Fatal: A Novel

My husband and I adore John Lescroart, have read every one of his novels and look forward to every new one. I can't begin to describe our disappointment in "Fatal". We forced ourselves to read 8 chapters (4 more than we wanted to) before we gave up. Expecting a finely-woven murder mystery with interesting characters and plot twists, we were met with infidelity, sex and lies from unlikeable characters ad nauseum. There are other writers who can give us this sort of story if we were interested. In fact, we could easily believe Mr. Lescroart had someone else write this one for him.

John: We can understand after so many books how you might want to make a detour out of your genre but we fervently hope you've gotten it out of your system.

Liked the characters, but I dislike unresolved endings. I always suspect the author can't commit to a solid final chapter. Also, okay we know you're from Davis, CA, but ditch the political rhetoric. You're annoying at least half of your PAYING customers.

So disappointed! I have loved almost every one of the books in John Lescroart's Dismas Hardy series, but this "stand alone" seemed as if someone else wrote it. Barely made it through the book, very sad.

Finished the book less than 2 weeks ago and today had absolutely no recollection of it until I went on line and read a synopsis. The synopsis jogged my memory. This never happened to me before after reading a Dismas Hardy book. And I was in SF for part of the reading of the book!!

I am unsure about this book, because naturally I expected dismardy & company. Not to say that this was not a good read, but to me something was lacking, perhaps I ha become too comfy with the hardy characters, too bad because lescarout weaves a good tale worth your attention

I though the concept of the book was interesting, but when I started reading it I found the plot to be somewhat slow developing. It follows middle-aged Kate who is married with two kids, but has a one-off encounter with Peter, also married with two kids, who she met along with his wife Jill at a friends' gathering. After their single encounter, Kate moves on but Peter becomes obsessed with Kate. There's a lot of pages devoted to the generic daily life of both (Kate's husband has problem's at work, Peter's kids are seniors at high school who get in trouble, etc.). The story veers between both Kate's and Peter's perspective, as well as that of others (including Kate's friend Beth who investigates crimes, with the most recent being a murder-suicide of a cheating spouse by a wife. Kate tells Beth about Peter. Beth is concerned. The two witness an attack as they're eating at a restaurant. Peter becomes worried about Kate's safety, and starts searching for her, etc.

I think the story would have benefited from a single character perspective, rather than the multiple perspectives, which were a little too much and kept the narrative of the story jumbled instead of smooth. I also prefer first person narratives rather than third person, as it makes me feel closer to the character. Lastly, I wish the story cut out the mundane parts of the characters' lives, as they didn't add anything to the tension.

I put good for the writing only because the store won't let you progress with the review unless you first rate the writing. I did not read the book; I have returned it. The reason? The print was way too small for comfortable and healthy reading. I bought a brand new, Hardback first edition of Mr.Lescroart's book, "Fatal". Usually I ask the seller to check the print, but I assumed for a first edition hardback by a first tier author, that the print would be good. I check because the printing in books has gotten cheaper; smaller, dimmer. The publisher is a prominent one; as are others guilty of this mistake. They are cutting corners by using cheaper print. I hope other book lovers will speak out about this as well. I had bad vision most of my life. Now it is ok. I know how important good vision is. Please don't let this pass. I have mass market paperbacks with better printing than this.

"Fatal" by John Lescroart is a novel about the consequences of a seemingly innocent one-night stand that goes wrong. Kate, a happily-married mother of two, attends a dinner party with her husband Ron one evening, where she meets Peter Ash. Later that night, she's struck by burning desire for Peter, calls him up later that week, gets him to come meet her at a hotel under the guise of a work question. They have sex, he begins to lightly stalk her, and then six months later, he ends up dead. I didn't understand where that spark came from, why he would believe that it's a work question. Peter was not the brightest character I've read.

I had a lot of issues with the novel, from how Peter talked about his children (no wonder they didn't like him) to the unnecessary subplots in the novel. At one point, there was a terrorist attack. Second, how many affairs did Peter need to have? It all felt very cluttered. I didn't particularly care for Laurie or her brother Alan. He also didn't seem to have much of a romantic connection with Beth so it was hard for me to develop in an interest in whether or not it would go anywhere.

Additionally, the end was messy, unresolved, and not in a good way for me. The more I mull over the novel, the unhappier I get with it.

I though the concept of the book was interesting, but when I started reading it I found the plot to be somewhat slow developing. It follows middle-aged Kate who is married with two kids, but has a one-off encounter with Peter, also married with two kids, who she met along with his wife Jill at a friends' gathering. After their single encounter, Kate moves on but Peter becomes obsessed with Kate. There's a lot of pages devoted to the generic daily life of both (Kate's husband has problem's at work, Peter's kids are seniors at high school who get in trouble, etc.). The story veers between both Kate's and Peter's perspective, as well as that of others (including Kate's friend Beth who investigates crimes, with the most recent being a murder-suicide of a cheating spouse by a wife. Kate tells Beth about Peter. Beth is concerned. The two witness an attack as they're eating at a restaurant. Peter becomes worried about Kate's safety, and starts searching for her, etc.

I think the story would have benefited from a single character perspective, rather than the multiple perspectives, which were a little too much and kept the narrative of the story jumbled instead of smooth. I also prefer first person narratives rather than third person, as it makes me feel closer to the character. Lastly, I wish the story cut out the mundane parts of the characters' lives, as they didn't add anything to the tension.

