Abe Glitsky, a veteran detective, has been moved out of homicide and into the payroll department of the police force, much to his chagrin. However, when Sam Silverman, an elderly friend of Abe's father, is robbed and murdered, Abe takes a look at the case. Much to his surprise, Abe is stymied in his inquiries at every turn; it soon becomes clear that his colleagues on the force do not want Abe interfering in their investigation. To make matters worse, Abe's good friend, Dismas Hardy, represents a man who is being framed for killing Sam. As Abe and Dismas continue to challenge Wade Panos, dead bodies begin piling up and it becomes clear that if Dismas and Abe do not back off, they may be risking their lives.
I love the characters of Dismas Hardy and Abe Glitsky. They are macho and sensitive as well as intelligent and compassionate. I admit that the plot of "The First Law" is a bit far-fetched. It is difficult to believe that such lawlessness would prevail in a city as cosmopolitan as San Francisco. However, Lescroart makes the point that evil people with no conscience do exist. If normally law-abiding citizens are to fight such individuals, they sometimes have to act in unorthodox ways in order to survive.
At four hundred pages, "The First Law" is a bit too long. However, the plot and the dialogue are lively and compelling and the characters are nicely drawn. Lescroart maintains a high level of suspense and excitement until "The First Law" reaches its dramatic and action-packed conclusion.
