The Fall

Each of the protagonists in Lescrorat’s four series—lawyer Dismas Hardy, San Francisco DA Wes Farrell, his special investigator Abe Glitsky, and private eye Wyatt Hunt—are all present for the author’s 25th novel, but it’s Hardy’s daughter, Rebecca, who takes first chair in this murder trial, defending the likable Greg Treadway. A middle-school teacher and volunteer advocate for foster children, Treadway is being accused of murdering one of those foster children, a 17-year-old named Anlya Paulson with whom he was supposedly having an affair. It’s Rebecca’s first time in a lead role in a murder trial, and her aggressive opponent has never lost a prosecution. Colacci has been narrating the author’s legal thrillers for so long that his interpretations of the main characters are established. As always, his Farrell is a little higher pitched and nasal than the slower-speaking, more thoughtful Hardy. In this instance, his Rebecca sounds acceptably feminine, smart, with a touch of apprehension and nervousness that disappears once she’s stumbled through her debut day in court and stands ready to do battle. Colacci’s interpretive skill is just as effective in capturing others in the cast—best of all is his portrayal of the suspect Greg, whose winning charm and charisma begin to wilt once the going gets rough. An Atria hardcover. (May)