I put good for the writing only because the store won't let you progress with the review unless you first rate the writing. I did not read the book; I have returned it. The reason? The print was way too small for comfortable and healthy reading. I bought a brand new, Hardback first edition of Mr.Lescroart's book, "Fatal". Usually I ask the seller to check the print, but I assumed for a first edition hardback by a first tier author, that the print would be good. I check because the printing in books has gotten cheaper; smaller, dimmer. The publisher is a prominent one; as are others guilty of this mistake. They are cutting corners by using cheaper print. I hope other book lovers will speak out about this as well. I had bad vision most of my life. Now it is ok. I know how important good vision is. Please don't let this pass. I have mass market paperbacks with better printing than this.

"Fatal" by John Lescroart is a novel about the consequences of a seemingly innocent one-night stand that goes wrong. Kate, a happily-married mother of two, attends a dinner party with her husband Ron one evening, where she meets Peter Ash. Later that night, she's struck by burning desire for Peter, calls him up later that week, gets him to come meet her at a hotel under the guise of a work question. They have sex, he begins to lightly stalk her, and then six months later, he ends up dead. I didn't understand where that spark came from, why he would believe that it's a work question. Peter was not the brightest character I've read.

I had a lot of issues with the novel, from how Peter talked about his children (no wonder they didn't like him) to the unnecessary subplots in the novel. At one point, there was a terrorist attack. Second, how many affairs did Peter need to have? It all felt very cluttered. I didn't particularly care for Laurie or her brother Alan. He also didn't seem to have much of a romantic connection with Beth so it was hard for me to develop in an interest in whether or not it would go anywhere.

Additionally, the end was messy, unresolved, and not in a good way for me. The more I mull over the novel, the unhappier I get with it.

Oh dear. Over the years, I've enjoyed John Lescroart's Dismas Hardy mysteries, even if (as is inevitable in any long-running series) some are stronger than others. So I was eager to read this stand-alone suspense novel, thinking that it would be great to encounter a new set of characters and perhaps even a new kind of plot.

Except that this really, really didn't work. it's a remarkably heavy-handed and unconvincing tale. Somehow the reader is supposed to believe that a single adulterous fling (one afternoon in a hotel room) is enough to send a married man off the rails (a reverse "Fatal Attraction" -- remember the film with Glenn Close as a bunny boiler? -- possibly explaining the title) and completely transform his personality into someone who ruins the lives of everyone around him. So, when he is found murdered, there are plenty of suspects, right?

The final solution is impossibly complex, and downright bizarre, and there are so many quirky twists and turns (a terrorist bomb?) en route to that destination that I still struggle with it, long after finishing it. I can't get into the details of all my problems with the plot without dealing in spoilers. All I can say is that it ended up sounding to me as if the author's wife had cheated on him and he wrote this novel as a kind of revenge catharsis. (Yes, I know, unlikely, but that's the only explanation I was left with for a rather messy plot and a bunch of characters doing very unconvincing things, and a string of improbable coincidences.) I certainly had figured out whodunnit by midway through the book, and the final twist was completely strange and not remotely convincing. It just didn't work as a persuasive plot twist, and the original "whodunnit" was far too obvious.

Both readers and Lescroart should stick to Dismas Hardy, whose adventures may be predictable but have the merit of being readable and enjoyable.

When you've been reading recurring characters for as long as you can remember, and then that author goes off and writes a standalone... didn't nobody ask him to do that! ;)

One the one hand, I think my rating is more about missing the usual "show"... the Glistsky/Hardy/Wes Farrell show. I've been reading those characters for as long as I can remember, and tho he has veered from them before, this feels... like a permanent departure. And I guess I realize, since so much has changed, maybe that series has run its course... but I feel like those are my friends and I miss them.

On the other hand I feel that my rating accurately portrays this new novel. It was good reading but didn't keep me up at night wondering (like his previous books had). I hope that this might be the start of a new series because I could definitely get into a female inspector and her partner in San Fran. The city itself is a character and I am at least comforted that it's set in a familiar place.

Lescroart's strength has always been presenting stories that don't seem to tie together in the least, and then weaving them together to where you can't believe you ever considered that they weren't related. The first part of this book was a lot of 'what does this have to do with anything???' but then it all started to make sense.

The ending, though a bit atypical, actually made complete and total sense. The perfect crime, as they say.

Infidelity breeds lies. They stack up like a house of cards until it eventually all comes crashing down. The description of this book says "an explosive story of infidelity, danger, and moral ambiguity, John Lescroart's latest thriller will excite and satisfy both his current and new fans." This is the first book I have ever read by Lescroart, and I was not disappointed. He has amassed a large fan base with a very popular series, although this novel is a stand alone thriller.

This is a complex story with a large cast of characters, but it never seemed too confusing to follow. There is good character development throughout. Subtle hints are dropped along the storyline. If you keep mental notes of the small details along the way you can stay in front of the story. There is a lot of foreshadowing, but in most cases the truth is revealed in the next chapter or two. The plot twists and turns throughout, but it really picks up towards the end of the book. Overall, a very solid thriller that keeps you guessing until the end.

As I mentioned, this is a stand alone thriller, but I would enjoy a series based on the detective, Beth. I would recommend this to fans of mysteries and thrillers, especially police procedurals. I received this as a free ARC from Atria Books on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The above quote really fits with this book so below is the whole quote, not just what I could fit in a title:

Everything we do, even the slightest thing we do, can have a ripple effect and repercussions that emanate. If you throw a pebble into the water on one side of the ocean, it can create a tidal wave on the other side. - Victor Webster

I think all of us, at one time or another, has done something without thinking of the consequences. And that is the gist of this story, along with moral and immoral decisions and not being faithful to your spouse (or significant other).

