Most of John Lescroart's novels center on San Francisco Attorney Dismas Hardy. Lately, however, this author has branched out for some stories based on the adventures of Wyatt Hunt, a private investigator Hardy has used upon occasion. His latest novel, The Hunter, focuses on Hunt.
This is a book about Wyatt's search for his birth parents. After his mother's death -- when Wyatt was very young -- he went into foster care and was eventually adopted by the Hunts. He had a very happy life with them and was not really concerned about his birth parents. This changes when one day out of the blue he gets a text asking, "How did your mother die?" This is the impetus for him to start questioning who his birth parents were and what happened to them.
The first thing he learns is that his mother was murdered and that his father was charged with the crime. Although never convicted, Wyatt's father gave up all rights to him and left the state where Wyatt was living. He never tried to get in contact with Wyatt.
The book's plot is one big search and it takes Wyatt to various places and to talk with a variety of people. As he closes in on who his parents were and what happened to his mother, another murder occurs. Someone does not want the truth discovered and uncovered.
The Hunter shows more of Wyatt's character than any of the previous books that concerned his life. We learn more about his heritage and how the early events in his life made him the man he became. Learning about his past frees him up to accept his present. It also makes him capable of opening up to love.
This is one of Lescroart's most romantic stories. Wyatt begins a relationship one of his employees -- a girl named Tamara. Their relationship starts off as a friendship but quickly develops into something more. Still Hunt is hesitant to acknowledge deep feelings for anyone. Because of his upbringing he keeps his emotions closely hidden.
We only get one Lescroart novel a year, and when it arrives, it is a cause for excitement. I usually prefer the books about Dismas Hardy but this one on Hunt is one of Lescroart's best. He manages to make it his most complex and emotional story to date.
So waste no time in getting this book in your hands. It is a treat for any reader, and for devoted fans of Lescroart's writing skills it is extraordinary.
The Hunter is published by Dutton. It contains 400 pages and sells for $26.95.