Although this story included the humorous interactions between all the usual suspects, there were some welcome additions. The most obvious was the addition of Diz's daughter "the Bec" as a lawyer in Dismas Hardy's firm. This was a nice addition, as it gives us one more target for his wisecracks, which I enjoy.

Another addition, or change, was in the basic formula of most of his stories, but I don't want to spoil the surprise. If you've read it, you probably know what I mean, but here it is... The formula I speak of is the one where innocent people get accused of a crime, and it looks like they are going to be found guilty through unfair circumstances.. Anyway, there's some added excitement after the trial.

I speak about the basic formula, but I don't think that detracts from the enjoyment of the stories. The plots vary enough to be interesting, and the main attraction to me is the interaction between Dismas, Abe, and other characters. I would be happy to have friends like these in my life.

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Insightful and a challenging mystery that explored several societal ills (teenagers from dysfunctional homes, support for impoverished families, effective counselling). Not a particularly light read but engrossing and with some clever plot twists. ( )

This is a great addition to a fine series, full of twists. The Dismas Hardy series is one of my favorite collection of legal mysteries. The Fall, #16, is both a fine mystery/thriller as well as the debut of Rebecca Hardy's career as a defense attorney. The story opens with an gruesome event in which a young black woman falls from a parapet above the exit from what sounds like the Stockton Street tunnel. Was she thrown? Did she jump? Was it an accident? As time goes on, there are numerous alternative interpretations and no shortage of candidates for the perpetrator, if indeed, it was murder.

Rebecca ("The Beck") is a lead character and, I suspect, will initiate a new direction for this series that was otherwise growing old. I like her as an adult.

There are numerous scenarios to be worked out while the trial is in progress. The number of surprises toward the end stretches credibility, and one procedural blunder by the SF police department or district attorney is completely unbelievable. Having come to love the characters of Hardy and Glitzky and their families, I can overlook these weaknesses. When I finished reading, I wished the book had been longer.

If you are not already familiar with the series, you should know that the characters age and evolve, so it pays to read them in more or less chronological order. They are not all as good as the Fall, but most are fun reading. Lescroart writes well, and his stories are well-paced, and the interactions among the characters filled with humor. ( )

Since I am a retired social worker, I found this interesting and the author did his homework. ( )

From The Book:
Late one night, a seventeen-year-old African American foster child Tanya Morgan falls from the overpass above San Francisco’s Stockton tunnel, landing on the windshield of a car driving on the street below. She is killed instantly. But did she fall...or was she pushed?

My Thoughts:
Rebecca is the star of the show, as she struggles to put together a defense, and then learns the ropes of presenting that defense in Court. The court room scenes are well done and you find that you are becoming frustrated with the justice system and the way it works. The narrative is dynamic and interesting alternating among the different characters and their particular perspective about the case. I thought how it was going to resolve and I was wrong about my early assessment but not disappointment by the outcome. I highly recommend this series for all court room drama buffs. ( )