Kate and her husband, Ron, go to some very good friends' house for dinner and another couple happens to be there. Kate fixates on the husband, Peter, of this other couple and makes a decision that changes countless lives.

SPOILER ALERT:
I enjoyed this story but felt there was just too much crammed into it.
The whole terrorist sequence could have been left out of the story and it would have made a stronger tale.

I really liked San Franciso police Sergeant Beth Tully and the sections she was in but there were some very unlikable characters in the story - who made terrible decisions.

So...the story was written well although it could have had quite a bit cut out and strengthened the remaining storylines.

I received this book from Atria Books through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased review.

Kate and her husband Ron, have a seemingly perfect life: happily married, two kids, etc. So Kate is thrown off by her attraction to another man, Peter Ash, when she meets him at a dinner party held by one of Ron's colleagues and his own wife. Peter himself is married, with twin sons. Unable to get Peter out her mind, Kate ignores the warnings of her friend Beth, and arranges an encounter. Shortly after that event, Kate and Beth are involved in a horrific terrorist attack, and it seems like nothing will ever be the same.

This was a slightly bizarre novel with an interesting premise: a sort of anti-adultery treatise, in a way. The novel confounded me slightly with its two different tracks: one of personal angst and murder (I don't think it's a spoiler to state that shortly after the terrorist attack, Peter Ash winds up murdered) and then the terrorist attack, which seems somewhat oddly inserted into the novel's plot. Kate's friend Beth is a police detective, and for me, Beth was driving force of the book (and seriously, practically the only sane person in this story). I enjoyed her character and while it's been noted that this was a standalone novel for Lescroart, I could see another book featuring her.

Beth is perplexed as she tries to solve Peter Ash's murder. For us: not really. I felt as if the suspect was fairly easily identifiable the whole time. Lescroart did a fairly good job as casting suspicions on someone else; at one point, I finally thought, oh, ok, maybe I really am wrong (but I wasn't). There's a whole host of characters in the novel and they are interesting, but not really as complex or intricate as Beth. Overall, I enjoyed this novel-- I haven't read anything by Lescroart since some of his early Dismas Hardy books ages ago-- but I didn't find it to have an amazing "wow" factor or anything. It was an interesting, if somewhat predictable thriller, with some strange plot points thrown in.

The characters in Fatal, regardless of gender, have trouble keeping their pants on, at least when they are with someone else’s spouse. Fatal isn’t quite Fatal Attraction, although there are overtones of obsessive desire leading to dangerous consequences.

Geoff and Bina Cooke bring their friends Peter and Jill Ash together with their friends Ron and Kate Jameson. Kate comes home with the overpowering desire to shag Peter. One seduction later, Kate has satisfied herself but has transferred the obsession to Peter, who can’t stop thinking about her. This apparently transforms Peter’s life in ways that I didn’t understand or believe.

Frank Rinaldi is the murder victim in an apparent murder-suicide. Beth Tully, investigating the case, thinks his wife killed herself after she killed Frank, probably after learning that he was having an affair with Laurie Shaw. Beth, who starts dating Laurie’s brother Alan, happens to be a good friend of Kate. You might need a spreadsheet to keep track of the intersecting relationships in Fatal.

All of this seems more like a soap opera than a thriller until a group of terrorists start shooting people and blowing things up near the coffee shop where Beth and Kate are chatting about Kate’s infidelity. Hello, terrorists? That comes out of nowhere, and it’s followed by Peter’s murder. So now we’ve got a thriller. But then we’re back to a soap opera as Beth helps Laurie deal with her anorexia while adding her friend Kate to the lengthening list of women who might have wanted Peter dead. That’s a little too much soap for me.

John Lescroart should stick to writing about lawyers. This is a novel about cops, and his cops are tedious and annoying. Beth is more interested in her intuition than evidence and her partner is more interested in being a bully than in doing legitimate police work. When they finally settle on one of a few different competing theories, the partner isn’t the least bit troubled that no evidence establishes the purported killer’s motive. That reflects the sad reality of law enforcement — everyone they meet is a suspect, the presumption of innocence doesn’t exist, and clearing a case is more important than arresting the right person — but as realistic as Beth and her partner might be, I wouldn’t want to know them.

And unfortunately, by the end of Fatal, I didn’t care who shot Peter. The investigating cops are so unlikable and self-righteous that I would have been just as happy to see the crime unsolved — maybe happier, since I didn’t think they deserved to solve it. My favorite character was a CSI guy who kept telling them to stop bothering him until they had some actual evidence that merited investigation.

The solution to the mystery isn’t terribly surprising and the ending is silly, but I don’t have a problem with the plot so much as the disagreeable characters. I hope Lescroart returns to writing about Dismas Hardy. That’s a character I can enjoy.

It requires some intestinal fortitude for a successful author of genre series fiction to stray from the familiar path and write a stand-alone work. So it is that we come to FATAL by John Lescroart, primarily known for his Dismas Hardy/Abe Glitsky thrillers as well as the Wyatt Hunt spinoff series. It is set in San Francisco and is in part a police procedural novel, as are the titles that comprise both of the aforementioned series. However, it is a very different book from those, similarities notwithstanding. It is also --- again, like those --- very, very good and certainly (not to mention unexpectedly) one of Lescroart's best to date.

