The Oath (Dismas Hardy) - Hardcover

Lescroart, John

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0525945768 ISBN 13: 9780525945765

Publisher: Dutton Adult, 2002

Synopsis

Attorney Dismas Hardy is hurled into a world of greed and violence when he makes a horrifying discovery, which threatens his family and his long-standing friendship with homicide lieutenant Abe Glitsky, while representing Dr. Eric Kensing, a man accused of murdering the head of San Francisco's largest HMO. 125,000 first printing.

About this title

About the Author

John Lescroart is the bestselling author of twelve previous novels, including The Hearing, Nothing but the Truth, Guilt, and The Thirteenth Juror.

Reviews

With their reputation for rolling up hefty profits while doling out penny-pinching care, HMOs have emerged as a favorite villain of crime writers. Lescroart gets in his licks with this scalpel-sharp thriller, the ninth in the Dismas Hardy line. This time around, the San Francisco attorney finds himself representing Dr. Eric Kensing, who stands accused of murdering his boss, Tim Markham, the CEO of the Parnassus Medical Group, a struggling HMO providing health services to all the city's employees. An autopsy shows that Markham, hospitalized in critical condition following a hit-and-run, died not of his injuries but of a potassium overdose. It doesn't look good for Kensing. Not only was he the doctor on duty, but he had plenty of motive; his wife was having an affair with Markham. As police investigators, led once again by Lt. Abe Glitsky, home in on Kensing, the case veers in another direction. The police discover that Markham is actually the 12th person to have been killed recently while under Parnassus's care. And Kensing can't be blamed for all of them. The investigation leads police and Hardy to a multitude of suspects, most connected to Parnassus's zeal for ruthless cost cutting. Burdened at times by Hardy's musings and a few awkwardly placed clues, Lescroart's latest featuring the cunning, self-effacing attorney and dedicated family man is still a skillfully researched and executed piece of work. The author wisely steers clear of taking cheap shots at the HMO industry, yet manages to direct a sharp beam into some of its darker crevices. Fans of the popular series should know that there are no courtroom scenes, unusual for the trial-prone Hardy, but Lescroart manages to squeeze in almost every member of his usual large and always entertaining cast. (Feb. 4)Forecast: The reliably excellent Lescroart carries on, delivering yet another winner. A massive ad/promo campaign including the simultaneous release of the paperback edition of The Hearing, a 10-city author tour and a one-day laydown should swell the already well-populated ranks of his fans.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

The Hippocratic oath, that is. At the center of this latest legal thriller by master yarn spinner Lescroart is Parnassus, San Francisco's largest HMO, which is on the brink of bankruptcy. The heart of Parnassus' problems is the now-classic struggle of financial realities versus patient needs. When Tim Markham, the CEO of the flailing HMO, is struck by a hit-and-run driver and subsequently dies at the hospital, it's an unfortunate but random act, just like every other hit-and-run. Or is it? The lovable, curmudgeonly detective Abe Glitzky, back at the Lescroart helm, doesn't think so. Glitzky consults his team of confidantes, including his new wife, an assistant DA, and his best pal, attorney Dismas Hardy. Glitzky is none too pleased that he also has to enlist the help of two new bumbling but politically connected rookies. When an autopsy reveals that Markham's death resulted not from the hit-and-run but from an overdose at the hospital, attending physician Eric Kensing becomes the suspect, as this death is not the first suspicious one under his watch. A classic Lescroart conflict develops when Kensing retains Hardy as his defense attorney, pitting buddy against buddy. True to the author's form, The Oath is gripping, timely, and extremely satisfying. But Lescroart's real strength here is his exploration of medical ethics in our insurance-dependent times. A stellar novel that will have broad appeal. Mary Frances Wilkens
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

A really topical mystery: Lescroart stalwart Dismas Hardy defends a physician accused of doing in the head of an HMO.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Dutton Adult
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0525945768
• ISBN 13: 9780525945765
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 408