The Motive

This is a murder mystery by John Lescroart that I really liked right up until the end. The plot starts with a fire in a famous San Francisco home that is being renovated, where two bodies are discovered. The first few chapters lay out the police and fire inspectors' procedures while pointing toward possible suspects. The investigation proceeds along several different avenues, eventually involving the main character, lawyer Dismas Hardy, as the case heads toward trial. I loved the mature characterization of Dismas Hardy as a veteran lawyer with a blessed family life and good friendships. I also enjoyed trying to figure out where the investigation was heading, which I'm never very good at anyway, but it was fun to try. The ending, though, was a little disappointing. It seemed too little justification for all the suspense leading up to it. I know that's vague, but I recommend reading the book, so I'm not going to give away the ending.