FATAL may contain elements of police procedure, but it takes a while to get there. The hook that sinks the reader is a solitary assignation that takes place very early in the proceedings. The participants are a husband and wife who are happily married, each to someone else. They meet briefly at a dinner party, a light encounter that leaves Kate Jameson infatuated with Peter Ash. Kate subsequently arranges a meeting with Peter and literally throws herself at him. Peter is initially reluctant but goes with the moment. Afterward, the roles are reversed. Kate’s itch has been scratched, and she is no longer interested in Peter, who, alas, has become obsessed with her. But all of his advances are summarily rejected. Just as he is wondering what to do next, an event occurs that affects not only Kate, Peter and their spouses, but also virtually everyone in San Francisco.

Lescroart then suddenly advances the narrative by several months. A number of startling changes have occurred for Kate and Peter and everyone in their respective and interlocking circles, from friends to spouses and beyond. Kate’s best friend, a San Francisco homicide detective named Beth Tully, soon finds herself in the middle of the situation, juggling ethics with friendship and other elements as well. She ultimately discovers that investigation, as difficult as it may be, is relatively easy; it is justice that is hard to deliver. Will it be served, delayed or denied? That is the question that this book serves up.

There is a cinematic feel to FATAL that is present in larger doses than in perhaps any of Lescroart’s other works. San Francisco lends itself well as a backdrop, but what he really captures here, so often and so well, is the city’s gestalt (if I am using the right word) as a small town where everyone seems to know everyone else, and someone’s action, however momentary, can resonate across distance and time, for good or ill...and here it’s very much for ill. This is a book full of subtle surprises, easy twists and dark turns, one that, somehow at this late date for the genre, provides a new shade for the term “villain.” It is also very much a cautionary tale, one to which virtually anyone can relate, whether they live in a self-styled and self-aware cosmopolitan city like San Francisco or in a quiet, steady and sturdy community such as Fairlawn, Ohio, or Covington, Kentucky.

Whether you are a steadfast fan of Lescroart’s or have never read his work, you simply must read FATAL. You know these people.

Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

I was tempted to give up on this thriller halfway through, and I checked in here to see some five-star reviews and some quite critical ones before making a final decision. I decided to skim the rest of it. So I skimmed for 50 pages or so, then found a section that made sense and did not make me feel that I had missed much in the center by skimming. I give the first third 3.5 stars, the parts I skimmed only 2.5, and the final third five stars. Overall, the novel is a bit too filled with details about wealthy folks' taste in wine, and troubles with teens who have already been accepted at fine colleges. A subplot about an anorexic young woman is just a trick to introduce a love interest to the main character, and could have been deleted in the main. A terrorist attack also, to me, seemed to belong in a different tale altogether than in this novel, which promised a hot scene or two about infidelity, a bit of "Fatal Attraction" stalking, and a murder or two. Well, the killings happen, but the other two avenues are brief and disappointing. The conclusion is interesting, yet...inconclusive in some respects. The heroine is quite admirable, though. I would not mind seeing her in a subsequent novel, with a tighter tale. This is the second Lescroart book in a row that has been not quite as good as his Dismas Hardy courtroom thrillers. Perhaps he is producing too much too quickly, or is losing his touch. "Fatal" is full of not very helpful details about the lives of minor characters, and San Francisco compliments. However, as I am almost all said and done about it, the thing did finally grab me and I couldn't put the last 75 pages or so aside. Perhaps it is a 3.5 star Lescroart production instead of my four above, but his lesser efforts are still better than those of many other courtroom fiction specialists.

Peter Ash is a successful and very popular fellow. He and his wife Jill socialize often with two other couples, one couple of which is Kate and her husband Don. Kate has a strong attraction to Peter, so strong that she takes the initiative and seduces him one fine day. But Kate has no desire to continue this illicit relationship.
Kate is not the only woman who shares Peter’s bed. Theresa, who is Peter’s personal secretary at his San Francisco firm and desperately in love with him, has no idea that Peter has been unfaithful to his own wife with dozens of other women. When Peter’s body washes ashore, Detective Beth Tully is assigned the case to investigate Peter’s likely murder. Beth also happens to be a close friend to Kate and this complicates the investigation considerably.
There are any number of suspects, including Kate’s husband who might have learned about Kate’s single act of unfaithfulness. Or perhaps it was Theresa who came down with a severe case of jealousy. Or maybe it was Peter’s own wife who found out and struck with angry revenge, not to mention Peter’s landlady who extended occasional “favors.”
Author John Lescroart weaves a complex tale, one that keeps you turning the pages and trying to find out who killed Peter. Only at the end does the reader get the full picture of Peter’s various romantic escapades. Unfortunately the conclusion seems a bit weak and so confusing that it caused me to reduce my rating from five to four stars.

Kate and Ron Jameson have a happy marriage, two children, and live in San Francisco. When their friends invite them to have dinner with them and another couple, new to them, something about the guy, Peter Ash, sparks a passion in Kate and she wants to have sex with him. Knowing this is a crazy idea, she can’t seem to stop before herself actually bringing it to fruition. After an afternoon in a hotel room and agreeing that this is a one time thing, Kate seems to be able to put it behind her, but Peter realizes that if this ever got out, his wife would ruin him.

Kate’s good friend, Beth Tully, is a single mom with one daughter. Kate and Beth have been best friends since college. Beth spent years as a patrol cop and is now an inspector and is quite good at her job.

