Dismas Hardy books in order

The Dismas Hardy series by John Lescroart includes 19 legal thriller novels following a San Francisco defense attorney, published from 1989 to 2021.

Reading order

# Title Published Author Buy on Amazon
1 Dead Irish 1989 Dismas Hardy Buy
2 The Vig 1990 Dismas Hardy Buy
3 Hard Evidence 1993 Dismas Hardy Buy
4 The 13th Juror 1994 Dismas Hardy Buy
5 The Mercy Rule 1998 Dismas Hardy Buy
6 Nothing but the Truth 2000 Dismas Hardy Buy
7 The Hearing 2000 Dismas Hardy Buy
8 The Oath 2002 Dismas Hardy Buy
9 The First Law 2003 Dismas Hardy Buy
10 The Second Chair 2004 Dismas Hardy Buy
11 The Motive 2004 Dismas Hardy Buy
12 Betrayal 2008 Dismas Hardy Buy
13 A Plague of Secrets 2009 Dismas Hardy Buy
14 The Ophelia Cut 2013 Dismas Hardy Buy
15 The Keeper 2014 Dismas Hardy Buy
16 The Fall 2015 Dismas Hardy Buy
17 Poison 2018 Dismas Hardy Buy
18 The Rule of Law 2019 Dismas Hardy Buy
19 The Missing Piece 2021 Dismas Hardy Buy

The Dismas Hardy series by John Lescroart follows a San Francisco defense attorney through 19 novels. Starting with Dead Irish (1989), the series tracks Hardy’s career and personal life over more than thirty years of publishing. His friend and frequent collaborator, homicide detective Abe Glitsky, is a major recurring character.

Each book centers on a new legal case, typically involving murder. The series covers courtroom drama, police investigation, and the personal toll of Hardy’s work. Later books including The Ophelia Cut, Poison, and The Missing Piece continue the pattern while also addressing how Hardy and his circle have changed over the decades.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Dismas Hardy series?

There are nineteen books in the Dismas Hardy series, published between 1989 and 2021.

What is the first book in the Dismas Hardy series?

The first book in the Dismas Hardy series is Dead Irish, published in 1989.

Do the Dismas Hardy books need to be read in order?

Reading in publication order is recommended. While each book has a self-contained case, the characters age and their relationships develop across the series. Major life events from earlier books carry forward into later ones.

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