Wes Farrell, former defense attorney and partner of Dismas Hardy, is already second guessing the wisdom of running for District Attorney of San Francisco, and it's only his first week on the job. Cliff and Theresa Curtlee, wealthy owners of the Courier, show up at his new office thinking their support of his campaign will insure he will do what he can to get their son, Ro, out on bail after a technicality has released him from prison after ten-years. Though Wes may share with Chief ADA Amanda Jenkins and Head of Homicide Abe Glitsky the perspective that Ro is a psychotic murderer-rapist who should not be released, he wants to do things by the book. Before they know it, Ro is a free man awaiting a new trial.

The people who helped convict Ro in the first placed were crucified in the media courtesy of the Curltees and their paper for years following the conviction. Not surprisingly, they are worried about what Ro and his parents will do to insure he remains free. The danger becomes clear when one of the star witnesses is found burned to death in her apartment, and a second fire destroys the home of another participant in the case. Abe, Amanda, Wes, and their colleagues are determined to see Ro back in prison even as they worry when and how the Curtlees will strike at them and their families.

DAMAGE features characters from previous books, including A Plague of Secrets and Betrayal. Not having read the earlier books in the series, I felt I was missing some of the nuances of the characters' histories (such as the teasing between best friends Abe and Dismas, and the injury to Abe's young son). However, that did not dampen my enjoyment of this book. DAMAGE is a thrilling read I could not put down. Though it is clear from the beginning that Ro is as evil as they think he is, there are still many unexpected twists to keep you guessing. At one point a character refers to a moment as his rubicon, a line that once crossed means ultimate commitment and no turning back. For me, this book was all about the rubicon. How far will each character go to protect a family, find justice, uncover the truth, exact revenge, or feel the ultimate rush? The repercussions are far reaching when one of those lines is crossed.

Book Summary

From New York Times bestseller John Lescroart comes an explosive look at the seductive power of revenge and the terrible costs of justice. The Curtlees are the most powerful family in San Francisco, unscrupulous billionaires who've lined every important pocket in the Bay Area in pursuit of their own ascent. So when the family's heir, Ro Curtlee, was convicted of rape and murder a decade ago, the fallout for those who helped to bring him to justice was swift and uncompromising.

The jury foreman was fired from his job and blacklisted in his industry. The lead prosecutor was pushed off the fast track, her dreams of becoming DA dashed. And head homicide detective Abe Glitsky was reassigned to the police department s payroll office. Eventually, all three were able to rebuild their fragile, damaged lives. And then Ro Curtlee's lawyers won him a retrial, and he was released from jail.

Within twenty-four hours, a fire destroys the home of the original trial's star witness, her abused remains discovered in the ruins. When a second fire claims a participant in the case, Abe is convinced: Ro is out for revenge. But with no hard evidence and an on-the-take media eager to vilify anyone who challenges Ro, can Abe stop the violence before he finds himself in its crosshairs?

How much more can he sacrifice to put Ro back behind bars? And just how far across the line is he prepared to go in pursuit of justice?