Kate and Beth have met up at a popular public place for coffee where Kate is about to confide in her about her affair with Peter. Just then, terrorists strike the area killing and injuring many people. Both Kate and Beth are injured.

Months later after lots of healing, Beth is just back at her job just as Peter Ash is murdered. As Beth and her co-worker, Ike, investigate his murder, many things open up and it appears the killer might be among Kate’s friends and family.

This is my first book by John Lescroart and now I realize why my husband is such a fan of his. This mystery is well-written with characters that seem so real, it’s like talking about your next-door neighbor. The book kept my interest all the way through making me wonder who the murderer was. I liked this book very much. My only skepticism is the “terrorist” attack centered on a small place in San Francisco. Had there been other attacks elsewhere, it may have seemed more feasible. But, that did not stop me from giving this book 5 stars.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

New York Times Bestselling author, John Lescroart returns following The Fall (2015) with a totally different type novel than his norm. FATAL, a standalone, the unexpected - the deadly consequences of a one-night stand.

As you begin reading you will think you are embarking on another “The Affair” American television series (currently catching up with the last season); however, minus all the continuous down and dirty sex scenes.

Set in San Francisco, a gripping domestic suspense of a woman who chooses a burning desire--to commit adultery-- infidelity, leading to a dark and suspenseful journey. A dangerous web of deceit.

Kate Jameson, age 44 is married to Ron (a lawyer) with two children.

They attend a dinner party and Kate becomes obsessed with Peter, also married. Her best friend is a cop, Beth Tully. They had been friends since college and shared their thoughts. She had warned her not to act on her lustful feelings.

However, Kate does not listen. A one-night stand turns into a nightmare. The lives it touches. Crossing lines. Harmful secrets. Could she go back to normal? Shattered lives. Deadly consequences. Murder.

A gang of terrorists. A shooting. Kate and Beth are wounded, then six months later. Peter winds up dead, plus more.

Be patient, a slow start; however, about 50% the intensity heats up.

A shocking stand-alone tale (coming from this author), straying from the usual Dismas Hardy style---writing from a woman’s point of view, a strong driving force which navigates the novel. A different tone than the norm, character-driven, with more sensitivity and relationships between women and men.

Give Fatal a whirl! Lescroart is welcome to lead us down a different path, as long as he leads us back with another Dismas Hardy (coming soon), can’t wait! A superb storyteller (no matter the genre) from the master. Perfect cover!

A special thank you to Atria and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

JDCMustReadBooks

One moment of insanity snowballs into epic tragedy. John Lescroart has written a taut, absorbing psychological thriller. It’s unfortunate that in order to get there, we were subjected to the McGuffin in Kate and Peter’s mutual infidelity. The events leading up to their intimacy in the Meridien hotel aren’t quite believable. In fact, for me, they almost had a surreal feel to the entire thing. But, I’m glad I stuck with the novel because after SPOILER Peter’s murder, that’s where the book finally comes into its own. END SPOILER!!

From then on, it’s a breezy read filled with the twists and turns one expects from a book in this genre. It was interesting seeing the case unfold through Beth and Ike’s eyes. But, it wasn’t all police procedural all the time. In fact, the author took care to present other aspects of Beth’s and Ike’s life by inserting real life (such as Ginny’s resentment of her single mom’s workload and Ike’s daughter’s illness). Although the chapters with these interludes showed a fuller picture of the police as people, they really didn’t add up to much in the end SPOILER except due to Ginny’s friendship with Laurie, it opened up the romance between Beth and Ginny’s brother Alan END SPOILER!!]

When a certain plot point was introduced SPOILER - by that I mean when Beth confessed to her husband about her brief affair with Peter, I had a strong suspicion I knew who had killed Kate’s one-time lover. END SPOILER! It just remained to be seen if my suspicion would bear fruit. But, I enjoyed the journey getting there. The misdirections were well done and plausible. I think the best thing about “Fatal” is that there was no true resolution. Although we readers are left in no doubt as to who the culprit is, the novel leaves us guessing as to whether justice would finally be served. As I understand it, this is a common occurrence in true police work.

The final thing I’d like to say about this novel is that in the About the Author section, it states John Lescroart lives in Northern California, and it shows, as the book was peppered with locales and institutions (Tadich, the Chronicle, BART, etc.) that lend authenticity to the San Francisco setting. I guess I’ve just become cynical when movies and tv series are set in a San Francisco that many won’t recognize as the City by the Bay. So, I tip my hat to JL.

Oh Mr. Lescroart - please don't try another stand alone novel; stick with what you know. I love the Dismas Hardy books and all the characters in them, I've read them all and never been disappointed. I certainly cannot say the same thing about Fatal. Initially I was having a hard time keeping track of who was with who as far as couples go. I finally got that straight but then was bombarded with a series of, to me, disjointed story lines: a separate homicide/suicide that introduces a female character and her brother (I guess we needed this so the female main character had someone at the end but I didn't see that it really added anything to the main plot), a terrorist attack and a series of really unbelievable circumstances surrounding the main characters. I didn't like the female protagonist at all; I found her to be bossy and cocky. She has a goody-2-shoes daughter who added nothing to the story. In summation, I found the novel to be totally disjointed and I won't read another by the author unless it's in the Dismas Hardy series.

Kate and Ron Jameson are happily married with two savvy teenagers and a nice house in San Francisco. Things take a turn, however, after a dinner party hosted by Ron's law partner, Geoff Cooke. At the party, Kate meets attorney Peter Ash and develops an insatiable desire to have sex with him. Without mentioning Peter's name Kate confides her obsession to her best friend, Beth Tully - who happens to be an SFPD detective - and is advised to forget about the man.

