This was fantastic. First time I read a novel by Grisham. He’s every bit as good as I’ve heard.

John Grisham practically invented the "legal thriller" format. His latest novel, well past his 20th, both continues some familiar Grisham features as well as striking out in some new directions as well. He continues to develop his writing skills as an outstanding novelist, demonstrating increased mastery in areas such as character development, dialogue, and plot evolution. He still draws the reader in from the beginning as the story begins to unfold. One departure from his other books is that this is no "page turner" that increases the reader's fixation as the suspense builds (think of "The Firm" by contrast]. Grisham, for once, is in no hurry to develop his story--people are not "falling" off tall buildings on page 6 as occurred in an earlier novel. This does not mean that he has lost his ability to inject an explosive vivid element suddenly when it is least expected which grabs the reader like no other author I am familiar with. So the reader has plenty of time to internalize the varied details of the plot. I have commented in past reviews on how his recent books have educated the reader on various legal topics, such as how the mass torts bar operates; public interest lawyers fighting to protect the environment; the deficiencies of the death penalty; and the misuse of confessions. Here the story involves the Florida Board on Judicial Conduct, which policies judges and conducts investigations of alleged judicial misconduct. Such agencies exist in virtually every state and do highly important work. Integral to the plot is an Indian-owned casino which allows Grisham to educate us about this fascinating development. 200 tribes in this country run casinos, on reservations, which means they pay no federal taxes of any kind and no taxes (state or otherwise) on profits. These casinos generate billions in profits, with oceans of cash flowing through their hoppers. So this leads to the reader learning about money laundering and other unpleasant, but highly profitable, activities. The story picks up when a criminal investigation ensues. Grisham's description of how U.S. Attorneys employ grand juries is right on (I used to run them), as is his introduction of quaint government practices such as asset forfeitures and freezing, RICO, and what inducements can be offered to secure testimony from lower level crooks. I was amazed to learn about "burner" phones--technology marches on. The important thing here is that all of this new information not only does not slow down Grisham's exciting tale, but actually enhances its effectiveness. His own background as a criminal defense counsel really pays off in adding credibility to his stories. The book is atypical for Grisham in that it does not build to a "page turning" climax that grips the reader until the last paragraph is read. And I sort of missed that--not to say the ending is not well done, and the pace doesn't pick up around page 335. It's just not the kind of ending found in other Grisham novels where you can't go to bed until to finish it off--no matter what. It also has relatively little focus on litigation and trials, although some important elements do make brief appearances. All told, just another fine achievement by John Grisham that provides a most "satisfying meal" for any reader who appreciates a well-written and exciting criminal tale.

This book as with all of John Grisham's books had a very good story. I feel like it was much longer than it needed to be though. It was a very slow read.

can't go wrong with john

I am a Grisham fan but this is not his best work. If there is such a thing, I would call this a boring page-turner. You keep turning the pages expecting it to get better but then you get to the end and realize---that was it. I mean it has all the nuts and bolts of a solidly written piece of fiction but there is just no spark to it, nothing clever or surprising. After I'd turned all the pages, I blinked several times and turned off my kindle - surprised that it was over because it never quite got off the ground. The characters are one-dimensional and there is no real connection to them. Like the heroine in Gray Mountain, the female lead in this book is totally vanilla. You're not rooting for her or against her as there is little depth or character development. * some spoilers The plot is laid out early in the book - there is a corrupt judge colluding with some thugs to skim money at an Indian casino. To expose the corruption, there are a few individuals trying to blow the whistle on the judge to collect cash under the whistle-blower statutes. The whistle-blowers submit a complaint to the agency that investigates rogue judges and an investigation begins. These facts are known early on. The problem is - that's the entire plot. There are no twists or turns it goes in a fairly straight line from corruption complaint to indictments with few surprises along the way. There is also a huge loose end as we never find out what happens to one of the characters who was falsely imprisoned for murders he did not commit. Since this character is a main focus in the prequel, the failure to tie up that loose end is irritating. All in all - it is just an uneven effort. A disappointing novel from an author from whom we all expect better.

If you like justice being done plus a suspenseful story, this is a must read. As always, Grisham does not disappoint.

It’s a great page turner with several memorable lines in the dialogue. It’s not his best, or the most memorable, but is entertaining and interesting.

As always Grisham doesn’t disappoint. Great writing,pace,perfect good and bad guys, and a compellingly fast paced story. Hard to believe this isn’t true crime, or is it?