THE HEARING  READ PRAISE! New York Times Bestseller! The call comes at midnight. An up-and-coming lawyer has been found dead in a dark alley, with a homeless heroin addict lingering over her body, holding a gun and carrying her jewelry in his pocket. It looks like a robbery gone awry, a tragic and petty murder. But for homicide lieutenant Abe Glitsky, the crime cuts close to home. Because, unknown to anyone—even Glitsky's best friend, lawyer Dismas Hardy—the victim was his daughter. Now, as the city's embattled, ambitious DA tries to save her troubled department by seeking the death penalty, Dismas Hardy warily takes on the defense. But as he attempts to put his personal feelings aside and secure a fair hearing for his client, fragile fault lines of corruption, conspiracy, and murder begin to tremble under his scrutiny—and send shock waves through the city of San Francisco. Read an excerpt. BUY THE BOOK Amazon Barnes & Noble Books-A-Million Book Sense Penguin   PRAISE "A master."    —People "As good a legal thriller as I've read in years."    —Patrick Anderson, The Washington Post "I don't even like legal thrillers, but I enjoyed The Hearing.... Terrific."    —The Plain Dealer (Cleveland) "A spine-tingling legal thriller. A really, really good read."    —Larry King, USA Today "The heroes are engaging, their foes are threatening and their legal background and the law are well served."    —Los Angeles Times "Satisfying.... Readers will savor the mounting tension and the many twists and turns along the way to the surprise ending."    —Publishers Weekly "Typical Lescroart, which is to say excellent stuff."    —San Jose Mercury News Dutton Hardcover, 2001; Signet Paperback, 2002