Against Beth's advice - and her own better judgement - Kate tricks Peter into meeting her in a hotel room, then brazenly seduces him. Afterwards, Kate immediately wants to end things. Having got Peter out of her system, Kate blithely feels she can go on with her life as it was before. For his part, Peter, who has a wife and twin teenage sons, seems to have an existential crisis after the affair. He takes to drinking and womanizing....and seems to lose interest in his marriage and job.

A couple of weeks after 'the affair' Kate and Beth are having coffee at the Ferry Building Marketplace when terrorists barge in and shoot the place up. The two women are seriously injured: Kate is shot in both legs and Kate sustains dire chest injuries, but both women slowly recover.

Six months after the terror shooting, Beth - who's still limping - gets a new case. She and her partner, Detective Ike McCaffrey, are assigned to investigate the homicide of Peter Ash - who was found floating in San Francisco Bay. Of course Beth doesn't know about Kate's previous liasion with Peter......yet.

The investigators talk to Peter's wife, sons, secretary, colleagues, friends, and so on. And Geoff Cooke - who considers himself Peter's best buddy - offers to assist in any way he can. More deaths occur, and the detectives have plenty of suspects to consider.

In a side story, Beth and her daughter Ginny befriend an anorexic young woman named Laurie, who fell into despair after her married lover was killed.

Eventually Beth and Ike discover who did what. For me, the ending wasn't completely satisfying.....but that's all I can say without spoilers.

This standalone novel isn't as good as John Lescroart's 'Dismas Hardy' series. The plot of 'Fatal' feels a little raw and some of the characters aren't believable. For instance, Kate's sudden obsession for Peter doesn't ring true. I expected to discover she'd been hypnotized or drugged - and given a 'post-hypnotic suggestion' to have sex with Peter (but apparently not). I also think a 'nice woman' like Kate would consider the consequences of seducing a married man - and possibly ruining his life.....but she doesn't give this a second thought.

When it comes to Peter, it's unlikely that a sensible, hard-working guy like him would change so dramatically after one sexual encounter. Peter's a grown man, not a hormone-driven teenage boy.

I also have a quibble about the anorexic girl, Laurie. Anorexia is a serious condition, and anorexics don't suddently start eating just because a new friend brings over a tasty meal. This plot point doesn't seem well thought out.

As I was reading, I thought this might be an early Lescroart book, being published now to make a few bucks. However - in the acknowledgements - Lescroart says he recently wrote the book, so that's not the case. Maybe it's just a new 'Beth Tully' series that's getting off to a bit of a rough start.

All in all, this is an okay mystery. If you're a suspense fan who's planning a vacation or plane trip, this book would provide suitable company.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of the book.

Well, I finished the book and it was relatively short compared to most of the books written these days, so those are two good things I can say about it. In addition, the story was believable, the pacing was good, and it did supply several options for the murders throughout the middle of the book. However, the ending was less than fulfilling, the "relationship" stuff took up more space than necessary, and it seemed like a very forgettable book with no "hook" that the reader could use to remember it past a day or two.
I have not read any Lescroart Dismas Hardy books so I have no comparison to them which is probably good, since the majority of the reviews indicate those books are preferred to this "stand alone" book. I would NOT recommend this book if you are looking for a Dismas Hardy-like character and some courtroom drama. Otherwise, I would classify it as a not great but not bad read - something different to fill a few hours, but not anywhere near a must read whodunit.

Do not start this book anywhere near bedtime. It will keep you up. That is, if you get far enough into it.

Can you imagine, you are happily married, but just once, for just one afternoon, you want to meet a man in a hotel and get it on. You think that's the end of it. Then a couple of days later, you think maybe again and you call him. He knows you called, but you hang up. Then your involved in a terrorist plot and your disabled for 6 months. You forget about this man. He doesn't forget about you. You've pushed that rock, started it rolling down the hill, it's gathered momentum. It's a boulder now. Now, what are you going to do?

This was such a great book. So many plot twists and turns. So many suspects. Kate had no idea of the monster she opening up when she invited Peter to that hotel room. I kept thinking that Peter had some kind of vibe or something and that he was actually charming her, but he was totally surprised that Kate had come on to him. I definitely could not put this one down. Kudos Mr. Lescroart for a job well done and lastly, merci for the entertainment!

Huge thanks to Atria Books for approving my request and to Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Atria Books and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Fatal. This is my honest opinion of the book.

Beth is a San Francisco Police Detective who, along with her partner Ike, end up embroiled in a complicated case of murder and infidelity. When more people start dying and the pool of suspects changes, will Beth be able to determine once and for all what really happened to murder victim Peter Ash?

The problem that I had with Fatal was that the lead into the main story was too long and lacked the thrilling pace that I have come to expect from John Lescroart. Peter Ash is really not a good guy, so it is hard to garner up sympathy for him and his plight. The side plot with Alan, Laurie, and Ginny really only served to muddy up the plot, as it had no standing in the main story. Although I am not usually a fan of flashback books, Fatal would have been more compelling if the reader was allowed to feel sympathy for Peter before we discover who he truly is. I did like the realism at the ending, with regards to the case. Readers who like police procedural thrillers will probably like this novel by veteran author John Lescroart.

