonerated prisoner is released, but perhaps he is not actually innocent, but had only been released because of legal errors. This makes him a free man but not an innocent man. Then there is a murder, and another one, or two. Something serious and dangerous is happening; things have to be somehow related, but connection does not mean causation. There is no hard evidence, no pattern, nothing. People are looking, but not seeing. This is a five-hundred piece puzzle, dropped on the floor, with a missing piece.

“The Missing Piece” is a complex story that evolves bit by bit. Each character holds a piece of the puzzle, and multiple points of view bring out the diverse part that each character plays. The seemingly unrelated clues ultimately come together, and the whole story is exposed. The chain of events may be elaborate and diverse, but the motive is simple and uncomplicated. I received a review copy of “The Missing Piece” John Lescroart and Atria Books. And, yes, “Sympathetic Pheromones” would be a great name for a band.

“The Missing Piece” is now available in print, as an e-book, and on audio from independent bookstores, online booksellers, retail stores, public libraries and anywhere you get your books. ( )

So this definitely holds all the cards till the end. When I got down to like the last 25 pages and it still wasn’t revealed who the slippery criminal was, I began to think that maybe they were not going to solve the case after all. I’m glad that didn’t end up being true because I would have been quite frustrated I’m sure. This is an interesting storyline for a novel, with a recently exonerated convict being targeted for assassination, only to have the man accused of killing him meet the same fate. I appreciated the fact that it wasn’t a give me who was responsible for the crime. It ended up being a bit of a surprise. So many of these types of stories it ends up being obvious who the killer is, but I couldn’t really figure that out. I guess this an ongoing plot with these same characters, but I haven’t read any of the other novels, and I can follow the story just fine, so this can stand on its own. Thank you to Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review. ( )