Bottom line is that Lescroart's not-quite-the-best book is still pretty darn good and worth reading. Is has interesting characters, and the author has developed a number of characters very well. Most of the situations seem realistic enough to be believed. But there were at least two literary devices that were hard for me to buy. The first, and key to the story, is can a normal person with no previous obsessions have a one-time obsession blip and then return to having no obsessions at all. Hard to believe. The second was the terriorist attack out of the blue. Yes, it is possible, but in this case it seemed contrived. It seems to me that the author could have added plausibility by somehow foretelling the possibility.

Beyond that it it took 88 pages for the story really start. No, unfortunately, you can't skip to page 88 and begin. Some of the intro is necessary. Maybe the author had to front-load the story to come up with a manuscript to fill 304 pages.

Disclaimer: This book was received for free from my unbiased opinion from Netgalley.

Ever since reading The Fall(my first John Lescroart book), I loved his writing and then I see he has Fatal out and I immediately started reading it.

Here is the basic plot:

Kate Jameson and her husband are invited to a dinner party and this is where she meets the very married Peter. Once she gets home that night, Kate can not stop thinking about Peter. This woman literally becomes fixated on him. Yes, she has a happy marriage and two adorable, wonderful kids, but Peter consumes her thoughts.

She ends up sleeping with Peter and the consequences tears through anyone involved.

My reaction:

The book was very good. Exactly what I expected. Strong female character leads, like Detective Beth was also a pillar for this book and the plot twists nearly broke my own neck but it was delicious all the same.

The message here is very clear: infidelity can be fatal.

John Lescroart definitely penned another winner. Loved it.

Even one little, tiny mistake can prove to be fatal.

Kate finds herself uncontrollably attracted to a married man. She herself is married, but she doesn't let that stop her. Before you know it, the situation spirals out of control.

If Fatal had stuck with Kate's and her paramour's family, I think this would have been better. The terror attack and a lot of the characters, (Alan, Ginny, Laurie), felt as if they were not really necessary to the plot. I also felt as if there were too many twists and turns, even though I was able to figure it all out, almost from the very beginning.

All that said, though, the story was fast paced and interesting. I especially liked the Police Detective Beth and her partner Ike. I hope to see them again in the future.

Overall, Fatal was a fun, quick story that was all over the place at times and could have been more focused. Even still, it was entertaining and I was glad to be reading Mr. Lescroart's work again.

*Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*

When I read Lescroart, I want Dismas Hardy and Abe Glinsky. Yes, I know I'm selfish and recognize that the author should be able to write and publish what he wants- but I hold everything up to that series and this book didn't cut it for me. It rambled with little character development and too many red herrings so that I was just anxious for it to be done. Why did I finish it? Because I'm always afraid an author will pull out a really great ending that I'll miss it I quit. I very seldom find a stand-alone by an author whose series books I love that meets my standards so maybe I should just stick to the tried-and-true.

What a disappointment. First of all...no Dismas Hardy. Well, I knew that before I opened it, but thought I'd try it anyway.
Sorry I did. What a lot of absolutely nothing interesting. Including the addition of an anorexic woman.
Really? How did that move the plot along? Dull characters and boring details. I would never have
finished it if it didn't have John Lescroart's name on it. Unless Dismas comes back or the author can find something really mystery worthy...
I'm out!

I was happily engrossed until when, in the middle of the storyline Lescroat gratuitously, and without any purpose to enhance character development, throws in a Trump/Palin joke. He could have easily made it a Trump /Hillary joke, but, decided, instead to insert partisan politics into the story. I read to escape this sort of BS, and did not appreciate it all. A reminder to the author : if you want to market to those outside of the San Francisco bubble, refrain from such childish indulgence in the futre. I want my money back.

Any book by John Lescroart is an excellent reading experience and this book was no exception. A departure from the Dismas Hardy series with a cast of characters and a plot that is not only believable but possible and maybe even probable. While I had several guesses, it was not until the end I found out who shot who, and that was not confirmed, only speculated, leaving me hoping for a follow up. All elements wanted in a book were in this one, murder, police involvement, romance, backstabbing, jealousy, and more. The book is so well structured I cannot say who the main character is but if there is a follow up I’m rooting for Beth, the police detective. Highly recommended for any fans of mystery/thriller/crime/police detective stories. All of five stars.

In a novel that immediately calls to mind the classic film "Fatal Attraction", veteran author John Lescroart creates a stand alone novel that focuses on a one-night stand gone very wrong and the deadly fall-out that comes about as a result of this act.

Set in San Francisco, Detective Beth Tully finds herself intervening on both a personal and professional level when here friend Kate Jameson admits to her the obsession she has over a married man she recently met. Things spin wildly out of control when the man in question, Peter Ash, is found dead --- his corpse washing up on a nearby beach. Beth Tully will have to go to great lengths to solve this and keep her friend and her family safe in the process.

I enjoyed this novel. I had some difficulty with my dislike of the character of Kate, who is extremely selfish, to say the least, but she was a nice contrast to her friend Beth, who was in many ways selfless. While I did not find this to be an extreme nail-biting thriller, I was curious to find out who the murderer was, and even when I thought I had it figured out, there was still another surprise waiting around the bend. This book, in describing the fallout of infedility, was sad in many ways, but always kept my attention.

"Fatal" (2017) by John Lescroat is an interesting novel about the aftermath of a one time sexual encounter between a male and female, both married. Later, the male is murdered and the story focuses on the murder investigation conducted by the adulterous female’s best friend, who happens to be a police inspector with issues of her own. I found the various parade of characters a tad confusing at times but overall the novel moves along at a steady pace. Recommended.

Kelvin L. Reed
Author of "Guilt by Association"

FATAL is a compelling read, and equally as brilliant as Lescroart's Dismas Hardy series. It was surprising to me as I scanned these reviews, that some readers felt Kate's obsession with Peter, a man she met briefly at a party, didn't ring true--after all, wasn't she happily married? And that is the crux of the whole book, in my opinion. We humans often make irrational, self-indulgent decisions that set us on a course of destruction, leaving the people we love most standing in the wreckage--desperately trying to claw their way out. The lives that were changed, destroyed, even lost in this story can all be traced back to one arbitrary decision. Lescroart goes deep with his character development, and it's more than a little chilling to watch Peter unravel as we observe his inner thoughts during the process. John is a master at keeping you turning pages and on the edge of your seat -- while brilliantly tying up every loose end. Definitely five stars.

Fatal by John Lescroart is a mystery novel about many different unique individuals who are connected by work, friendship and murder. The novel began with Kate Jameson one of the novels main characters (along her husband Ron and their children) and Beth Tully, her best friend who is also a detective. The two frequently took long walks together, went out for food or just had times where they would buy coffee and chat. During their discussion Kate had confided in Beth that she had thoughts of cheating on her husband with Peter, a man she had met at a dinner party. Kate became obsessive over Peter, constantly thinking about him and had made the decision to cheat on Ron with him (which backfired because once she realized her mistake he refused to leave her alone). When Kate told Beth this had occurred, there could not have been any other perfect timing because right after she told her so there was a terrorist attack, which hospitalized both women. 6 months after the terrorist attack Beth was back at work and she began to work on a murder investigation, the victim being named Peter Ash. Due to the attack Beth had no memory of Kate telling her about her connection with this man, so Beth went about the investigation as usual. She looked into his family, him and his wife were going to be divorced because he had derailed very recently and been found in anger fits and in bed with other women. His two sons, who were both older, seemed to no longer like him because of his new way of life and this caused Beth and her partner Ike to suspect the children (especially because one had owned a gun and mysteriously lost it). After checking alibi's Beth and Ike decided to move on past his family members to his secretary Teresa. Teresa and Peter had been having an affair, however she did not know of all the other women and had an alibi for the night of his death, forcing Beth and Ike to move forward with their investigation. Midway through the investigation Geoff (Peter's best friend) came into the police station offering help, believing he may have information that he doesn't know he has. This made Beth and Ike a bit suspicious because who willingly involves themselves in a murder investigation? Could he have done so out of guilt? Ike and Beth did not have much time to process because a short while later Teresa was found dead, having committed suicide because she missed Peter so much (or at least that is what they had believed). This confused Ike because he truly believed Teresa had played a role in Peters murder. While working on this case, Ike and Beth had explored many options and asked for many warrants from the judge (which causes problems for them later in the investigation.) After Teresa's death Beth and Ike went back to investigating Geoff, his best friend. They asked permission to search his boat however the judge did not give them the permission, Geoff did and it took Ike and Beth a long time before they could get the people of the state on the boat. This proved to be a large issue because by the time they had searched the boat correctly Geoff had already committed suicide and had left a note saying he killed Peter. Around this time Beth had finally recalled why Peter Ash had sounded to familiar to her, her best friend had an affair with him. Beth called Kate and asked her a few questions which did not truly satisfy Beth, however after Geoff's death was ruled a suicide and he was seen as the murderer of Peter Ash Beth believed she was just paranoid. It was not until Geoff's wife spoke to Beth explaining why this suicide ruling was incorrect that Beth had figured it out. You see Geoff did not commit suicide and neither did Teresa or Peter. In order to prove this Beth and Geoff's wife set up a trap for the murderer and he fell for it. They called Kate and her husband Ron and Ron came to Geoff's home with a gun in hand. This told Beth all she needed to know, however since she had no concrete evidence both Kate and Ron got away with two murders. You see Ron killed Peter because he was a jealous husband, and in order to cover his tracks Kate killed Geoff because she did not want the police to search the boat because the boat was where her husband killed Peter Ash. Though I enjoyed the novel itself, the end of the novel really bothered me because it enrages me that the two guilty people were able to get away with these murders. I would definitely recommend this novel because it is a thrilling read and really had me on the edge of my seat!I truly did not believe it was the couple who had committed the murders especially because of the alibi Ron had. The ending of this novel really got me and I believe anyone who picks this book up will not be able to put it down. I rated the book four out of five simply because I disliked how the novel ended and at times the switching between characters perspective got confusing. Definitely a memorable read!

When I started reading this, I was certain I wasn't going to like it. There's something so sordid about infidelity. I also thought I knew what the consequences were and thought I understood who our characters really were.

I was wrong.

This was an extremely suspenseful novel. It turned out that I had no clue who our characters really were and when I realized what had actually happened, I was floored.

It did lose a point for me with the ending. While I appreciated the ending, I wanted something more definitive than the ending the author gave us.

Well written and very surprising!

The plot is complex and keeping the characters in place was a bit of a challenge. As in all of Lescroart's novels, the pages seem to turn rapidly. Kudos to Lescroart for getting the incestuous relationship between Glitski, Hardy, Farrell and two of the wives completely out of the picture This book features two pretty good detectives who are good at their job. This new team introduced in Fatal:A Novel are far from superheroes called upon to save the world. All in all, a very well written novel.